Designer Edward Wilkerson, the main creative force behind LAFAYETTE 148 (which is based in New York but sold in Chicago at Nordstrom, Saks and Neiman Marcus), will be at Nordstrom on Michigan Avenue from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, to show off his new fall collection. LAFAYETTE 148 is featured every Friday on "The Today Show" as part of their Fashion Ambush! segment and has recently been featured on "The Apprentice" and "The View." Celebrity customers of the brand include Eva Longoria, Oprah Winfrey, Diane Sawyer, Queen Latifah and Meryl Streep.

If you go, shoot me a note and let me know what you think of the collection! I may be too busy talking my husband off a ledge if the White Sox lose tonight.

Courtesy of the Chicago International Film Festival.

If you're a film nerd like me, and you're actually excited about the possibility of meeting Charlie Kaufman at the Chicago International Film Festival in a few weeks, you should save yourself some extra cash and purchase a festival pass today. Go to this link to purchase tickets and use this promo code: 44FESTPASS. You'll save $10 on the pass, but the offer expires today. There are three passes to choose from. My husband and I usually get the Moviegoer Pass, which gets you 10 tickets for $110. Anyone else planning to see "Wendy and Lucy"?

Planning on stopping by the World Music Festival this Thursday? Bring some extra cash and stop by the International Market Place from 6 to 11 p.m. in the G.A.R. Hall in the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington. South Side jewelry artist and full-time lawyer Sandra Aya, who owns the company Pretty Afrika, is a featured artist at the event, and she's definitely worth a visit. Inspired by her time living and going to school in Ghana, West Africa, Sandra creates bold pieces, mostly necklaces, earrings and rings, using turquoise, bone and other beads. And since creativity runs in the family, her mother, Theresa Obeng Sam, will also be a featured artist at the show. Her company, Nubian Creation, offers quilts, handbags and home accessories.

Here's a little of what you can expect from Pretty Afrika. Happy shopping!:

Gold coral necklace, $155

This cooler weather makes me want to drink Oktoberfest beers and think about the new fall clothes I'm going to buy and hide from my husband. And while none of these shopping events serve beer, they do combine my love of cocktails and fall fashion. So grab your friends and hit one of these free events this week (and let me know what you find!):

Poor little shoes! I only had enough room in Thursday's column in the print addition of the Sun-Times to include boot trends. But several other shoe trends -- including the T-strap Mary Jane, my favorite -- are out in full force this fall. Nordstrom fashion guru Gregg Andrews says to keep an eye out for these five retro-inspired looks:

1. T-strap Mary Janes (shown below). The extra strip down the middle makes the Mary Jane look a little less "Catholic school girl" and a little more fashion-forward and fun.

2. Covered platforms. The shoes' material continues all the way to the ground, and no wooden or other kind of heel shows.

3. Flats with big embellishments. It will be hard for you to find a flat at a store that doesn't have a gemstone or buckle or medallion. Also, designers seemed to have ignored the ballet slipper this fall. Flats are made out of tougher fabrics, like patent leather and wool.

4. Colored patent leather. Look for patent in navy blue, berry shades, chocolate brown and gun metal or grey.

5. Exotic skins. Shoe designers love their reptile -- leather that's been pressed like crocodile or alligator.

T-TIME: Chie Mihara is the king of T-strap Mary Janes this fall. It's almost not fair for me to show you these, since they're pretty darn expensive, but every once in awhile I like to treat myself to a pair of Chie Miharas (they're incredibly comfortable and last forever). At left, these leather Mary Janes are $338. At right, these suede beauties are $408. Both are handmade in Spain and available at Niche, 1566 N. Damen, 2001 W. North and 3432 N. Southport.

Chicago native and renowned footwear and accessories designer Donald J Pliner will be at Bloomingdale's (900 N. Michigan) tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 13, to meet and greet shoppers, show off his new collection and sign autographs on the soles of your shoes. A DJ will be providing your shopping soundtrack. And there will be cookies! Sorry, no cocktails. Just water.

I wrote about this adorable T-shirt last month, but the Anthropologie on State still has plenty of them left, so I'm reposting: Anthropologie and designer brand Velvet are teaming up to support YouthAIDS. When you buy this limited-edition T-shirt (which you can't buy anywhere other than Anthropologie), 100 percent of the proceeds go to YouthAIDS. (I own a Velvet T-shirt, and I want to live in it. The designers Graham and Spencer use a very soft cotton/spandex mix fabric they call "gauzy whisper.")

This floral-printed, scoop-neck T-shirt with cap sleeves is $78 and is available in XS to XL at Anthropologie stores.