Mixed metals and mixed materials define the season's statement necklaces. Alber Elbaz of Lanvin was in front of the trend when he introduced strands of pearls wrapped in ribbon. Mixed media looks include combinations of stones, metals, embroidery, chains and ribbon. Part estate jewlery and Miss Haversham meets 80's tough mixed with global inspirations laced with a little deco and a few machine age intimations. It's a magpie mix and it looks great.  Just about all you need to make last year's LBD - or any outfit -look newer.  

It can be as simple as wearing a pair of important looking cuffs to make an LBD or a sweater and whatever bottom look chic, grownup and completely pulled together. I love pictures of the fashion doyenne Diana Vreeland in her matching Kenneth Jay Lane Maltese Cross cuffs - one on each wrist. Or a combination of metals and scale as seen on the Bottega Veneta fall 2009 runway looks especially polished and new.  

This season's crop of crepe soles and wooden stack heels give a strong shaped shoe a practical edge. As in walkable. Comfortable and cool -looking.

For grownups a refined bootie or shoe bootie -especially in black and worn with black matte tights-always looks sleek and hip. It's good to choose a style with a little edge to nudge your clean lined pencil skirt or pants into Fall's tough chic mood. Done right, this little shoe is an instant 'Look Changer'. Open toed booties are as useful as wearing a negligee in a hailstorm. They don't work much after September anywhere but LA or Miami. Nothing your stylist hates more than the look-destroying combination of sheer or sheer patterned stockings with a bootie ( except perhaps bare legs and 'mature' knees in a too short length). Go with a no-see through opaque like Wolford's Matte Opaque 80 style. They are a whopping $52  but treat them lovingly with hand washing and line drying and they'll wear like iron. Find them at Wolford boutiques nationallly. Spanx has introduced Reversible Tight-End Tights $34 made of reversible matte yarns so that you can wear them two ways. The color range is great for tonal bootie and opaque combos. They also have an extended top to keep your various parts in place. spanx.com

Slouchy flat boots may be the thing this fall but honestly, I think they look like a mess. Who wants all that elephantine baggage on their calves? Not moi. Especially on women over 40, slouchy styles are too throwback

I love the geometry of a wedge heel. Especially in the season's crop of wedge heel boots sans a platform at the toe. The look is sleek, slightly tough, very leg -lengthening and aerodynamic. The walkability factor is a biggie too. Move comfortably all day long in this style. There is a decidedly kitten-with-a-whip quality to over-the-knee styles. If you go there opt for a simple and lightly adorned or textured pair to avoid appearing in your own costume drama.  

Not likely. As long as there are women there will be a lust for great bags but if you are debating whether to pay your mortgage or buy a new Big Bag this fall there is a new spin on "It' emerging. In the past few weeks as I've shopped for my styling gigs I've had a look at lots of this season's bags in the $1200 Plus Club. As it is you can barely swing one of last season's "Must Have Bags" without hitting 20 more brand new bag lines. In this economy it's survival of the ' It' -est.