A Shoe In

The Dressing Room Shoes (4657 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-878-7400, thedressingroomchicago.com), the recently opened specialty outpost from the same owners of three-year-old Lincoln Square shop The Dressing Room, is located just down the street from its sister store and carries both affordable and swanky kicks. On the casual side, find mom-friendly Crocs and adorable lace-up rain boots from Dav ($80.50), as well as brown calf boots ($260.50). Prices range $40 to $300, and the shop blends practicality (hardy winter boots and comfy flats) with flash (dressy heels from Chinese Laundry and Biviel.) We liked the “look for less” suggestions with clippings from style magazines adjacent to more affordable look-a-likes. Find jewelry as low as $28.50 for a ring and cute costume necklaces and earrings, mostly $40 or less, as well as handbags. The grand opening weekend is Oct. 3rd through 5th, with special discounts.

Top Sales This Week

United Feather & Down (414 E. Golf Rd., Des Plaines; 847-296-6610), which makes luxury comforters for the Westin Hotels, Pottery Barn, and Restoration Hardware, holds its twice-yearly Tent Sale from Oct. 2nd and 3rd from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Oct. 4th from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering first quality bedding and factory seconds at up to 75 percent off. Find down comforters, pillows, featherbeds, blankets, and mattress pads. Also take advantage of a buy one, get the second half off of first quality products, and buy one, get one free on factory seconds.

New York’s favorite shopping event Shecky’s Girls Night Out returns October 1st through 3rd from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Great Hall at Union Station (210 S. Canal St.). Enjoy cocktails, beauty treatments, and up to 75 percent off designer apparel. General admission is $10, goodie bag admission is $30, and a group discount lets friends purchase tickets at lower prices (for instance, three to five friends together earn five percent off; 20 or more receive 20 percent off). Tickets online at sheckys.com.

Toms-Price (303 E. Front St., Wheaton, 630-668-7878; 725 Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire, 847-478-1900; 374 Old Orchard Center, Skokie, 847-675-9400; tomsprice.com) holds its huge floor sample sale early this year from October 4th through November 2nd. Everything on the showroom floors of all three locations will be marked down 40 to 70 percent and sold as-is; no returns.

Fashion Week Events

Fashion Week kicks off Oct. 1st in Chicago; we compiled a list of this coming week’s best events. (For a full list of events and to RSVP to runway shows, visit chicagofashionresource.com.)

Oct. 1st: Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion runway show, hosted by Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, features designs from Eskell, Sophia Reyes, and FREI Designs, among others. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. in Millennium Park (Randolph Street and Michigan Ave.; 312-229-1701, genart.org). Reservations required; admission starts at $60.

Macy’s (111 N. State St.; 312-781-1000) showcases The Designers of Chicago Collections, with local designer wares in apparel, handbags, jewelry, accessories, and more in their respective departments on floors 1, 3, and 5.

Oct. 2nd: World Fashion Chicago runway show, presented by Chicago Sister Cities International, featuring international designers representing Chicago’s 27 sister cities. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. in Millennium Park (Randolph Street and Michigan Ave.; 312-744-8074, chicagosistercities.com). Reservations required; free.

Oct. 3rd: Dress Code runway show, featuring work from fashion designs students at Columbia College Chicago, The Illinois Institute of Art, International Academy of Design & Technology Chicago, and the School of the Art Institute. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. in Millennium Park (Randolph Street and Michigan Ave.; 312-744-2400). Free.

Oct. 4th: Shop Chicago, a shopping event that unites emerging designers and city boutiques under one roof, runs from 2 to 6 p.m. Reservations required at genart.org; free.

Oct. 6th: The Allure of Couture fashion show, featuring high-end Chicago designers, starts at 7:30 p.m. in Millennium Park (Randolph Street and Michigan Ave.; 312-744-2400). Reservations required; free.

Oct. 7th: Macy’s presents the Designers of Chicago runway show, a preview of the spring 2009 collections. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. in Millennium Park (Randolph Street and Michigan Ave.; 312-744-2400). Reservations required; free.

The Best of the Rest

  • The Chicago makeup artist Sonia Roselli opens Sonia Roselli Esthétique (7363 N. Greenview Ave.; 312-371-8596) on Oct. 1st in Rogers Park, with facials, waxing, skincare services, makeup applications, as well as her line of cosmetics.
  • Jayson Home & Garden (1885 N. Clybourn Ave.; 773-248-8180, jaysonhomeandgarden.com) holds its upholstery sale through October 13th, with all upholstered furniture offered at 20 percent, including custom upholstery orders.
  • The Lincoln Park boutique Panache (2252 N. Clark St.; 773-477-4537), celebrates its 25th anniversary during October. On Oct. 4th and 5th, new customers can take 25 percent off their entire purchases; on Oct. 11th and 12th, take up to 25 percent off all handbags and accessories.
  • MoSS: Museum of Sustainable Style (1109 W. Fulton Mkt.; mosschicago.org) highlights local clothing, accessory, and furniture designers who create sustainable products from October 2nd through 5th from noon to 6 p.m. daily. On Oct. 4th, stop by from 2  to 3 p.m. for a panel on sustainable living featuring HGTV’s Sara Snow.
  • The vinyl toy company Kidrobot (1573 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-486-4820) that frequently collaborates on limited edition items with graffiti artists, opens a guerilla boutique in Wicker Park on Oct. 4th featuring clothing, jewelry, and accessories. The shop stays open through December.
  • The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair (Merchandise Mart, 12th fl.; 312-527-4141) runs October 3rd through 6th, offering 100 of the world’s best dealers in antiques and fine art like 20th century designs, paintings, furniture, and jewelry. Admission is $15.
  • The annual bulb sale at the Chicago Botanic Garden (1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe; 847-835-5440, chicagobotanic.org) features 200 varieties of bulbs from the old favorites (daffodils and tulips) to specialty bulbs (like hyacinth and autumn crocus), all chosen for suitability in Midwestern gardens. The sale runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 4th and 5th. Admission is free, parking is $15.
  • PrettyCity hosts Pretty in Pink to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer. The event offers services including pedicure, massages, facials, haircuts and color, and waxing, for $31 throughout the month. Visit prettycity.com for a list of services and salons.
  • L.L. Bean (100 W. Higgins Rd., South Barrington; 847-551-8910, llbean.com) has opened its first store outside the Northeast at the Arboretum shopping center with its full line of men’s, women’s, and kids’ clothing, and outdoor gear.
  • Roscoe Village vendors team up for the Charity Shop Crawl on Oct. 3rd from 5 to 9 p.m., with shops along Roscoe Street (just north of Belmont Avenue) offering a night of shopping. Fifteen percent of the proceeds will benefit Children’s Memorial Hospital Circle of Friends.
  • UNICEF hosts a fundraiser Wine, Women & Shoes with five bars, a shoe boutique courtesy of Nordstrom, appetizers, and silent and live auctions on Oct. 2nd at the River East Art Center (435 E. Illinois St.; 312-321-1001). Tickets range $85 to $185, book at brownpapertickets.com/event/37229.
  • The 2008 Avenue Sidewalk Sale (runs along Oak Park Avenue from Ontario to Pleasant Street, and Lake Street from Kenilworth to Euclid) is Oct. 3rd from noon to 7 p.m., Oct. 4th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Oct. 5th from noon to 5 p.m. with discounts, entertainment, and children’s activities.
  • White Chicago (222 W. Huron St.; 312-397-1571) and Guise Chic (2128 N. Halsted St.; 773-929-6101) sponsor “Consign & Shine.” Consign your wedding gown to White Chicago during October, and receive post-wedding pampering at Guise Chic with a mini-makeover of eyebrow shaping, blow out, and 10 percent off clothing.
  • The Daisy Shop (67 E. Oak St.; 312-943-8880) hosts an outwear sale in October with 40 percent off winter coats, trench coats, and winter jackets.
  • The Andersonville Galleria (5247 N. Clark St.; 773-878-8570), which has more than 50 merchants under one roof, creates an Urban Totem Pole sculpture for October Artists’ Month on the sidewalk from Oct. 3rd through 5th, using cement, acrylics, and mosaics.