AllyG: Full disclosure, I am writing this on Sunday morning, anxiously waiting for Hurricane Bill. I was afraid that if I didn’t start a post early on in the day, my power would be out and there would be NOTHING ON THE INTERNET FOR YOU TO READ TOMORROW.

So, after 2,768 days of blazing humidity (slight exageration), we are now in the wake of a hurricane. Golf claps for Nova Scotia weather. And yes, I am complaing. You would be too if all you were able to fathom around your abode was undergarments.

Trying to stay cool, I’ve been catching up on fashion news in order to share with you the highlights. Please feel free to share these fun items with your colleagues at the proverbial water cooler.

First up, Maria Sharapova has introduced a new shoe line for for Cole Haan. Yes, another celebrity designer. The shoes are “meh”, you know, “whatever”. I’m totally uninspired.

Oh wow. A black ankle boot. Thrilling.

At least Maria has a bit more cred than Anna Kournikova. I get that she’s hot. Seriously, she’s hot. However, is she seriously still promoting tennis wear? Does she still play tennis? Oh, apparently she’s “hurt her wrist” and is off the tour. Kswiss still has her peddling however. Why is she laying on a massage table on her blog page? My head hurts.

As Maria is introducing her line, another celeb is expanding their’s. J-Simps is coming out with a travel collection. Now, I don’t despise Jessica’s “designs”. I actually quite adore her shoes and L-A loves her weaves : ) Her travel collection…hmm…

I’ve never been the “matchy-matchy” type, particularly when it comes to luggage. Maybe I should now that I am OVER THIRTY. However, I would like to point out that Jessica is wearing a “sweat suit” whilst trapsing through an airport in the above picture. All of the pretty luggage in the world will not take away from the grey “sweat suit”. Jess tells InStyle that “My dream is for my brand to be like Ralph Lauren,” Simpson told us before she jetted off to Japan to film the VH-1 docu-series The Price of Beauty. “I try to design all-American, classic things that aren’t just trends but that you will use again and again.”

Ralph is losing it right now.

One of my faaaaaaaavourite stories coming out of the weekend is about designers honouring the 70th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. I love that movie. It could be my favourite movie.

LOVE! Note the Nina shoes  in the bottom right corner.

There’s a better look, in black. Sigh.

The NYPost notes, “Crimson is the perfect accent to autumn’s peacock-hued palette, but if black-and-white is more your thing, these red treads are a great pop of color against fall’s perennially stylish neutrals.”

I’m still reading my Sept issue of Vogue. There are a plenty of post-it notes amongst the pages. Expect an overview this week. We need to start a Vogue book club. For reals. Seriously…I’m smart!

L-A: I had totally forgotten about those designer inspired ruby slippers! I remember seeing pics of them last fall when they were first revealed and I was in LOVE. Not surprising considering how much I love shoes and the Wizard of Oz. The only reason I’ve never dressed as Dorothy for Halloween? Because I would need to do those shoes justice and that involves more glue, glitter and time than I’ve been able to give them. If I’m going to  be Dorothy, it has got to be done right. And most of those designers did it right. Take these pretties for example:

Roger Vivier,  Stuart Weitzman, and Moschino? That’s some serious bedazzling. Love it. Or how about Betsey Johnson’s design on paper:

More love. But then I look at this collection of the shoes:

And do you know what comes to mind? (other than those Oscar de la Renta shoes being to die for):

So, which of those shoes isn’t quite like the others? Which of those designers doesn’t belong? I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count: Gwen Stefani.

I’m not completely hating on everything she designs as a part of her L.A.M.B. line (I’ll save that for another day. Mostly it bores me), but what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is a shoe (allegedly) designed by her doing amongst all those other actual, real life shoe designers? It is a mystery to me. Which brings us back to celebs with their own clothing/shoe/design line. And I’m pretty sure I’ve told you how I feel about celebs who think they’re designers. In case you’ve forgotten: I almost always hate it (there are exceptions to every rule).  Which is why I’m filled with some glee that the recession might mean the end of a lot of these craptacular offerings by celeb “designers”. Because as much I enjoy shoes by J-Simps, I hope I never see her name along side that of Louboutin. Ever. Because they’re just not in the same category. And the same goes to you Gwen Stefani. You might design clothes and shoes and people might buy it, but that better be the last time you try to touch couture or Dorothy’s slippers:

For reals. Or I’m coming after you. And your little dog too.