All spring and summer, I wore a pair of Cole Haan black patent peep-toe pumps made with Nike Air technology. At the suggestion of a saleswoman in the shoe department at Nordstrom, I beefed them up with a pair of arch supports, and they ended up comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time. I paired them with skirts, cropped pants, skinny jeans, and rolled-up boyfriend jeans, and they soared to the top of my go-to list.

So it’s no wonder that the onset of colder weather has me looking for a closed-toe version of the same shoe that I could wear with tights for winter. While cruising the Internet, where my style loves usually begin, I found these on the Cole Haan Web site:

Be still, my heart.

I have to preface this post by saying that I think Sam is one of the finest stylists on the planet. I had the honor of co-authoring his book, Sam Saboura’s Real Style: Style Secrets for Real Women with Real Bodies, and we became lasting friends during the process. I admire him as a professional and I adore him as a human being, so it is with great pleasure that I write about what he’s up to now.

Sam is a sought-after fashion expert and stylist for the Hollywood elite, and he has devoted his career to bringing out the best in women. He has made dazzling style transformations on ABC’s “Extreme Makeover” and TLC’s “Real Simple. Real Life.” And now, his skill and savvy combine with affordability as he launches his new womenswear collection—STYLED by Sam Saboura—exclusively on HSN.

A firm believer that style should be easy, approachable, and unintimidating, Sam has designed an exciting line of modern separates to help women discover and maximize their own personal style. On trend but never trendy, the focus is on fit, function, and fabulous style. Each piece has been created to appeal to all ages and sizes, strategically designed to flatter the body and highlight a woman’s best assets. The collection includes softly structured knits that drape beautifully to make dressing positively effortless. Washed faux-leather jackets deliver an elegant look and feel, offering an instant update to any wardrobe. A brilliant color palette of fuchsia, teal, and moss green complements basic black and dark denim, creating a glamorous look that’s easy to wear. And because STYLED is designed from a fashion expert’s point of view, it’s like having your very own stylist on hand to dress you flawlessly season after season.

Here’s one of my favorite pieces from his collection:

Click here for more.

I love how an unexpected pop of color can take a black dress to a new level…a little fun, a little playful.

In perusing old photos, I couldn’t help but notice the similarity between these two outfits, worn at 3ish and 26ish:

Yes, I have way too many black pants, and that’s not likely to change any time in the near future. Black bottoms are essential components of my wardrobe–dare I say it?…of any baby-boomer woman’s wardrobe–and I just plain enjoy collecting variations of them.

Anthropologie’s protean crops are my latest love. They look great with bare legs and heels…with tights and short boots…with flats…making them a great building block for a fall wardrobe.

Yes, I am a certified Anthroholic. I love the store because it caters to women of all ages, and the buyers have a great knack for choosing items with great personality. Team any one Anthropologie piece with something basic, and the result is invariably a fabulous statement.

My two newest faves:

The Acclimate sweater:

The Midnight Squall skirt:

No, this isn’t really a style post. I just think it’s pretty funny that my sons  and I are dressed alike in  jeans and black blazers.

When I went to visit them and checked into my hotel with the two of them by my side, the man behind the desk said we looked like the Gatti family. All weekend long, whenever he saw my younger son (the bigger of the two), he greeted him with, “Hey, Soprano!”

The LBD takes on new dimension with this little number from Diane von Furstenberg:

(Okay…so charcoal isn’t exactly black, but LCD just doesn’t make sense.)

The black, asymmetrical, ruched waist inset adds a visually slimming effect–as well as a heap of drama. When my friend Heidi wore this to dinner in San Francisco, our friend Scott said she’s never looked more beautiful than she did in that dress.

I’m on the e-mail list of several designer discount sites, like ideeli.com and giltgroup.com. They offer amazing deals on high-end clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories, but in many case, the merchandise is not returnable. That’s not too much of a problem, as long as purchases are limited to known designers (and their quality and sizing).

With that philosophy in mind, you can imagine my delight at scoring this Marc Jacobs satin and leather clutch–originally $595…Gilt Group price: $198.

Not only will it look fabulous with a black cocktail dress, but I think it would be fun and funky with jeans.

MY PICKS FOR THE BEST:

Mariska Hargitay

Sandra Oh

Debra Messing

Drew Barrymore

Alyson Hannigan

THE WORST:

Sarah Silverman

Ginnifer Goodwin

Mila Kunis

Padma Lakshmi

Kathy Griffin

And then there’s this, in a category all by itself:

Victoria Rowell

He’s a president, not a dress. Be clear on this.