SHOE BIZ

Veteran celebrity and social photographer Tom Sandler has snapped everyone fron the Royals to Nick Nolte. During TIFF, he's gone from crowned heads to festival feet. Here are some of the samplings of red-carpet footwear:

Sarah Beard ties one on.

A little bit retro, and a little bit rock 'n roll.

The good guys wear white hats and white boots (even though it's after Labour Day).

These stilettos weren't made for walking, but maybe for tripping the light fantastic.

These beauties reference two top trends: block heel and gladiator.

Anne Heche and Sandra Oh duet on the red carpet. Not necessarily in that order.

Jennifer Connolly is always fashion forward, this time in a pair of killer combats.

FILM FESTERING

It’s nearing the end of TIFF and I have been negligent. Last year we were in Sicily and avoided the whole festival, the first time in about a quarter of a century of covering it. And guess what? No one died. So this year I have been cherry-picking TIFF events and just attending things I have been invited to and/or attached to people I know. Or involving champagne and seafood.

The three large noggins occupied by Gene Valaitis, Geoffrey Dawe and Rob Salem at the pre-festival cocktailer held in the green room at Roy Thomson Hall and hosted by Dawe’s TIFF Festival Style magazine.

Massage therapist Claire Blondeau, moi and broadcaster Gloria Martin at RT Hall. Claire inevitably gets busier as the festival progresses.

Moi and Bill Marshall, co-founder of TIFF, at his All Star Luncheon at Barberian’s Steak House, serving arguably the best food at the fest. I mean, c’mon: monster shrimp, oyster bar and pass-around fare like oysters Rockefeller. Yumola!!!

Moi and dueling Robs: Rob Salem and Robert DeNiro, part of a celeb portrait installation by veteran photographer Tom Sandler.

The huge wine cellar at Barberian’s, which houses 20,000 bottles of red wine, with an additional 18,000 bottles of white secreted across the street. Imagine being locked there overnight with a cork screw. I have been told that should one find oneself corkscrew-less in such a scenario, one can use the heel of a shoe to uncork the wine. I have yet to try this at home, kids.

The irrepressible Jaymz Bee with comely companion at the luncheon. Told he is channeling Colonel Sanders with that goatee, Bee retorted that he was going for Burl Ives.

Henk Van der Kolk, another co-founder of TIFF when it was called Festival of Festivals, with wife Yanka, iconic photographer and stylist, with just a walk-on by effervescent actor/singer/DJ Melleny Melody at the luncheon.

Rob Salem with the ultimate accessory at TIFF – a moustache fashioned from swizzle sticks.

 

I bumped into this sign in the window of a shop on Queen Street West and it spoke to me, unrepentant shoe slut that I am.

My Marni fake fur shoes face off with Melleny Melody’s glow-in-the-dark high-tops at the All Star Luncheon.

A pair of Chanel see-throughs I encountered and coveted during a non-TIFF cocktailer at a penthouse apartment on Avenue Road. I was a plus-one.

A fabulous pair of men’s Louboutin slip-ons worn by a femme guest at the Birks Diamond Tribute party for this year’s Women in Film honorees at the Shangri-La Hotel.

A killer pair of $20 shoes purchased at Kind Exchange thrift store sported by another guest, who checked the label because she thought they were Betsey Johnson’s but they weren’t. Never mind. They were cool and only $10 a foot.

Actor/comic Naomi Snieckus (right) killed it in a sexy black concoction designed by the fashionable woman beside her and made from vintage fabric.

Another standout gown in a sea of babeliciousness at the Birks event.

I met this delightful staffer at The Bay while I was interviewing a leopard clutch by Brian Atwood. Note how her hair colour perfectly matches the tassel on the bag.

Loved the red Mohawk rocked by a fellow passenger on the Queen streetcar, a.k.a “a streetcar named perspire.” Though a streetcar is not nearly as sweat-drenching as the non-air conditioned subway cars on line two.

FEST DRESSED

Egads, it is the beginning of the end of summer. You can’t feel it in the fetid humid air but there are ads for the CNE on buses and TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) held its media press conference last week. The Room at the Bay is holding its last-gasp sale where things go up to 85 per cent off which make them affordable to mere mortals. I snapped up a killer pair of Armani linen slouch pants originally marked $800 for just a hair over $100. Did I need them? Get a grip. What’s need got to do with it? But they were the cost of a snack and cocktail in some overpriced and snotty eatery. You know who you are. So I have been keeping an eye out for goodies to wear at TIFF parties – presupposing that you are on the list.
 

I wandered into Avec Plaisir (or Avec Brassiere as I like to call it) on Friday to get a new white bra because my current fave spazzed out on me very publically at the corner of Broadview and Queen recently. I was waiting for a Queen streetcar (what else is new) and put my hands together behind my back to stretch out and my bra unhooked. Yikes! When I tried to discreetly hook it back up I had to hike up my white shirt in the process, which gave the rummies drinking behind me in front of the convenience store a free show.

Avec Plaisir owner Vasilia Panagakos is a genius. She remembers your “shape” and magically produces a dozen bras to try on and they all fit. While there, I wandered over to the half-price rack (what am I, a newbie?) and unearthed a couple of pieces meant for night wear that would be perfect for TIFF, including this exquisite black silk coat by La Perla that looks like a tuxedo from the front and on the back is a graphic that to me references the classic 1927 Fritz Lang film Metropolis.

The front of the coat, which is classic/sexy. All you need is a black camisole, black leather leggings and fuck-me shoes. Or you could dress it down with ripped jeans and black booties.

Another TIFF possibility is this La Perla Chinoiserie-inspired jacket that reflects the Boho trend that isn’t going away any time soon. The arms are cut like a kimono and the piece would be brilliant with flowy pants, jeans or even over a LBD, which jacks the look up a notch and prevents it from being safe and easy. It’s a film festival for god’s sake. Crank up the volume.

I love the signage on the back of a step sitter on Cumberland St. I have no idea what it means but who cares. It made me stop, look and snap.

One of the cool kids at Zara, where the summer sale is fizzling out but the fall merch is coming in fast and furiously. Note the metallic sneaks on the young woman and the cute on-trend fuzzy red ball accessorizing her purse.

Me with Deborah Ingram, personal shopping and image consultant at Hudson's Bay. Deborah is brandishing the highly coveted Lanvin purse, which I am plotting to steal from her. Also I want her job. Imagine getting paid for dressing people with merchandise pulled from The Room and neighboring Sak's Fifth Avenue. I am holding a Lanvin box which houses a killer necklace reduced from $2,200 to $400.

A brilliant knock-off at Zara of the coveted Givenchy satin bomber jacket that retails about $3,000. Zara’s is under $200.