When I hear someone mention London, I think of two things: crazy weather and bars. Whether it's Jacks, The Frog, Jim Bob's or Cowboys, there are two things us ladies think of before leaving the house in the cold weather: what will keep us warm and dry, and what will keep us hot.

However, this article seems a bit early considering it's only October, right? Wrong! Fall is here and everyone knows that means that this is the January of the fashion calendar. Fall is the biggest season for fashion. We love the jackets, coats and blazers; khakis, leathers, and velvets; sequins, snakeskin, and satins. We love fall!

But what we don't always like is the mucky weather, the rain and the leaves, the sidewalk salt and the sand.

We need to learn how to shop appropriately for fall, while being able to utilize these pieces for winter.

Combat is back: TEN-HUT! Military-influenced boots are back and I personally could not be more pleased. Whether they're a couple inches above the ankle or an inch from the knee, combat is hot. Pairing these types of boots with jeans or prairie-style dresses is cute and fashionable. Rocker/military boots never really leave, the influence is just minimized every once in a while.

What I suggest is investing in some seriously nice leather combat boots. Zippers, studs, lace-ups or straps and belt buckles, combat can be done so many ways. Don't shy away from wearing your boots like Lara Croft, with tight pants, a tank top and cropped jacket, (all black, of course); or like Betsey Johnson, with a frilly purple dress with hot pink eyelets. Be confident and make a statement.

Knee-high is hot: Teacher or dominatrix — it's all sexy as long as it hits your knee. Leather kneehigh boots are alluring, they scream powerful, in control and fierce! Knee-high socks scream just about the same thing. Kneehigh anything is hotter than bare legs because it allows you to imagine what legs look like when the material isn't there. It is a visual tease.

If you pick an appropriate colour, these socks could slim your legs. Blacks, navies or dark purples are great for complimenting all skin tones and lengthening your legs. Socks or leather, to-the-knee is sexy, so give it a shot. I guarantee it'll grow on you.

Oxfords never left: Once you leave school, you never look back — some people don't like thinking about their academic institutions. If you don't want to think back about school, that's fine, but at least delight in the great trend that is known as Oxfords. You can pair these shoes with anything, and you can get them as flats or as high heels. The one thing I do recommend when it comes to these shoes is to take is easy on the stiletto; find a shoe with a chunkier heel. Chunky heels are not only popular for fall/winter but they are also very practical for dealing with the weather — they allow for more stability and won't hurt as much.

Low is in: The last footwear trend that you may want to look into is lower heels. High heels are ho-yes, but lower heels are in and practical. They allow you to be able to walk without doing the awkward lean forward. Girls who can't walk in heels realistically shouldn't wear them right? Wrong! You can wear them, you just need to wear a lower heel — something that'll prevent you from looking like you don't know how to walk. Instead of a three-, four- or fiveinch heel, consider finding a shoe that is around two and a half inches tall instead. You may even want to consider finding a shoe with a platform, which allows you to fake your heel height.

People always used to say "pain is beauty," and sure, maybe sometimes they're right, but for the most part they are wrong. Think of adjusting trends to suit your needs; don't shy away, just alter them.