Chinese Laundry patent leather "Alist" pumps, orig. $99 now $19.95 at 6pm.com

The Deal: Friday 9/4 to Sunday 9/6: Chinese Laundry Footwear – All Styles $19.95 This Weekend!

Why You Need It: Chinese Laundry is a lot like Steve Madden—all the latest trends and designer-inspired styles—but with lower prices. Whether you want to pick up sandals for next summer, cute pumps for work or sexy heels for partying, definitely hit up this sale at 6pm.com where all Chinese Laundry shoes are just $19.95. Impossible to beat!

The Jimmy Choo for H&M accessories collection won't launch in stores until November 14, 2009, but this newly released photo of over the knee boots from the line is already creating quite a stir. While it has been confirmed that these boots are indeed real leather, according to Nitro:licious, they're still really pricey at $299 U.S. dollars and your chances of actually scoring a pair are pretty slim. Sad, I know. ::sniff sniff::


But don't give up just yet! If you love this style, I found a great alternative. It's no Jimmy Choo, but I think these over-the-knee boots from Colin Stuart for Victoria's Secret will look just as hot. They're made from imported leather and cost $189, plus you can get 20% off these boots right now with code 20VSBOOTS. See? All better.

Browse more great over-the-knee boots currently available at VictoriasSecret.com below…

Some of you just aren't feeling the faux leather jackets this fall, so I've rounded up a list of some of the best places to shop for an affordable (though not cheap) genuine leather jacket. Most of them are still full price and cost between $200 and $300. Like I said, not cheap, but if it's real leather you want, here's where you can get it for less than, say, Shopbop, where designer leather jackets average around $700:

Where to Buy Real Leather Jackets on a Budget

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  Zara: On the plus side, Zara's leather jackets look borrowed from the runway. Downside: There aren't many locations in the U.S. and you can't shop online.
  


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  H&M: If luck is on your side, you can find real leather jackets at any one of H&M's many locations, also with a high-fashion vibe.
  


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  Topshop: This is where Topshop really shines, IMO, for those unique, hard-to-find pieces that no one else is making. Fierce leather jackets fall into this category, like the belted leather blazer above.
  


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  AE.com: I'm loving their brown leather bomber (see above). Though described as a moto jacket, I think it's very Amelia Earhart chic.
  


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  Urban Outfitters: Great selection of faux leather and a couple real leather gems to boot. Close proximity to many college campuses make UO a back-to-school shopper's paradise.
  


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  Victoria's Secret: Serves up styles to suit both your soft side and harder edge, like this luscious aviator jacket. Wait for their great sales and always use a promo code.
  


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  Asos.com: It's worth the wait and shipping cost when you can get a Balmain-inspired leather jacket like this one for under $200.
  


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  Spiegel: I've said it a million times: If you can look past the cheesy styling, you will be rewarded with designer-looking pieces at really low prices, including this ruched leather jacket.
  


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  Bebe: Designer-inspired shoes and clothing make Bebe an important resource for fashionistas on a budget. Where else can you find an of-the-moment leather military jacket that won't break the bank?
  


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  Club Monaco: How I wish we could shop this store online. But we can't, so visit a store near you (usually located at upscale malls) for an affordable, modern-classic leather jacket.

Personally, I'm loving my faux leather jacket from Forever 21. It wipes clean and doubles as a rain coat!

Some of you have also had luck at places like eBay, Nordstrom Rack or during clearance sales at department stores like Saks. Fashion blogger Wanderlusting just opened a store where she's selling some hot leather jackets for as little as $30.

Keep posting your leather-jacket success stories in the comments, these are going to be hot all season long!

Earlier this week, I attended the Marshalls Fall Fashion Red Carpet Event at their Secaucus, New Jersey, store location (about 7 miles outside NYC), where style expert Alison Deyette (The View, AliOnTheGo.com) was on hand to talk about the top five trends you will LOVE this fall—and how to get them for less. Alison is, not surprisingly, beautiful and really down-to-earth in person, and she takes the guesswork out of fall shopping! Watch this short-and-sweet video and you will be all set to shop for fall, trust me. Thank you Alison!!

Fashion's Night Out—sponsored by Vogue, the CFDA and the city of New York—is an all-night celebration to honor fashion and remind us that shopping is fun. But if you don't live in the Big Apple, you can still get in on the action and support a great cause with the purchase of this commemorative graphic-print jersey T-shirt for just $30. Forty percent of the proceeds from the sale of the Fashion's Night Out T-shirt will be donated by the retailers to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center. Click here to shop the sale, going on now thru noon 9/10 at Gilt.com.