Women of St. Louis will want to put their best feet forward when Jane Weitzman comes to town. The wife of shoe designer Stuart is being hosted by the Women’s Philanthropy of Jewish Federation of St. Louis. The event, L’Chaim! Soul to Sole, takes place Thursday, Nov. 19, at The Ritz-Carlton in an evening of cocktails, dinner and a formal program. Jewish Federation of St. Louis is the Jewish community’s central philanthropic, planning and community-building organization; this event is co-chaired by Angela Flotken, Galia Movitz and Sheri Sherman.

Jane Weitzman served as executive vice president of Stuart Weitzman and the founding vice president of Stuart Weitzman Retail. She spearheaded philanthropy for the company by generating funds to support breast and ovarian cancer research and awareness. During the evening in St. Louis, she will share inspiring stories about her volunteer work with the global Jewish community. She is the author of Art & Sole, which chronicles the highly popular ‘fantasy shoes’ created by the company over the years and used as window displays.

Now, what do you wear to an event like this? The invitation states ‘pumped up; chic.’ For starters, wearing a pair of Stuart Weitzman shoes would be a nice way to show support for her visit. I predict women of all ages will be in attendance, which means you’ll see shoes of all heights, from flat to towering. Since the gathering is on a weekday, both business attire and cocktail attire would fit the bill. There are some great fall fashion looks you might want to incorporate for the evening: floral, fringe, flared pants, leather, suede, and (faux) fur trim. Wear fashion colors of gray, merlot, red, camel, olive, orange or cobalt blue. When in doubt, find your favorite LBD (little black dress) and focus on the accessories.

WWTW-2e152c00-7b7f-11e4-808c-cf4aac3ac2b7_PANTONE-COY-2015[tricks of the trade]
Q| How can I incorporate marsala, Pantone’s 2015 Color of the Year, in small ways into my wardrobe? I think it may be too dark to wear directly against my skin.
A| Marsala, an earthy shade of red, or terra-cotta, can easily be worn as an accent color in accessories such as a vest, wrap, belt, shoes or handbag. Mix a complementary color, say olive, or a black and cream combination with the marsala and pull it all together with a print scarf that incorporates those colors.

Photo: Stuart Weitzman, nordstrom.com

[Ellen Soule is a public relations and fashion consultant, as well as the St. Louis regional director for Fashion Group International.]