In some cultures it’s considered terribly bad manners to show someone the bottom of your feet. But I think they’d let you off if you happened to be wearing a pair of Gordon Rush’s goat skin slip-ons, which boast one of the prettiest printed leather soles we’ve ever seen. It’s almost a shame they’re hidden on the underside of the shoe ... although the tops are sleek and sexy enough to impress, all by themselves.

Rose is a newly-launched clothing line by fashion stylists Jewels Steger and Britt Bardo (who styled Britney Spears ... but don’t hold it against her), a collection inspired by “the romance and resilience of a rose.” Their pieces carve a striking silhouette, helping a lady achieve drama without compromising her femininity. I love their upcoming Fall ‘08 collection, inspired by the dark intensity of the Spanish rose. The collection is available at Barneys New York, Curve (LA), Satine (LA), and Harvey Nichols and runs from $125 to $975.

Some of us just talk about making a difference—and others, like Bostonite Karen Sparacio, actually act on their conscience. An award-winning photographer (can’t you tell from these awesome product shots?), Sparacio founded Project Have Hope, a non-profit dedicated to empowering women and their families in the Acholi quarter of Uganda. Project Have Hope allows women to sell their stunning handcrafted, beaded jewelry (which is made from recycled paper) to the international consumer. Ten dollars for a necklace may not seem much to us, but it’s helping to women in Acholi achieve financial independence.

Worried about forgetting your child’s name, your zip code or your mom’s birthday? Then consider investing in a piece from Heather Moore’s personalized jewelry collection. Based in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Heather Moore has been designing jewelry for over twelve years. She specializes in using recycled metals to create individualized keepsakes, handmade to each customer’s specifications in her studio. Names, dates, and symbols are hand pressed using vintage turn-of-the-century tools. She works in sterling silver and fourteen-catat golds (pink gold, yellow green gold and white gold). “This line focuses on the customer’s life,” she says. “You can’t deny that when you look in your jewelry box, you see so much history ... a child, a grandchild, a friend, a date, a place ... an inspirational word or quote, a lucky number ... ”

It’s not all clingy white hot pants, blue eye shadow and stripper heels in Miami, as proven during this month’s Miami Fashion Week. The five day event drew designers from all over Latin America, many of whom now live in Miami, including Chilean Jaime Troncoso who sent a series of adorably lacey, feathered, and vintage-inspired looks down the catwalk (pictured). Bogosse, Julian Chang, Nicolas Felizola, Ana Maria Guiulfo and Hernan Zajar were among the other international designers to show at Miami Fashion Week, which was attended by the one and only Emilio Estefan, as well as America’s Next Top Model participant Anchal.