Originally posted to Sex Kitten. With a link to my site Divorce Darling - Romance, bondage and keeping my sparkle after divorce. I like doing things my own way.

Why is it so hard to find a shoe for men who want some glamour, pizazz and sexy to their shoe? Searching for men’s shoes with glamour gives me a lot of women’s shoes and the odd link for men. Not enough!

You may not want to go out dancing every night, or be especially flashy, but… it is nice to have the option and once in a while. It is nice to be a little flashy, turn some heads and surprise a few people into thinking you have a few surprises left.

So here are some choices with colour, flash and some life beyond the standard men’s shoes. Just to warn you, I was looking at shoes, not price tags, so they do come in a range of style and price.

Personally, I favour the red one I posted first. I love the colour! But, it’s also a slip on shoe and does not have a pointed or long toe. Enjoy the shoes!

Previous image files and links are all broken and removed.

Get a fancy backpack just in time for Halloween.

Whether you have fantasies of being a woman pirate, the terror of the high seas. Or maybe you just like to look a little less nice and a lot more dangerous. The skull is certainly going to be noticed on your backpack.

When we were little we didn't get out very long for trick-or-treating. My Mom would give us an old pillow case to fill with our candy collection but, of course, we never managed to stay out long though to fill it. Besides it would soon get pretty heavy to carry.

How much smarter would it be to have a backpack on Halloween?

Carry around your candy on your back instead of in your hand. There were no straps on those pillow cases to make them easier to carry. Plus, they come already decorated in the flavour of Halloween.

Become a Pirate Queen even before Halloween

I found a few backpacks with skulls but you could make your own. DIY by finding a great skull design or get inspiration and create a design of your own. Use beads, buttons, embroidery thread, or any other crafty method which will get your design on the backpack of your choice. Keep in mind whatever you use to create the skull must stick to whatever your backpack is made of. A denim backpack is much easier to sew than leathery stuff, if you sew it on. If you're a glue gun diva make sure your type of glue will stick your embellishments to the material of your backpack.

Take a look at cartoon skulls for great inspiration (and easier skulls to work with too). There are loads of sugar skull designs (especially in tattoos) if you want something with a lot more detail and colour. Make the skull as creepy or comical as you like, but don't overly freak out small children if you are around them. Be nice to the little darlings - you'll be wanting a share of their Halloween candy later.

If you don't want to get into DIY this skull and crossbones backpack (I found it via Amazon and HAD to post it) is pretty fabulous. I love rhinestones and it is true, I would like to seem less nice and at least a bit more dangerous as we get closer to Halloween. I think every nice girl/ woman has a quiet wish to be a pirate queen. At least part time.

It may sound funny, but the best boot I have found for exploring with, is the duck boot. You do need one which comes up onto your ankle rather than the one which is like a shoe. If you wear the wrong boot you may as well go exploring in open toed shoes. (I will admit to doing almost that a few times, but that doesn't mean it was a good idea).

Qualities important in a boot for urban explorers:

• Weather proof (water resistant or water proof and include snow in that list because snow is just colder water).
• Thick bottoms (you don't know what you might step on, into or worse).
• Fitted to your ankle (so they don't slip off if you walk through mucky areas).
• Easy to slip on (because you don't really want to be struggling with footwear when you could be out there... looking around).
• Packable and durable, more or less (boots you can toss around in the back of your car or stuff into your backpack are a plus).

As an extra tip, stick those insoles into your boots. You get extra cushion for your foot and it helps if your feet get wet from outside water or sweat from your own feet.

My duck boots are a size too big so I can wear extra socks if I was out with them in winter. Or, I can easily wiggle my feet into them and out of them again. This does make them a bit awkward to walk around in so size is a relative issue.

The perfect duck boot for me would have nothing to tie up and just be slip on. I was surprised to find some really great looking boots for explorers on Amazon. I wonder if anyone thinks of them for more than hiking or hunting or whatever other people do while wearing duck boots.

Real urban explorers wear duck boots.

Just kidding about that. I think they are great, but I explore in rural areas. People who explore in sewers, drains and tunnels probably want to wear boots up to their chin, or so. People who climb rooftops to photograph above the city, might want a lighter boot with more traction. So, your boot choice will depend on where you are going. Plan ahead!

Don't try searching for "explorer boots" (you just get Dora).

Wicked, But Only in a Good Way

I always wanted to be a Witch for Halloween. It was the one costume I never did wear in all my Halloween years. I finally did, as an adult handing out candy to children trick-or-treating at my sister's house. I had tried to make spending the night at the door not seem so bad. So I bought a witch hat from a department store the day of Halloween.

It was kind of picked over but that just added to it's charm I decided. I wore a long black skirt (it was the same skirt I wore for my winter wedding) and a sort of Halloween looking shirt. So that was my Witch costume after all those years of wanting to be a Halloween Witch.

I looked okay but nothing as I had always imagined it. Not the floor sweeping black gown, the pointed hat and fabulous, yet creepy shoes. No history or mystery to that costume.

We always made or created our own costumes when I was a young trick-or-treater. We never bought an entire, pre-made, costume. Instead we bought the odd accessory and created costumes from patterns, fabric and old clothes. We were the kids who carried around pillow cases for our candy hoard - they worked great but got kind of heavy. Halloween costumes were fun because we could be creative and become something unique. Sure we did the standard things like angels and vagabonds but I won an award at the Community Centre for my hula girl costume with a real grass skirt.

Start with the Witch Hat

I especially like the hats with a veil, feathers and other extras. They look like an old fashioned hat, vintage witch. I also like colours other than black. My perfect Witch hat would be either green or purple with a good quality veil in layers. I'd have flowers around the brim and little jeweled spiders hanging from the veil.

Every Witch Needs a Stylish Gown

The Witch dress I would like would be long, flowing and old fashioned. An historical gown, something kind of stylish but maybe a touch of something unique, like polka dots. No need for a Witch costume to be all black, dark and serious after all.

The Witch Shoes and Cloak Too

I'd want shoes I could walk in. Some of the costume shops have a cover for your own shoes. This is practical but... shoe covers don't seem quite the thing for a fabulously styled Witch.

Shopping for a Sorceress

I like to look at the Witch costumes and accessories online each Halloween. Just for fun.

Window shopping is a great way to shop without the horror of charging up your credit card (but sadly lacking the delivery of boxes with presents you sent yourself later).

Quick and Simple Costumes for Men

Men don't always want to dress up for Halloween. My brother stopped dressing up once he became a teenager but he would still take the younger siblings out to trick-or-treat - just not wearing a costume himself. Now and then he will do something for Halloween like buying candy for his wife to hand out at the door.

I think he still would like to dress up and have fun but, he thinks it is not quite manly. I think he would like to wear something fun, if he didn't think it would spoil his image as a tough guy. So, I'm putting together ideas for simple costumes he might wear and not feel silly in.

Once I got looking I found some good options. All of them one item wonders - just one thing (T-shirt, tie, glasses, etc) and he could have a whole costume with whatever he happened to be wearing or wanted to pull out of his closet. He does have suits from his days working in an office. He also has loads of working clothes from his work on home renovations and landscaping now. So, he is not short at all on clothing to wear, stuff that could work for Halloween. He just needs the inspiration and the personal shopper to give him some great options and ideas.

Costume Ideas for Men:

Before you step out decide whether or not you want to be seen in the costume you have created. If not, start over but don't give up.

• Cowboy
• Space alien
• Super hero
• Hippie
• Old man
• Tycoon
• Police officer
• Handyman
• Angel
• Vampire
• Sports figure
• Monster
• Zombie
• Ghost
• Trucker
• Doctor
• Surfer
• Waiter
• Statue
• Vagabond
• Farmer
• Nerd
• Knight
• King
• Wizard
• Frankenstein
• Mad scientist
• Mad hatter
• Lawyer
• Politician
• Hockey player
• Mechanic
• Poker player
• Lion tamer
• Thief