Saks Fifth Avenue has teamed up with the Junior League of Raleigh for a fashion show Friday night at A Shopping Spree.

Spree, which is back for its 25th year, will host Silver Belles from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Raleigh Convention Center in downtown Raleigh. The fashion show starts at 6:30 p.m.

The look on the runway will be fall fashion and the models will be some of the Junior League's past presents and past chairs of the Spree. Tickets cost $35 and include two drink tickets.

Spree got started in 1985 as a way for the Junior League to raise money for charities in the community. All proceeds from Spree will benefit local youth projects sponsored by the Junior League.

If you can't make it to the fashion show, there's plenty to see and do through the weekend. This year, expect to see more than 130 exhibitor booths, including almost 60 that are new to Spree. (And at least one that is old ... Cherchies, which sells gourmet foods, has been at Spree all 25 years!) Shop for jewelry, clothing, shoes, handbags, teacher's gifts, Christmas ornaments, children's clothes and books, local art and more.

Tickets for Spree cost $10 and are good for the entire four days of Spree, starting today. Tickets are available at the door.

For more information, go to www.ashoppingspree.net.

Here's your chance to get first dibs on overstocks from boutiques across the country. My Overstock Boutique in Mebane will start getting new arrivals Tuesday through Oct. 17. (The store sells clothes and accessories from more than 250 boutiques from around the country)

If you go today or Saturday, you'll be able to buy one pair of shoes and get a second pair free. All sweaters go on sale 25 percent off Oct. 20-24. And get $5 off a pair of pants if you bring in gently used denim from Oct 27-31.

If you're itching for something new and different for fall, head over to C.T. Weekends. Got an e-mail this morning saying that fall collections from Europe arrive at the store today. Among the designers: Cecile Hue for id Sens ("contemporary coats and dresses in stunning colors," according to the e-mail), Aventures des Toiles ("the marriage of art and fashion") and Kasia N. ("incomparable designs in boiled wool coats").

Got an e-mail blast from Cravings, A Maternity Boutique in North Hills. Sounds like the store is packed with tons of new fall merchandise. Store owner Kim Seymour says she has more than 80 pairs of pants, cords and slacks, 40 dresses and 120 shirts, tops, tunics, blouses and sweaters. And she has more than 10 styles of jeans, which is a lot considering they're all maternity styles.

Here's a picture of a cute sweater dresses by Olian. Love the plum!

Saks Fifth Avenue will have a fashion show Friday to show off contemporary fall fashion during a special shopping event at the store from 6-9 p.m. If you spend $250 on contemporary fashion during the event, you'll get a Nanette Lepore necklace. If you spend $450 in men's or women's contemporary fashion, you'll get a $100 gift card. If you spend $1,000, you'll get a $250 gift card. (While supplies last) To RSVP, call 919-792-9100, ext. 5205.

Macy's at Crabtree Valley Mall will have a Style & Co. shopping party Saturday with style experts in the store to share style tips and show how to transition wardrobe pieces, particularly with the Style & Co. brand.

Style & Co. is known for its versatile pieces that easily transition from home to work to weekend with sportswear, shoes, jewelry and accessories.

Shoppers will get a gift with any Style & Co. purchase of $30 or more, while supplies last. Customers also will get a shot at winning a $250 electronic gift certificate.

The event is from 1-4 p.m.

Michele Little, image consultant and owner of One Chic Mama, is having another workshop Sept 12 to show people the hottest fall trends and how to wear them.

“Each season there are so many different trends and looks, it can be hard for women to know how to wear them, as well as which looks are best for their age, body type and personal style,” Little says.  “I work to educate women, and to empower them to choose only those trends that are truly flattering.” 

The workshop is from 1 - 2:30 p.m. at My Girlfriend's Closet at 104 W. Chatham St. in downtown Apex. Cost is $10. RSVP to Michele at michele@onechicmama.com or call My Girlfriend's Closet at 919-303-0651.

Just a reminder that the new fall collection from kate spade is in today at Beanie + Cecil in Cameron Village. It's the only store in the area to carry the new clothing and jewelry lines by kate spade.

'It was inspired by our favorite things: bows, pink and London," says Deborah Lloyd, creative director for kate spade in New York. "A lot of thoughtfulness went into it. It has a very fresh, modern feel."

Expect to see plenty of polka dots, stripes, graphic prints and bold colors in plenty of mod, 60s-inspired shapes.

We had a story in Monday's paper about the new lines and how it's only available locally at Beanie. Read the story here.

It's hard to believe it's almost time to start thinking about jackets. But I had an e-mail recently from the manager of the Uniquities store in Chapel Hill, Katie Underhill, who had all the scoop on what's hot and new in jackets.

Among them: Military-style jackets, including one from Tory Burch (btw, new to the store for fall) that is quite stunning, quite different. It's a brown leather jacket, aptly called the Sgt. Pepper Jacket (shown here), which sells for $839. According to Underhill, the jacket is chic and on-trend. "It's also very subtle and feminine so you won't feel like you just stepped off a battlefield," she wrote in the e-mail.

Another stunner: A wool military-style peacoat (also by Tory Burch) with gold star buttons on the front and on the sleeves, which are gathered at the shoulders to add a touch of femininity. It's called the Callum (my nephew's name!) and sells for $547.

(Photo courtesy of Uniquities)

And what designer wouldn't be, really. Simpson tells In Touch Weekly magazine that her dreams as a designer have come true by having items from her Jessica Simpson Collection in 10 windows at Macy's flagship store in New York. 

"What a thrill!" she told the magazine. "As a kid, one of my favorite things to do was to go window shopping at Macy's when I visited New York. It seems surreal to now be featured in those windows. They look beautiful."

Expect to see more of Jessica. She just launched a new lingerie line with Vandale Industries and is working on a new VH1 series called "The Price of Beauty."