It's a shoe in

The enticing array of footwear at the Melbourne Australian Shoe Fair 2007 offered both directional styles and savvy reworkings of old favourites, as Belinda Smart discovered.

Shoe or boot?
Indecisive consumers have long been finding refuge in the shoe-boot hybrid. This version, featuring a new sculpted heel, will give them a desirable on-trend (w)edge.

Gold favourite
The craze for bling looks set to continue into summer 2008/09, as illustrated by these floor-clickers in that most precious of metals.

Stock(ing) up
Taking their lead from shoe-boots, many styles are all about the ankle and are designed to work the craze for coloured or patterned stockings to dazzling effect.

Moonwalk
Autumn winter styles take the best from already established winners, such as this pom-pom confection, the pampered offspring of two celebrities; Mrs "Moon" boot and Mr "Ugg".

Star in training
High glam and sportswear meet and mingle in the clean, futuristic footwear of the 'noughties'.

Retro fit
These ribbon tie classics promise to transport their wearer to autumn café evenings with a soundtrack of Edith Piaf, played on a crackling gramophone.

Patently true
The high gloss colour saturation found only in patent leather takes on new forms for autumn/winter, such as this quasi-1960s dagger toe ankle boot re-modelled for the here and now. 

Cute crossbreeds
Quasi-ballet pumps hijacked the sporty look some seasons ago, but have now taken on a new edge, shown here with a splash of brogue detailing.

By Belinda Smart