High fashion is the watchword for women's footwear this autumn and winter. Literally. The heels of boots, half boots, ankle boots, and pumps are generally a few centimetres higher than in previous seasons. But apart from higher heels, personal style rules supreme.

 The models on shoe shop shelves fit every occasion and taste, from overknees to ballerinas, from clean looks to folklore style, and from felt to patent leather. You can forget terms like 'in' or 'out' because mixing various styles is now in vogue. So everyone can create a personal outfit.

Autumn and winter is when boots grab the limelight, of course. They are simply indispensable, especially overknees, and in combination with ultra-tight drainpipe trousers or under skirts for a casual, bohemian look.

Rustic, hiking-inspired details such as buckles, eyelets, and lacing, as well as removable cuffs and pelt or fur trim, play a complementary role in the autumn boot collection. At the runways half boots and ankle boots were stealing the show from classic boots this season.

Pumps with plateau heels and half boots with wedge soles also go extremely well with wide-cut, high-waist 'Marlene-style' trousers, which are making a comeback. Heels are a must in any case, even under ballerinas; no shoe should be too flat.

There is a wide variety of heel shapes, remarked Cevey: 'blocky, straight, curved 'banana' heels. Round, oval or square - toes come in many shapes too. Women who are daring even go for peep-toe boots, the winter variety of peep-toe shoes, which leave the wearer's toes exposed.

With opaque, coloured stockings, peep toes are a real eye-catcher and they're a perfect match for the 1950s look. The colours are on the dark side, whether for classy pumps or delicate lace-up booties. Apart from black and brown, the so-called 'winter darks' predominate. Plum, blackberry, moss green, petrol blue, and dark blue subtly offset winter's dreary grey. The heels, though, can be colourful eye-catchers.

A mixture of materials is part of the charm of fancier footwear models. Due to the many wellness models, we've got used to shoes feeling good. Women don't deliberately torment themselves anymore. They want footwear which is a perfect fit.

Men, too, are gradually coming to realise how important attractive shoes are for their whole outfit. Although the choice of colours still tends to be either dignified black or dark brown, store shelves are slowly making way for grey, metallics, and olive green models.

The latter are usually slender and elongated, a style that is classically elegant. The materials are what lend a certain chic. Crashed leather, velours and nubuk combined with felt or patent leather are giving men's shoes this winter a more interesting appearance.