The shoe must go on

Finally, proof of what men have long suspected - British women have a passionate obsession with shoes.

Every woman in the country will buy an average of four pairs this year, spending more than £625 million on a total of 92 million pairs.

The "Sex And The City effect" is clearly in evidence, with more thirtysomething women than ever following in the footsteps of Manolo Blahnik-loving Carrie Bradshaw and splashing out on high-fashion shoes and boots.

A study of 25,000 consumers shows footwear sales to women aged between 35 and 44 have leapt by nearly 10 per cent since 1998 and are expected to rise by a further 3.4 per cent in the next four years.

More than one in 10 women admit they go for style over comfort, preferring vertiginous designs over padding around in sensible flatties.

The Mintel study shows more than three-quarters of women have bought new footwear in the past year.

Two per cent of those pay £175 or more for shoes, while one in 10 pays more than £100 for boots.

"Boots have seen the most dramatic rise in value," confirms Mintel spokeswoman Jenny Catlin.

"Trends in womenswear, such as the combination of knee-high boots with mini-skirts as worn by the likes of Kate Moss have translated to the street. Consequently this has benefited the boot segment."

But chaps cannot afford to pass comment - the survey also reveals more men than ever are joining the fashion shoe fad. Nearly twothirds of men - 65 per cent - bought new shoes in the past 12 months.