Zak Wood / Colorado Daily

Laurel Tate, co-owner of Two Sole Sisters, holds up a shoe that is available for purchase at her store.

"I've spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live? I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes!"

-- Carrie Bradshaw, "Sex and the City"

The average girl probably does not own nearly as many shoes as Carrie Bradshaw -- or even Sarah Jessica Parker, for that matter. But ladies, we do love ourselves a good pair of accessories for the feet, don't we?

Foolproof fall footwear includes the peep toe, embellishments, animal patterns and prints, the bootie and menswear for women.

Little toe peep

The peep toe has been around for a couple years now, and this fall it is making its way into just about every style.

Laurel Tate, co-owner of Two Sole Sisters, 1702 Pearl St., agrees.

"Peep toes are huge," says Tate, who opened the new shop with her sister Lindsey in late March. "What they've done for fall is a narrower peep toe. So you can still wear a tight underneath it to stay warm and you'll just have a little tight showing."

Two Sole Sisters has a super-sassy sculpted heel with a narrow peep toe from Modern Vintage, which Tate says is "hands-down our sexiest line."

Don't worry -- sexy can be comfortable.

"Modern Vintage has silicone-injected footbeds," Tate says. "So, they actually give you some comfort. So you can tower over people and still be comfortable."

Embellish this

Accessorize with chunky pieces of flair on boots, such as chains, buckles, buttons and laces.

"Buttons, definitely buttons," says Chase Marbez, assistant manager for Brass Plum Shoes at Nordstrom's FlatIron Crossing store. "Any type of embellishment on a shoe is pretty big this fall."

Nordstrom.com's style trends picture big bows on Betsey Johnson satin heels, big buttons on Steve Madden booties, leather straps on Miss Sixty boots, laces on Naughty Monkey pumps and a lustrous stone on Pink Studio flats.

Marbez says if the shoe is embellished, there's no going wrong.

Quite the zoo

Tate says that with patterns this season, anything goes. This means leopard, peacock, giraffe, snake and even fruit.

"We have everything from whimsical strawberries to snake prints," Tate says.

Like London's Miss L Fire's "Shortcake" wedge, with strawberries.

Or, the "killer" red snakeskin heel Two Sole Sisters carries from Faryl Robin is an "investment shoe" with a comfort footbed, she says.

"It isn't going to go out of style," she says. "It's got a very contemporary toe, but it's still classic."

Tate says snakeskin shoes will carry into spring trends, too.

Shoe, to boot

The "shootie," or bootie, or shoe boot -- whatever you tag it -- is possibly the hottest trend for fall footwear.

The "shootie" with a peep toe, with laces, with buttons, in canvas, in leather, in patent, in suede -- any and every version of this shoe is popping up virtually everywhere for fall.

"The versatile shoe looks really cute with patterned tights and a skirt," Tate says.

Not a fan of the bootie?

Marbez says his biggest seller at Nordstrom is the Frye riding boot. Uggs are still huge, too, he says, as well as Ed Hardy boots. Even North Face makes a fashion boot that will keep you warm in the winter.

Erica Dahl, owner and buyer for savvy, 1114 Pearl St., says Uggs are top sellers for the downtown store.

"Uggs have already been flying off the shelves for us," Dahl says.

Another big trend, according to Tate, is a chic biker boot, the slouch-style boot and, really, just any boot.

"Boots are huge everywhere, from flat to mid heel to high heel," Tate says. "And pointy toe, to round toe. Really, there's something for every woman."

Menswear for women

The last standout trend for fall is menswear-inspired shoes. Vogue says the men's look is hot on the ladies.

Tate agrees.

"Menswear-inspired shoes, like a tailored, suede oxford is a good pick."

Even Urban Outfitters's wingtips, loafers and skimmers will have you double-checking which department you're in (kind of like the bathrooms at the Dark Horse).

Vogue says pair this look with wide-leg trousers.

Tate says at Two Sole Sisters, she and Lindsey go with trends -- but, first and foremost, they go with Boulder.

"Boulder is so unique," Tate says. "We pay attention to the trends on both coasts, but then we adapt it to what works for Boulder."

So, if all else fails, go with the Boulder look. You'll always be in style here.