It's a reigning irony of the fashion world: sweltering summer heat waves mean it's time to start shopping for autumn. Stores around the country have already started stocking warm and woolly looks for the season to come. But while it may be too soon to bear trying on tweed skirts, it's never too early to start thinking about autumn shoes.

This autumn brings boots for nearly every occasion: equestrian boots, motorcycle boots, over-the-knee looks and even evening boots. Of course, the standard high-heeled black leather boot is still a must. But boots - and shoes in general - with something more in the way of style and attitude are a key to stepping out in style this autumn. Like patterns, for example. The same patterns that drove ready-to-wear looks - plaid, camouflage, tweed, herringbone and the like - are showing up on shoes, giving them a more sporty, fashion forward look.

Other runway trends, like patent shoes from Prada, sexy ankle strap heels from Yves Saint Laurent, aristocratic riding boots from Michael Kors and mod Beetle boots from Gucci, also promise to be big sellers, says Jaqui Lividini, senior vice president of fashion merchandising and communications for Saks in New York. And everyone seems to be jumping on the bandwagon - Nine West, Via Spiga, Kenneth Cole, Donna Karan, for example - which means that you won't need to break the bank to have a slice of the fashion pie this autumn.

You won't have to break your ankles either. "The heel is starting to gravitate downward," says Lividini, uttering the words so many sore-footed stiletto wearers have yearned to hear ever since the advent of "Sex and the City." Skyscraping heels aren't entirely out of the picture, of course, but they will be sharing significant closet space with more moderately heeled mules and flat slides.

While the latter options are, traditionally, relegated for the warmer seasons, their popularity this autumn piggybacks on the still-hot textured leg wear trend. And Moss also expects a strong continuation of the European athletic shoe's popularity. So when stores tell you to run, not walk, to check out their autumn shoe sale offerings, you'll actually be able to.