'You can never take too much care over the choice of your shoes. Too many women think that they are unimportant, but the but the real proof of an elegant woman is what is on her feet.' - Christian Dior

There is an indefinable magic, mystique and fascination about high-heeled shoes that passes all understanding or logic. How can you explain that the simple act of pointing your toes and gently slipping them into a pair of towering heels can be such a powerful experience physically, psychologically and emotionally? As British VOGUE has charted over the last hundred years, by stepping into a pair of heels, a woman's personality is instantly transformed.

Divided into the categories of Fancy Footwork, Enduring Classics, Step Up and Rainbow Heels, British Vogue's archive of fashion photos has been plundered to showcase the most beautiful, memorable, rule-breaking and trend-setting heels to be photographed in its 100-year history.

Published simultaneously with VOGUE ESSENTIALS: LINGERIE. This irresistible new series from Conran Octopus and British Vogue explores the key pieces in a stylish woman's wardrobe and features photographs from Vogue's peerless archive of more than a million pictures.