Shoes for the new season

With the promise of spring in the air, it's about time to wave goodbye to knee-high boots, ankle skimming shoe boots and those ever-reliable Uggs.

Vowing to conquer Chinese consumers, the National Association of Italian Footwear Manufacturers chose Beijing last week to release their 2009 footwear trend report.

Square toes, crocodile skin, triple-buckles, and bohemian fringing are just some of the things you might see back in fashion this year. Shoes brought in by Italian manufactures are not going to have a plain look, with contrasting straps or heels and two-toned or multiple colors, very likely to make a splash.