We get it: we don't want to start thinking about fall either. It's a strange truth of the fashion world that just when the season peaks – when, in this case, the sun is gorgeous, the rain recedes, and it's perfect weather for beach days – it's time to start thinking about the next one. As we enjoy the present, fashion designers look towards the future, envisioning just how we'll look when the temperatures drop and dry leaves cover the ground (on the upside, all of this forward-thinking makes for great mid-season sales, and the time to buy half-price sandals is now). We at Running with Heels want to give you a taste of the upcoming season, while still encouraging you to live in the moment. And so, we bring you the peep-toe boot: the ultimate hybrid shoe, which combines summer and fall elements, will transition perfectly between the seasons, and can actually extend the amount of time you're free to show off your pedicure.

Peep-toe booties were a must-have for Fall 2008, causing some footwear fetishists to rejoice in a new shoe silhouette, and others to scratch their heads and call bollocks.  This year's fall runways proved that these perplexing shoes are here to stay.  These early examples cite other early fall trends – slouchy shapes, electric blues, laces and yes, gladiator-like straps and bands.  Wear peep-toe boots bare-legged with shorts, skirts and dresses for the summer, and then pair with a cute pair of tights as the weather turns cooler.

Sleek

The classic examples: these smooth operators are the platonic ideal of peep-toe booties, hitting winningly at the ankle. With sky-high heels and classic platforms, Vera Wang and Sergio Rossi's versions are muted, elegant, and understatedly sexy.  Inventive Zanotti adds a subtle lizard print for a boot that's attention-grabbing but still slick.  Pair peep-toe booties with jeans, shorts, a cocktail-style minidress or laid-back denim skirt; as far as footwear goes, they may be out-of-the-box, but they're certainly versatile.

 

 Slouchy
 The slouch boot has been a hipster fashion staple, ranging from flat to high-heeled, ankle-height to over-the-knee.  At their most costume-y, slouch boots can look less posh more pirate, but they're also evocative of Barbarella's shoes in the 1960s, and seriously sexy boots from the 1980s.  Our picks for this season's slouch booties nod to the trend with gathered suede and leather, but avoid going all out with too much fabric.

 

 

Straps
If you wish gladiator sandals had stayed in Greco-Roman times, you're out of luck; this look has stuck around for at least three summers, and now it's pushing its way into fall.  Wearing multi-strapped peep-toe booties is like throwing tights on under your shorts: you may be prolonging the season, but you'll look stylish doing it.  Elizabeth and James nods to yet another trend with a chic, wide ankle cuff, while Steve Madden gets wicked with spidery straps for a foray into fetishism.

Laces
And speaking of fetish, lace-up peep-toe shoes go where no shy booties have gone before: into bondage. No doubt buzzing off last winter's biker trend, Daniblack brings us the Rizzo bootie, resplendent with matte black leather and mesh. You'll be the leader of the pack in Juicy's Naja booties, which creep just past the ankle but expose a naughty heel. Dolce Vita stays more reserved with their Monroe Cutout Booties – but don't underestimate the power of a 4 ¼-inch heel.

 

This season, designers – led by the always-innovative Marc Jacobs – have the blues, and they’re trying to pass it on to us. Indulge your sense of drama with Stuart Weitzman’s Yugo booties, which balance a traditional, periwinkle shade with some cutting-edge details, like a zipper and cutouts.  Jacobs’ Bow Peep Toe Pumps may have a childish name but their design is anything but juvenile.  As for his electric, Medium Blue Suede booties – a Rachel Zoe pick – the eye-catching color and slightly futeristic design make for unconvential shoes that are far-out.