PEDICURES to the ready. Expose your feet in this summer's key shoes.

By Lisa Haynes

JUST last year Gwyneth Paltrow was famous for macrobiotic diets and being Chris Martin's other half. Fast forward a few months and the actress has reinvented herself into Hollywood glamazon flaunting the most envied collection of shoes since Imelda Marcos.

Ms Paltrow most definitely has the spring back in her stride. Stepping out in a killer pair of shoes can do wonders for a woman's confidence but you don't have to work the dizzy heights of five-inch heels a la Gwynnie.

This season there's a shoe that's the perfect fit for each and every Cinderella. From gladiator flats to towering platforms, find your must-have shoe for the summer.

GLADIATOR GLAMOUR

Gladiators are our summer foot fetish that just won't go away. These are sandals with attitude - perfect for toughening up this season's floaty bohemian trend. Go for funky flats for daytime or strappy gladiator heels for a glamorous evening look. Jazz up your summer ensembles by choosing exotic skins or bright colours.

FOR COLOUR TRY: Mogil yellow perspex gladiators, £65 at ASOS, Topshop Honour mint green gladiator sandals, £18, Marks and Spencer pink gladiator sandals, £29.50.

FOR NEUTRAL TRY: Matalan cream gladiator heels, £12, Boohoo.com tan gladiators, £12, Accessorize metallic gladiator sandals, £25 (42 Euros).

THONG THING

For those who never put comfort above style, the versatile thong sandal is the trendier shoe sister of the flip flop. Thong sandals look fabulous in super-bright shades for daytime but if you love flats for evening soirees check out glam jewel-embellished or metallic versions.

FOR COLOUR TRY: Next purple thong sandals, £18 (27 Euros), J by Jasper Conran green thong sandals, £25 at Debenhams, Warehouse coloured thong sandals, from £15 (24 Euros).

FOR NEUTRAL TRY: Faith Jower gem sandals, £40, Dorothy Perkins gold toe-post sandals, £15 (22 Euros), Marks and Spencer Limited Collection pewter thong sandals, £15.

WEDGE WALK

Wedges are a leg-lengthening must-have for the summer months. They work with just about any item in your wardrobe from flowing maxi dresses to bottom-skimming micro shorts. Stick to wooden or raffia-based wedge heels to walk the summer trend for 2008.

FOR COLOUR TRY: Faith green Horris wooden wedges, £40, Moda in Pelle Lorri red peep-toe wedges, £50, Dorothy Perkins fuchsia leather T-bar wedges, £35.

FOR NEUTRAL TRY: French Connection black, strappy Dosie wedges, £70, Red Herring tan raffia wedges, £25 at Debenhams, Topshop Whisp off-white crossover wedges, £60.

PLATFORM PARADE

If, like Victoria Beckham, flat shoes are pretty much against your religion then the platform is the summer heel for you. Anything goes as long as you pick a platform sole and chunky heel, so try on peep-toes, strappy numbers or Mary Janes. If your outfit is loud in colour or print, opt for neutral colours, and vice versa.

FOR COLOUR TRY: Office Naomi pink t-bars, £60, Hobbs Lana blue bow platforms, £129, Next colour block criss-cross platforms, £50 (71 Euros).

FOR NEUTRAL TRY: Dune Lilly raffia and flower corsage platforms, £85 (120 Euros), River Island tan peep-toe platforms, £54.99, Dorothy Perkins nude square platforms, £35 (55 Euros).

SUMMER FEET SAVERS

During the winter we can rely on thick opaques or woolly socks to increase the foot comfort factor. But with bare feet, dreaded blister attacks are often the price we pay for fashionable footwear in the summer. These SOS essentials should keep your tootsies in tip-top strutting condition.

Prevent painful between-toe rubbing in thong sandals or flip flops with Scholl Party Feet Invisible Gel Flip Flop Strips, £1.99.

Invest in feet-friendly talcum powder to make sweaty summer shoes a thing of the past, like Mavala Talcum Powder for Feet, £7.50.

Live in pumps? Keep feet super fresh all day with Pretty Polly Fresh Feet Footsies. Pack of two, £5.

If you're about to step out in brand new shoes, slather on Compeed's Anti-Blister Stick, £4.39. It works wonders on reducing the rub factor.

There's nothing worse than the burning on the balls of your feet after a stint in towering heels. Prevent the ouch effect with Boots Gorgeous Ball of Foot Cushion, £4.49.

STOCKISTS

Accessorize - 0870 412 9000

ASOS: www.asos.com

Boohoo: www.boohoo.com

Debenhams: 08445 616 161/www.debenhams.com

Dorothy Perkins: 0870 122 8801/www.dorothyperkins.co.uk

Dune: www.dune.co.uk

Faith: www.faith.co.uk

French Connection: www.frenchconnection.co.uk

Hobbs: www.hobbs.co.uk

Office: www.office.co.uk

Marks and Spencer: 0845 302 1234/www.marksandspencer.com

Matalan: 0845 330 3330/www.matalan.co.uk

Moda in Pelle: www.modainpelle.com

Next: 0845 600 7000/www.next.co.uk

River Island: www.riverisland.com

Topshop: www.topshop.com

Warehouse: 0870 122 8813/www.warehouse.co.uk

ASK THE EXPERT

Q: Help, I can't find jeans to fit my J-Lo-style curves!

A: Denim divas having sizing problems should park their curvy butts online and check out ilovejeans.com. Little in the Middle jeans are a new addition to the denim site featuring a revolutionary sizing system that waves goodbye to gaping waistbands. The jeans are shaped to fit one or two sizes bigger on the hips than on the waist so fit a curvier hip and bottom. Little in the Middle jeans come in dark denim, £79.99 at www.ilovejeans.com

BUY IT NOW

Tap into your animal instinct with Miss Selfridge's vintage- inspired, leopard-print dress, £45 (www.missselfridge.com). In store now, this little frock will work for summer or winter wardrobes.

FASHION NEWS FLASH

TWIGLET ATTACK

Twiggy's model genes must run in the family. The fashion icon launched her A/W fashion capsule collection for Littlewoods Direct with some help from her daughter Carly. The new range will be exclusively available at www.littlewoodsdirect.com from end of July.

HUSH HUSH

Cult shoe brand Hush Puppies turns 50 this year. To mark the occasion celebrity stylists Phillip Bloch and Rachel Fanconi have stepped up to the task of creating the Guest Designer Series. Styles for men and women will be in store by the end of July with prices from £50.