What shoe are you?

Meghan Cleary, author of The Perfect Fit, What Your Shoes Say About You, believes that a woman's footwear speaks volumes about the person she truly is, and that by studying our feelings about different styles we can work out where we want them to take us in life.

Billed as a horoscope based on shoes, her book offers a fun and fascinating insight into our souls. The first step, she says, is to discover our Shoe Sun sign. In this extract from The Perfect Fit she tells us how - along with tips on what our best-loved shoes reveal about the woman wearing them.

Shoe Are You?

As with star signs, shoe girls fall into basic categories. These are Down-to-Earth, On-the-Go and Towering Heights. Try this sole-searching exercise.

1. What is your favourite pair of shoes?

2. List three adjectives that describe these shoes (eg: comfortable, expensive or drop-dead gorgeous).

3. List three adjectives that describe how you feel when you wear these shoes (eg: joyous, confident or sexy).

4. List three compliments you've received from friends and admiring observers (eg: "You sexy thing!", "Where did you find those?", "Your legs go on forever!")

5. Select the shoe types below to find the shoe type that most closely matches your favourite shoe.

The shoe you identify is your Shoe Sun sign, your most natural state of being. The adjectives you've listed about the feelings you experience in these shoes are the attributes you exude when you are in your most confident and divine state of shoe. Your Shoe Sun Sign is your true north, the place of balance and bliss you should always strive for. You should measure any and all future purchases against this shoe sign.

Flat mule

You are a real go-getter. Zipping around a party, town or workplace, you all have one thing in common: your ability to look completely feminine and alluring without the addition of a high heel. You know that from the back you look like you've got nothing on your feet at all, and that a glimpse of bare heel can be sometimes sexier than a towering stiletto. Your close proximity to the ground means you know the trends early. A loyal friend, you've always got a bit of mischief up your sleeve, and without heels to slow you down, you are the one who is always first to the punchline.

Training Shoe

The sports shoe girl is all about cool, but very accessible cool. Normally seen dashing about town, you always know the coolest music and films. You are quick on your feet and witty, often peppering your conversation with a bit of ironic or sarcastic humour just for effect. And then you're gone just as fast as you arrived.

Classic leather thong sandal

You take a holiday attitude to life. Your pace is unhurried island time, a slower, more meditative approach. If it doesn't get done today, it can always get done tomorrow, or next week for that matter. While others may get temporarily frustrated at your seeming lack of regard for their pace of life they should actually be thankful, for you are the embodiment of the natural rhythm we should all strive for.

Clog

The clog girl moves with a feeling of solidity under her feet. No matter how hectic or chaotic things are you are sure about where you are going and what you are going to attain. Your vibe is mellow, but don't mistake it for lazy. You are extremely hardworking and possess a deep spirituality, either consciously or unconsciously, which gives everything you do a sort of gravitas. Never giddy or overly excited, your natural state is an easy balance with not too many high highs or low lows.

Classic court shoe

You may be diligently scanning the Financial Times or Wall Street Journal on your way to work at an investment bank, an accounting firm or a law firm. You most likely have a cup of coffee in one hand, the paper in another, and an overstuffed laptop bag.

Appearing a bit discombobulated, you are actually simultaneously reading the paper, scanning your text messages, drinking your coffee and jotting a note for your morning meeting in your PDA. You are a most loyal friend, unflagging in your ability to show up for any event, any time of day, always available for a quick joke and a laugh. Extraordinarily good-natured and extremely resilient, you've got a man's fraternity and affability, making you a most valued friend, since you are always so easy going.

Stiletto

You move through the world with an ber-confident horsey walk and are often found on a city street, hailing a taxi while talking on your phone.

An intriguing mix of traditional and modern, deep down you believe in the fact that men provide and women look good. At the same time, you embrace your raw female power, stepping out smartly, never afraid to state what you want. You are extremely self-possessed and very much your own woman.

T-Strap

Ta-daaaa! A T-Strap girl always arrives with a bit of a splash. You are always in your latest musical or just taking the everyday office water-cooler talk up a notch.

Always a bit peppier than those around you, you have a penchant for launching into a show tune, which has everyone else laughing and singing along. Others can't really help but be infected by your natural gutsiness, and Betty Boop-like cuteness, You often look like you stepped off the set of a 1940s Hollywood film.

High heel sandal

The woman who finds herself in high heel sandals for a majority of her shoe time is a woman who is very confident in her femininity. Toes are most likely always pedicured perfectly in coral or pink.

Your ability to balance a cocktail tray, glass of wine, piece of hardware or two, football, and the odd child or two in both hands - while glowing with feminine wiles - is a testament to your balancing prowess in all matters of life. You are a woman who has the very special ability to make events better for others.

Designer shoe

The average person might hear you before they actually see you. You are usually an octave louder than the other girls, and moving faster, for that matter, often but a streak on the sidewalk, a whir in your Mercedes. You might just be the one yelling at the car in front of you because the driver stopped too quickly.

Your mantra is action. Typically, you can angle for a bargain faster than one can say "please" and negotiate better than a grizzled CEO.

The Perfect Fit by Meghan Cleary is published by Chronicle at 8.99