12,000 and 15,000 BC: Cave paintings in Spain show a man in boots of skin and a woman in boots of fur.

3,000-1,400 BC: Men and women in Crete wore calf-high boots tied to their legs with thongs.

5 BC: Young Greek men wore white boots made of stretched material pulled to the top of the calf and decorated with turned-over tops.

By the 14th century: Armed boots were reinforced with steel rods and chain mail. The military style, copied in leather, became popular in the 14th and 15th centuries, worn by men and women.

Henry IV of France 1589-1610: He made boots fashionable in France and they were permitted in salons and on the dance floor.

By the beginning of 17th century: Boots worn at English court during Charles I reign (1600-1649) fit tightly and were folded back into deep tops.

Bootleg: Comes from habit of pirates and smugglers who tucked contraband or booty into their boots.

1840: First woman's boot designed for England's Queen Victoria.

1861: Right and left boots introduced.

1889: High-button shoes become fashion norm.

1880s: Cowboy boots emerge as distinctive style.

By 1921: Women were wearing straight-topped, knee-high Russian boots with pointed toes.

1950s: Engineer or "biker" boots were used by bikers to protect legs.

1960s: Flat-heeled boots reflected space-age look. They were more comfortable for dancing and were quickly named go-go boots.

1966: Nancy's Sinatra sings hit, "These Boots Were Made for Walking."

End of '60s: Exotic materials and unusually placed zippers were introduced. Yves St. Laurent and designers made thigh-high garter boots. In 1968, Jane Fonda's sci-fi heroine Barbarella boots hit new heights.

Early '70s: Lace-up boots most popular style.

1980s: Boots hid out under longer skirts and dresses.

1990: Julia Roberts brought boots back in her role as a gold-hearted hooker in Pretty Woman.

Sources: Curtin University Department of Podiatry; www.coololdstuff.com; www.shoeme.com