What to get the shoe lover in your life this holiday season? Buying a pair of shoes is risky—get the size wrong and Christmas dinner will be a frosty affair. A knock-off Manolo instead of the real deal? The horror!

To avoid gifting missteps, Heels Are a Girl’s Best Friend will be counting down to the giving season with some of the web’s best shopping for the shoe fanatic on your list.

Nothing is better than shopping for shoes. Except looking at pictures of shoes and reading about our favorite subject. Plus, it’s cheaper than a new pair of Loubs! Check out great gift ideas for the well-read shoe fashionista after the jump . . .

Blahnik by Boman ($53.55)

Famous for unparalleled sexiness and sophistication long before being “discovered” by Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, Blahnik’s master creations take center page in a dazzling and fanciful 150-page color coffee table book. This hefty tome is sure to cause envy among shoe lovers and art fans alike.

Stiletto by Caroline Cox ($23.10)

Stilettos are more just “another pair of heels.” Stilettos equal sex. Power. Femininity. Featuring new and vintage photographs, this book traces the compelling allure of the needle heel from its birth as a fantasy shoe in the early 1950s under legendary shoemakers like Vivier, Perugia and Ferragamo to today’s heels designed by Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo as symbol of celebrity status and fashion savvy.

Roger Vivier (Memoire) ($15.16)

Without Roger Vivier, there would be no stiletto. Known as the “Faberge of footwear,” the French designer created some of the most iconic shoes of the 20th century. This rich tome traces his career from the creation of the stiletto heel in 1954, picturing iconic designs such as his black vinyl high-heeled boots and square-toed pumps.

Shoes: A Celebration of Pumps, Sandals, Slippers & More by Linda O’Keeffe ($13.67)

O’Keeffe has put together 507 fabulous pages of photos, historical information and factoids about sandals, pumps, boots, etc. The pocket-size book includes full-color pictures, and shoe quips from celebrities, designers and historical figures. Says Entertainment Weekly: Not everyone can afford a pair of sexy $500 Manolo Blahnik heels, but everyone can (and should) spring for this sumptuous, pocket-size portfolio of pumps, sandals, slippers, mules, and boots, each of Cinderella quality.

Shoes: What Every Woman Should Know by Stephanie Pedersen  ($10.39)

From the moment they play dress up in their mom’s heels or see Dorothy’s dazzling ruby red slippers, little girls begin their love affair with shoes. This gift book is a “veritable shoe bible, allowing readers to put their best foot forward down the footwear hall of fame, pausing at every significant development in the evolution of shoes. From the earliest moccasins of 8000 BC to the latest innovations of the 21st century, Shoes charts the rise of shoes from comfort to couture, and features top designers, trendsetters, celebrity shoeaholics and fashionistas, guaranteed to excite and inspire glamour girls everywhere.” 

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