Fashionistas and shoe lovers listen up, the White River Valley Museum has an exhibit for you.

“Sole Obsession: 100 Years of Women’s Shoes from Kitten Heels to Power Pumps”, which runs from today until Nov. 9 in the Key Bank Gallery of the museum, spotlights the evolution of women’s dress shoes from the lace-up “granny boots” of the early part of the 20th century up to the more fantastic footwear of the new millennium.

“A new pair of shoes makes a woman feel great, and they last longer than a box of chocolates,” wrote Christine Palmer, exhibit curator and historic clothing aficionado.

To illustrate the evolution and the way styles can sometimes boomerang from era to era, the exhibit draws shoes from the museum’s collection, as well as from the Seattle Goodwill’s Vintage Fashion Collection, Supercalifragilistic Vintage Fashion Show Collection, the Seattle Children’s Hospital Bargain Boutique Vintage Fashion Collection, the Eastside Heritage Center, the Renton History Musueum and four private, local collections.

“My mother and I marvel at how she wore platform pumps in 1944, I wore them in a revival in 1974, and in 2014 young women are wearing them again,” Palmer wrote.

The exhibit breaks the shoes into decades, matching the styles and the materials used and putting them in historical context.

For instance, the exhibit’s display from the 1940s illustrates how the demand for material for American armed forces during World War II affected footwear. Because the use of leather was restricted to the war effort, women’s shoes started using different fabrics, such as canvas, and were restricted to just six colors: black, navy, blue, beige, brown and white.

In the past, the museum has featured other exhibits featuring women’s apparel, including undergarments, hats and swimwear, and staff hopes the popularity of footwear with women provides a draw.

“Today, most American women own at least 19 pairs of shoes, some secretly, although they only wear about four pairs regularly,” Palmer wrote. “Approximately 15 percent of women have over 30 pairs of shoes.”

The White River Valley Musueum is at 918 H St. SE by Les Gove Park in Auburn. Hours are from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and from 6-8 p.m. every first Thursday. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children and seniors, with every first Thursday and third Sunday free.

For more information, call 253-288-7433 or visit www.wrvm.org.