If your outfit is a sentence, then your shoes are the punctuation. Whether you are strutting down Rittenhouse Row or twirling across the dance floor at The Crystal Tea Room, you want shoes you select to make a statement. Don’t fall flat with a boring flop; indulge in luxurious pairs that lift you and your spirits. Here’s a look at the five Philly-area stores that will help you mark every ensemble with exclamation.
Bus Stop Boutique
Nestled between shops boasting bolts of lace and gingham along the city’s Fabric Row, Bus Stop is a cult fave with a selection that will make any shoe lover squeal. Owned by a British import with exquisite taste, the store shelves shoes that before required a passport to acquire. Statement shoes by United Nude, vintage-themed darlings by Shoes for Lovely People and satin ballet flats by Bloch answer every outfit’s need.
Bus Stop Boutique is located at 750 South Fourth Street, Philadelphia, 215-627-2357. www.busstopboutique.com
UBIQ
UBIQ is simply not your average sneaker store. Sure, you can find a nice pair of Adidas on one of the back-lit shelves, but chances are there is a story behind that selection. Frequently pairing with area artists, UBIQ takes athletic style, urban edginess and a boutique vibe and somehow mixes them into a shopping experience with, well, sole. Choose from kicks by both mainstream and hard-to-find labels like Converse, Dape, Palladium and Vans.
UBIQ is located at 1509 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-988-0194, and at The Gallery at 10th & Market streets, Lower Level, 215-238-8005. www.ubiqlife.com
Head Start Shoes
With its prime location in the heart of Center City, Head Start is where the city’s shoe-obsessed spend their lunch breaks. Brands like Fiorentini & Baker and Ixos serve up city-ready boots and heels that go with jeans and dress skirts alike. European styling and quality, all in our backyard. Lovely.
Head Start Shoes is located at 126 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, 215-567-3247. www.headstartshoes.com
ViVi G. Shoes
Some of the best retail success stories start with two friends, a love of fashion and a pie in the sky dream. Vivi G. Shoes proves that sometimes those dreams come true, as the duo has generated much buzz since their 2008 opening in a quiet suburban shopping center. Drop in for cozy Delman ballet flats, handmade Salpy clogs or a divine strappy stiletto by Badgley Mishka.
ViVi G. Shoes is located at 587 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Glen Mills, 610-459-5848, and 503 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, 610-688-66732. www.vivigshoes.com
Joan Shepp Shoe Lounge
Yes, I know I mentioned this Philly staple just days ago. But sometimes a store deserves that second look. Joan Shepp’s Shoe Lounge is a shrine to boots and heels, studded with some of the most popular designers in the industry. Slip into a sparkly pair of Christian Louboutins or some fabulous over-the-knee Henry Beguelin boots.
Joan Shepp is located at 1616 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-735-2666. www.joanshepp.com
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