Oh Kurt Geiger. You know how to make a girl swoon…read more Last season it was all about the black suede Amy boots - that cost a shocking £350 - and the bronze Lizzy baseball boots. This season, it's all about blue suede Carvela Swipe three quarters boots and the grey Skittle boots. At £320 for the duo they are way over my budget. But oh, I can dream....

Damn it all! I wish I'd never realised this place sold mens shoes... When you think your just…read morewalking past a bunch of heels and boots, you think there's nothing to look up for. But then I had to go and look more closely while waiting for a bus... My thought process ran along the lines of "those shoes are rather manly for women..." then the next time I was in town, temptation struck and I was propelled over the threshold, my ability to resist tempered by shiny shiny leather and soft suede. Now, there are some undoubtedly unreasonable prices here. The day I pay £90 for a shoe, and another £90 for the other is officially when I have too much money (or when space boots are made), but not everything here is going to break the bank. Maybe strain it, but not break it. There's a good range of items that come in under the £50 mark, and look damn handsome too. These are the ones I fear most... The shoes I can convince myself I could afford. On the ladies front, this place is perhaps even more dangerous, as the the designs are even more tempting... From the casual eye of a fairly naive bloke, I can see how many of my female friends would be more likely to swoon at some of the stock here than they would at that popular chap from the New Moon films. And the nail in the coffin of leaving without evoking the wrath of bank managers and loan sharks is two simple words. Matching. Handbags. You stand warned! I'm off to crack open the piggy bank and count my pennies.

Advertising stock they don't have, taking money for orders they can't fulfill and utterly wasting…read morepeople's time, avoid.

There aren't many shoe shops where you know the shoes you are buying are definitely high quality…read more I know the main wish is to find shoes that look great and stylish. And my goodness they do that too. But these are always so comfy as well and that's worth a great deal more than you'll pay :) it's lovely. And the staff are so kind and unobtrusive, they let you get on with things or will become a little more chatty if they see you'd like some help. I hope I'm not alone in getting a little flushed and flustered when there's someone watching over you whilst trying shoes on... But these guys leave you to it, in a comfy leather chair until you stand in front of one of of many helpful full length mirrors. (so you don't have to cavort around an entire lap of the shop in shoes that aren't (yet) your own and are so embarrassed you can't really tell whether you like the shoes). They will last. They look great. And the shop is so pleasant I wouldn't go anywhere else.

Stead and Simpson sounds like it's going to be another of Lewes' artisan shops, with fancy window…read moredisplays and quality emanating from it's darkest crevices, but actually it's just a pretty tacky shoe shop, a bit like a Brantano or something similar. With makes such as Ikon and Hi-Tec, your not blown away by the power of the brand, which in many ways is good (on a cultural and philosophical level), but in all other levels, that is a bad thing. Best thing about here, not surprisingly, is that if your on a budget it's really good value for money, and you can buy smart as well as casual shoes here too, for a snip of the price that other retailers in Lewes would charge.

This is without doubt my favourite Brighton shoe shop. This business has seen me through many a…read morepair of New Rock boot and trainer. More recently they have supplied me with my current collection of Loblan boots. The shop takes up a couple of units on Gardner street and it was their stocking off New Rock boots that led me through the door a number of years back. If you are into your metal footwear then this is the place for you. I only ever bought a single pair of 'big' boots and they also sell alternative New Rock trainers that aren't quite so full on, but still unique in design. Be warned that the price tags on these brands are coming in at £60 - £130, but trust me one pair will last a long time. In the adjoining room, they have an impressive range of authentic Loblan cowboy and outback boots. I'm still kicking about in both my cowboy and outback boots from here and they have both lasted a good 3-4 years. Again, expect to pay over £100, but be assured that you are buying top quality footwear that will last all the adventuring you throw at them. There are also a wide range of women's shoes, including quirky designs and more staple classics. Not being a cross dresser, I haven't really paid them much attention, but I would recommend having a look for yourself. The staff are helpful and don't mind bringing a range of shoes/boots for you to try. I'm just gutted that the shoes they sell last for so long, or I would certainly give them my custom more frequently than I do.

Vitas Footwear in the North Laines might be my new top pick for shoes and boots. It's a bit on the…read morepricey side, but offers tonnes of solid-yet-stylish looking, high quality footwear. Many of the brand names are recognisable: Dr. Martens, Oxygen and CATS, for example. Styles cover a great range and include casual canvas sneakers, sandals, dress shoes and flats, work boots and wellies plus several risqué thigh-high boots in shiny black and red. Vitas has a few kids pairs, including Crocs in every colour of the rainbow - and a few sale items, mostly displayed on the ledge outside. These cheaper pairs include winter boots, wellies and some cute flats in the £25 - £40 range. Definitely a shop worth checking out if you're strolling the North Laines.

I really like their one of a kind shoes for both ladies and gentleman. The ladies have a large…read morebespoke shoes and bags to choose from. Make sure you check out upstairs as well. I can see Elton John in these shoes!

Want to be different and stand out from the crowd, get down here and spend an afternoon of shoe…read moreheaven. The assistant is amazing, she goes out of her way to make sure you are getting what you really want, but I wanted them all! In the end settled for two pairs and was dragged out kicking and screaming by my husband and son ;-) The shoes all have amazing designs and the soles are wow! You won't want to walk outside on them they are so pretty. Even the carrier bags are designer, much better than a plastic carrier bag. Next time you are in the area pop in and have a peek, you will be tempted :-) Roll on the new season collection........

I was looking around for some smart shoes, and popped in here briefly to see if there were any…read morestyles that caught my eye. I saw fairly soon that is likely a little bit more expensive than I was hoping to pay, as I only wear trainers unless the situation calls for something a little less casual. However, while gazing through the myriad of handsome leather foot gloves I discovered something that really caught my eye... A small section for smart, leather shoes styled by trainer makers. There was a pair of Pumas there that were practically screaming for my toes, and I found it hard not to calculate whether or not I could afford the £60 they were asking for. Downstairs there's more of a women's section which I can't really comment on, other than to say that the high quality finish and high prices seemed to flow across the entirety of the store. Definitely a place to consider if you're looking for some high quality foot ware, and a place I'll be looking out for when I get too old to wear trainers...

There is no argument that this shop sells good quality classic style shoes - but they are just so…read moreexpensive. For a good quality pair of work shoes I'd be prepared to pay a little bit more - but when it is just a basic looking summer sandle I don't really want to pay their prices. Shoes are usually £100+ That said I did treat myself once to a pair of shoes in here (I must have been feeling very flush !) and have to say that they were a particularly nice pair of shoes that did last longer than cheaper pairs. But they certainly weren't made to last for life ! Not sure if I could justify it again ! Shop is small and quite old fashioned - but the assistants are helpful. Styles are quite 'classic'. I only looked at the women's shoes - but think they also stock mens upstairs (I will stand corrected on this !)

Now, I love Office shoes. They're stylish, just about affordable and always bang on trend. But…read moreOffice in Brighton is a place I try to avoid. It's small - too small, and as it's right in the centre of town it's always too crowded to swing a cat in there. The staff always look rushed off their feet and you almost feel guilty asking them for help, and if you do get help it's not for long, as they usually have to rush off and serve someone else just as you need them to get you another size. It's completely bizarre that one of the most successful shoe retailers in the country would have such a small shop floor in one of the hottest shopping destinations the UK has to offer. Stick to buying online, it's less stressful and you're more likely to get service!

Office is one of Brighton's premier shoe shops, and for good reason: the chain has always been…read moreknown for the more stylish street shoes out there, and have quite a steady finger on the Brightonian style pulse. I've bought all of my shoes here for the past 4-5 years, and I have few complaints, bar the obvious: for street shoes, Office's brands really don't last long in the windy, wet Brighton air. I'm a big fan of canvas shoes: there's something quite retro, yet still stylish and relaxed about that kind of footwear. It's probably the stupidest thing to wear in Brighton, with the weather being so variable and often wet, but style beats usage every day in my book. There's a lot to be said for Office's cool shoes, even if this is the wrong town for them. Still, if you like cool looking canvas shoes, and can stand to buy new ones ever 2-3 months, Office is the place for you! I'm not proud of this consumerist vibe, but I'll do quite a bit for my style...

I found it a bit off-putting that the sales clerks at Jones almost continuously stared at me…read morewithout saying anything. Perhaps they were just at-the-ready in case I had any questions, but, really - a hello makes this much less creepy. The footwear in Jones (both men's and women's styles) is arranged conveniently by size - and, at the moment, also by sale or non-sale items. The post-holiday sale has some items reduced by 'at least' 50%. Each shelf/size contains a mix of boots, casual and dressy shoes, some from familiar brands, like Dr. Marten or Hush Puppies. The shop is quite large, but once you separate the selection into sizes, you're looking at a choice of less than 50 items, really. If you're in the market for some new, quality footwear, I'd try other shops before Jones - Soletrader, for one. More selection and less creepy vibe.

...situated in a very close, but busy area of Brighton, this shop seems to have constant sales!!!…read moreShoe quality is good, but staff attitudes could be improved. Very pushy to make the sale, but then become quite off hand......!! Still worth tolerating to get a bargain, but you would think that they would give you a carrier when you've just spent £159.00 on a pair of shoes!!!!

Oh. My. Lord. I…read morepopped into Size? this afternoon to look for a new pair of Converse and ended up falling in love with the most bling pair of silver Adidas hi-tops. I'm not talking matt or gloss silver either, I'm talking thousands of silver sequins painstakingly stitched into two sneaker-size glitterballs. I would have bought them too, only my rap skills are zero. Maybe I'll twitter Jay-Z and Kanye and see if either of them want a pair. Seriously, these sneakers belong on stage. :-)

I used to be a fan of Size? back in the day - now, not so much…read more They don't seem to offer anything DIFFERENT - and I am something of a sneaker connoisseur, I like my feet to stand out from the crowd. Actually, maybe I am being a little harsh, it's just the BRIGHTON branch of Size? That doesn't seem to have a lot going for it any more. I haven't bought a pair of trainers from there in years, the last time I did spot a pair that I wanted to buy, they didn't have my size. The Size? On Carnaby Street in London is pretty cool. I will make sure I review it next time I'm there.