Now, this place may not win any awards for being cool and I used to curse my mother for buying me…read moreshoes from here when I was a young boy but now I'm older and buying my own shoes I can see why she brought me here year after year to get my school shoes. The prices aren't low but they're really, really good for the quality of shoe that you get and a pair of Clarks will last you ages. There is also that cool machine that works out your shoe-size which always used to amaze me when I was younger. The staff are knowledgable and friendly, not being too pushy with the optional extras like polishes and leather protector etc.

I usually don't like going to this Clarks Shoe shop as their kids department is upstairs and not…read moreoverly convenient for prams. I was passing today but and needed to get new shoes for my youngest so I thought I would nip in. As I said kids department is upstairs so I parked the pram in the designated area for prams and brought my wee one upstairs. There was no one else there, bonus I picked a good time to go, I noticed on my way in through the doors a ticket system so it must get very busy at times and to stop arguments between mothers they have thought of this. Shop is very well laid out in age categories and types of shoes. Lovely and bright too for kids. Assistant came straight over and measured my daughters feet and then went into the store and got all the available stock in her size, three pairs to choose between. Assistants are very knowledgeable in fitting for kids. Needless to say we came home with new shoes.

If you seeking elegant but traditional shoes for special occasions such as a weddings, or need…read moreappropriate footwear if your profession has a formal dress code then Arabesque is worth a visit. They stock Italian and Spanish designer shoes that are smart but comfortable classics, beautifully made from leather and suede that will lift your stature with out being excruciatingly high or ultra trendy. The target here is really for the well heeled older woman, but on the other hand I have noticed there are good sales on here so the prices are by no means out of sight. So I should confess my eye is on some rather nice wedge heel black suede numbers. There is also a selection of classic handbags to marry with the shoes. It's very old school in here, with a charming, gentlemanly proprietor in charge. As a small shop, the service is attentive so is best for those who are genuinely interested in the stock rather than casual browsers.

An old fashioned, traditional style shoe shop. To be honest it's not really to my taste but others…read moremay like Gaffney's. I find it a tad expensive and behind the times. Plus I never feel I can browse this shop comfortably as sales staff always seem to hover over my shoulder in a rather irritating manner. Maybe they are trying to be helpful, jump on a sales opportunity or think I'm going to steal and run off with the one shoe out of a pair on display hahahahaha! I actually dislike going into this shop. Dowdy, dated and out-of-style, I'll definitely be buying my footwear elsewhere...

don't shop here. used to work here. the owner is awful to both staff and customers, marks up his…read moreprices like CRAZY (selling boots worth £20 at £100), doesn't listen to any kind of sound business advice and then wonders why his business is failing. he sacked one of my coworkers mid-shift and made her continue her shift, he made me (his manager at the time) come in and rearrange his ENTIRE store for him (took me almost 3 whole days to complete) only to sack me once I finished all the hard work for him or in his words "I'll call you when I have hours for you". he tells customers they are wrong if they say a shoe doesn't fit them or feel comfortable and makes them out to be liars if a pair of shoes they bought happened to be faulty. his store also does not adhere to legal requirements such as having smoke alarms, fire extinguishers or being wheelchair accessible and when I brought these things up to him he laughed, particularly about being wheelchair accessible. don't give this man your money he's an awful excuse for a human.

From the outside, Reid's looks dingy and tired, and in dire need of a face lift. When you step…read moreinside, there's a funny little tunnel, with displays of shoes on either side, and a set of stairs leading downwards. Interestingly, the shoe section is located in the basement of the shop (hence the topsy-turvyness), which is really rather...random. And messed with my head a little bit. So, down the steps we went, and into a massive emporium of every kind of shoe possible. With an ongoing sale, the place was slightly disorientated, although there were evidently three separate sections - kids, womens and mens. The kids section was absolutely jam packed full of little 'uns sitting in line with their ticket, waiting (im)patiently to be measured. The colourful seats and measuring thingamajigs reminded me of the trips to Irvine's on the Newtownard's Road to get my school shoes. Fond memories...and not a lot has changed, so it would seem. The ladies section was full of trainers, granny shoes, flats, sandals, heels and more granny shoes. Some of the shoes were decent enough, but most were just too old fashioned or downright horrible. I was the youngest female customer in this area by far...the average age was probably 70 odd. I didn't venture into the men's section, because, well, I'm not a man. The one thing that did rather annoy me was the lack of customer service. The staff were as dure as the shop, and were mainly twiddling their thumbs and standing doing not an awful lot. No-one came anywhere near me the entire thirty minutes I was there. How rude. Since Reid's really isn't my kind of shoe shop (which isn't in reference to the service), I most likely won't return. However, due to the wide variety of shoes, I'll give them two stars. Since I'm nice like that.

I find it a little bit strange that a ton centre like Downpatrick can support about 3 different…read moreshoe shops all in a row, but as long as they are up and running well beside each other that's all that matters! This place aims at the higher quality market who want shoes of a durable Clarks style standard. I used to get dragged her to get new school shoes every year or two and I hated it, but I really should have appreciated the Kickers shoes I got here more before I proceeded to annually wreck them paying football etc . The staff are helpful and attentive and are only too happy to suggest options that you would like and try and ensure that the shoes will fit you properly. This store has a fairly limited selection of shoes though all in all, so you will have to chance your arm here or head elsewhere!

Shoe Zone is a stockist of all kinds of footwear for men, women, and children. This is a real 'no…read morefrills' shop (which, in general, are becoming hugely popular in these tough economic times) and while you're not going to find a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes or expensive Italian loafers in here, they do have a decent selection of footwear, ranging from trainers and boots to slippers and sandals. This is the type of shop you love to find when you're on holiday and realise that you've forgotten a pair of trainers, or the shoes you bought a month ago aren't nearly well enough broken in yet for walking around Belfast or up at the Giant's Causeway. Cheap and cheerful is the essence of this shop - I picked up a pair of desert-type boots here for under £13. Considering those type of boots all look the same with a pair of jeans, they were a bargain. This wouldn't be a bad place to kit the kids out with their 'back to school' shoes, either.

From the owner: Shoe Zone is the UK's leading value footwear retailer. We love nothing better than helping our…read morecustomers find exactly the right shoes, and always at affordable prices. Our huge selection of shoes for all the family means that whatever the occasion, whatever the outfit, you're sure to find something you'll love.

I never usually venture into stores like this. And not without reason, as I recently discovered…read morewhen visiting Rojo. The most stunning designer shoes line the walls of this sleek footwear boutique, in every shape, size, colour and style you could possibly imagine. And we're talking big names here - Chanel, DKNY, Gucci - the real deal as it were. Yet, despite the designer names, the price tags weren't quite so bad as I thought they would be. Fair enough, £129 isn't exactly what I would spend on a pair of shoes, but it's all about the label, dahling. A few awe-inspired moments were spent gazing at the multitude of beautiful, and well-reduced due to the sale, shoes. It was at this point that I felt completely out of place, and I think everyone else realised this fact too. Despite my best efforts to fit in (I was wearing my £55 heeled brogues), it was never going to happen. Perhaps it was the Primark jeans that gave me away, or the fact that I looked like a small child in a toy shop, but either way, I was determined to make a swift exit (via the UGG section of course...they have the most gorgeous blue boots for ladies, and turquoise ones for girls). As long as you put your best foot forward, or ensure that the shoe's on the other foot, you'll be fine. Or something like that...

The onset of autumn is unfortuate in some ways but the good thing is all the latest boots that…read morestart appearing in the shops, because that's how I prefer to encase my feet in the winter. In Rojo they're somewhat beyond range at £180+ on average but there was a pair of black suede ones for less. They'd last for 10 years with fair treatment without looking out of place, so compare that to what you might fritter over the same period on cheap stuff and you've got a case for some serious purchasing...Ok, maybe not yet. Anyway - there are also the shoes and the clothes section but as far as I am concerned Rojo is about the boots.

Going to an all girls' school meant that the hysteria of formal dress shopping was heightened to…read morethe absolute max, with every girl hoping that the delightful pink dress they had just purchased wasn't the same as their best friend's choice. Cue delirium. Unfortunately (I think), those mad days are long since gone for me, but it's nearly that time for my little sister, so I do kinda get to relive the dream again. Yippee! I told her (yes, she didn't have a choice) that Posh Frocks should be the first port of call for ideas, and she happily agreed to take a look. Posh Frocks was one of the stores many of the girls ventured to in search of the perfect formal dress, and there were definitely some beauties bought there. The shop had, and still has, a reputation for good-quality, stunning dresses, and is one of very few formal dress shops in Belfast, so it is completely inundated with formal requirements from as far as Magherafelt (I was reliably informed by the extremely helpful sales lady). We were also told that many of the dresses sell out within days of first appearing...so we'd better get our skates on! There isn't a huge range of dresses, but due to the fact that new designs are constantly coming in, this doesn't really prove a problem. The dresses vary in price from about £100 to £300, with the more embellished ones coming in at £295, whereas the plainer ones are around £165, and the cocktail length ones are obviously cheaper. Having had lots of really helpful tips and information, and a good nosey around, the two of left with plenty of food for thought. I think I'm actually more excited that the little sis...

On our never-ending quest to find bridesmaid dresses for my best friends wedding (no, not the…read moremovie) we ended up in here. They have a vast array of gowns and dresses for all sorts of events and occasions, be it a formal, a gala dinner type event, or a wedding as a guest or as a bridesmaid. The woman in charge that day was SO helpful, and really cheerful and pleasant, she seemed happy to help, and genuinely interested, which is what you want in a good shopping experience. They had every colour, shape and style of frock, but not, unfortunately, every size, and my size 18 frame was not really catered for. There were a couple of dresses that sort of fitted, but they weren't proper size 18s, and therefore were NOT flattering. The price tags weren't extortionate, but they weren't cheap either. If you're skinny and have a bit of cash, this is a good place to get a dress that isn't from the high street.