My girlfriend, in desperate need of some new shoes decided to head into Blunts, on the Bearwood…read morehigh street last weekend, but unfortunately found nothing to satisfy her 'acquired' taste.. Despite an extensive variety of shoes at her disposal, as well as an extremely helpful if not pushy member of staff, she found no joy. The shoes on offer are much more sensible than the ones she was after, with schools shoes featuring prominently throughout. In the area that is Bearwood, it isn't surprising, with a large number of families and young children living nearby. The prices seemed relatively cheap, but it seems that If you are looking for something a bit more stylish, then this may not be the place for you.

Blunts is a traditional shoe shop in the middle of Bearwood High Street. It's been there since…read moreforever and as well as selling 'sensible' shoes from the Clarks and Hush Puppy ranges they also stock comfortable looking flats, spangly sandals, wellies, kids shoes, slippers, flip-flops etc. Bargains can be found in the baskets outside but the best thing about it is the interior of the shop - where boxes and boxes of shoes are stacked with the names and sizes facing out - names like 'Drum Beat' and 'Carousel Ride' and my personal favourite 'Dublin Streets'. They have a nice selection of wallets and purses and the people who work here are really friendly and helpful. They also have an online presence with shoes available via their ebay store.

Sandal House is one of the best places on the Soho Road for shoes! Although they specialise in…read morefootwear for Asian clothes, they have simpler designs that imitate Western styles. They cater for men, women and children of all ages. So, for women, there are extremes of stiletto styles to complete flats and comfort for varying age groups. There is also a selection of jewellery and handbags, which are averagely priced for the area but I have found similar designs elsewhere in Birmingham at more reasonable prices. The staff is polite but tend not to engage in conversation. They often have a sale or a reduced items rack in the middle of the shop floor with shoes at as little as £10! The most convenient parking is behind the shop which can be accessed at the corner of Nationwide. It's only 40p for the hour!

I have bought shoes from here a number of times over the last ten years or so, the shoes are very…read morewell made, something that has been confirmed to me by independent cobblers who I have used for a long time. The great things about the shoes is that due their welted construction they are repairable, not the case so much with cheaper shoes, also they are high quality and are very comfortable when worn in, also the service from the staff in the store is very good, a specialised profession not just a shop assistant's job. I have found them to be excellent, Mark, Daniel and Sam who has recently left to travel the east a sad loss, replaced by Zeb who doesn't seem to me to up to the same high standard as the others, although he is new and he needs to learn alot, so time will tell. Expect to pay for the quality of the shoes and of the service they average out at about £500 to £600 or more depending on the range that you choose from. All in all these shoes are an investment as they can be kept smart and comfortable for years with any repairs done by the company.

Ooh this is a posh shop - for ages I'd only dared peek in the window but I do know someone with…read moreoddly shaped feet who swears by this place so feel I can write about it with a bit of authority. Crockett and Jones (sorry but don't they sound like a crime fighting duo?) offer both a bespoke and more mainstream range of shoe ware. Although the handmade shoes are rather expensive they are, according to my oddly shaped footed friend totally worth it. The more main stream collection features beautiful looking brogues and low-heeled shoes and boots. As well as that they sell belts, boot polish and from what I gathered from my last peep in to the shop itself (I now know where the phrase 'well heeled' comes from - the gents in there looked loaded) a small selection of ladies shoes. Inside the store it's a nice mixture of wood and comfy chairs and surprisingly light - however I felt a tad self conscious in my hush puppies (scuffed) so made a hasty retreat. A quick visit to their website shows that as well as Birmingham, they have branches in Paris and New York - how many shoe stores do you know that can boast that?

Sims is an independent shoe shop, which seems rare enough, selling a small but good range of both…read moremen's and women's shoes. I often go there for the Irregular Choice shoes they always stock. They also sell other well known brands including Rocketdog etc. Prices are pretty good and they will price match sale prices, which is really good. It's off the high street and near lovely boutiquey shops, so often much nicer to visit than crowded Bullring stores.

Faith is a great place to find the absolute latest footwear trends. Very pricey, but worth it for…read moreunique shoes you won't see on anyone else. As I'm a tightwad, I only shop their sales, and still have never seen a pair of shoes I've purchased from Faith on anyone else (except a cross dresser in SoHo once, but that's not important right now). When looking for my wedding shoes, I wanted something really different and not typical. Wearing Converse or Docs under a big parfait wedding dress has been done and is a bit twee by now, so I couldn't do that, but wasn't sure exactly what I wanted. Poor Mr Yankee Girl traipsed into every shop in the Bullring whilst I Cinderella-ed every shoe in the kingdom searching for just what I wanted. I finally found the PERFECT pair at Faith. My dress was an unsual colour, sort of a light beige with pink and gold undertones. The shoes were five-inch-heeled gold sandals with slightly pink sparkly accents. With foot-less pantyhose and some toenail polish, I was good to go! One thing I really like about Faith is that their salespeople are always present and helpful, but never pounce. They just keep themselves busy arranging shoeses and walking about the store, so they are present but not like the annoying gadflies found in most shoe boutiques. Faith really has the feel of an upmarket boutique, and I feel gorgeous just walking in there. Their styles are always fresh and never just what everyone else is selling

A great shoe shop that goes up to a size 9! They have…read moreregular sale or discount offers on, so you can always afford a new pair of footwear without breaking the bank, but of course, as with any good shoe shop - you can easily spend too much, but who cares when the shoes are this good! Staff are always lovely and very helpful, but not in that pushy 'buy shoes!' way. Plus the shoes last forever! Go and try for yourself.

I nipped in to get some sandals for my wife as her cheaper ones from other retail outlets had fell…read moreapart after quite short usage. I was impressed by the quality so bought some causal shoes for holiday/home and some very sturdy slippers. I think there is a quote that - "Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten." Nige

To be honest, I'd kind of almost given up on Clarks. They were relegated to the same category as…read moreEcco in my mind: kind of sensible and boring. I have to admit that they've surprised me! They've come on an awful lot in the last few years and now there are lots of fabulous styles, which also manage to be comfy. This branch is particularly good-they have a really large selection and the assistants are friendly. It's a bit annoying that they're trying to "help" once you walk in but they're actually not pushy at all. I think they just have to approach customers. They're quick to actually find the shoes if you do want to try some on and will find similar ones to try if the ones you want aren't there. They'll also order them for you if your size aren't available. They told me that they get more size 3s than the other branch nearby though, so you might not even have to wait if you try here! This has kind of become my go-to shoe shop, and not because of my advanced age and feet that are tired from running. It's bright, full of stock and shopping is a breeze. How could I not spend my money?

A gorgeous new shoe boutique has opened in the elegant Great Western Arcade in Birmingham. The shoe…read moredesigns are based on vintage styles from the 1920s to the 1950s and are handmade in a family-run factory in Spain, all are leather lined and either leather or suede. The shop itself is pure eye candy with beautiful interior styling by AVA Event Styling, the staff are highly knowledgable and very friendly and approachable. Downstairs is home to Agnes & Norman ladies collection, upstairs for mens and Rachel Simpson Bridal range. Shoes range from £120-£165 which is brilliant for hand-made designer shoes, there are also some discontinued bridal shoes which are much cheaper. The boutique opened on Sat 9th June 2013 and there is 25% off all shoes until 16th June. I am being 100% open in saying that I am delighted to be a part of this enterprise but also as a shopper this is like my dream shop! Please pop and and write your own independent review :) "the story In 1927 Agnes Stafford & Norman Simpson got married. It was snowing, so Agnes had to be carried to the church so as not to spoil her shoes. Eight children and twenty-two grandchildren later, in 2001 one of those granddaughters became a shoe designer, travelling to shoe factories around the world. Several years later in 2008 she launched her own shoe company... The inspiration behind the debut collection is told through a beautiful series of photographs taken of four friends whose trip to the seaside ends with the beginning of a beautiful love story."