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Shoes

15:57 / 10.01.04

So, I need to buy some. A pair of smart, dark chocolate Brown smart ones for work and a cool pair of trainers.

I'm size 8 and a half, and I have about £80 for each pair.

Any ideas? I'm going to London soon too.

And if possibl I'd like to get a pair of trianers that will get me into clubs 'cause they look like smart shoes too!

17:39 / 10.01.04

skate shoes are the comfiest trainers, but they go to shit really quickly. this is to be expected as they are usually designed to be destroyed by the board.

try a pair of black (thats the only way to make them look like smart shoes)adidas 'double wide'. with fat laces, they look hip enough to get you into any bar/club/rave/whorehouse, and as soon as you put skinnier black ones in, they can be worn to work. also, they only cost about thirty when i bought them, and i think they are usually only around fifty-sixty. thats a good four or five albums from your local discount music retailer, like maybe fopp, or MTZD.

for smart stuff, it realy depends what you like the look of and the feel of. i have absolutely no idea what money shoes will cost you in london, but i reckon you could easily go completely mental and mortgage your house to afford a pair.

listen to the leather fetishists about smart shoes, i reckon. we have a few here, i think... i seem to remember a discussion on gloves or something similar getting quite involved.

i guess most importantly though, where do you stay?
have you thought about mail order?
do you maybe know any shop staff who might see what they can order in for you?
have you googled all the words you know concerning footwear?

11:44 / 13.01.04

When it comes to trainers in London then the best place to go is Neal Street, Covent Garden. In my opinion the only trainers to buy are Adidas and not the modern ones but the old fashioned 60's styles. There are some really nice Italian ones in the shops at the moment. If you are a bit of a skater boy (not going to write it the lavine way!)then try the store above rough trade records in Neals Yard, Covent Garden. Alternatively, if you like a bit of NY R&R then Converse are a must, there are loads of customised ones around at the moment, especially around the stores in Shoreditch & Hoxton. However if this is your stylee then a good pair of old fashioned brogues would be better and perform a dual purpose...sorted!
Smart shoes mmmm..Camper on Floral street, Covent Garden. Smart but with design and not so smart you feel like your Dad. Alternatively, Office (Neal Street.)
Your friend..the personal shopper

11:47 / 13.01.04

When it comes to trainers in London then the best place to go is Neal Street, Covent Garden. In my opinion the only trainers to buy are Adidas and not the modern ones but the old fashioned 60's styles. There are some really nice Italian ones in the shops at the moment. If you are a bit of a skater boy (not going to write it the lavine way!)then try the store above rough trade records in Neals Yard, Covent Garden. Alternatively, if you like a bit of NY R&R then Converse are a must, there are loads of customised ones around at the moment, especially around the stores in Shoreditch & Hoxton. However if this is your stylee then a good pair of old fashioned brogues would be better and perform the dual purpose...sorted!
Smart shoes mmmm..Camper on Floral street, Covent Garden. Smart but with design and not so smart you feel like your Dad. Alternatively, Office (Neal Street.)
Your friend..the personal shopper
PS..any club that won't let you cos of your trainers ain't worth going in!

11:52 / 13.01.04

When it comes to trainers in London then the best place to go is Neal Street, Covent Garden. In my opinion the only trainers to buy are Adidas and not the modern ones but the old fashioned 60's styles. There are some really nice Italian ones in the shops at the moment. If you are a bit of a skater boy (not going to write it the lavine way!)then try the store above rough trade records in Neals Yard, Covent Garden. Alternatively, if you like a bit of NY R&R then Converse are a must, there are loads of customised ones around at the moment, especially around the stores in Shoreditch & Hoxton. However if this is your stylee then a good pair of old fashioned brogues would be better (just remember to get them a bit tapered at the toe,there are a few good shoe shops down Brick Lane) these would perform the dual purpose your'e after...sorted!
Smart shoes mmmm..Camper on Floral street, Covent Garden. Smart but with design and not so smart you feel like your Dad. Alternatively, Office (Neal Street.)
Your friend..the personal shopper
PS..any club that won't let you cos of your trainers ain't worth going in!

Tryphena Absent

11:55 / 13.01.04

Off the top of my head Neal Street has these shoe/clothes shops lining it's pretty Covent Garden chic: Egoshego, Office, Buffalo, Diesel, Aldo, Offspring, Shelley's, Swear and that High Street American trainer shop with a name I can't remember. Most of them are within your price range and you're bound to find what you're looking for there.

Oh yuk, I forgot Birkenstock, I hate that shop. There's also the Natural Shoe Store that doesn't sell trainers and the Leather shop that sells... you guessed it, leather.

12:18 / 13.01.04

For doorman-friendly trainers, you might consider Prada Sport. Not cool exactly, but comfortable, hard-wearing and some lines are currently on sale in the aforementioned Offspring (the Old Compton St. branch at least) at around £80.