Shoe Nirvana in Singapore? Shoe bargains galore!

Our brand new Sassy Mama columnist is the fabulous, glamorous, mother-of-three Michelle, AKA Singapore Style Finder, who will be giving us the benefit of her inside knowledge to give us the best Singapore secrets when it comes to looking good in the city… In her very first column she’s letting us in on where to pick up some bargainous shoes. Shop on mamas!

Reading about Cinderella and her exquisite glass slippers kicked-off my penchant for divine footwear oh-so-many years ago. In fact, I still remember my very first pair of heels… A well-worn pair of hand-me-down Mary Janes. Deep tan in colour, they were my first (and last) t-bar shoes, and made me feel very elegant – at the ripe ‘old’ age of 13!

Fast forward 30 years, I cannot believe we now live in Singapore where gorgeous shoes abound! Yes, I think I feel a happy dance coming on! Having spent a spell in London where half-decent footwear costs a pretty penny, imagine my glee when I saw the prices here. Of course I am not talking about your super high-end shoes! That, is another topic for another day! I am talking about embracing your inner Carrie Bradshaw without the hefty price tag.

Now, I am not going to steer you towards obvious options like Steve Madden, Nine West or Aldo. Nor will I point out fashion-forward Zara, Pazzion, Charles & Keith or even Pedro. No. Instead, let me introduce you to a few of my more off-the-beaten-track ‘finds’ since landing here in shoe nirvana…

Footin
#01-27 The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green, Singapore 138617
Tel: (+65) 6694 3602

Footin is a Thai import, which they themselves call “trendy with affordable pricing”. It’s certainly affordable, as it has only 7 price points, ranging from $9 to $49! It’s a bit like Charles & Keith, before they became a bit more pricey as they are today. New deliveries arrive fortnightly, ensuring there is always something new to tempt you.

Mondo
Various locations around Singapore

Offers up a cute range of pumps, heels, wedges, sandals and boots. They run out of stock pretty quickly so if you like something, make sure you snap them up quickly!

Heatwave
Various locations around Singapore including Far East Plaza

With 8 shops spread out all over Singapore and many more in other parts of SE Asia, I confess I once walked out of  their Far East Plaza outlet with five pairs of shoes! Yes. Five! But in my defense, at under $40 per pair, they were practically a steal. The wedges pictured above? Just $33.92! 

Gripz
Various locations around Singapore including VivoCity and Wisma Atria

I admit I only just recently walked into a Gripz – purely for the sake of research of course! Having heard so many friends rave about these Singaporean home-grown shoes, I suspect it will only be a matter of time before I come across a pair (or  two!) that call out to me like a bewitching siren.

Rubi
Various locations around Singapore

Last, but certainly not least, is Aussie company Cotton On’s shoe brand, Rubi. With two stores here so far (Ion and Ang Mo Kio), two more coming soon (Vivo Mega and Somerset Shopping Centre), and some of the range found island-wide at Cotton On stores, Rubi is an Aladdin’s Cave for shoelovers – especially tweens and teens (AND the young at heart!). And the best part? It won’t break anyone’s piggy bank!

You know what they say, “Give a woman the right shoes and she can conquer the world!”

Happy shoe shopping mamas!