We have all heard the tale of Cinderella and how her dashing Prince Charming searched high and low, in persuit of the fair maiden who’s foot would fit the glass slipper. Cinderella’s slippers were magically designed for her feet alone, which meant the prince’s quest could not be complete until he found her. As a society, we all have our own perfect glass slippers, and it’s fair to say that at times these can be difficult to find, so we settle for second best. Unlike Cinderella, we are not all privileged enough to have a magic fairy godmother, so we compromise, since second best is better than nothing at all.
Inspired by Charming’s determination to find the perfect fit amidst countless feet, I embarked on a quest to find the perfect slippers for my best friend, whose US size 4.5 feet were made to accommodate specific slippers, ones which most shoe design companies have deemed too rare to make a decent profit out of.
Consequently, up until recently, I had always felt that the shoe size struggle was mainly limited to ladies with big feet, who in turn find it difficult to shop for high heeled shoes. I had not really paused to consider the possibility that small shoe sized ladies might endure the same difficulties. The solution for my best friend’s shoe size dilemma came from a charming little shoe shop that sorely caters for women with small feet.
The Little Shoe Store, situated on Clinton Street in Lower Manhattan, sells the most gorgeous small sized shoes. It was founded by two small shoe sized friends, who shared the same frustration as many other small footed ladies. These two friends saw an opportunity to utilise this disadvantage and transform it into something positive. They bridged a gap in the shoe market and became the answer to many women’s prayers. Women with small feet can now choose from the many shoes at their disposal and rest assured that style and comfort can co-exist without compromise.
Upon arrival at The Little Shoe Store, the inner visual merchandiser in me disapproved of the chaos that spilled out when I opened the store’s doors. In all fairness the store had just received several boxes from a vintage warehouse, so were in the process of organising everything. In a way, the store’s overall set up makes finding a pair of shoes more like treasure hunting, which in turn makes finding the perfect pair of shoes more precious.
The store’s chaotic set up meant that it took nearly half an hour to pair up the shoes. This could be easily overlooked, as once found, the shoes were amazing. Whilst my friend revelled in her newly found shoe heaven, I explored the store’s bag collection since the average US size 5 shoes remained far too small for my US size 7 feet, regardless of the many times I double checked. The bag collection included some precious vintage pieces, a couple of which would have been perfect if not for the short straps that had been clearly designed for their era.
My friend tried on countless pairs of shoes and modelled them for me while I took pictures. The store’s owners provided fantastic customer service, they were very attentive and went out of their way to accommodate my friend’s particular needs. For a discounted $125, my friend emerged from the store with 5 gorgeous pairs of leather high heeled shoes, which were originally on sale for $50-80 each!
It seemed that by accident my friend had stumbled upon a treasure trove. It wasn’t until later when she was flaunting her new slippers, that she found out that four of her five new shoes emerged from high fashion. These leather shoes are the works of legendary shoe designer Joseph La Rose, who designed for countless stars including Marilyn Monroe! I believe my best friend when she tells me that she will love these shoes forever. This whole experience led me to believe that The Little Shoe Store is truly a hidden gem and a wonderful solution for those who crave vintage bags and small sized shoes at affordable prices.
Check out The Little Shoe Store at: http://thelittleshoestore.com
Moon Coated 