Ode To Marshall's

My shopping philosophy tends to be along the lines of "never pay full price if you can help it"; therefore, stores like TJ Maxx, Filene's Basement, and yes, Marshall's tend to be regular haunts. So when Marshall's invited me to come in and "check out their shoes" - their new shoe Megashop, I was understandably thrilled. Good deals plus awesome shoes? I'm there! It sounds like a major cliche (fashion writer loves gorgeous yet impractical high heels? Gee, no one has written about that before), but the heart, it wants what it wants.

So last week I took my stylish self down to Marshall's (for the Chicagoans playing along, the one on Ontario right off Michigan Avenue) for some shoe shopping, despite the fact that I am possibly the last person on earth who needs another pair of shoes. Anything for the store that stocked my wardrobe with many great pieces at equally great prices over the years, right? Now, Marshall's Shoe Megashop is billed as 5000 feet of fantastic shoes, and at my local Marshall's there has to be at least this much space devoted to footwear.

Now, time and time again I've seen current pieces from brands like Nine West, Guess, Bandolino, Steve Madden, Enzo Anglioni, and other labels around that price point at Marshalls - I mean the very same shoes that are currently at full price in department stores; or if they are on sale in those stores, Marshall's still offers a better deal. On this particular trip, I also noticed a few brands I hadn't seen before - Giuseppe Zannotti (including a great pair of embellished sandals), Stuart Weitzman (a steal at around $120-150 per pair), and Calvin Klein.

My favorites? I'm a fan of Guess's stripper-chic heels, particularly when worn with a more modest outfit. There were also lots of gorgeous embellished flats that made me wish I actually liked to wear flat shoes (I'm short and in denial, also, I'm so used to wearing heels that flats are kind of painful). There were also some luscious cobalt blue patent peep Mary Janes that were calling my name. It was kind of like being a sugar addict in a bakery - so many delicious things, so little time.

The point of this post? Well, thanks to Marshall's for inviting me (and providing me with a gift card - although I guarantee I would have spent money at Marshall's of my own accord, and I'll certainly be back - oh, who am I kidding, I've already been back), and to let my lovely readers know that if they need a cheap and dirty shoe fix, there is a store ready to fulfill their needs. Seriously, very few pairs were over $50, and most were around $20-40, so you won't be out too much cash.

Find a store near you at http://www.marshallsonline.com/.