Sole asylum: NYC shoe shopping

Getting around New York City requires two things—a sense of direction and a great pair of shoes. And no ordinary pair will do for NYC women. Here, it's practically a requirement to wear shoes that are both comfortable enough to last an eight-hour workday and that will turn heads. Luckily, there's no shortage of stores in the city that offer such wares, which makes shopping for footwear a pleasure.

For starters, you'll find a wide selection of affordable shoes at a number of department stores in the city, including Lord & Taylor, which specialises in comfortable and classic styles, and Macy's Herald Square, with its 39,000-square-foot devoted emporium in which any shoe lover could get lost for a few hours. Fans of high-end brands such as Gucci, Giuseppe Zanotti and Tom Ford should head to Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Bergdorf Goodman, where shoes are displayed like works of art.
But the Mecca that outshines them all is Saks Fifth Avenue, where an entire floor is dedicated to fancy footwear. Known for having its own custom zip code—10022-SHOE, in case you feel like mailing them a mash note—the floor carries brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Miu Miu and Christian Louboutin. The last of these is displayed in a 1,600-square-foot shop-in-shop, Louboutin's largest one in the world. In other words, you should probably clear out room in your closet now.