As surely as autumn gently coaxes the golden leaves from the trees and sends the birds southward, this season of fresh air and natural beauty sees the arrival of seasonal shoes in city stores. The following shoe shops and boot boutiques carry men’s and women’s footwear from casual to formal with all stops (and steps) in between.
Carrying top shoe brands by North American and European makers, Sole to Soul is also the place to visit for orthotics-compatible footwear as well as shoes for folks in need of an extra-wide or extra-deep fit. Also find specialty diabetic and arthritic shoes. Brands include New Balance, Timberland, Converse All Star and FLY London. Multiple locations include North Hill Shopping Centre.
The main downtown Arnold Churgin store is one of four Calgary locations. Fall sees the arrival of seasonal AC-brand women’s boots and shoes on store shelves. Fashionable footwear includes the Euphoria, a high-heel boot sporting a heavy-grip sole, calf-length, zippered leather Brooklyn boots and the Jinxxi, a plush-leather urban hiker-style boot available in four autumn-apropos colours.
There’s no sexier Calgary shoe store than John Fluevog. The designer footwear shop makes its home in a spacey three-level redbrick factory building on Stephen Avenue Walk. Also sexy: the store’s ever-changing selection of Fluevog brand footwear. Fall sees the arrival of new styles such as the smart men’s and women’s Heartford ankle boot. Available in three colours, it sports a Brandenburg toe, suede upper and rubber sole.
A designer shoe boutique located on 17th Avenue Southwest, Gravitypope’s shoe inventory runs from style-conscious casual to office awesome to high-end formal. Fall finds include the MOMA x gravitypope 25th Anniversary Shoe. This men’s dress-casual shoe is an understated, black-leather affair. A fun yet dressy casual shoe for women, the leather moccasin-style DONNA sports a leopard-print pony upper and rubber lug sole.
A two-floor outdoor department store, MEC carries a well-chosen selection of seasonal shoes and boots that are up to taking on the autumn elements. Around the city or in the woods, take on the trails in top-brand runners by Salomon, Nike and Hoka. Also try on boots for backpacking and hiking as well as winter boots built for snowy pursuits.
Carrying a well-curated selection of men’s and women’s shoes, CheckMate’s Willow Park Village and Dalhousie Station stores feature a solid list of major brands. Browse autumnal additions to the shop’s shoe selection that include dress shoes by Roberto Capucci, Kenneth Cole and FLY London for women as well as Rockport and Josef Seibel for men.
No fall purchase warms the soul (pun intended) like new shoes. Or boots for that matter. At Luna Blue, a Bankview women’s shoe boutique that also carries clothing and accessories, you’ll find footwear featuring colours, materials and embellishments that pop like falling leaves. Fabulous fall finds include leather, fleece-lined Aline short boots in red or black by Cloud and three shades of Keewatin Manitobah Mukluks.
At Shoe Muse in Aspen Landing Shopping Centre, chic Euro shoes and fashion accessories for women can be found in vibrant profusion. Portugal’s popular FLY London is the house brand. Hot new fall arrivals also include Italian A.S. 98 fall 2015 high-heel shoes and boots as well as Hispanitas ankle boots in both python and black leather.
Fall is a time of footwear renewal, especially for kids. Carrying shoes for newborns through to youth size seven, shop staff carry out exacting fitting sessions with young clientele. Along with wee casual shoes, the boutique carries rubber boots and school-uniform shoes. Brands include Ecco, Sorel, Robeez, Umi and Stonz.
Multiple Aldo locations include one in Southcentre Mall. Carrying men’s and women’s shoes as well as wallets, bags and other fashion accessories, its house-brand footwear styles are nicely varied. Find Oxfords, loafers, dress shoes and sneakers for men as well as casual and dress boots. For women, try on wedges, sneakers, flats and high-heels as well as a generous selection of boots from ankle to over-the-knee.