I Love Designer Shoes, But My Wallet Doesn't—20 High-Street Pairs That Wowed Me

I think it’s important to be picky about high-street shoes. The undeniable fact is that better-quality shoes last longer, generally feel more comfortable and tend to look better. Really cheap shoes are most likely to be poorly manufactured, prone to falling apart and lacking in the important details that make a design look flattering and elegant: one of my pet peeves about some high-street shoes is that the toes look like they turn up at the end. It’s a dead giveaway. There is simply no point in spending money on affordable footwear that doesn’t last or feel good to wear, but that’s not to say the holy grail of sandals, pumps and more cannot be found with a little research.

I’m aware that not everyone is willing or able to save up for pricey shoes that you get mended by a cobbler on repeat and that sometimes the easiest way to get an entirely new look and revitalise your old clothes is to buy affordable, stylish shoes. So I’m a pretty reliable (read: fussy) source if you want quality footwear that doesn’t cost a fortune. The affordable footwear selections on offer these days are one hundred times better than a few years ago—you’ll find plenty of real leather, heaps of flats and plenty of classic designs that are less about throwaway fashion moments and more about investment styles you can wear on repeat for many seasons to come.

Marks and Spencers has become quite the destination for wallet-friendly footwear (not to mention I’m a big fan of their wider fittings), but I’m also now partial to Charles Keith for more directional designs, COS and Arket for minimalistic creations that look super-premium, and Zara for anything fancy like sleek ballet flats or statement heels. Keep scrolling to see the edit that lives up to my high standards!

Shop the best high-street shoes: