Vegan Shoe Guide: Philadelphia

Okay, so I have to admit I am addicted to online shopping, so I often make shoe purchases through the web. I do, however, make it to an occasional shoe or department store where I am always looking for those perfect pair of vegan boots or heels among the sea of leather and suede products ...needless to say it tends to overwhelm a veggie girl. So here are some ideas for those of you in the Philly area, and also those of you just getting into cruelty-free shoes...

First I would like to give some tips on buying vegan shoes :

1) Do not be afraid to ASK: I have found that, in sneaker stores especially, there is an online catalog of the types of sneakers a store carries that the clerk can tap into. These catalogs almost always give the materials used to make the shoes, and I have not run across a clerk yet who simply refused to check in on a pair for me.

2) Know where to look: There are 3 common places where materials can be listed on a shoe. The first is on the tongue area, the second by the heel, and for dress shoes they are often printed on the outside bottom of the shoe, so keep your eyes peeled.

3)Know what to look for: Many companies have common symbols such as:

For leather


For sooth leather


For textile (veggie friendly)



For "other materials" (this can get a bit sticky for us veggies. While this often means rubber or something along those lines, it is almost impossible to get this confirmed, so be weary)


I have been somewhat successful in buying shoes in Philadelphia, and here are some of my experiences;

DSW: 101 Rte 73 S Marlton, NJ
It is always a hit or miss at DSW, but I always find at least a few non-canvass/converse-style sneaker options here. A few brands I have run across that DSW keeps in constant supply include M.u.d.d and the occasional pair vegan Pumas. As far as dress shoes go, there are usually ballet flats or something of the sort, as long as you look at the tags you can usually find something. Of course a big issue with DSW is it also requires transportation, and seeing as I do not own a car, I do not frequent there very often.

Nine West: 1455 Franklin Mills Cir Philadelphia, PA 19154
Because this is an outlet store, it is not a guarantee that a certain type of shoe, or your size, will be in stock. In fact, your size probably won't be in stock, but when it is you will be so excited about how easy it was to get non-leather shoes at a discount. This is because they clearly write "Leather" or "Synthetic" on the outside of their boxes. The store is definitely worth checking out if you planned on outlet shopping for a day.

Target:
There has been a recent rumor that Target has been skimping on the veggie selection as of late. I have not experienced this, probably because I buy from Target online as there is a better selection. If you would like to venture out to the closest Target to center city Philadelphia head on down to 179 Mifflin St., which is in the same area of a Payless and a Marshalls if you are budget shopping.

Macy's:
Not a lot of options here, but if you search hard enough it IS possible to indulge in Macy's footwear. While, in my opinion, Jessica Simpson has not done anything consisting of great talent musically, she DOES however have a shoe line that has a few veggie options. Props to Jess. here are two of my favorite pairs that I saw on a recent trip to the Macy's on 1300 Market St.



"Midnight Stretch" for $110






"Women's Felysee" for $69.99

Payless: I am constantly buying shoes at payless, and I actually have a full review on them here.


As far as supporting small vegan businesses in Philadelphia, I sadly do not know of anyone who carries a shoe line. If you want to buy from some of my favorite online veggie friendly shops, I have listed a few below:



http://www.mooshoes.com/ My boyfriend uses this site to get his dress shoes, they are very stylish although a bit pricey. They also have a great selection of women's footwear, and are 100% vegan.

I have not actually bought shoes from http://www.veganessentials.com/ , but I have bought makeup and various other items. They have an okay selection, and they are a little better in price than mooshoes.


http://www.alternativeoutfitters.com/ is my favorite place to buy vegan shoes and bags. They are always having sales so you can get some really great deals here.


UPDATE: Thanks to an anonymous poster, and my double checking, I have confirmed that Essene Food market DOES have a variety of nice vegan shoes (as well as a really great hot food bar that I highly suggest). Here is their link to the department... http://www.essenemarket.com/index.php?page=72