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Shoes & sneakers
Alife Rivington Club
‘Sneakers’ equal ‘religion’ in this tiny, out-of-the-way shop, which is arguably the city’s main hub for hard-to-get shoes and so draws a huge number of obsessive sneaker heads. The store, like its wares, has a rather exclusive vibe: there’s no sign, no street number, no indication that the joint even exists from the outside. Look closely and ring the bell to check out the rotating selection of 60-or-so styles.
Alife Rivington Club,158 Rivington St, between Clinton & Suffolk Sts (1-212 375 8128/www.rivingtonclub.com) Subway: F to Delancey St; J, M, Z to Delancey-Essex Sts. Open daily 12noon-7pm.

Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo, famed for conceiving Princess Diana’s custom-made shoe collection, has conquered America with his six-year-old emporium, which features chic boots, sexy stilettos, curvaceous pumps and kittenish flats. Prices start at $450.
Jimmy Choo, 645 Fifth Avenue, at 51st St (1-212 593 0800/www.jimmychoo.com) Subway: E, V to Fifth Avenue-53rd St. Open Mon-Wed, Fri, Sat 10am-6pm; Thur 10am-7pm; Sun 12noon-5pm.
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Chuckies
An alternative to department stores, Chuckies carries high-profile labels for men and women. Its stock ranges from old-school Calvin Klein and Jimmy Choo to up-and-coming Ernesto Esposito.
Chuckies, 1073 Third Avenue, between 63rd & 64th Sts (1-212 593 9898) Subway: F to Lexington Avenue-63rd St. Open Mon-Fri 10.45am-7.45pm; Sat 10.45am-7.30pm; Sun 12.30-7pm.

BEST FOR RARE SNEAKERS
Classic Kicks
One of the more female-friendly sneaker shops, Classic Kicks stocks mainstream and rare styles of Converse, Lacoste, Puma and Vans, to name but a few, for both style-conscious boys and girls, along with a decent selection of clothes.
Classic Kicks, 298 Elizabeth St, between Houston & E 1st Sts (1-212 979 9514) Subway: B, D, F, V to Broadway-Lafayette; 6 to Bleecker St. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-7pm.

Coclico
Surprisingly affordable, this small Nolita boutique stocks European heels for local footwear obsessives. Also includes a tight selection of leather accessories by talented yet off-trend designers.
Coclico, 275 Mott St between Spring & Houston Sts (1-212 965 5462/www.shopcoclico.com) Subway: 6 to Bleeker St. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-7pm, Sun 12noon-6pm.

Otto Tootsi Plohound
One of the best places for the latest shoe styles, Tootsi has a big selection of trendy (and rather ambitiously priced) imports for women and men.
Otto Tootsi Plohound, 137 Fifth Avenue, between 20th & 21st Sts (1-212 460 8650) Subway: N, R, W to 23rd St. Open 11.30am-8pm Mon-Fri; 11am-8pm Sat; 12noon-7pm Sun.