If You Live in NYC, You’ve Seen These Shoe Brands Everywhere

Like Carrie Bradshaw, I own too many pairs of shoes, which is why I decluttered my collection recently. I took a systematic approach, sorting my footwear into toss, donate, or keep piles—and for the keepers, I drew inspiration from those around me.

While that did include rapid-fire texting my mom photos of boots and flats, it also meant simply stepping outside—because living in the Big Apple is a master class in fashion. One walk around town and the best shoe brands revealed themselves, showing me what to keep and—who am I kidding—what I needed to add in once I pared it down.