Everywhere you look in Jones Bootmaker, you can see leather. That's what they do, you see…read more Aside from stocking famous brands like Cat and Ted Baker, this serious shoe shop stocks a massive selection of leather shoes and boots. In fact, it's so much about the leather that they only carry four or five trainers for boys. Jones Bootmaker also has a great range of shoe care products behind the counter. If you want to tenderly care for your shoes then they have brushes, polishes and shoe horns. Who would ever want to buy a wooden thing shaped like a foot that you put in a shoe to help it keep its shape? Is this the kind of thing a boy will never understand?

Sometimes good things come in tiny packages…read more Though it's about four times smaller than the company's flagship store on King Street, this tiny Whistles stocks a cracking selection of their leading lines. We're talking lovely jackets, shirts, dresses, jeans, shoes and accessories in contemporary and vintage styles and fabrics. I'm probably shooting myself in the foot by letting you in on the secret but the Sale in this Whistles is always fantastic. Whilst the other branches tend to sell out of Sizes 8-12 super quick, this branch usually has at least a couple. To borrow a line from Garbage: "Go baby, go..."

If you're a fan of Whistles prettily feminine clothes, you're likely to be enraptured when you…read morediscover this branch. With true outlet prices and a decent selection of styles and sizes, there's plenty to tempt old and new fans alike. The staff here are extraordinarily good, offering honest opinions; amongst the best boutique staff I have ever encountered. Even at the risk of losing a sale, they opined, honestly, that they thought their smallest size too large for me. Then they proceeded to give practical suggestions as to how it could still be a feasible option, given that the design and colour were fabulous. They happily held the dress, for an hour, while I continued my shopping and even offered to call a cab for me, when I was dubious about braving the deluge outside. If I lived closer, I'm sure I'd visit regularly. A true pleasure to shop here!

My wife and I visited Salford quays outlet shopping centre yesterday 1st December 2023…read more We haven't been there since last year and we were shocked to find how poor the outlet has become Nearly all of the upstairs shops had gone! It was like a ghost town. It was also very cold (no heating) probably couldn't afford to put any on ! We won't be visiting again as they are still charging for parking which seems stupid when it's in such a decline. Something needs to be done quickley or I can see it closing down.

The Lowry Outlet is just ok its nothing that special apart from a couple of decent stores like the…read moreGAP outlet and a few others, but it's only really kept open by the Vue Cinemas and the very busy Costa Coffee, There is also a couple of chain restaurants which include Harvester, Pizza Express, Cafe Rouge, Lime Bar and the recently opened Nandos. It does have a lot of potential if it had the right stores in there. Its ok for a browse through if youre around the area or in Media City UK though. Its also very easy to get to from the City Centre with a direct tram heading straight towards to Media City UK.

This is the discount version of the famous Manchester store back in the city centre. The kind of…read moreshop I don't really contemplate entering (for I am not a well paid footballer) but also they don't really sell the types of clothes I usually wear (I do smart, under duress, but a couple of times a year). However I never say never and now again something will catch my eye and my brains tells me That would look great on you on holiday. Usually it's right, but then I never end up wearing it again following that one time in a restaurant, near a beach, in somewhere hot (a white linen shirt, worn once stands testament to that). Still, there are some remarkable discounts to be had here. You can literally 'save' hundreds of pounds such are the mark downs on many items. Usually however, the items at such discounted prices have a reason for being so: they tend to be the wrong end of garish and flamboyant and 12 sizes too large. But persevere and you just might grab an absolute gem for a very good price. I think the Women's department (I say department, but it's just a large open plan one floor shop) is more represented than the Men's but there's not much in them. Look out for a good price on shoes too.

This M&S Outlet store is certainly not the best or most exciting of stores from the Marks and…read moreSpencer brand, it is an Outlet store which mainly gets rid of old, out of fashion clothing which even the bigger stores wouldn't sell anymore, and often might have put on sale with no success in the past, still around sale prices. This is a slightly small branch in the Lowry Outlet in Manchester, they do seem to have made effort to improve it slightly such as with a nicer, slightly more modern and welcoming sign, and I presume this is a new addition for this store especially since it was last reviewed in what is nearly four full years ago. The staff didn't seem to stand out in anyway. I don't normally like Outlet stores and most of the fashion here was nothing great and more out of date rather than modern, which people would want to wear and the prices were just average sale prices and didn't stand out in particular, so I sadly feel this store does deserve a single one star rating.

Peddlers of pricey clothing with a penchant for food porn…read more The rise of supermarket clothing and budget store Primark has seen the once untouchable snobbery and borefest that is the mighty M&S slip sharply from it's perch. The elderly won't be around forever you know! Where's Take That when you need them?

There are stores that have a strong identity and style and others that aim to appeal to everyone by…read morestocking a bit of everything. One glance at their confused window displays reinforces that Moda In Pelle fall firmly into the latter camp. There's no attempt to woo new customers with eye-catching graphics or cool displays, just simple rows of heels and sparkly shoes on the bottom row, ankle boots on the middle row and knee high leather, suede and jewelled boots on the top two rows. This might work if only some of the shoes and boots in the window weren't so damn ugly! Inside the shop is just as bad with radically different styles rubbing soles next to each other. I actually spotted a fabulous pair of white boots with tasteful silver studs but I wasn't going to shell out £120 on them when they were next to boots I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy! To quote teachers across the world: Must Try Harder!

You'll notice a lot of my reviews are focussing on sales at the moment... well, tis the season, and…read moreon (at the time of typing) this, the Monday that is supposed to be the most depressing Monday of the year (first bills after the festive period and what-not), what better to bring cheer to yourself (girls) or any female you know than a nice pair of footpieces. Yes, there is nothing that quite lifts the spirit like a new pair of shoes, and I have to say, Moda in Pelle has one of the best sales I've seen in a long time. A shy and retiring little boutique amongst the smaller Market Street shops, this branch just off St Ann's Square is a right little gem. And as for those reductions, well, you can't argue with a stunning pair of bright red wedge sandals reduced from £80 to £25. Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you, and it'd be rude not to grab them - after all, thinking of that summer holiday is probably keeping you going right now... I've always found the staff in Moda in Pelle very friendly and helpful, and they give you space to browse. There's a great range of shoes on offer too, from the aforementioned wedges (and plenty of them... I love my summer wedges, so this is a must for me) to Ugg-esque Edhas and Dais and biker boots, fancy courts and pretty pumps to a lovely variety of handbags. To me it feels like a nice little halfway point between the ostentatious self-worth of Kurt Geiger and the cheerful high street demeanour of Office and Faith. If you're after a little treat in the sale, don't miss this one out.