By Joe Stych
You can never have too many shoes. (Kick anyone who tells you otherwise!)
If that sounds pretty close to the mantra for your life, then slip on your favorite flats, pull out your iPhone, and download Shoe Addicts.
What is Shoe Addicts?
The free app helps you say “I love your shoes!” from across the globe. At the app’s core, Shoe Addicts lets users snap pictures of whatever footwear they’re sporting that day, run those through photo filters, and share the shots with their “Shoe Mates” (i.e. friends on the network). Think “Instagram for your feet”.
How does the app work?
Beyond sharing your own finds, there are three main ways to discover new shoe styles in the app. Using the Shoeline, users can follow their favorite photogs, comment on posts, and give their favorite pairs a “Heel Up.” Under the Shoe Talks section, you can see which brands and styles are popular right now based on trending hashtags like #converse or #platforms.
Cool, right? But the most interesting option is the Vitrine, which shows you the most popular shoe photos worldwide, by city or near your location. So if you’re shopping in Uptown, craving a new pair of boots, you can preview the local selection using Shoe Addicts (although the participation in Minneapolis is pretty weak right now—let’s step it up folks!). The app even gives you the option to add an estimated price to the shoes that you photograph, tag where you found them, and mark off the brand of your future favorite footwear.
Should I download it?
Yes, the app is still in its infancy—it’s missing some features like sharing to Facebook and Twitter (to make your Shoe Mates on other sites jealous), and there aren’t nearly enough photo filters to keep a hardcore user happy. But if you’re a diehard shoe fan, I definitely recommend that give the app a shot.
