Fashion Stores
Imelda
Imelda is a shop that stocks those so-called "cute and comfortable" shoes that always look the same to me, despite the year or season--they all have chunky heels, round cuddly silhouettes, lots of exposed stitching, and often the same, vaguely Euro colour palette: mustard yellow, umber red, olive green, navy, and brown.
As I stood in the doorway, surveying the shop, I was able to predict all the major brands they would carry because they're all of a piece: Miz Mooz, Fly London, Dolce Vita, Bos & Co. and, of course, El Naturalista. I was right.
"I want shoes that are whimsical but not to the point of being unwearable," said Roncesvalles resident and owner Cathryn Dajka, who owns Frock just down the road, and opened Imelda in March to expand on her shop's shoe selection. "My quest is to find shoes that are comfortable and wearable but don't look like orthopedic shoes."
And what styles do they have? Chunky Fly London heels ($245) and chunky Miz Mooz heels ($115), as well as brown-soled refined hippie sandals in braided leather from Dolce Vita ($98--$175) and Bos & Co's apple-green almond-toed low-heeled pumps ($145). Irregular Choice's wackiness is always good for a laugh; this season features pastel leather patchwork heels ($168) and pink fabric Liberty print wedges with brown leather straps ($154).
The store also carries a small shelf's worth of men's shoes as well, including Clark's desert boots ($140), El Naturalista lace-ups ($269), Blundstone slip-ons ($170), and Hunter wellies ($150).
And, yes, the thick-soled, El Naturalista clogs ($174) with whorl patterns stitched on. Even the purses match the earthy vibe, featuring those seatbelt bags and leather totes in muted, dusty tones.
These styles aren't my kind of cute (I alternate between ballet flats and for-real high heels), but, hey--to each "cute and comfortable" her own. We all need to get around somehow.
Photos by Alex Russel
Discussion
22 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
As the site's sole fashion writer (at the moment), I often have to cover things that might not jive with my style, but I like to think that, while I bring a little snark for humour purposes, I always, always highlight the great things and products about the store, and point out who the merchandise is a good fit for, if not me.
I am a big supporter of independent brands and local shopowners, so I'd hate to think that I am slagging a store, rather than merely pointing out who its audience is.
I thought I did that here. The shoes are cute for some, but not for me personally. In an ideal world, the store would've been reviewed by someone who wears these types of shoes, but I'd hope that I got across the style of shoe available and some of the specific shoes there, as well as the idea that, while it may not be my style, there are others who love these shoes. (As the announcement on the homepage points out, these brands are carried all over the city.)
I'm always trying to recruit new fashion writers so that we can expand our sartorial viewpoint: if you, or anyone you know, would like to offer a different take on the city's stores, I'd love it. Drop me a line at briony @ blogto . com.
being sardonic and worldly is fabulous for you, but to sound so condescending does nothing for your 'first-person reporting'. it just makes you sound petty.
to answer a pp: imelda is a cute store, they do restock quite often. not everything is 'cute or cuddly'and they just got their winter boots in so i'll be heading over there shortly.
It's unfortunate as they do carry cute shoes. Fortunately so does the rest of Toronto shoe stores.
I would call the styles unpredictable (yet on trend) and still surprisingly versatile. I have only been in the store a handful of times but it seems there is something for everyone, which I love, and styles that don't exist in comparable shops.
I also feel obliged to comment how incredibly helpful (most) of the employees are. My girlfriend even brought a christmas party dress in and the salesgirl worked with her for 20 minutes to find the perfect shoe to match the dress and occasion. The advice was knowledgeable, warm, and most importantly, honest; it is clear they aren't just out to 'bag your bucks'. We stopped by the store today and were greeted warmly by the two women working, even though they were swamped with customers at the time. One of the employees even remembered my last purchase from November. See for yourself, Imelda makes shoe-shopping pleasant and breezy, as it should be.
Yes - this store has some of the same styles as Balisi's - but they're in a different location and fit in so well on Roncesvalles. (Personally, I also like the selection at Imelda's better than Balisi's - and I also like the feel of the store. Its quieter than Balisi's and I feel more comfortable to ask questions). I've gone and asked around about shoe prices - and I bought a pair at Imelda's for about $100 less than the shoes were listed at Balisi's.
I also want to commend Imelda's for opening a cute little store in the middle of Roncesvalles construction mess .. the fact that Imelda's not only opened, but is still there - says a lot about the quality and style they present as a store.
I've also shopped around to compare prices and I bought a pair of shoes for about $100 less than they were at Balisi's. I also prefer the atmospher at Imelda's. It feels quieter and more down to earth than other "trendy" shoe stores.
I also want to commend the owners for opening Imelda's during the construction mess on Roncesvalles. The fact that the store not only was able to open - but is still open and seems to be doing well really speaks to both the quality of service and the style of products they have.
Imelda's is great! Its perfect for this neighbourhood!
An "unbiased review," I assume, would be more along the lines of magazine profile that doesn't state any of the store's downsides, or the writer's own preferences or first-person opinion.
blogTO doesn't really publish those "reviews": our mandate is first-person reviews that mention the good and the bad, and offer an additional perspective to the magazine coverage (and, in some cases, any coverage at all).
Since I'm a firm believer in local businesses, I always point out the store's good qualities and the best pieces; I've never written up a store just to rip it apart. Trust me: I visit many newly-opened stores and refrain from writing them up because the review would be overly negative and could hurt the store.
I would also hope that any readers who think that I'm being overly unflattering can simply tune out my editorial voice, and merely note the brands carried, the general price-range, location, and the photos of the merchandise.
As I mentioned above, again, we are always recruiting for new fashion writers so that we can broaden our fashion coverage. I would've loved to have had someone on-staff who rocks the Imelda style to review the store in the blogTO style, but it's just me. So, please, if you know anyone who would like to review stores for us, do let me know!