Over the past few years, Matalan has picked up its game considerably where shoes are concerned, and it’s becoming well known for making some really quite fabulous shoes at bargain-basement prices.  For reasons best known to itself, however, Matalan generally doesn’t put any of these shoes onto its website (there’s a small selection available online, but nothing like the choice you find in store) which means you have to actually visit a store in person if you want to see what’s available.

Or rather, you don’t, because I’m here to do it for you. Well, what else do you have a Shoe Superhero for?

I headed to Matalan this weekend, so you don’t have to. Here’s what I found…

Oh my holy hell. Can you believe these are from Matalan? Possibly the most ridiculous/extravagant shoes I’ve had on my feet this year, these were about £18, and were also available in black patent. I saw quite a few women walking around with a pair of these in their baskets, but I also overheard more than one of those women asking the person they were with, “Seriously, do you think they look silly? Do you? Do you?”

And the answer to that? Well, yeah, they kind of do. But they were lots of fun to try on, that’s for sure.

Eeek! They had these in bright blue and black, too, but for the purposes of this mission, I decided to go for the loudest, most obnoxious colours I could find. I love bows, but these were too much even for me: I think they were also around £18, though.

And yes, my feet ARE tied together in this photo. Lucky the fire alarm didn’t go off while I was wearing them, hmm?

I’m slightly obsessed with nude shoes at the moment, so I loved these.  Simple, but the kind of shoe you’d get lots of use out of.

For the next part of my mission, I was forced to leave the safety of the changing room, and conduct a slightly more covert mission on the shop floor. To do this, I employed the stealth tactic of taking blurry photos with my cellphone camera. Sorry. You wouldn’t believe the funny looks I got taking this one:

I was really quite tempted by these black high heeled gladiators, which had little zips up the back of the heel. Very ‘of the moment’, and only £18.

These, meanwhile, were £16, and only seemed to be available in wide fit. I know not why.

These were only £8, and come in red, navy and black. I was quite tempted by these, too: they’d be handy for holidays.

White wedges, £12 – another stealth shot.

I was quite taken with this peacock tunic, too. Shades of Matthew Williamson, for only £10. (Obviously I’d wear pants with it, though…)

And no, I didn’t actually buy anything. I may go back soon, though…