Walking past any shoe store you'll see row after row of designer wear shoes right along side shoes with lesser designer names, despite the fact that many of these shoes may or may not have a name, a lot of them are pretty funky. It use to be women's shoes were the funky ones, but now there are even funkier men and children's shoes out there, you just have to know where to look.

There are many shops online and offline that carry great funky shoes. Different shops carry certain brands and some have their own.

Throughout this article you'll not only learn about the various funky shoes out there, but also you'll find out where you can purchase some of these funky footwear.

A brand of shoes known as Chinese Laundry, produces some pretty unique shoes. At first glance you may think they only specialize in ballet flats, being that those were the trend shoe some odd years back, but they actually have a vast variety of shoes. Chinese Laundry specializes in unique shoes, whether they're unique by design or unique just by how they look and feel. There are some shoes on the site, ChineseLaundry.com, that are composed of uniquely bright, eye catching colors that any woman bold enough to wear them will more than likely feel pretty unique wearing them. That's pretty much what Chinese Laundry is going for, giving their women a unique feel when it comes to footwear.

Another unique brand of funky footwear is Naughty Monkey, now Naughty Monkey produces a lot of high-heeled shoes, but they're unique and funky to say the least. What you'll get from Naughty Monkey are shoes like none you have ever seen before, think of an Andy Warhol painting and that's basically what you're getting. There are some shoes made by Naughty Monkey which are white and have pink lips all over them, to say the least they're pretty adorable. You can find Naughty Monkey footwear at Amazon.com and while they're a little pricey it'll be worth it in the long run if you're looking for some truly unique funky footwear.

Rocket Dog is another brand which produces shoes for both men, women, and children and their footwear is best described as funky with a twist of punk. At RocketDog.com you'll find a vast array of shoes in various colors, and designs and if you're a guy you'll find some pretty funky slip ons; think Vans.

Wal-Mart has been known to have some pretty funky shoes from time to time, for both men, women, and children, you just have to know when to look. These shoes aren't necessarily brand name, but they're still comfortable and unique looking. Wal-Mart is just like any other store out there and trying to keep up with the trends, just the other day I happened to find some gladiator sandals in some pretty funky colors, such as orange and dark purple.

Another great place you can check out for funky footwear would have to be Payless, they're just like Wal-Mart in that they're some what less expensive than most, but they do have some great brand names such as Bogo and Airspeed. Every once and while you'll be browsing the aisles in Payless and you'll more than likely come across a pair of shoes completely unlike any others out there. A couple of years ago in fact while browsing through Payless I happened to come across a pair of canvas sneakers with multi-colored hearts covering the white canvas material; now those were truly funky!

One of the best places though to look for some truly funky footwear would have to be Hot Topic, there's a place that will never let you down when it comes to funky shoes. Hot Topic is the type of chain-store, which although pricey, does carry a variety of different types of skater, punk, and goth shoes. It's not hard to find Chuck Taylors right alongside some thigh-high boots with spikes coming out of the heels, nor is it uncommon to find some rain boots covered in yellow ducks right alongside some stripper heels.

Whatever your prefence is when it comes to funky shoes, just remember it takes time to find a truly funky pair. If you're unable to locate a pair you genuinely like from any of the stores mentioned above, you can also check out flea markets, Goodwills, and various other outlet stores. I have found you can find some pretty amazing shoes just from outlet stores and consignment shops, and when it comes to consignment shops not only will you find a pair of funky shoes, but they're also more than likely vintage!