<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-01-01</periodOfReport>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001051009</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SHOE PAVILION INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SHOE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237684</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HANELT PETER G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1380 FITZGERALD DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PINOLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94564</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-02-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Gifts to sons who do not share the reporting person's household.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This Form 5 is reporting a transaction that precedes the date of the Form 4 filed by the reporting person on August 25, 2004. There were no transactions between August 23, 2004 (the date of the transaction reported by the August 25, 2004 Form 4) and January 1, 2005. Accordingly, the total number of shares owned by the reporting person at January 31, 2005 is 4,000 shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Peter G. Hanelt</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
