Fashion: How To Care For Your High Heels

Keep an eye on your taps.  I remember walking down Franklin St. (back home) and hearing something crack.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, it was the actually the tap of my high heel that broke off and I was walking around the street on the nail of the heel sounding (and looking) like a mofo with a missing tap.

Huge mistake.  Not only is that dangerous, but my high heels were destroyed at the bottom.  Lucky for me I had a shoe repairman that could repair the damage (check out my next point), but I now keep a set of extra taps on deck.  It’s important and quite inexpensive to have.  In case of an emergency, you can pop them on yourself, but always, ALWAYS take your shoes to a cobbler post incident (that is, if you want to preserve your shoes).

Find an expert cobbler or shoe repairman for repairs.  They are experts in shoes and can do anything from stretching the heels, to buffing out scuffs, to replacing taps, minor and major repairs and restructuring bottoms.

I remember breaking a strap completely off of one of my favorite pairs of heels that I just wasn’t ready to part with.  I found a reputable shoe repairman in my community, took them over and still rock those shoes with pride.  Also, buying shoes from stores like Nordstrom affords you the opportunity to take advantage of their shoe repair services (for a small fee).

This is especially important for designer heels, such as Christian Louboutins, that lose their coloring after each wear.  Christian Louboutin lists preferred shoe repairmen that fix red bottoms on the site and I would highly suggest looking into that as they are referred (by the manufacturing) to fix the issue.  Also, most designer shoes have a very thin, leather sole so getting some reinforcement is a must for longevity.

Always bring a shoe bag with you.  Most designer heels come with a shoe bag for storage and traveling, and if your shoes did not come with such a useful invention, find a cloth bag large enough to fit both shoes.  I like to stuff tissue in the toes of the heels to help them keep their shape.  If I am packing heels in my luggage, they always lay flat at the bottom inside the cloth shoe bag… with tissue in the tip.

If you live in the city and have to walk long distances, this one is for you.  Even if you don’t have to walk long distances, don’t live in the city, but your feet just hurt from having your heels on all night long, take heed to this tip… and pack an extra pair of flats.  You do yourself  (and your heels) more harm than good when you are walking in them while your feet hurt.  Bring some city flats along for the ride.  I purchased some at Gap (a VERY long time ago) for less than $2 on sale, but this site has some affordable ones as well.

Foot to the gas? Take off those heels. I do not drive in high heels.  Why?  Not only is it uncomfortable, but have you ever seen the back of your high heel after driving in it?  You could have major damage (scratching, unnecessary wear) and not even realize it.  This is a good time to use those extra flats you packed.

Give them a break already! So what if they’re your favorite pair – they also won’t be in your working closet for too long because you wear them every.single.day.  Give your shoes a break, alternate days in between, and use a shoe tree to restore the shape of the shoe. (This information is not just good for high heels, but for all shoes in your closet).

And just like with your favorite clothing pieces – keep your high heels clean.  A regular polish and inspection is always needed.  As my mother says “go to the bathroom and check for dirt on your heels before you walk into a room.”  It’s just so necessary.