...the shoes you love are just slightly too big.

At my monthly book club/dinner last Sunday evening (more dinner than book discussion), a friend asked me what to do about a pair of shoes she had just ordered.  She loved a pair of Tory Burch wedges she had purchased this past fall, and found a version of them for spring, the Amanda demi-wedge in orange, that she HAD to have.

Image from toryburch.com.

They were a bit steep for her at the original price of $275, so my friend waited and watched.  Then, BINGO.  On sale!  $192.50.  Only one problem:  they were out of her size.  So she ordered them a 1/2 size larger and crossed her fingers.

They arrived and she tried them on.  There were slightly big.  Big enough for her husband to tell her to return them.  But we know, when it's a shoe you really, really want, you have to make it work.

So, at book club, she asked for my advice.  Should she send them back?  Keep them?  What to do?  I recommended that she purchase some shoe inserts - Foot Petals.  These are GREAT products and I usually have a couple hanging around just in case.  My favorite are the Tip-Toes ($6.95 for one pair).

Image from footpetals.com.

A pair of these for under the ball of your foot in your shoe gives your feet soft cushions while taking up that extra space in the slightly large shoe.  They have adhesive on one side so they won't slide around in your shoe.

Image from footpetals.com.

Another product by Foot Petals that I love are the Heavenly Heelz ($6.95 for one pair).  These little guys wrap around the inside of the heel of your shoe (also with adhesive), fixing any heel slippage you might have.  And don't be afraid to double-up on them (2 in one shoe) if the situation calls for it.

Images from footpetals.com.

So, after book club at 10:30pm, she drove by my house to pick up a spare pair of shoe cushions and Heavenly Heelz.  And at school pick-up on Monday, she gave me the thumbs up that they worked.  If you find yourself in need, visit Foot Petals or Nordstroms (they carry Foot Petals in the sock department) and make those shoes work. ~ JH