Shoes, shoes, shoes.

June 15, 2010 12:07 PM

What can I do to ensure that my high-heeled strappy leather sandals will last longer than one season?

I finally got my hands on a pair of nude Coach sandals, and I'm in love. Typically, I spend most of my summers in heels, and since I don't have a car, I walk quite a lot in them. Some of my sandals from last summer now have worn soles and cracked leather footbeds (around the ball of the foot), making them unwearable.

Typically, if I love a sandal and it fits well, I'll buy two pairs just in case (I have tiny feet and it's difficult to find something that's truly comfortable), but these shoes are mostly sold-out in the nude color, and I'm not a fan of the black version.

Can I take my new shoes to a cobler now, before the summer has begun in Seattle, to make modifications or upgrades that will make them last longer? If so, what should I ask for?

posted by halogen to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

Nice sandals! You don't need to take them to a cobbler now. Just watch the the bottoms of them - especially the heels - and when they start to get really worn and edges of the rubber tips start to close in on the heel material, then take them to a cobbler. The other thing you might do is spray them with leather protectant, since that colour might be prone to showing smudges. Having said all that, considering the price of them, I would hope that they would last more than one season without doing any of this to them.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 1:00 PM on June 15, 2010

Best answer: Heel taps. I love them and put them on all my good shoes. In your case I'd have the shoe repair shop apply them. There's such a thing as toe taps, too. All come in various sizes for different heel types. You're also better off going with rubber or metal taps than plastic, which wears down quickly. Good luck!
posted by sister nunchaku of love and mercy at 1:02 PM on June 15, 2010

Best answer: I don't wear heels enough to have dealt with this problem, but I wonder if some extra padding that you stick into your shoe like these Footpetal things might help prevent the footbed cracking issue.
posted by mandanza at 1:56 PM on June 15, 2010

Great shoes! They look so sturdy, I bet they'll be ok. But a good cobbler will be able to give you a recommendation re whether to take any action now.
posted by semacd at 4:29 PM on June 15, 2010

Why not take them to the Coach store and see what they suggest? There's one inside Pacific Place. Nordies could also be extremely helpful, and will at least be able to suggest an excellent cobbler.
posted by Amanda B at 9:41 PM on June 15, 2010

If the leather is drying and cracking, periodically cleaning and applying some sort of leather conditioner could prolong the sandals' life.
posted by JiBB at 12:18 PM on June 18, 2010