McGyver my stiletto, please.

April 2, 2010 5:20 AM

Cobblestones + stilettos = minor shoe emergency. Somewhere along my merry way today the heel cap on one of my boots came off. Is there some quick temporary fix I can do on the way to my next meeting?

Aside from the clacking driving me up a wall, I don't want to shred them further. But I don't have time to stop home to change shoes, nor is my cobbler nearby.

I'm in Rome, Italy so side trips to [chain store] for [brand name] are out.

Surely there must be some girly trick I'm missing here, along the lines of the pencil eraser replacing your lost earring back trick.

posted by romakimmy to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total)

If you have tape (very sticky tape like duct tape), then you can tape something (a folded piece of paper, folded piece of tape, etc) to the end of hte heel spike, which will get you back to the right height and muffle the clicking. The tape will wear through with a bit of walking, though, so you'd better keep the roll in your pocket.
posted by aimedwander at 5:54 AM on April 2, 2010

Do you have the cap? If so, would chewing gum hold it on temporarily? If not, could you fashion something temporary from, say, a bottle cap?
posted by JMOZ at 5:55 AM on April 2, 2010

i think you could really use an eraser for this one, too. you just need something with a little give that you can glue or nail (with the tiniest nail) into the heel to keep the actual heel from hitting the ground - i think the hard part is going to be attaching it, not finding something to attach. once it gets to your cobbler he'll just be able to grind off any extra glue-y bits and replace the cap fine.
posted by soma lkzx at 6:05 AM on April 2, 2010

i would go for wall-mounting tape (the thick, foam type) and secure it soundly with duct tape.

Alternately, Esquire says this is the best cobbler in Rome:

Gatto
34 Via Salandra
011-39-06-4741-450
posted by acidic at 6:27 AM on April 2, 2010

If there are any cyclists in your office, ask if you can borrow their puncture repair kit. You'll find quick-setting rubber cement, and you might even be able to make a new cap from by folding up one of the rubber patches.
posted by embrangled at 6:52 AM on April 2, 2010

If you come across a general store, they might carry silver thumbtacks. This is coming from someone who has never worn stilettos (I'm a woman), but that was my first reaction to your quandry. Enjoy Rome! :)
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 8:21 AM on April 2, 2010

I've read before that you can buy heel caps at any shoe-repair place, and though I know that American chains are out, you're in Rome. There must a cobbler willing to sell you a heel cap for next to nothing. This link makes it look like you don't need glue or anything to replace it.
posted by R a c h e l at 9:16 AM on April 2, 2010