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How to Make Heels More Comfortable for a Night Out (Fit, Pads and Walking)

“There's no medal for suffering in a stiletto. If you can't walk from the bar to the dance floor without negotiating with your feet, it's the wrong shoe for the night. Pick the heel that lets you stay out longer.”Her take

Start with the right heel

Before you buy any inserts, look at the shoe's shape. A wider heel gives you a bigger base, and a low platform can reduce the steepness under your foot. For a party where you'll be standing, start with a block heel of around 5cm and treat 7cm as the top of the comfortable range. Kitten heels are lower, but their thin shape can feel less stable on uneven floors.

Check the toe box too. Your toes shouldn't be squeezed together. Straps across the ankle and over the top of the foot stop your feet sliding forward, which is a common reason for sore toes. If you can buy from a shop, try shoes later in the day and walk on a hard floor, not only the carpet.

Fix slipping and rubbing

When a foot slides forward, pressure builds on the toes and the ball of your foot. Add a slim ball-of-foot pad just behind the toes to help hold it in place. If your heel slips out, try a self-adhesive heel grip on the inside back, and make sure it doesn't make the shoe tighter across the top.

If a strap or edge rubs, cover the area with a soft blister plaster before you leave, not after it hurts. Clear strap cushions will soften thin straps, and a little anti-chafe balm can reduce friction on sweaty feet. Avoid piling in several inserts at once, because they take up room and may make everything tighter.

• Toes jammed at the front: add a ball-of-foot pad, or choose a higher vamp.
• Heel slipping out: heel grip or ankle strap.
• Straps cutting in: strap cushion and a blister plaster on the rub point.
• Pressure on the ball of the foot: a low platform or a gel forefoot pad.

Break them in before the night

Wear new heels indoors for 20 minutes at a time over several days. Put them on with thick socks for short sessions at home to give leather or suede a little more room, and stop if there's any strong pressure. Sit, stand and walk on hard floors to find trouble spots while you still have time to fix them.

If you need more space, take them to a cobbler for professional stretching. It's safer than trying to force the material yourself. If the soles are smooth, scuff them on a rough pavement or with fine sandpaper before the night. For something longer-lasting, ask the same cobbler for a thin rubber sole, particularly in winter. It'll make wet pavements and polished floors less slippery, and it can extend the life of the shoe.

Walk and stand more easily

Take shorter steps than you would in flats and keep your weight over your feet. Land gently on the heel and roll through to the ball of your foot rather than stomping straight down. Keep your knees soft, your shoulders relaxed and your eyes up. If you're walking on cobbles, slow down and stay on the flattest stone you can find.

On a night out, standing still can feel harder than walking. Shift your weight, sit when there's a seat, and slip your feet out under the table for a few minutes when you can. Practise stairs before the event. A shoe that feels fine on a bedroom carpet may feel completely different on a wet step.

Plan the night around your feet

Don't walk to the venue in your heels if you can help it. Wear boots or flats for the journey, keep the heels in a tote and change at the door. In December, your party shoes will be protected from rain and grit, and your feet get a head start. Pack a soft pair of foldable flats if your bag allows for it.

Add a mini kit to your bag: two blister plasters, a heel grip and a small tube of balm. If you've got an all-evening event, choose your heels by what you'll do, not the outfit. Dancing means straps. Long standing means a block. Then wear shoes you know you can get home in.

When to stop trying

Inserts can't fix a shoe that's the wrong size or shape. If you've got numb toes, sharp pain or a blister after a short wear, stop wearing that pair and have the fit checked by a shoe-fitting specialist or a cobbler. If your feet regularly hurt or the numbness or pain carries on out of the shoes, see a podiatrist or GP, which is better than any bag of pads.

It's fine to change your mind about heels. Velvet flats, slingbacks, and sleek loafers work well with a party outfit. The goal is a night where you remember the people, not the walk to the taxi.

Questions people ask

The takeaway

Pick a wider heel and secure strap, break them in, pad only the problem spot, and travel in something else. Keep flats in your bag and no one needs to know.

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