New soles of expensive shoes tend to be more slippery because they’re so smooth. This is problematic because you have to spend more effort gripping onto your shoes with your toes, which places a lot of strain on your feet. And nothing is more embarrassing (and painful) than slipping and landing on your derrière, or worse, twisting your ankle while brisk walking to your lunch spot.

Solution 1.1: Use sandpaper

While this technique is easy and inexpensive, it’s also going to break your heart if you had splashed out a huge sum on that pair of designer shoes. Still, it gets the job done. Simply file the soles of your shoes with sandpaper. This will soften the soles and create marks and nooks that are necessary for a better grip, which in turn gives you more traction and reduces the likelihood of sending you tumbling to the ground.

Solution 1.2: Spray on a layer of anti-slip coating

If your expensive shoes sport coloured soles (think Christian Louboutin) and you balk at scuffing that beautiful surface with sandpaper, here’s an alternative: Coat the soles of your shoes with an invisible adhesive spray. It’s not cheap, but it’s a great option that doesn’t leave any noticeable trace.

Solution 1.3: Hairspray your way

A cheaper alternative to an adhesive spray would be your good old bottle of hairspray. They work the same way when you spritz them on your soles. But there’s a caveat — it’s a temporal solution and will wear off once there’s direct contact with water, so you probably have to reapply it on a daily basis. But hey, every extra dollar you save is another step closer to another new pair of shoes.

We’ve all done this before. I’m talking about the times when we stubbornly went ahead with a shoe purchase even though they ran out of our size (drats!), simply because we’ve been coveting it for too long. Still, while your cramped toes should be a painful reminder that we should never succumb to impulse again, there are ways to make the pair work.

Solution 2.1: Blow dry method

This is a method most people swear by. Put on some chunky socks and grab your hairdryer. Slip into your new shoes and aim your hairdryer (set to warm) at areas that feel particularly tight for about 30 seconds. While your shoes are still hot and malleable, start walking around your room briskly for a minute to loosen them. Continue blow-drying and walking for a few more times until you feel they are comfortable enough for an afternoon out. The heat will loosen the fabric of your shoes, while the socks will stretch it out. Give it a try.

Solution 2.2: Freeze it overnight

If heat didn’t work, try the other end of the temperature scale. Fill two plastic bags with water and squeeze them inside your shoes until they reach the toe areas, but be gentle. You don’t want to cause the bags to tear. Stick your shoes in the freezer overnight. The water will freeze and expand, stretching the toe areas in a fuss-free manner.

Note: Fill the bags with water up to the midway point to give it some space for expansion. Fill too much and they might burst, which means you can say good bye to your new shoes. Also, we recommend starting small with this method in case you overstretch your shoes.

Solution 2.3: Invest in a shoe-stretcher

If you have a spanking new pair of leather shoes (lambskin, cowhide and suede works best) and you’re afraid of trying out the above two methods for fear of ruining them, seek the right tools. And by that, we mean buy a shoe stretcher that does the same job. Stick the shoe stretcher into your shoes and leave them overnight. You might also need to coat the shoe stretcher with a shoe stretching liquid or spray which will help to saturate the material and allow it to work better. Leather is known to be supple, so the shoe stretcher will help expand the material and give more room for your feet.

Note: This only works if you wish to expand your shoes by half a size. Any larger, and you’ll probably need a new pair of kicks.