A FEW years ago on eBay I purchased this fabulous pair of vintage Russell & Bromley disco-tastic heels.

They are one of the most divine pair of shoes I have ever seen in my life (and make no mistake I’ve seen a few), but there is a problem. Yes folks, unfortunately they are just a teeny bit too small for my size six feet.

I’ve tried all manner of ways to get them to fit but alas, nothing can be done. It is a sad shoe tale. *sobs*

Occasionally I’ve considered re-selling them and have even been known to pop them in a charity bag on occasion, only to rescue them out a few minutes later and hold them extra tight.

You see, the shoes are just so pretty, I simply cannot live without them and so it is, that I’ve decided to keep them. As I can’t dance the night away in them, I’ve been thinking about what I CAN do with them and so have come up with a few ideas.

Here are five simple ways to enjoy your shoes, without actually wearing them. Don’t say I never treat you ;-)

Use them as bookends

Beautiful shoes should always be displayed so if you can’t show them off on your feet, why not show them off on your shelves or bookcase instead?

To work as bookends, they’ll need to have some weight to them, so if they’re not a heavy shoe like a wedge or platform, you’ll need to make them heavier somehow.

Use a large stone or small bag of pebbles to weigh them down a little. Then just pop them next to your favourite books and behold! Bespoke bookends that scream style.

Hang them

On a wall, from a door knob or even above your bed. All stunning shoes look wonderful hung up, regardless of their size.

Simply invest in some pretty ribbon and attach them to your walls for awe-inspiring room decoration. Vintage and baby shoes look particularly wonderful displayed in this way and yes, I will be doing this with Elsie’s in years to come. ;-)

Put them in the picture!

Grab the shoes you love but can’t wear and turn them into a work of art by framing them.

It’s easy to do but just bear in mind you’ll need a display frame to do this, something with some depth so you can fit them in easily.

Shoes with a story to tell are always the best ones to frame. So dig out your wedding shoes or your little one’s christening shoes and put them in the spotlight where they rightly belong.

You could even frame them alongside a sentimental object like a wedding programme or invite.

Display them as an ornament

Get the shoes out of your wardrobe, out of their boxes and put them out on display!

Beautiful and unusual heels make fabulous ‘ornaments’ especially in bedrooms, dressing rooms (if you’re so lucky!) or somewhere unexpected like in a hallway.

You could even use them as a fabulous table centrepiece for when you’re entertaining guests or holding a vintage tea party. If nothing else, they’ll make for an interesting talking point. Just make sure you give them a good spruce up first so they are spotless.

Let little girls (or boys) wear them

If your shoes are too small, you might not be able to wear them, but little people with much smaller feet certainly can.

As long as they’re not too high (you don’t want any accidents or damaged tiny ankles) then let your shoes go free to bring joy and fun into a child’s world.

Watching a little girl tottering around in magnificent adult shoes, (which are at least 10 sizes too big for her) is a wonderful sight and a perfect example of the magic only amazing shoes can create.

So lend your heels to the little people. Trust me, your shoes will never be enjoyed as much.

What do you think? Do you keep shoes that are too small, too big or ridiculously high just because you love them? Or have you any unusual uses for your heels?

Till the next time, whenever possible, ditch the flats and go super high!

Katie

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