Halloween is hiding just around the corner! Have you conjured up a costume, yet?

	From head to toe?
Photo by Mitch		Photo by Kevin Galens

It’s obvious to anyone who's fallen under the spell of a fantastic pair of shoes, that the right pair can easily make an outfit pop (and in this case, also help you win first prize at the office costume contest!) But beware--the wrong pair of shoes may not only detract from your ensemble, but might also leave you limping and groaning over your poor, tortured tootsies!

Here are some tips for keeping your Halloween hooves happy!

1. Use shoes you already own

Halloween is not quite the ideal night to break in a new pair of shoes! If you’re planning on dancing the night away, walking door-to-door with the kiddies, or even marching in a costume parade, you’ll probably feel most confident and comfortable wearing shoes that have already conformed to your foot a bit. True—these everyday shoes may not look like they belong with your freaky Halloween costume, but the next two tips are frighteningly easy ways to dress your shoes for a costume that totally kills!

2. Buy or make shoe clips

Whether you’re a witch, a fairy, or your favorite reality TV star, you can magically (and temporarily) add character to your costume by simply clipping on a bit of decoration. For a witch costume, you can clip on a buckle. For a fairy, you might snap on some silk flowers. All you’ll need is a pair of shoe clip findings (search craft stores, Etsy.com or ebay.com, or if you can’t find any, you can try using paper clips) a hot glue gun, glue sticks, and your imagination!

Photo by Kourtney Moon

Here’s a tutorial to walk you through the shoe clip making process:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5268772_make-shoe-clips.html

3. Buy or make boot covers!

If your costume howls for hardy boots instead of dainty slippers, then consider buying or making boot tops (also called boot covers.) They simply drape over your black or brown dress shoes to make you look like you’re wearing boots.  Now, your shoes can shape shift, just like Jacob Black, Sam Merlotte, The Incredible Hulk and Teen Wolf!

If you’re good with a sewing machine, check out some of these instructions for making your own boot tops:

• http://www.finkbuilt.com/blog/make-boots-for-your-costume/
  
  
• http://www.godsavethequeenfashions.com/Non-Stretch_Boot_Covers.html

4. Prepare your shoes

Whether you are buying a brand new pair of shoes, buying an old pair of shoes at the vintage store, or using what you’ve already got, it’s important to make sure that your shoes and feet are prepared for your wicked night of revelry!

• If the shoes are brand new, make sure to wear them a few times to break them in before your Halloween party. If your shoes chafe or pinch, you’ll either find yourself bearing the pain in misery, or switching into a pair of flats or flip flops. That might not look as good with your costume--and, even worse, could break the illusion you so carefully crafted when you first put your costume together!
• If you’re thinking about using padded or gelled insoles, test them out beforehand, as some people feel they can be a trick or a treat--sometimes surprisingly making the fit of your shoe tighter and less comfortable.
• Test the bottoms of the shoes to see if they have enough traction. To avoid making embarrassing slips while wearing something that’s admittedly a little bit embarrassing already, consider adding adhesive non-slip soles to your shoes.
• If you’re wearing older shoes check to make sure that they’re in overall good repair, and that your heel tips are in good condition. You wouldn’t want to scratch up the dance floor with a worn out heel tip!  There are better (and less painfully embarrassing ways) to leave your mark on a party than scratching mysterious, arcane glyphs all over your host's hardwood floor!

5. Prepare your feet

Regardless of whether your shoes are new, or not, consider what shoes you wear the week before you plan on wearing your Halloween heels. If your Halloween shoes are higher than you typically wear any given day, you’d be best off gradually increasing your heel size in half inch increments throughout the week, and then gradually reducing your heel afterward in the same manner. This will not only keep you from losing feeling in your toes the day after, but also is good practice for proper foot health.

Gradually increase your heel height by 1/2" increments Photo by Mizrak	Drastically changing your heel height can be harmful for your foot health! Photo by Lorena Cupcake	Don't forget to gradually reduce your heel height, as well. Photo by pawpaw67

Have a Happy Halloween!