Stiletto School

Walk tall with Terry Biviano's heel tips

Sydney shoe designer Terry Biviano shares 10 of her best-kept secrets.

Essential shoe purchases
“Fabulous black or bright-coloured evening shoes, a neutral casual shoe (black, white or tan), and a great pair of simply designed black or tan boots.”

How to store heels
“Keep them in their boxes (so they don’t get scratched or collect dust) and stuff with tissue paper (so they keep their shape).” Tip: Buy clear boxes or paste photos onto shoe boxes so it’s easier to find your faves.

The secret to maintaining a stiletto’s life
“Never wear the same pair of heels every day – they need ‘time out’ to retain their shape after being worn. Use Scotchguard on all shoes, and don’t wear suede or fabric-covered shoes on wet days. Resole before soles get too thin.”

Quick DIY fixes
“Use coloured markers to disguise imperfections.” (For example, when you step in a grate and the leather on your heel rips off.)

Every woman should own
“Good-quality leather cleaner and a leather cloth for polishing. And I love Shoo Sticks. It’s fashion tape for heels – use it to fasten slingback straps to your heels or prevent sandal straps from rubbing. You can use them to tame clothes, too.”

On stretching too-small heels
“Leather and suede shoes can be stretched minimally in width, but not in length. Also, the thicker the material, the less it’ll stretch.”

Say goodbye...
“When your shoe repairer says it’s not worth fixing them.” Hint: broken shoes may lead to broken ankles.

Walk tall
“The more you wear heels, the more confident you’ll be.” Tip: keep your back straight, chin up and legs as close together as possible. Take small steps and build up a sexy stride.

Signs of a dodgy heel
“Look at the material used – high quality shoes will be made entirely of leather (no synthetics). And if the shoe doesn’t stand upright on its own, it usually means it’ll be unstable to walk in.”