To prevent sliding: "Gently scratch the bottom of your shoe with a bit of sandpaper," Gretta suggests. "It's an old runway trick. Or, apply a sandpaper adhesive that's cut to the shape of your shoe -- this also prevents slippage, especially on carpets."

To stretch your shoe: "Put some rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab (don't soak it -- just a bit because it dries very quickly). Rub the interior of the shoe where you want to stretch it and then put your foot into the shoe. If you want a little bit of stretching, use your bare foot or wear stockings, and if you want a lot of stretching I suggest you wear a little sock because that's going to give it even more expansion. Wear them for 15 minutes and you will be amazed at how good it works." If you're traveling and don't have any rubbing alcohol handy, Gretta says an ordinary hair dryer can help stretch your shoes. "If you warm up the leather, you're going to expand it and open it up a bit without ruining it."