Don't leave your shoes hibernating in the closet for years; they might dry-rot and suffer broken tips sooner than you think. - Photos by Winston Sill/ Freelance Photographer

There are few things that grate the nerves more than a pair of heels without tips. Yes, men and women are giving the nod - a tipless shoe is like a face without a nose, a car without wheels, a toothless smile ... you get the point. Added to this, they can be a real embarrassment.

"I am well-dressed, I mean hot, and stepping out to go to church," says Romayne McDonald, teacher. "I didn't check the shoes because I wear them reguarly, and the last time I checked, the tips were fine.

"But the minute I stepped into church, the heels went 'click, click, click, click' on the tiles. It was so embarrassing. I sounded like a horse on a cobbled street in one of those Victorian era-type movies!"

McDonald's experience might seem hilarious but for Melissa Munroe, a student, it's irritating.

Says Munroe: "Hearing that clip-clop, clip-clop sound just frays my nerves. I can't stand it!"

Like McDonald, Munroe hasn't been very lucky with her tips either. "I remember buying a pair of shoes I had been eyeing for a while. Can I tell you that three weeks after the purchase, the tips went? I was so upset!"

Dry-rot dangers

Addressing broken tips with tape or simple adhesives is no quick fix.

Ewan Douglas, owner of Express Shoe Repair in Cross Roads, St Andrew, knows why.

"Women have to be very careful when buying shoes. Shoes can and (often) do sit in a store for quite some time. Then, when it is purchased, the tips just give in because the material has deteriorated or dry-rotted and the tips cannot withstand the weight of the person or the pressure of each step."

Douglas, who has been in the business of sole comfort for many years, said this can be dangerous. He said the actual heel of the shoe can separate from the sole, causing the wearer to twist an ankle or even fall.

Munroe laughed in agreement

"When your tips go, the metal piece that sticks out can make you slip, especially if you're in the office or at church. Smooth surface on smooth surface is not a good combination at all." She said many friends of hers have slipped and fallen because of an exposed heel.

When a hit breaks, can one grab for a tube of Pattex or cellophane tape and just fix it? Douglas says no. He explains that when a tip goes, there is no quick fix.

"The shoe should be taken in to the repair shop. A tip is not something you can just get up and fix," Douglas said. "There are different types of tips and, sometimes, the heel of the shoe has to be levelled or replaced entirely, depending on the tip and heel damage."

Caring for your tips

Purchase shoes that can manage your height and weight: The weight of a heavy-set woman will put more pressure on the tip of a kitten-heel shoe.

Rotate the wearing of your shoes: Try not to wear one pair all the time. The tip will go faster that way.

Care for your shoes: Clean regularly, especially after wearing, and store in a box, away from dust.

Take care when wearing shoes: Always try to walk and stand properly in shoes, especially those pairs with fine heels and small tips.

shaunette.jones@gleanerjm.com