No Gatekeeping: This $10 Product Made All of My Shoes More Comfortable

If you’re a fashion girl, chances are you have some tools in your arsenal that some wouldn’t particularly call fashion-forward. I’m talking about the nitty-gritty pieces that go under your look, like shoe inserts or shapewear, that allow your outfit to work for you, and not the other way around. As a self-proclaimed fashion girl myself, it’s imperative to me when wearing an outfit that I’m comfortable in all areas, from my head to my feet. (Emphasis on the feet.)

I’m sure we all can think of a time we excitingly wore a new pair of shoes out for the day and absolutely regretted that decision by the time we got home. There’s nothing worse than being uncomfortable with every step you take—except for maybe that same pair of shoes getting tossed to the back of your closet because they’re too painful to wear. One tool I keep in my fashion workbench that completely eradicated this dilemma cost me around $10 and allows me to wear shoes again that I thought would never see the light of day again because of heel pain. Insert stage left: the silicone heel cover.

Essentially like a little sock you put on underneath your actual socks, these bad boys have a million and one uses. I wouldn’t dare break in a pair of boots without them, and they’ve saved my feet at numerous concerts this year—including a little show called The Eras Tour that ran over three hours long.

They’re not your typical shoe insert, since you wear them like a sock, but the cushion the silicone provides ensures extra protection for your heel to prevent rubbing up against boots and causing blisters. Plus, the sock format prevents them from slipping or sliding around in your shoe, meaning you’re constantly protected from rubbing. Since they do provide extra cushion, I wouldn’t recommend wearing your tightest shoes with these shoe inserts—although I have broken in my Dr. Martens boots just fine when wearing these—as your shoes might fit a little more snugly with these on.

They’re very easy to wash, which makes them a perfect reusable investment in my book. After breaking in your shoes, continuing to wear these shoe inserts is totally optional in my opinion. However, if I’m heading somewhere I know I’m going to be on my feet for a long period of time, I pop them on to ensure all-day comfort. I never thought I’d see the day that fearing breaking in a pair of shoes felt like a thing of my past, but these little miracles have done exactly that.