Lesson for the day: never wear brand-new heels to a cocktail party.
I had an evening function right after work, and thinking I had the whole day-to-night fashion routine down pat, I wore slacks, a pretty blouse (I'd ditch the shawl at the party), and a gorgeous pair of pointy-ish shoes that I'd recently picked up on a stress-shopping binge.
By lunchtime, my feet were killing me. I think they were too small (my beauty editor later told me to always get a bigger size when you buy tapered tips). Needless to say, I was practically limping by the time I got to the party. I wanted to sit down, but -- haha! -- it was a cocktail event. Just tiny tables. Do you know how hard it is to shake hands with somebody while juggling a clutch bag and a tiny plate of shrimp -- all while balancing on one blistered foot? Argh. I wanted to die.
I remembered, too late, a tip from the Working Mom magazine stylist: keep two pairs of shoes in your cubicle. Black kitten heels or ballet flats, and killer heels. You can slip into more comfortable shoes in the day, or upgrade an outfit for an unforeseen after-office party.
Let me add my own tip: save the new heels for sit-down dinners. Now let me go find a band-aid...