Comfortable high heels in six easy steps

1. Whoever said you had to suffer to be beautiful had not discovered Sargossa. We put this label in the Measure back in July, when we discovered it; I wore my Momentum sandals all summer. The Sargossa label is based on a patent-pending, super-comfortable sole with medical-grade padding. It works. They are not cheap (about £160-£200) but they are worth it.

Marks and Spencer suede boot, £59 Photograph: PR

2. On the subject of money: cheap high heels rarely work. High-street labels that are aimed at 17-year-olds have very pretty shoes, yes. But don’t come crying to me when your feet are in shreds. I suspect 17-year-olds have higher pain thresholds, possibly connected to their higher tolerance for alcohol. Marks & Spencer’s shoe department, on the other hand, can be an unexpected treasure trove: I love this suede boot.

Carvella sandal, £120 Photograph: PR

3. Which brings us to boots and ankle support. The traditional, open-front court shoe is the least comfortable kind of shoe you can wear, as your foot has to grip on to the sole. Anything that holds your foot across the front will be more comfortable (see my picks in points one and two). A shoe such as this Carvela cage-front sandal will be much more comfortable than a more bare shoe. The lace-up-front high heel is much-worn by high-heel pros (see: super-stylist and front row star Sophia Neophitou), as it looks fancy and hot but is surprisingly comfortable.
4. The cobbler is your friend. Get your heel tips replaced frequently and your shoes resoled when they wear out. Buy leather insoles for added comfort. Shoe comfort depends on engineering, and engineering requires maintenance.
5. Be ruthless about editing your choice, and only consider heel heights you can actually manage. 100mm is a standard height for many labels – but most women can only actually manage 70mm. If you have two pairs of 100mm heels and you seldom wear them, do NOT buy any more: look for 50-70mm. They are surprisingly hard to find, but worth seeking out.

Cocorose shoe, £85 Photograph: PR

6. Last resort: when I go out to a fancy fashion party, I wear high heels and carry a tiny clutch bag but I bend one Cocorose foldable ballet slipper in each of my coat pockets