Making the World Safe for Fall Footwear

This is such a nasty time of year, pipes freeze, wind whips at the roof shingles, and the hydrangea requires its blankie. Never mind all of that, however, for there is a greater peril in your life at the moment: Your beautiful fall footwear is under attack from mud, standing water, and salt, not to mention ever-present, uneven pavement.

If only real-life were anything like Geico's talking pot hole, one could expect some warning from sidewalk grates, like a civilized, "Hey, watch your covered heel, lady!" We've noticed two new innovations that have proven to be vast improvements over the plastic grocery bag tied around your ankles of winters past.

One product helps you get organized. Forget about the rolodex on your desk at work, chances are you don't get that excited using it. Now, thanks to the big thinkers at Rakku Designs, there is one for your shoe closet. The Shoe Wheel is a ferris wheel-type contraption that holds up to 30 pairs of shoes, depending on bulk. Shoes are inserted toe-first into elastic compartments, so when you wander in on an early morning with no outfit planned for that day, you can spin the wheel and let your shoes decide. It comes in four colors and is priced at $65.

The biggest danger to your kicks is present year-round. Abrasive surfaces like broken pavement, sidewalk grates, and gravel parking lots rip a new one in your covered heels. Enter the Smart Heel, slip on heel protectors that fit heels 3" to 4.5" high. They are available in black and clear, for $8.95 per pair.

Since salt and dirty water are hazards to your footwear even when it's not sleeting outside, designer Rebecca Miller weighs in with Shuella, the umbrella for your shoes. Available in several colors for $49.95, they fold up easily in a briefcase or purse. They also have velcro straps so they can fit different heel-heights and shapes.