Cut down to size

So, I can be kind of an idiot sometimes.

One morning this summer, when I went to put on a pair of rarely-worn peep-toe pumps I purchased at the end of last season, I realized that they were surprisingly big on me. I put them on and, with my first steps, promptly walked right out of them.

That's weird, I thought. It's not like I lost any weight in my feet. (Or did I?) My bones haven't suddenly shrunk. (Or have they?) In any case, given that the shoes were suddenly awkward and unwearable, it wasn't a size difference I cared to celebrate.

It also wasn't a size difference I paid any heed to, as the shoes are so darn cute, I can't help but wear them, anyway. After giving the matter some thought, and realizing I had another pair in my closet with the exact same problem, I realized that maybe it wasn't permanent. Here's why:

I purchased both pairs from the DSW about a half mile from my office, which I'll sometimes walk to on my lunch break. They say you are supposed to buy shoes later in the day when your feet are a little swollen, to ensure you don't buy anything too small. I guess that makes sense if you're walking or standing around for most of the day. But considering my walks are mostly from house to car and from desk to copy machine, I probably should have used the reverse psychology.

Either way, I figured, if they fit when I tried them on, they should fit after I've walked around for half of the day. Except, see paragraph above. I generally don't walk as far as the DSW in a typical day - and especially not when I'm clomping around in oversize shoes. Rather than just half the day, then, I spend the entire day uneven and unstable, hobbling like a toddler playing dress-up or a lush pressing her luck. Neither of which are the sophisticated look I'm aiming for.

However. I'm just not ready to get rid of them, yet. So do you have any suggestions for inserts or shoe work that can bring these babies down half a size?