How I Fixed My BCBG Shoes With a Sharpie Pen

Confession: I love shoes and I earn extra mileage from my favorite shoes with a secret weapon: Sharpie markers. Those markers and other permanent felt-tip pens are wonderful tools for making cheap and easy shoe repairs.

For instance, assorted scuff marks recently marred the appearance of my favorite shoes: a pair of black leather, high-heeled BCBG shoes.

The pumps were pummeled, scuffed and nicked on the toe tips, shoe box and tops of the sling-back three-inch heels. But with a few strokes of a black marker, the flaws have now disappeared. (You'd have to be really staring at close range to notice the repairs.) In fact, my shoes seem as good as new. Encouraged, I've been using the black marker on shoes from Tahari and Circa Joan & David. All are excellent labels that I purchased super cheap ($5-$20) at end-of-season clearance sales at Marshalls.

I'm hard on shoes because my daily commute consists of mass transit and a 20-minute walk. Therefore, my shoes take a beating. Markers -- in all colors -- will help me save money and look great.

National Public Radio recently broadcast a fabulous piece about the growing popularity of shoe repairs-- Cobbler's Business Steps Up During Thrifty Times:

As Americans trim their budgets, some businesses are ready for thrifty activity. In St. Louis, a shoe repair shop has seen business skyrocket as the economy prompts more customers to have shoes fixed instead of buying new ones. Jeff Lipson of Cobblestone Shoe Repair is a third-generation cobbler, and he's seeing a new type of customer. --Cobbler's Business Steps Up During Thrifty Times:

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