the ultiMate guiDe to Wearing high heels
Stepping into a pair of high heels makes us feel more confident and walk taller literally. But there are ways to make it easier. First things first, shoes have to fit properly, if they’re tight or rubbing, even just a tiny bit, don’t buy them. You will not break in the shoes — they will break you.
RIGHT FIT - The right fit should be snug but with some room for your toes to wriggle and not be squashed. Too small and you’ll get blisters and deformed toes — a condition called hammertoe. Too big and your feet will slide down and put more pressure on your toes. Where possible, ask to try a half size up or down to see if that helps. If the shoe is pointed, the point must come after your toes end so they’re not squished together.
POSITION OF THE HEEL - The important thing is not the style or thickness of the heel, it’s the position of it. It needs to be right under the heel bone, not at the back of the foot, as is the case with some shoes. If the stiletto is positioned too far back, you are going to be thrown off balance and everything will hurt. Avoid the temptation to buy cheap heels for a night out. Chances are they will be made of plastic, which will make your feet sweat and swell — making the shoes pinch. ImAGINE wALkING ALONG AN INvISIbLE LINE - Catwalk models will often cross one foot slightly in front of the other to give their hips more sway. A lot of women wear high heels to look sexy, so adding a little shimmy to your walk is a good thing. The best way to achieve a sway while walking in high heels is to pretend that you’re walking down an imaginary straight line, or tight rope. bREAk IN YOuR HEELS - If you fail to break in your heels before your first time wearing them, you’ll be destined for blisters. Breaking in your heels is important as it removes stiffness from the shoes and helps mold them to the shape of your feet. Just wearing your shoes around at home should be enough to break them in. uSE cuSHIONS AND INSOLES - Add cushioning wherever there’s a lot of pressure and/or friction. There are cushions made in various shapes and from different materials that you can stick on the inside of your shoe for more comfortable walking, thus preventing bunions and blisters. If your shoes are slightly too big and you find them slipping off your heel, get some insoles which can make the shoes smaller by half a size, while also adding comfort value. Use these innovative items generously – there’s really no need for discomfort!
wALk FROm HEEL TO TOE - The aim is to walk as normally as possible in your high heels. When walking in flats, you don’t walk on the balls of your feet or put your whole foot down at once, do you? So don’t do either of these things in heels. Put your heel to the ground first, followed smoothly by your toes. Then, once your weight is on the balls of your feet, shift your weight forward as if you’re walking on your tiptoes, and push forward for the next step. PuT YOuR FEET ON IcE - Forget soaking your feet in a hot bath after a long day — you need to ease the pain with cold. After wearing high heels your feet get swollen, so when you come home put them in a cold bath for 15 minutes to reduce the swelling. Then before you go to bed apply some foot cream. This restores the suppleness of the skin, which will help prevent it from cracking and blistering.