How to wear high heels

Those killer heels are one of the sexiest items we own but boy are they murder on our feet! Here are a few tips on how to walk - rather than totter wildly - on stilettos...

Be Realistic

Stick to heels that are between 3 to 4 inches high, anything higher is not meant for wear in real life. Forget what the catwalk models wear, they only have a runway to walk up and down whereas real people have tarmac, cobbles and a whole host of other uneven surfaces to navigate.

Invest in Good Quality Footwear

Check that the inner sole is soft and comfortable, that the heel is firmly attached and ensure that the bottom of the shoe will provide enough grip, if not, then scratch them with your keys (after purchasing them of course).

Don’t take your Shoes Off in the Middle of the Night

Never take your shoes off before the night is over because putting them back on will make the pain even worse. Feet swell up and it will be harder to get the shoes back on. You should sit down if your feet are hurting to relieve the pressure off them.

Graduate to Harder Heels

If you are a first timer start off with kitten heels, then going onto higher heels with a chunkier base, and then onto thin wedges and then finally graduate to stilettos.

Let your feet take time to learn how to wear each heel type before going onto the next level.
Be patient as it will take time to train your feet.

Practice at Home

Practice wearing your heels at home, the carpet will make it easier. Do the vacuuming and other household chores while wearing the shoes. Also blast on the stereo and have a dancing session. When you feel confident go down to the shops and see if the practice has paid off. If not, practice some more.

Walk Normally

That means place your heel on the floor first followed by the balls of your feet. There are no fancy tricks and short cut ways of miraculously being able to walk in heels.

Stilettos normally add a swing to the hips and you should allow your body to follow the swing and not fight against it, this slight leaning from side to side can make it easier to walk.

And finally....How High Should You Go?

Every woman has a specific height of heel that she can comfortably wear.

The general rule is the bigger the foot the higher the heel, so a size 7 can wear a much higher heel than the size 3 – it’s all about surface area.

There will always come a point where no amount of practice is going to make it easier to wear a really high heel and that’s when to stop. To wear a six inch pencil heel is a lot of extra effort for not much gain. Stick to the highest heel that feels comfortable enough to walk and dance in.

However if you are determined to go higher then make sure you aren’t intending to do anything more than look pretty and pose.