Walking In High Heels

[Charlotte560]

Hi All,

Just wondering how did you all first learn to walk in high heels - or have you always doen it. I found there was a real pain barrier when I first tried them, and I found the only way was just to push on wearing them until I sort of got used to it. It really hurt for some time though. Even now I like to wear heels all day at work but it kills my feet if I do a lot of walking. Anyone have any tips for this?
Charlotte

[BagGal]

I've always walked in heels, yes they hurt after a while, but I truck on for style sakes

1, maybe try a different pair of heels, or even cute flats
2, wear knee highs or tights (maybe? never tried it)
3, try inserts that you can buy at like Target
4, sometimes fashion overrides practicality or comfort

[As You Like It]

I've never sussed it, luckily there are a lot of brands of adorable flats out there, so if I needed to dress it up a bit, I'd probably get some Rocket Dogs or something.

If you have weak ankles, like I do, you may never be able to manage heels properly.

I have a long history of sports and dance injuries behind me, and my ankles are just wrecked. I wobble something awful in heels. The last time I tried to wear a pair (and they were seriously cool black pumps with a geometrified spectator trim) I wiped out while going down a long staircase. I caught myself on the bannister, but I did the splits, ripped my skirt from the knee to the butt, and twisted my worst (right) ankle so badly I was limping for a fortnight. Yeah, not a happy event.

[Meg-ann]

When I started out my first heels were in grade 6 and like 2" high they just progressed from there. Higher and HIGHER. So I'm comfortable in the highest heels now days!

[Luna]

If you wear extremely high heels all day and you come home and immediately take them off, you can do some damage do the tendons in your leg. A good/healthy transition is to switch so maybe a sneaker.. and then bare feet after wearing heels.

Also.. I usually dont wear heels in the winter, because I have enough trouble walking int he ice and snow in sneakers... so i start out progressively in heel heights.. 1 1/2".. 2" then 3"... etc.

[foxinthesnow]

If the shoe hurts to an extent that you cannot tolerate, then it might be the wrong shoe for you!

I actually find it easier to walk in high heels than flats! I am always tripping or stubbing a foot in flats.

[tiffany]

I started smaller heels and then moved on to larger heels once I was used to them

[ProfessorWB]

When I first started wearing heels, I found them really uncomfy too. BUt then I realized I was buying the wrong size shoe. I actually have to wear maybe a half size larger the higher the heel is. Weird, huh?

But now that I buy the shoe in the right size, they're really comfy. The shoe should fit your foot, you should be able to "play the piano" with your toes (wiggle your toes easily), the arch of your foot should match the arch of the shoe, and your foot shouldn't slip around in the shoe.

And sometimes you'll never even find a size that fits, the shoe just won't work for your foot. I've often passed on many a gorgeous shoe because they didn't fit me. No sizes at all. I'd rather buy one pair of great heels that fit than a million hot heels that didn't. You'll wear them more if they fit.

[softgrey]

my first pair ofheel was a wedge...i've never had a problem...don't buy the shoes if they're uncomfortable...there's nothing stylish or sexy about a woman who can't walk in her shoes!!!

boots are also great because they offer more support and are easier to walk in...

[gem]

I never did learn
At least I don't walk around in them anyways at school and look ridiculous and step like each leg is an effing block of cement.

[paprika_hiccup]

My grandmother had very tiny feet and was never w/o very high heels(she wasn't even 5 ft in barefeet, so cute) so I used to wear her shoes around the house all of the time before I had my own. I studied dance since I could hardly walk and at maybe 10 or 11, I graduated to my first pair of heeled tap-shoes. They weren 't very tall, maybe 1.5 in (15cm) and pretty wide, too. I took to them pretty easily I guess. I loved them so much- I felt like I was such a woman!! More of a woman tha I do now

[southerncutie]

I used to run around in wedges, then kitten heels.. I actually used to run (literally) about half a block in small heels, and increased the size slowly. I can run in 3.5 inches now, and I'm working on 4. I take pointe, ballet (soft shoe), and jazz, so I have really strong ankles. Try dancing~ it works wonders!

[suzi_stiltz]

Charlotte,

I'm sure you can walk in even the highest heels with enough practice. The best thing I learned from my mother was to sleep in shoes with a heel just a little higher than I would be wearing the next day. That way my feet were already used to them before I even put them on.

This works so well that now I can wear just about any heel I want as long as I can sleep in something higher for a few nights.

Hope this helps.

Suzi

[Meg-ann]

Hey Suzi

Tell me more about your way of wearing heels? Very interesting? How do you sleep with heels on? Please tell me I would love to try your method!

[suzi_stiltz]

Meg-ann,

Sleeping in heels is pretty easy once you get used to it. The first few nights they seem to want to catch in the sheets. When I first started doing this my mom told me to tape little balls of cotton on the ends of the heels so they wouldn't do this. I don't need to do that anymore. I think my brain just knows I am wearing heels now or something.

Of course it is best to use heels with ankle straps to make sure they stay on all night. My b/f has bought me pumps with locks on the ankle straps in 6", 7" and ballet heel styles so now I'm ready for anything.

I find that wearing hose with the heels makes it easier to sleep in them too. I guess pantyhose would work too but I personally never wear them - too restricting.

Other than that it's simple. If you want to wear 5" heels tomorrow just put the 6" ones on when you get home from work and wear them till you get up the next day. If you want to wear 6" heels tomorrow just put the 7" ones on when you get home from work and wear them till you get up the next day. If you want to wear 7" heels tomorrow (which I only do for very special occasions - parties, weddings, etc.) just put the ballet heel ones on when you get home from work and wear them till you get up the next day.

After awhile you will see that this makes all your heels much easier to wear all day at work.

Hope this helps.

Suzi