The Art of Waling in Heels

Everday I get asked no less than four times, "How do you walk in those high heels?"  Which is followed by how a woman used to wear them back in her "hayday" but now she is either too old, too fat, etc. Or, I have the ones who try shock therapy.  They give me lovely tales about how they once wore heels and now they have a bad back, flat feet, or some other orthopedic ailment which has them now a slave to trainers or Birkenstocks.  While I don't doubt any of their stories, I don't feel the need to run to my practioner or chiropractor and get an exam.  Let me share with you how I manage to wear heels 99.9% of the time.  I don't wear heels when I get home in the evening, nor when I sleep or putter around the house.  In fact, I don't own any flats at the moment, but it's an internal issue.  The times I have worn my low heels (kitten heels) I have felt very insecure, and to make things worse, I ALWAYS bump into someone and leave feeling short, fat, ugly, etc.  It's a given just as if I wash my car it will rain.  So let's get to the important stuff:

1. 
   
   Know your limits.  If you can't walk in heels, start low and work your way up and stop at the level of comfort for your body.  If you don't feel comfortable in heels, it will show in your walk.  Baby steps are key at this stage.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Understand your feet.  Sounds simple, but it's so underrated. If you have flat feet and plan to rock some stilletos, rather than be a Diva, you will be destroyed and so will your feet.  Do your feet sweat?  Do you retain water? Are your feet narrow?  You can't buy the proper shoes if you don't understand your feet.  I have a narrow heel and most of my weight shifts to the ball of my feet.  Because of this, I buy insoles for the back of my heel to secure my heels can hold my feet in and gel comfort soles to alleviate the pressure from causing pain or calluses to form.  The insoles come in a variety of styles and most stores who sell shoes carry them, even the likes of Walmart and Target.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   You get what you pay for.  My mother emphasized the importance a good shoe would have to the point where I knew if I had to cut costs, clothes were a preferred option.  This has kept me from developing bunions, hammer toes and so many other ailments.  If the shoe fits improperly you can distort your feet and it's a bugger to fix.  If you have wide feet, please don't try to buy a regular shoe and squeeze into them, you will save yourself and your feet in the interest of saving some $.  I know it's hard to resist those small chain boutiques in the mall with flashy night out on the town shoes, but those should be limited to disposable use.  Wear them minimally, they are discount price for a reason.  If you plan to wear your heels long term, think of them as an investment!
   
   
   
4. 
   
   Have confidence in yourself.  If you don't think you can walk in heels, you can't! Practice walking in your home to develop confidence, get the feel of your shoe and learn how to gain the feel of walking in heels, it's not easy at first, but in time, you'll be Carrie Bradshaw ;)
   
5. Practice, Practice and Practice more.  Walk in the comfort of your home and don't just walk, dance and practice your "Signature Walk!"
   

If the unthinkable happens  don't fret, it happens to the best of us.  Just shake it off, and keep it moving.  Besides, if it's around people you know, the odds are they will laugh which breaks some of the ice, and if it's about people you don't know, a) they've seen worse and b) who cares?

xoxo