Walking in high heels can be a fun and empowering experience, but it does require some practice and the right techniques. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you strut confidently in heels.
Choose the Right Heels
Start Small: Begin with a lower heel (1-2 inches) and a wider base, such as block heels or wedges. These provide more stability and are easier to walk in.
Fit Matters: Ensure your heels fit well. Too tight, and they’ll be painful; too loose, and they’ll be hard to walk in. Consider using insoles for added comfort.
Practice Good Posture
Stand Tall: Keep your back straight and shoulders back. Engage your core muscles to maintain balance.
Heel to Toe: Place your heel down first, then roll onto your toes. This helps distribute your weight more evenly and prevents you from tipping forward.
Take Small Steps
Short Strides: Take smaller steps than you would in flat shoes. This helps maintain balance and control.
Straight Line: Imagine walking along a straight line, placing one foot in front of the other. This not only helps with balance but also gives a more elegant look.
Navigate Different Surfaces
Smooth Surfaces: Practice on smooth, even surfaces first. Once you’re comfortable, try walking on carpets, grass, or cobblestones.
Stairs: Use handrails when going up or down stairs. Place your whole foot on each step rather than just the heel or toe.
Build Your Confidence
Practice at Home: Spend time walking around your home in heels to get used to the feel and balance.
Gradual Increase: Gradually increase the height of your heels as you become more comfortable and confident.
Listen to Your Body
Take Breaks: If your feet start to hurt, take a break. It’s important to give your feet time to adjust.
Carry Flats: Always have a pair of flats or comfortable shoes with you in case you need to switch.
Have Fun
Confidence is Key: The most important thing is to feel confident and enjoy the experience. Walking in heels can be a fun way to express yourself and try something new.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of walking in high heels. Remember, practice makes perfect, so take your time and enjoy the journey!
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| Wearing Nine West |
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| Grayson Perry |
This 72 year old geezer, myself, limit the height of my heels to 75 mm (3 inches). I notice very few women at church wear heels that high at any age. Men forsook high heels around 1750 and it seems women are doing likewise at the present age. A lot of them wear sneakers and low sandals.
ReplyDeleteJohn
I've been working at my job for 9 years and 9 months. I've been "out" at work since November 2022. I work as a clerk but one of the responsibilities I've had was to replace fluorescent bulbs that failed. I've changed bulbs in skirts, dresses and jeans. I've worn sandals, shoes and open toe heels to climb the ladder to replace the burned bulbs. At first, my female coworkers were shocked that I was able to wear heels all day, The shoes are Amazon 2 strap sandals with a 2.25" blocky heel. Some days, I hate walking through the lobby to get to my car and I'll exit via the back door which means I'll walk in my heels through the desert for the full length of the building to get to the paved parking lot.
ReplyDeleteHeather
I don't know if links are permitted but here's the shoe I wear. I have the "snakeskin," taupe and black. I wear a 12w. https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Essentials-Womens-Nola-Heeled/dp/B08LPVFHDY/ref=sr_1_1?
Block heels are super comfortable and work better on platform sandals.
DeleteDo you mean Grayson Perry?
ReplyDeletePenny
Its Grayson Perry, but en femme Claire
ReplyDeleteIn fact Sir Grayson Perry!
ReplyDeleteThat's Grayson Perry, SIR Grayson Perry.
ReplyDeleteIt's Grayson Perry by the way.
ReplyDeleteAnd know your limits!
ReplyDeleteAnd know your limits! I have arrived at my ideal height - 3" - in spite of trying higher ones. I just can't navigate anything higher for more than 20 minutes.
ReplyDeleteNotice like Grayson Perry I use my real masculine name and not some alternate feminine name. For awhile I toyed around with the name "Johanna" but in the end I chose to use my real masculine name along with my preferred pronouns of "he, him, his".
ReplyDeleteJohn
Grayson Perry's female alter-ego goes by the name "Claire."
DeleteAs a guy use to comfortable shoes wearing heels can be torture. Man made materials are a killer when it comes to comfort and durability. I'd take animal leather over man-made material but for Bigfoot that's a hard sell. As primarily an in-home dresser I do fine with a 3 1/2" heel on my six foot height. Outside on an evening walk a narrow heel is a killer. They're great for a small party, but "Walk a Mile In Her Shoes" ain't going to work. For evening walks it's a wedge with a slight rise. When I was still working in the downtown professional area I'd see many women wearing athletic shoes and carrying office heels in a tote. The downtown had steep inclines, so heels were a challenge for the best of the walkers.
ReplyDeleteI love watching Vanna White strut across the stage to turn those letters. She always wears a nice narrow heel. I've read that several shoes are tapes each work day, so there must be costume/dress changes for the taping time and non-taping get-ready time. I often wonder how many miles she has walked in heels over her career. I suspect the producers of shows want their women to wear heels. Check out the foot ware of all those weather-gals. Always heels.
I wear heels for business that are a bit outside the norm in terms of height. My daily heel is 4 inches and will stretch it to a 5 inch heel depending upon the occasion. I only wear a spike heel as I find a block heel to difficult to walk. Usually women find this to be the opposite. As I'm dressed and only known en-femme as "April" in business, I enjoy the luxurious feel of a very high heel from Jessica Simpson, Michael Kors, Coach, and Calvin Klein. With a 9 to 9.5 shoe size I'm able to buy off the shelf in the usual stores.
ReplyDeleteFrom day one heels I have found to be easy to wear 8 hours a day or longer. My theory - I was an ice skater for 40 years and the balance needed with spike heels must somehow translate to wearing heels with ease. Is that the secret? Women are shocked I'm able to wear and walk with ease high heels.
I take my cue from genetic women. I don't see very many such women over the age of 60 wearing heels for any occasion other than the most formal or festive events. I own two or three pairs to wear with the ubiquitous little black dress, but otherwise it's flats and sandals for me.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been wearing 3.75 to 4.5 inch heels for almost 10 years now. That’s: heel ht. – platform ht. I wear heels ALL the time, almost every day, up to 16 hours a day. I wear anything: wedge, block heels, stilettos and sandals to knee high boots. Women tell me they wish they could wear heels and/or walk as well as I can in heels.
ReplyDeleteI’m lucky and have women size 10-ish feet, so I have of the shelve availability most of the time. The most important thing a woman told me in the beginning was “life’s too short for heels that hurt.” And that says it all. I only buy heels that fit. I have shoe stretchers for high heels and used them to help shoes that needs that extra room to fit my feet perfectly, but it only works on non-synthetic materials.
I switched to women’s shoes 15 years ago because they fit my foot shape better than men’s ever did. It took me less than a minute to go from 2.5 to 4 inch heels.
Cali
I was never able to wear heels with a thin front for very long, but have many comfortable pairs with a modest platform (under 1"). The extra height is a bonus, but the real benefit is the extra padding under the ball of your foot.
ReplyDeleteThis all applies to any sort of heeled foot wear like sandals or boots as well.
Norah
The big part is fit. Heels accentuate things, your walk, your butt - and any discomfort in your shoes. A minor bother in flats is agony in a 4 inch stiletto. A good fitting pair of stiletto heels can be more comfortable than bad fitting flats.
ReplyDeleteOne point about the ladies that carry their shoes.... You can be comfortable walking in heels, but stilettos can be a hazard around subway sidewalk gratings, cobblestones, or sidewalk cracks. I once actually pulled out a loose air grate at a friend's home. I was privately VERY proud of my balance, in that I did not fall.
Being able to comfortably walk in 5+" pointy stilettos has been my greatest femulating accomplishment! I agree with the advice given here: it requires a proper fit and practice. One of my favorite things is to hear the intoxicating sound of high heels clicking on a tile floor and to look down and see they're on my feet👠🥰
ReplyDeleteWearing “heels” is a big part of feminity and even though the stilletto has sex appeal the open toe pump with a thin heel may be a sexier version. Now add stockings and the pleasure dome triples the experience. Then as Elise said i look down and realize its my legs and my heels click clacking across the marble floor. Whew!
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful stories and very helpful advice from so many kind sisters of our sisterhood. Everyone has warmed my heart today. Thank you all!
ReplyDelete