WERKING THE HEELS

Yes I know I know I know....I'm late. It's been a busy Fall...sorry. When fashion calls, I must answer! Well no more waiting - here it is. This blog is about one of my favorite topics: high heels. Oh how I love them! As much as I love wearing them, the topic also comes with a huge pet peeve: I hate when ladies buy high heels they can’t walk in or do not break in so they can walk in them properly. Or they just don’t have the dainty demeanor to pull them off and therefore look awkward. Don’t be that chick they shake their head at when you walk in the club. Don’t be a that “hold on” chick everyone laughs at (hold on as in you have to hold on to something or someone so not to bust your butt in the heels you know you shouldn’t have worn). I always say with good fashion comes a little pain and sacrifice. I mean most high heel shoe designs are not geared toward comfort. And that is why not everyone can wear 7 inch skyscraper heels. They make different heel heights for this reason. If you don’t wear them regularly how do you expect to get through an entire evening in them? I hate “the snail” chick. That is the chick that can’t lift her feet to take proper steps but instead has to drag her feet slowly so not to break her ankle. All you hear is her feet dragging and all I can think about is "you poor, poor shoe"! How do you wear heels properly? Well try this: *********************************************** Yes do take smaller steps but take steps none the less. Take small, slow steps, making sure not to bend your knees any more than you normally would. Don’t try to do a runway stomp. Just be you. You'll notice that high heels tend to shorten your stride naturally. The taller the heel, the shorter the stride ends up being. Don't try to fight this by taking bigger steps - stick with small, dainty steps which will make your walk look more natural and help you to feel more comfortable. ************************************************ Make sure you walk from heel to toe. The aim is to walk as normally as possible. When walking in flats, you don't walk on the balls of your feet or put your whole foot down at once. 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 tip toes, and push forward for the next step. ************************************************ Improve your posture, Ladies. Walking well in heels is very dependent on maintaining good posture. First of all heels require confidence. So you can’t slouch. You also need to pick up your feet. Shuffling as you walk defeats the purpose of wearing heels in the first place - Do you want better posture? *Avoid looking down when walking in high heels! Put your shoulders back and down and keep your arms relaxed at your sides. Swing your arms slightly as you walk for balance. *Keep your abdominal muscles engaged, sucking your belly button towards your spine. This will help your stand up straighter while also making your look slimmer. Bend your knees slightly, never lock them when walking or standing in heels. *Keep your legs close together as you walk and point your toes directly ahead. ************************************************ Get your model on and pretend you’re walking along an invisible line. Models will often cross one foot slightly in front of the other to give their hips more sway. A lot of women wear heels to look sexy. 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 RUNWAY. Try this: *One foot should come down directly in front of the other, with your toes pointing straight ahead. *Look at some videos of models on Youtube.com to see how the professionals do it. Then in a mirror, try to emulate what you see. *Runway models tend to over-exaggerate their walk, so you may want to tone it down a little for real life. ************************************************ Always break in your heels. I tell my models to do this before each show – never wait last minute to buy your shoes so you have times to break them in before you want to wear them. If you fail to break in your heels before your first time wearing them, you'll be destined for blisters and pain. 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, but you can also try: *Exposing your heels to different surfaces: You will likely need to walk on tiled floors, carpets and slippery, wooden floors at some point in your high heel wearing, so try to master them all. *Dancing is the best way to break them in. Wear them out to the club or a party where you know you're going to dance or be standing for a long period time. *Walking down the stairs. You definitely need to work on this one - stairs are the worst! Make sure you place your entire foot on each step as you come down the steps, but only place the ball of your foot on each step as you go up. Hold onto that railing gracefully but for dear life, just in case. *********************************************** Practice wearing your heels around the house. Wear your heels for a day around the house before you wear them out. This will not only allow you to get used to wearing them, but it will also create scuffs on the bottom so that they're less slippery. You will also be able to tell if you will need shoe grips for the bottom of the shoes – they stick right on (don’t get the cheap ones that slide off within 2 hours though). *********************************************** Practice standing in heels. Not only do you need to learn how to walk in heels, but you should also be aware of how to stand in heels. It may sound simple, but many women just don't know what to do with their feet when posing for pictures or standing around chatting at an event. This is where having comfortable shoes becomes very important. You don’t want to spend your evening shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot….although this is what I do when I am hosting an event and can’t sit down. I move from foot to foot as if I am dancing (I am not my feel just hurt *To stand correctly in heels, stand with the heel of one foot touching the middle of the other foot, while cocked at an angle from it. *Put your weight on the toe of the foot in back, and as soon as that foot gets tired, switch feet so that your weight is on the other foot. ************************************************ Shop wisely. Not all high heels are created equal and the ability to walk well in high heels relies heavily on choosing the right ones. Try them on. I know online shopping is the thing now, but really try on your heels to see how they feel. If you shop in the stores, always go shoe shopping at the end of the day. That is when your feet are slightly swollen from walking and at their biggest. Pick shoes that are suited to the shape of your foot - making sure the shoe is wider than your bare foot. Always try both shoes on in the store and take a walk around - if you don't find them comfortable immediately, then you probably never will. *********************************************** Start small and work your way up. It's probably not a good idea to choose a pair of 4 inch stilettos if you're not used to walking in heels - it's better to work your way up, increasing the height as you get used to how they feel. There are many different types of heels to choose from, varying in height, thickness and shape. Training your feet by starting out with small heels will allow your ankles to develop the strength they need to walk safely and gracefully in high heels. Begin with a shoe that has a low heel of about 2-3 inches. Try to go for wider heels (rather than skinny spikes) because these will provide more balance. Closed-in shoes can also be easier to walk in than strappy sandals as they provide plenty of support over your foot and around the heel and ankle. *********************************************** High heeled wedges are the easiest high shoes to walk in, as the heel is fully attached to the sole of the shoe, giving you increased balance and comfort. These are a great option if you want the height of a high heel, but don't feel ready for a stiletto or if you can't wear a stilleto. They are best worn in spring and summer - to wear to work, on holidays or to a summer wedding! *********************************************** Now if you want to wear the mother of all heels. Stiletto heels are also referred to as "spike heels" and include anything with a heel above 3-4 inches. These are the final step in your high heel training - once you've mastered walking in these, you'll be ready to take on the world! Get the right size. Choosing the right size shoe is absolutely essential when buying high heels. Be aware that different brands of shoes may be sized quite differently, so you might be a 7 in one brand, but an 8 in another. ALDO is notorious for their weird sizing – they don’t do half sizes. As a result and once again - you should always, always try your shoes on before buying. ********************************************** When in doubt, always go for shoes that are slightly too big rather than slightly too small. You can always make big shoes smaller by adding insoles and cushions, but your can't make small shoes bigger. Shoes that are too small will be terribly uncomfortable and you'll probably regret buying them. Remember to have your feet sized regularly, as your shoe size can change over time, especially as you get older. Your feet tend to get longer and wider as your arches begin to fall. ********************************************** 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! *Give your feet a break. When wearing high heels, the best advice you can take to prevent pain is just to sit down whenever possible! This will give your feet a break and will stop any pain or discomfort from building, keeping your feet fresh. *Cross your legs, sit up straight and stretch out your legs from the waist down. This releases the tension from your feet. And is also a great opportunity to show off your fabulous shoes! *Try not to take your heels off…NEVER TAKE THEM OFF! I know we all do this at times but trust me your feet will swell up and your feet will hurt even more when you try to put them back on again. ********************************************** Wear strappy or platform shoes if you are not comfortable in heels. It's a cool way to cheat -- Shoes with straps create security. They go around your foot and ankle for a more comfortable fit and they prevent your foot from slipping around too much inside the shoe, reducing friction and pain (and blisters). Platform shoes give you all the benefits of extra height, without the discomfort of feeling like you're standing on your tippy toes. Your foot is more parallel to the ground in a platform shoe - making them a great option for nights at the club or galas where you're standing most of the time ********************************************* If you aren’t a pro, don't wear high heels too often. High heels look fabulous, but they will have more of an effect and give you extra something when you save them for special occasions. If you wear them too often, blisters and bunions are more likely to form and you will also put pressure on your lower back. Your feet (and the rest of your body) need some time to recover. ******************************************** Buy shoes for your body type. Not all heels work for all heights and weight. You don't want to be out on the town when your heel breaks from the stress of your weight. Plus size women may find getting that trendy thin heel is 1) hard to find 2) not a good idea. A chunkier heel, a wedge or plantform may be the best look. Heels now come in larger sizes and widths -- so do your homework and make sure you get what is right for YOU. ******************************************** If you need to wear heels for work at least try wearing different shoes with varying heights.This prevent too much pressure or friction from concentrating on one particular spot and keep your feet feeling fresh – ******************************************* And lastly, if you are wearing open toe or open back shoes, please do everyone a favor and get a pedicure. Make sure your shoes fit properly so your toes are not pushing out of your shoes or pushing out the back and hanging over the shoe. Fashion is all about experimenting but it’s the right execution that leaves them stunned and awed!