The High Heel How To

I get asked rather alot about how to walk in high heels. For some people it's second nature - I have always worn heels, even as a kid I insisted my shoes have a heel. But some people need a little help. So here are my tips on conquering heels!

Slow And Steady Wins The Race
The sooner you accept the fact that you will never get anywhere fast when wearing heels, the better off you'll be. Wearing heels effectively means you must build in an extra half hour for going anywhere. You might not exactly win the race, but at least your reach the finish line in one piece!

Make Like A Horse
And trot. Many a girl has fallen victim to the totter, under the misguided belief that she will get to her destination much faster if she takes lots of small, quick steps (see above). This can be a costly error in judgement. Not only does tottering look beyond ridiculous, you are dicing with death because by concentrating on taking small, fast steps this means you are not able to negotiate your surroundings for topple potential. No, you must trot. This involves taking larger strides, in slower motion and you lift your foot slightly higher than normal. Imagine the street as a catwalk and you are a model. Trot with your head held high. Not only will you look graceful, you posture will mean you look much taller and leaner (obviously the heels help!).

Know Your Enemy
It's true that any surface that is cobbled, broken, cracked or uneven could spell complete disaster for you, but a much stealthier enemy awaits you, ready to take you by surprise and take you down! The side sloping pavement. The SSP is one of those pesky traps where the slope is not the length of the pavement, but the width (so it is essentially higher at one side that the other). This tricky beast has caused many a high heel soldier to be wounded in battle. You rarely see the SSP coming, it's only once you're on it do you realise your error, but by that time it's too late to go back, you just need to press ahead. Should you find yourself on an SSP, then the best thing to do is walk along the bottom end of the slope...slowly.

Know Your Limits
This may seem rather obvious but many a girl has been seduced by a pair of 5" stiletto's only to be reduced to tears after wearing them for 20 minutes. Whilst heel height limitation should be always be considered, you must also consider the heel type. A pencil thin stiletto may look gorgeous, but unfortunately they are the most lethal of all heels. I  have come to realise that most heights can be accomplished providing the heel is reasonably thick. A thick heel will provide you much more stability for negotiating uneven terrain. Platforms are also a godsend. Not everyones cup of tea, but it's worth noting that a platform shoe not only affords you the ability to go higher, it also makes your legs look thinner. That can only be a good thing, right?

Don't be fooled by wedges though. You may think that because there's a whole lot of sole there that you will be most steady on this type of shoe - that is not always the case. If you find yourself on an uneven surface then a wedge will mean that you can only rock over the surface, whereas on a heeled shoe the heel can find itself steadied by pressing itself in between the offending uneven surface, which will give you more balance.

Call For Backup
Whilst I simply love high heels, I know that as long as I have rushing around to do I will always need to have a pair of flats handy. Back in 2007 BD (Before Dogs), I would wear flats going to work and carry my heels in my bag. I'd then change into my heels at work and just take them off when I was heading home (rushing to catch the bus). I could wear my heels when out for lunch because I knew I wasn't walking far. Now I have the dogs I have to rush home every lunch time, so my heels are confined to wearing in the office.

Well, that's pretty much my heel wearing advice. Everyone will have their own ways and how-to's but these simple rules have always worked for me. Good luck soldier!

Queen Michelle

Comments

[Stephie]

Oh this is such a fabulous post - I've only stuck with heels for the past three years and everything you've written applies for my experience - especially these:

(a) The thicker the heels, the better to walk in.
(b) longer strides, better posture.

Thanks for thinking of this topic!

[Swen]

One VERY important tip when walking in heels.... try to swing your hips from side to side, placing your feet in a straight line in front of the other (like they do on the catwalk) Don't exagerate obviously, but it does make your walk more natural....
My teacher always gave that tip to the new and young models who never tried on heels before and had to walk on the catwalk in enormous stiletto's (thank god I do menswear because heels and some girls are just not made for eachother)

[Duana]

Also, practice! I wear new scary-high heels when I go to a huge edge-of-town supermarket. It's flat, you're only going to walk slowly, and you have a trolley to hang on to!

I also find that some shoes, particularly the cheap sort I buy, have really smooth soles which makes walking on smooth surfaces tricky. I take them to a shoe menders and ask them to stick on a rubbery sole. It's a touch less glamourous but better than falling on your a*se in a shopping centre!

[Elisabeth]

Fantastic post - love it!

[poppy lee]

Great post. I am SO in agreement with all the tips.

The bigger and clumpier the better.

And I like the fact you mentioned the deceptiveness of the wedge. I aquired my first pair in ages last week. I fell over in them a few days later!

[k-line]

Love this post! I am a fan of the wedge (of sensible height) because it gives me a little lift and enables me to walk everywhere. I agree, they can be deceptively stable, but are still much better than any of the alternatives, IMO. Thanks, K

[Jenna]

I'm just wondering Queen Michelle: how tall are you? I envy your shoes in the photos on a regular basis and was wondering. I'm over six-foot-two and to be honest, I'm sick of flats, flat booties and trainers. On the other hand, when I even have a low heel on, I literally TOWER over everything and everyone and seem to cause a sensation wherever I go (which is nerve-wracking for me, not flattering). What's your take, or anyone else's here, on tall girls and heels?

[Queen Michelle]

Well I'm about 5ft 7" or 8" and frequently wear 4 - 5" heels, so I can tower above people too. Obviously not quite as much as you! I personally LOVE seeing tall girls in mega high heels. You guys just OWN the floor when you do. It's just amazing. I say go for it. If I were taller, I'd still wear high heels.

[una]

My mother, a passionate lover of high heels, even her slippers have a heel, says I'm a natural, maybe it's her genes, I can trot in high heels like I'm wearing flats, the problem is and not many people mention this problem I have a bit of a flat foot and it's useless, there is only a certain limited amount of time I can wear them without having excruciating pain. The back up tip is the most precious of them all.

[E]

Another thing to note is one foot arch's height. An higher arch means an easier time walking in high heels (ask any ballet dancer). I have very high arched feet, so walking in high heels is way more comfortable than walking in flats (the pain!). As a corollary, a girl with flat feet will probably not be able to walk comfortably in very high heels (kitten heels might be an option). Very small feet might also make walking is very high heel impossible (as the slope of the foot is exaggerated because of its short length).

To the six foot tall girl: I'm 5'9 and my two closest friends are 5'11 and 6'. We all wear heels (though I'm the only one who is always on at least 3 inches of heel; they on the other hand tend to opt for kitten heels). Sure, we get noticed and tower over nearly everyone, but you can't really avoid that if you're tall, no matter the heel height. Be proud! Oh, and even kitten heels do a lot for your calves and lower back, visually speaking. Personally, I would never opt for flat shoes if there's a low heel version available (unless we're talking sneakers).

I think heels like those would look lovely on a very tall girl like you (if you like wedges): http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=true&itemCount=60&id=13810965&parentid=W_SHOES_SALE&sortProperties=+product.marketingPriority,-product.startDate&navCount=14&navAction=poppushpush&color=

[Jenna (aka the tall girl)]

so much input, thanks for that. I wish my girlfriends would wear heels like you gals, then I wouldn't be two heads taller than them when we go out. But here in downtown Berlin, everyone still seems to be running around in pixie boots... Yeah, it's the staring that drives me nuts sometimes. Sometimes more than the fact that I have a ridiculous time getting fashionable shoes in my size (EU 43, which is a UK 9 / US 12)! Anywho, I will continue to admire all the heels here, I adore this blog!

[natty]

I love this post! Very informative and funny : )

My top tip (me being the girl that went over on a high heeled pair of shoes 4 times in one evening and ended up spraining an ankle!) is to get plastered. that way you wont be able to feel a thing and if they do hurt, you wont particularly mind walking around bare foot whilst someone nicks your prize shoes from where you left them (this actually happened to me too!).

Maybe I should stick to flats.

[Angelsrushin]

I completely agree with Natty! I wear heels alot, but for some reason I always feel I walk better in them when I'm drunk, I guess it's just because I'm more comfortable and not as self conscious! I do have a reputation for falling down alot, so maybe drinking isn't the best of ideas! And I do generally end up walking home bare footed unless I've brought along emergency pumps!

[Swen]

Jenna,

I'm 6' and I wear platforms,and my motto is: the higher the better. when in the UK, I tend to tower over everyone, but I moved back to The Netherlands, so everyone is as tall as me. Nevertheless, I can imagine feeling a bit of a freak when wearing super high heels with that height. (Because sometimes I really do when being in the UK) Just opt for a medium heel without platform, and find yourself a tall guy, that always helps. My guy is 1.95cm and I can wear anything and still be shorter than him :)

[Anika]

I love heels, but they are not really practical for everyday wear, at least not now. They are definitely not made for walking from one class to another and all the looong (that's subjective..) way home.

[buttonsandstars]

I wear heels most of the time these days. I love the height they give me! I'm about 5'7-8 too, and my favourite heels are 4 and a half inches tall. I really don't mind towering over people! I actually rather like it :)
I love to see tall girls in heels. It makes them look so confident in their own skin. I have a friend who is 6' and I'm always trying to persuade her to wear her heels more. She looks amazing in them!

[Row]

Video. You definitely need a video. How to trot and why not to totter - oh please!!!

[Gwen]

My issues with heels is not how to walk in them elegantly but how to walk in them for a long time without sore/aching arches. Or maybe I just have flatter feet so heel-wearing can never last that long. I always wonder how the other women do it (quite effortlessly) who walk up and down in the city all day in heels. I wish I could be more like that and French Soles wouldn't have been my best friends.

[Natasha]

My best advice on walking in heels is to be able to spontaneously balance-shift from your heel to the balls of your feet as you walk. Also, one must always let the heel hit the ground first and kind of roll forward on the foot.

[Eugenie Bling-Bling]

Thank you for this excellent article!
I love heels and wedges and am currently trying to improve the way I trot, taking inspiration from catwalks. Speaking of catwalks, the last Burberry show (FW08) was quite dreadful to watch: even experienced models seemed hesitant on their heels.

[Becky]

This article is basically GOLD. Down with cobbles! Up with Queens!

Becky.

[White Witch of the Runway]

Great blog - Being a Louboutin groupie I could relate. I think the other thing to say is - find the designer who works well with your own Arch. I can't wear Jimmy's for this reason, Manolo much better but Louboutin is the best. I can wear those 5 inchers for hours as they follow the curve of my particular foot very well!

[Queen Marie]

Angelsrushin! where have you been hiding?

DO NOT WALK IN YOUR BARE FEET AT NIGHT EVER AGAIN- far far too dangerous. x

[lady lisa]

Jenna, please wear your heels with pride, no matter how tall you are!!!

I'm a huge fan of flats but being 5'2 and bit (don't forget the 'bit'!) I am a little on the short side (good for hiding but not very good when showing off a new frock!).

Two years ago I thought I should get into heels and gain some height (I may be small but I'm big in stature!). I started off on wedges which are brilliant but recently I've gone for 4-5 inch vintage heels and they are fab! I started off looking a bit like Jack Lemmon in 'Some Like it Hot' but I've managed to progress when I was given some good tips: "hips out, ass in and stride - big steps" I seem to be doing ok, no broken ankles (so far!), thanks for the post Michelle, top high heel tips a-go-go! xxx

[enc]

Perfect warning about the SSP. Nice post all around.