Is anyone else a complete idiot on heels?

[so there]

I don't usually wear heels....I think they hurt. But I bought some 3-1/2 inchers for our cruise because I love the way they look with a gown. I even got some of those gel inserts for the ball of your foot (wonderful...definitely makes a difference). Here's the deal, though....I can't walk in them without looking like some 3 year old playing dress up!!

 

What's the secret? Heel-toe-heel-toe? Just hang on your husband's arm and hope you don't need to go to the bathroom by yourself? Practice, practice, practice? I can't believe these things didn't come with an instructional video. :D

 

I've seen women walking around in them the way I walk around in tennis shoes. How do they do it?

 

Help me, ladies!

[Hoyaheel]

I'm not great in heels because I don't wear them often. However, when practicing (as I do before occasions when I'll be wearing them, as well as to break in new shoes around the house) I find that having a glass (or 2 or 3...) of wine helps me loosen up so my gait is more natural. Try not to lock anything--especially your knees--up. I know there was a similar post on this topic a few months ago--though I'm sure you'll get more responses here, you can also try searching for it to see what was recommended at that time;)

[NJDragonLady]

I just bought a pair of black (and sparkley) high heels and now I'm asking myself "how could you forget what a total clutz you are?"...I mean, I trip over shadows!! :) What was I thinking?? Maybe I was just mesmorized by the silver thread running through my pretty new shoes!! :D

 

I'm hoping that practice will be the key! Also, I plan to take an emory board to the bottom so they aren't slippery...and since I am going solo, I won't have a steady arm to keep me up! :eek: This could be bad...very, very bad. I must remember to wear a concealing garment under my gown...just in case!! Don't want to give any free shows...:eek: although that may end my 'solo' status!!:D

 

Good luck and I'll keep checking in to see if anyone actually has some helpful hints for those of us who aren't stilt walkers!!

[Jane110]

Here's a couple of "tricks" ....

 

Don't buy 3.5" heels. Those are too high for most. Stick with 2.5" to 3" heels.

 

Don't buy cheap shoes. I know that can be an issue for those who are only going to wear something a few times, but cheap shoes are poorly constructed. The sole is made from man-made materials, there's no padding in the ball of the foot and there's no attention given to making the right "last" because that cots money. (that's the slope between ball and heel).

 

High heeled shoes made in China are guaranteed to hurt your feet and those from Brazil follow close behind.

I can walk miles in a 3" heel - I do it all the time - but if I bought a pair from China I doubt I could make it from my stateroom to the dining room.

 

Buy shoes from Italy or France. Even Spain can be "iffy" as they make a totally different last that's designed to put all the weight on the ball of your foot. Even after that, make sure you buy shoes that are returnable and walk on carpeting in your house for a couple of hours to see how they feel. Once you find a brand that's comfortable, try to stick with them as they generally make things in the same factories.

 

For evening shoes I find Stuart Weitzman and Anne Klein brands to be amazingly comfortable and they're not priced stratospherically.

[so there]

I just bought a pair of black (and sparkley) high heels and now I'm asking myself "how could you forget what a total clutz you are?"...I mean, I trip over shadows!! What was I thinking?? Maybe I was just mesmorized by the silver thread running through my pretty new shoes!! :D

 

I'm hoping that practice will be the key! Also, I plan to take an emory board to the bottom so they aren't slippery...and since I am going solo, I won't have a steady arm to keep me up! This could be bad...very, very bad. I must remember to wear a concealing garment under my gown...just in case!! Don't want to give any free shows...:eek: although that may end my 'solo' status!!:D

 

Good luck and I'll keep checking in to see if anyone actually has some helpful hints for those of us who aren't stilt walkers!!

 

That is SO funny! And to think that I was actually planning on wearing nothing underneath.....no panties, no lines...solid reasoning, eh? I have to reconsider that now! Maybe it could be a good tip for single cruisers, though....way to hook a sugar daddy! :D

 

Okay...I'll start by drinking wine and walking around in these torture devices (good idea, hoyaheel!). Er....not this morning, though. Might be prudent to wait until later in the evening. ;)

[BlueHerons]

Here's a couple of "tricks" ....

 

Don't buy 3.5" heels. Those are too high for most. Stick with 2.5" to 3" heels.

 

Don't buy cheap shoes. I know that can be an issue for those who are only going to wear something a few times, but cheap shoes are poorly constructed. The sole is made from man-made materials, there's no padding in the ball of the foot and there's no attention given to making the right "last" because that cots money. (that's the slope between ball and heel).

 

High heeled shoes made in China are guaranteed to hurt your feet and those from Brazil follow close behind.

I can walk miles in a 3" heel - I do it all the time - but if I bought a pair from China I doubt I could make it from my stateroom to the dining room.

 

Buy shoes from Italy or France. Even Spain can be "iffy" as they make a totally different last that's designed to put all the weight on the ball of your foot. Even after that, make sure you buy shoes that are returnable and walk on carpeting in your house for a couple of hours to see how they feel. Once you find a brand that's comfortable, try to stick with them as they generally make things in the same factories.

 

For evening shoes I find Stuart Weitzman and Anne Klein brands to be amazingly comfortable and they're not priced stratospherically.

 

Excellent advice and very true.

 

Also, practice walking in them at home.

[cruzecrittor1]

Asked the DW on this one, since I don't wear heels. She said...don't torture yourself to look good.

[critterchick]

I agree with cruzecrittor1's DW! I normally don't wear anything over 1-1/2 inches (and usually wear flats or -gasg- clogs), but I have found some 2-1/2 inch heels that are like walking in flats, so bought another pair (I now have black and gold, thinking about silver). We like to dance, so the chance of falling is even greater for me, and there's only so much stumbling I can blame on the waves.:rolleyes:

 

All you can do is practice. I would alternate heel/toe with ball/heel just to see which works better. The problem with ball/heel is that you may end up looking like an out-of-work Latin-style dancer or as if you're walking on hot coals.:D

[NJDragonLady]

Very good advice...I will have to walk around this weekend in my pretty, pretty shoes and if it's no good I'll invest in a good pair of low pumps. My only problem is making sure that one pair will match all my outfits (I'll have three formal nights). I picked up black with silver thread running through it (about 3") but I may just try to get lower black to match with more.

crusecrittor1-even if we don't torture ourselves with the shoes have you ever seen the spanx garments up close...either way my friend there will be pain a plenty...I would just prefer not to fall in front of the entire dining room while trying so hard to look like a "Lady"!! :D

[Sassy Chassis]

Some of us can fall and break our feet while wearing flats :rolleyes: *heavy sigh* I don't see myself in heels anytime soon.

[CCCM]

Not that coordinated. On a date about 10 years ago, I was walking in a pair of 9 West about 3 inch heels down Boylston St. in Boston. Tripped on a cobblestone and landed flat on my face. That was the last date with that boy.......

 

Never bought a pair over 2 inches after that.

 

I found a pretty good pair of shoes for formal, now I work my clothes around that pair of shoes. Pathetic yes....but it works for me right now.

 

Good luck and I like Jane's advice.......

[SheltieLady]

I stick with heels that are 2-1/2" anything higher I'll fall and break my neck.;)

 

 

Christine

[judy&steve]

The October issue of In Style magazine has an article called "How to Walk In High Heels" It's on page 371 and gives the "steps" to comfortable walking.

Here's the gist of the article --

1. Keep your shoulders back and head up.

2. Take short steps going down evenly on the foot and heel Do not walk heel to toe, because you could break the heel (shoe) or twist your ankle

3. Spread your toes in the shoe slightly to distribute the weight onto the ball of the foot.

4. Don't stiffen up when you walk. Let your hips swing in small, figure 8 motions.

 

--Judy

[Happy ks]

The October issue of In Style magazine has an article called "How to Walk In High Heels" It's on page 371 and gives the "steps" to comfortable walking.

Here's the gist of the article --

1. Keep your shoulders back and head up.

2. Take short steps going down evenly on the foot and heel Do not walk heel to toe, because you could break the heel (shoe) or twist your ankle

3. Spread your toes in the shoe slightly to distribute the weight onto the ball of the foot.

4. Don't stiffen up when you walk. Let your hips swing in small, figure 8 motions.

 

--Judy

 

Judy, that sounds about as easy as my "how to hold your head so you don't have double chins or look like your having a booger check" advise.

 

I'm hardly ever in heels, it's just not practicle or even allowed where I work. So, when I do, I call them senseless shoes (vs. sensible shoes). The husband comes in handy, of course at times he's draggin me instead of assisting :rolleyes: .

 

OK, off I go to practise, the kids will love watching this.

[derf5585]

While high-heels are marketed almost exclusively to women, a small percentage of men today wear heels for various reasons,

from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_heels

 

How To Walk in High Heels

from

http://shoes.about.com/od/fashionfootwear/ht/walk_high_heels.htm

 

Still Think High Heels are Worth It?

from

http://www.acfas.org/press/press-releases/pumpbump.htm

[AlohaPride]

I actually have a harder time walking in 1.5-2 inch heels than I do walking in 3 + inch heels. Of course, I usually don't buy stilettos. I prefer:

 

 

 

or

 

 

My favorite brands are DKNY, Franco Sarto, Carlos Santana, and Steve Madden. As long as you have a sturdy heel, there should be no problems. Then again, I wear heels every day.

[derf5585]

Is there a good reason?

[Host Star]

living in florida i've be come flatfooted from being barefoot or in sandals. or crocs.. let's see.. if my formal gown is long enough, i can go barefoot and noone will ever know :)

[judy&steve]

Judy, that sounds about as easy as my "how to hold your head so you don't have double chins or look like your having a booger check" advise.

 

I'm hardly ever in heels, it's just not practicle or even allowed where I work. So, when I do, I call them senseless shoes (vs. sensible shoes). The husband comes in handy, of course at times he's draggin me instead of assisting :rolleyes: .

 

OK, off I go to practise, the kids will love watching this.

 

Don't shoot the messenger!!:p

I just got these from my stuart weitzman trunk show purchase. They are going right back!!

http://www.stuartweitzman.com/store/item.asp?department_id=74&variant_id=504&item_id=875

(I couldn't cut and paste the photo) They are called James and I got them in Charcoal. they are really really pretty. But, they were too wide in the foot, too tight in the toe. The heel and sole are crepe, which I remember way back in the 70s as being deceptively dangerous. And, I measured the heel, it was more like 4 inches than 3!

Judy

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

living in florida i've be come flatfooted from being barefoot or in sandals. or crocs.. let's see.. if my formal gown is long enough, i can go barefoot and noone will ever know :)

 

I'm totally in the same situation. I don't think I can manage anything higher than a kitten heel and even that is a challenge. Last cruise I ended up barefoot because I tried a sling back heel. Should have known better. The back strap kept slipping under my heel and hurt. I quit those shoes and hoped no one noticed my bare feet under my long skirt.

[lovebug33]

Don't buy anything new! I have a hard time walking even with no shoes on, let alone heels and stairs. I am terrified of falling. So, even though I was tempted by a pair the other day, I am wearing my trusty black 1 in heels that I have had for two years and never fallen in!

[Sassy Chassis]

I wore a heel today (yes, just one) but it was attached to a nice sturdy loafer. ;)

[Jane110]

Don't shoot the messenger!!:p

I just got these from my stuart weitzman trunk show purchase. They are going right back!!

http://www.stuartweitzman.com/store/item.asp?department_id=74&variant_id=504&item_id=875

(I couldn't cut and paste the photo) They are called James and I got them in Charcoal. they are really really pretty. But, they were too wide in the foot, too tight in the toe. The heel and sole are crepe, which I remember way back in the 70s as being deceptively dangerous. And, I measured the heel, it was more like 4 inches than 3!

Judy

 

I see that they say the heel is 3" and though I'm sure you were correct when you measured it at 4", the difference is caused by the platform which appears to be an inch thick, thus making the heel 3" high in relation to the bottom sole of the shoe.

 

Why are crepe heels and soles dangerous? I've never heard that.

[Jane110]

Is there a good reason?

 

Huh? Read the first article you linked to.

[Josie1]

To reduce the risk of slipping and falling, make sure that the shoe fits your foot very securely. Too-tight shoes are miserable, but too-loose ones are dangerous. If your foot slips around in front, add an insert or slip stops. If the back of the shoe or strap slips a bit, add those stick on things (you can cut them to fit). These should be done for minor adjustments only. The tip about roughing up the sole is also good (I usually do this by walking around on the driveway for awhile - only after I'm sure I'll keep the shoes of course).

 

Check the hem of your dress to make sure there are no gaps that the heel could catch. Some of my "closest calls" have been from this problem.

 

Slow down the pace of your walk, it's safer and looks more elegant too!

 

Finally, never start down or up and stairs without holding securely onto the rail. Be aware that unless there's a strap across the top of your instep, the shoe can easily slip off of your foot as you go up or down stairs.

 

p.s. How in the heck to you swing your hips in "small figure 8 motions"??? I just tried it and laughed so hard I had to sit back down. Hope no one puts their back out trying this!