By Penny K
It happens to the best of us: you’re in 4-inch heels, looking every bit immaculate and put-together. Unfortunately, you step onto an uneven surface, lose your balance, wobble a little and fall. All semblance of glamour is lost in an instant. Fashion darling Agyness Deyn could tell you a thing or two about falling in heels as she recently fell twice on the runway at the Fashion for Relief show in front of millions of pairs of watchful eyes!
Walking in heels is an art much like ballerinas when they go en pointe for a performance. Way down below your feet are hurting bad, but from ankles up you’re supposed to look like it’s all a piece of cake. “This? psssh, I’ve done this too many times for it to hurt.”
So as to prevent walking in heels from becoming a dying art, here are some tips on how to walk and work the added height to your advantage!
The right fit
To walk in high heels without falling, select high heels that fit well. If they’re too large, you risk taking a tumble because your foot will slide around in them. If too small, they’ll be so uncomfortable, you’ll walk in an unnatural way – not to mention the onset of blisters! Shoes that fit are important, don’t believe us? Just ask Cinderella.
Practise makes perfect
If you’re new to high heels, spend some time practising in your own living room where watchful eyes can’t see how clumsy you feel. Try walking on carpeting and then on a hard floor. Next, practice going up and down the steps until you feel at home in heels.
Wear them out for short periods of time
Once you’ve mastered walking in heels without falling at home, wear your heels out for short periods of time. Don’t wear them to shopping, or if you’ve got a meeting that day. Your out and about shoes should either be flats or low heels.
Get reinforcements
Look at the undersides of your shoes, are they too smooth? Shoes with little grooves or too smooth surfaces are likely to be slippery and leaves room for imbalance and embarrassing falls. Send them to a cobbler and get rubber reinforcements so you’ll have a better grip when you walk.
Confidence is key
Once you’ve mastered walking in high heels, be confident when you step out in them. Attitude is half the battle won!
Don’t Be a Fallen Angel
Other ways to prevent yourself from falling!
Stay away from heels that are 6″ and higher. Increasingly, heels are made not for comfort but for art’s sake and if so, they’re better seen on runways, at museums or on the feet of people like Lady Gaga (read: the McQueen heels she sports in the “Bad Romance” video)
Use a guy. Get your boyfriend or a guy friend lend a helping hand especially on harsher terrain like stairs or uneven surfaces. If Gwyneth Paltrow had to have a bodyguard help her climb stairs when she debuted a pair of 6″ heels, you might need one too.
Get gel inserts. The more comfortable you are in your heels, the less likely will you wobble and keel over.
Wear platforms or wedges. People are split into two factions over these shoes: some love them others can’t stand the idea of them. If you can bear with them, give them a shot. These are infinitely more comfortable and easier to walk in.
Alternate with flats. Some days be a high flier, other days be grounded. Your feet couldn’t thank you more.
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