To ask how to walk in heels??

[sezamcgregor]

What am I doing wrong?

I put shoes on - and then walk around nearly falling over.

I just don't get it.

[Xcountry]

Wedges are the way for me. I passed y driving test in wellies and that's all I really wear but if I am going out wedges work for me

[LumpySpacedPrincess]

I wore heels for years, all through my pregnancy. Then I thought sod that for a game of soldiers. I now wear lovely flats and I am free free free!

If you really want to walk in them then you just stride forward with confidence and ignore the pain.

[Lovecat]

No, no, no! Foot down flat - place it! If you try to put heel down first you will very soon break your beautiful shoes as they bag open around the ball of your foot with each step!

Stand straight. Hips tucked under, stomach in. Swing the leg from the hip and put the foot down in one go. Heel and toe together. Try to put your feet down like you're walking along a straight line in a drunk test on a balance beam. Do not fight the sway/wiggle of the hips, as someone has already said above. It will take a wee bit of practice but if done regularly you'll soon get the hang of it*

This is how my mother was taught in the 1940's at Stafford Girl's Grammar School and it is how she taught me (and paying it forward I have taught several men...:o ) . I can run, jump, dance and stand for hours in a good pair of heels with no ill effects - putting your heel down first will a) look weird b) throw your posture out and c) break your shoes!

*feminist disclaimer - I am well aware of the arguments surrounding heels and agree with most of them. But I do like dressing up....

[Lovecat]

aargh, epic post fail - No no no wasn't to you, LSP (love the nn), it was to everyone on the first page of the thread saying heel first!

[gordyslovesheep]

sorry but it IS heel first - you don't then balance on the heel you very quickly follow with the whole foot

if you put the whole foot down in one you will look like a knock kneed man in drag

[AntiDistinctlyMinty]

That whole 'put the foot down flat' walk always makes people look really daft! There's a weird thing that happens with your knees when you do it, as if you're walking uphill on a flat surface. You can always tell the people who're trying - they're the ones who walk like Bambi

[KoalaDownUnder]

So...does no one else find that their ankles bend outwards when they try to walk in heels, then? How the heck are you supposed to balance your whole body weight on a spike heel, even for a microsecond?

I don't get it.

(And my mum can walk in heels just fine!)

[HannerHet]

I can walk in them fine, but they just hurt too much to wear all night. How do you all do it? My feet are killing me after an hour or two

[mrsleomcgary]

I wore converse under my wedding dress I'm so useless in heels. I have a few pairs I can last a few hours in but I'm that woman at a wedding that kicks my heels off as soon as the band starts (and walks home bare foot)

[fluffyraggies]

• Get a pair that really fit well (snug fit). Any slip will make your toes try to keep them on rather than do the balancing.
  

• Get a pair which have heels which touch the ground at around the center of your 'heel ball'. Anything which reaches too far forward beneath the foot or too far back will feel odd.
  

• Go up in height gradually. Get used to a 3'' heel before going up to 4'', 5'' etc.
  

Practice, practice, practice.

At first get used to walking around the house. Wearing heels is NOT like bombing around in flats, especially while you are getting used to them. You do have pay a little attention to where you are putting your feet, slow down a bit, and be ready for it to feel weird.

Your ankle strength/stability is what is stopping your feet 'turning over' or 'falling off' heels. So pay attention to your posture, think about the length of your stride (shorter strides = easier on the ankles).

Keep your chin up and try not to stoop. Your hips will be thrown forward and swing a bit. Go with it.

Walking in heels will NEVER feel like walking in flats - so don't wait for it to start feeling that way or think that you're doing it wrong because you still cant race around like in flats.

What it is is just a knack you learn and which you get accustomed to. There's no one big trick you're missing.

[QuietNinjaTardis]

Smaller steps and yes as you walk make sure you wiggle! I think that's why I can't wear heels so well anymore, I've lost my wiggle

[MaidOfStars]

Putting your foot down flat makes you walk crotch forward in a shaggy/hippy way that looks stupid. Toe-then-heel makes you look like a prancing pony. Heel first all the way for me, but you've got to be confident Decent expensive heels can make a world of difference to how secure you feel in them.

Koala My ankles can bend outwards in certain heels, and doesn't seem to be related to the height. I am a little bandy anyway so I probably get an exaggeration in heels. It happens less in those that are closed around the sides of my foot, compared to more open sandal types.

[fluffyraggies]

Oh the pain thing ...

Personally i only started experiencing pain the ball of my feet when wearing heels when i began wearing them less often. I think it's like your feet getting used to toe posts.

I used to wear 5 inch heels all day everyday at work, standing up and walking around. Jumping on and off the Tube, driving, whatever. No pain. Then i left full time work and only wore heels on nights out. Pain started.

You can buy those gel inserts, but be aware they push the foot up and back a little. Use shoe stretchers if your shoes are pinching your toes. My most glam stiletoes have had a spell with the big ugly wooden stretchers bunged in them

[KoalaDownUnder]

Some great tips here, BUT -

Your ankle strength/stability is what is stopping your feet 'turning over' or 'falling off' heels.

• there's my answer. My ankles wobble everywhere. They wobble manically if I try to stand on one foot in yoga. And they are scrawny as shite. I have no strength or stability.

[grocklebox]

its probably your sense of direction.
If you can't even find chat instead of aibu, you probably can't tell your arse from your elbow. Or your heel from your toe.
Stick to flats.

[PrincessBabyCat]

.

[AntiDistinctlyMinty]

Koala try holding onto the kitchen sideboard (or equivalent) and putting your feet together so they're parallel. Then go slowly up onto the balls of your feet (a slow count of eight) and back down again for the same count. Start with a slow count of four if eight is too much. Repeat that a few times each day (or whenever you can be bothered - I used to do it while I waited for the kettle to boil) and it'll really help with the strength in your ankles for yoga and/or heels.

We used to do that in ballet to help strengthen your feet and ankles for pointe work. I recommended it to my friend when she had to wear heels as a bridesmaid and she said it really helped

[KoalaDownUnder]

Cheers, Anti! I will give it a go!

[waceystills]

Get some great heels.

The LK Bennett sledge (with the wedge) are fabulous and so easy to walk in. They must fit well too and snugly like every one else is saying.

Work your way up in heel size, I wear 4 inches all day at work and they're a doddle.

[FreudiansSlipper]

look forward not down as then you can easily loose your balance

head up, shoulders back and chest out

so the weight is on your heel not on your toes

I always used to wear heels and have started to again far more comfortable than converse or flip flops

I do not like the very high shoes with chunky platform i do not need to make my legs look chunkier than they are. i prefer the lovely stilettoes around at the far more flattering

I love wedges too

[OnlyLovers]

Yep, agree with the wiggle thing. Walk in a figure of eight (placing each step in front of the previous one); it'll make your hips swing more (which is the point of heels, no? ).

Keep your legs as straight as possible. The Muppet walk in heels is down to people trying to let their legs bend as naturally as they would in flats.

And take a tip from the judges on Strictly and 'pull up' all the way through your core. It lightens your step and improves your balance.

That book someone linked to also recommends bare feet (sweaty bare skin adheres better and your feet won't slip forwards or sideways so much) and 'aisle-gliding' in the supermarket –go in your new heels and cling on to your trolley for balance and support.