High heels for dummies

One day once changed my life. I must have been about fifteen or sixteen years old. My All Stars were lying around somewhere or maybe my Kipling’s? Kipling was very hip in that day and age you know. I spotted one of those dangling little Kipling monkeys yesterday and asked myself how I ever considered this to be cool. Sigh, well, whatever.

On that particular day I slide a pair of heels on my feet for the very first time. Of course I had some practice on my mother’s heels, but these were the real deal, bought in a store, in my size. This was it, the answer to all my problems. I wasn’t very tall during my young years and little has changed with me just reaching 1,69 meters.

With that heel I didn’t only grow, optically I looked one size slimmer. From that moment on my heels and I have stuck together and up to this day people still ask me “How do you do it?” on a daily basis. It’s a matter of “just do it” dear people. It’s really not that hard.

1.Choose the right heel

Don’t torture yourself with 5 inch Jimmy Choo’s, even for professionals that’s stretching it. Go for a heel of about 3 inches, preferable with a broad base so it provides support. Give it a try and see how that feels.

2.A plateau can help

If you buy a pair of heels that have an additional plateau at the front of the shoe you get the lift without the drastic curving of the foot. Get what I mean? Your toes are lifted up as well; this softens the height of the heel.

3.On the sofa

Try spending an evening with heels on the sofa first. You guy will find this a welcoming change to your Ugg-slippers. It’s a way of getting used to the feel and when you’re off to the kitchen for a cuppa or a glass of wine, you can practice your walk.

4.Your heels love you, they are not your enemy

I see a lot of women stumbling around on heels. Especially at parties, after they’ve had four glasses of gin-tonic and are hauling a cab or looking for their bike (yep The Netherlands). Don’t think of your heels as your enemy, throwing them in the corner as soon as you’re in the front door. They are your friends, your true loves.

5.Wink with your tooshy

Stand up straight, bring the hips forward and dip into each hip just a little when walking. It’s like winking with your tooshy. Try imagining a cord of rope running from the top of your head to the bottom of your torso and pretend to pull it up, just like you learned at ballet class.

And all of a sudden you will notice there’s no more pain. And you can even cycle on heels, why not? Come on, you can do it. I’ll see you up there.