by Alison Zeidman
My feet hurt. And yours probably do too, if you’ve also been wearing heels all day. But what are we supposed to do, not wear shoes that make us taller, make our legs look longer and thinner, and just plain make us feel hotter? No way.
Read on for some tips, tricks, and products that will let you walk a mile in your own severely fashionable—but ridiculously uncomfortable—shoes!
Don’t Actually Walk a Mile in Your Severely Fashionable but Ridiculously Uncomfortable Shoes
It’s a huge hassle to have to lug an extra pair of shoes in your bag, but if you have a lot of walking to do and you’re planning on wearing heels when you get to where you’re going, you need to. That’s not to say you should ruin your look with running shoes; I’m thinking something more along the lines of a ballet flat. Ballet flats won’t take up too much space in your bag, won’t ruin a fabulous outfit, and aren’t going out of style anytime soon.
Take Breaks
Even just standing in place for too long in your heels can be painful. If you can sit, do. I know you’re the most attractive woman in the room, but you don’t have to be standing on display to get people to notice that—everyone knows you’re spectacular, so just have a seat, give your feet a break, and they’ll come to you!
If you’re at work, free your feet while they’re hidden under your desk. There’s nothing so terrible your toes could have done to you that they deserve being crammed inside your stilettos all day long!
Get Some Inserts
Now that Stacy London (a notable stylist in her own right, plus co-host of TLC‘s What Not to Wear) has a commercial endorsing Dr. Scholl’s insoles, it’s no longer just cruel to your feet not to try some—it’s downright unfashionable. The Dr. Scholl’s For Her line has insoles and inserts for a variety of shoe styles and foot needs, so you can find something that’ll work for every pair you wear.
Do Something Weird
The Today Show recently had a segment that included an odd trick for wearing high heels: taping your third and fourth toes together! Supposedly, binding those toes will make your heels completely comfortable. The idea is that a muscle in your foot will align, making the ball of your foot “much more steady.”
I’m skeptical, and I’ve heard that the effect isn’t lasting (at least not all day), but anything that could lead to happier feet is worth a shot.
Learn to Love Wedges
Wedges give you everything you love about how you look in heels, but they’re far easier to walk in, and their structure ensures that no part of your foot is forced to support a grossly disproportionate amount of your weight. You won’t even notice you’re not really wearing heels!
Unfortunately, wedges can be tricky in their own right. They might not work for certain outfits or events (e.g. espadrille wedges by Tory Burch are iconic, classic, and ridiculously cute, but they’re definitely a more casual summer shoe). You also want to make sure you avoid wedges that look more disco platformish than wedgelike, unless you’re really committed to a retro look.
Have a Back-up Plan
You might have to accept that you just can’t wear your heels all day long, no matter how great they look. If you’ve spent the morning and afternoon trudging around in the same impractical footwear, by the time you’re heading out at night your feet might no longer be willing to cooperate.
If you’re totally, absolutely, completely against putting on flats, at least consider changing into a different pair of heels. Giving your feet something new from what they’ve had on all day might alleviate some pain, or at very least, give you pain in new areas that will distract you from the pain you’re already experiencing!
Practice Makes Perfect
Above all, the best way to be more comfortable in your heels is to keep wearing them. If you get in the habit of wearing heels regularly, soon they’ll just feel natural!
Tags: shoes
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