STYLE

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How to Walk in Heels and Not Fall on Your Face

June 22, 2016

Walking in these pretty medieval torture devices just got WAY easier. How the characters in Sex in the City spent hours running around New York City in heels without breaking a sweat is something I may never understand. The first time I attempted to run around the city in stilettos, I gave up halfway through the night about 5 blocks away from my apartment. Every step sent pain shooting into the balls of my feet. Dirty, grimey New York sidewalks be darned. I took those heels off and walked my tired barefeet home through Washington Square.* It was about then that I decided heels were just pretty medieval torture devices. Though I longed to walk in Jeffrey Campbell's looking like a cool modern-day Carrie Bradshaw, it took me years to overcome my stiletto PTSD. As I grew older, I learned a few tips to help ease the pain. It is completely possible to find amazing heels and dance, jump, and run in them all night without falling. Keep reading to steal a few tips on how to make your nights out in stilettos painless and fall-free. *Never do this.

7 Tips to Walk in Heels like a Queen

1. Step from Heel to Toe

It’s best to maintain your natural step when you walk in heels. Humans walk in flat shoes by placing their weight from heel to toe. When walking in heels, take the same approach and roll the weight of your foot from the heel, through the arch and to the toe.

2. Pose with Good Posture

This tip will help keep you upright. When walking in heels, imagine there’s a string that is pulling you up from the top of your head. This will give you more balance. You will stand taller, your legs will be straighter and your whole body will feel lighter.

3. Lean Back (Just a little!)

Walking in heels often means that you end up going at a slower pace than you want to go. If you find yourself craning your neck forward to compensate, then lean back just  a little to maintain your posture.

4. Look at Your Destination

You’ll look more graceful if you gaze at your end goal point as you walk. Taking your steps with purpose and confidence will impress any onlookers. Just be sure to also glance around for any grates or curbs that may be in your path. If you can master this, you will walk a queen.

5. Strengthen that Core

Surprise! There’s a reason why all you do all those planks in yoga. Your abdominal muscles help you to stand upright, so having a strong core will make walking (or running) in heels a breeze.

6. Scrape Your Bottoms

Use sandpaper to rough up the bottoms of your heels. The grooves created from the scraping will keep you from sliding on slippery surfaces.

7. Make Sure They Actually Fit

Shoes should be comfortable when you try them on. If they’re sore when you try them on, they’ll be even more painful when you're walking. Never pick out a shoe that’s just a little too big or small and think that you can make it work. Though stores sell inserts to make your miss-sized shoes fit better, these inserts almost never work. The only thing you should ever insert into your shoe is cushioning or padding for comfort. Your shoe should fit from the beginning. For more helpful tips and tricks, sign up for the MYSA newsletter now!
“The higher the heel, the closer to God.” -Adrienne Maloof, Reality Star & Heel Connoisseur

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