high heels conundrum!

rosarosa

Ladies, hi....

I've been visiting the forum, and love it! just haven't had anything to say yet.

Well, here's the thing. I know I'm a shoe freak and can't pass by any shoe store (cheap or not) without a look-see (just in case there's something in my size....., heh, heh), but I have a real problem in that I always end up buying heels, but never wear them! I have tried and tried, but just can't seem to get past the 2-hour mark with them on my feet. I've tried practising at home, even doing the house work in heels, but they get so uncomfortable I always end up in flats :mad:

I'm so jealous when I see girls out in gorgeous heels, and I've tried gel pads, the old band-aid on the shoe-edge trick, and even had my feet checked out by a doctor (who said I was ok). I now wear low wedge heels but I'd love to wear stilettos for a full night just once.....

How do you do it? Is it practise or what? Cos the hubby is threatening a bonfire of my shoes if I don't start wearing them (they are sadly, beginning to gather dust.....:(

allabouteve

[quote=rosarosa;55425472

How do you do it? Is it practise or what? Cos the hubby is threatening a bonfire of my shoes if I don't start wearing them (they are sadly, beginning to gather dust.....:([/quote]


I reckon its just practice. Try wearing them around the house for increasing amounts of time, 2 hours a day week 1, 3 hours week 2 etc. Its definitely worth it! Nothing in this world makes a woman sexier or more noticeable than stilettos. Especially if you're already fairly tall. Be prepared to be noticed!

watna

I always find that after a few drinks I feel no pain in my feet. It's only the next morning that I realise my feet are aching.

vodka is my solution!

Also, if I buy better made, more expensive heels then they don't really hurt. Cheapy shoes are agony.

Lil' Smiler

Hmm.... well I used to be that girl that could barely get passed the hour mark of wearing them!!

I injured my foot badly about 7 years ago in gymnastics and only in the last few months have I been able to wear heels all the time going out and for the whole night! I injured the big tendon in my foot so the one that runs into the big toe, so you know that boney bit on the top of your foot that runs down? that was permanently swollen & bruised so I was lucky if I could even fit into a pair of runners... I also have.... BUNIONS Yes, I'm 21 and have horrible horrible bunions like an old lady! my nana, mum and aunt have them so of course i got them.

I finally got my foot sorted this time last year with a pair of prescriptive Orthotics and have had SO much fun buying shoes!! If i fit into them and they're comfortable I buy them!! I even bought a pair of Zara shoes last week, I have never been able to get the bit of my foot with my toes into those shoes!!

My feet are sore today though, the bank holiday weekend and 3 nights of wearing heels isn't good for my feeties!! I think as long as the heel isn't too close to the other bit of the shoe i'm ok.. i have one pair from faith & they're quite high and have a certain shape... and they hurt my feets I cannot explain what i mean.. hopefully someone gets me!

rosarosa

I've tried the practice....no luck there.

I've tried the booze....agony in the morning (sort of defeats the purpose0

No difference b/wn cheap or expensive....feet still hurt!

A friend told me the bigger your feet, the easier it is????? I'm a size four (with a *bit* (coff! coff!) of a bottom. Is it all about balance? Like, the taller, slimmer you are, the better it is.

gcgirl

High Heels are very good for you feet really!! if you have falling arches wear heels even if your a guy:)

Clare Bear

Vodka is your friend :cool:

That or just suffer through the pain. It's the next morning that's the killer, ouch! Ah the things we do for beauty.

How Strange

Have been told by a physiotherapist to reduce the amount of time spent in heels and wear runners or flat shoes more or I'll have longterm foot problems

I'm 5ft 3 so heels really make a difference for me. Now, I'll be a short arse in everything

watna

How Strange wrote: »

Have been told by a physiotherapist to reduce the amount of time spent in heels and wear runners or flat shoes more or I'll have longterm foot problems

I'm 5ft 3 so heels really make a difference for me. Now, I'll be a short arse in everything

I feel your pain. I'm also 5ft 3" I spent two days in Dundrum over the weekend looking for casual black wide leg trousers that I didn't have to wear heels with. Every pair I tried on weere about 5 inches too long for me. I looked like a kid trying on her mum's clothes.

I managed to get a nice pair in Gap today that were designed to be "ankle Length". On me they're a little bit longer than necessary, but I figure it's the best I'll get. Is it just me or are trousers in all shops getting longer? No wonder I wear skirts so often. I hate being short, sorry, I mean petite!

I'm 5ft 9 and I end up with trouser leg puddles too. ~shrug~

rosarosa

watna, I know what you mean. The other side to the shoe thing is that I'm also short...I think you can see that my overall body picture emerging is not too flattering, hence my love of heels, as they add some sort of elegance to my frame.
M&S is the best for my height and body, since they do such a wide range of waist, length and leg width, but it's not very diverse in terms of colour and style. I usually only get work stuff from there. I find Zara and Debenhams aren't so bad for casual stuff, but I've yet to find a store that stocks a nice range of skirts that can be worn with flats. Most skirts I find are mid calf-length (shudder). Just the thing to make me look VERY dumpy and make my waist disappear.

watna

Moonbaby wrote: »

I'm 5ft 9 and I end up with trouser leg puddles too. ~shrug~

I'm not surprised at this. Some of the pairs I tried on were ridiculous, like elephant trousers. Where are all these tall women that these trousers fit?!

OP, are you short, I mean petite?:) I'm presuming you're not or you'd have more of an incentive to practice wearing heels! When I get new high shoes I walk around the house in them with really thick ski socks on for a few hours. This helps me break them in and I generally don't have problems with them after that. Have you tried this method?

rugbug86

I find if I use padding as a pose to gels. I got these funky (not!) ones in Arnotts one day - €4. Like bits of sticky foam insoles that go where the gel party feet go, and its like walking on heaven. I managed to wear stilettos for the entire of my aunts wedding (from 3pm til, well no-one is really sure ;-) ) and that included dancing!!

Have you tried starting with kitten heels and building up the height of the heel?

Or ones that aren't stiletto-ey, like office shoes where there's a wider heel? To get used to them?

allabouteve

Moonbaby wrote: »

I'm 5ft 9 and I end up with trouser leg puddles too. ~shrug~

Karen Millen and Pamela Scott are excellent for the vertically blessed, and House of Fraser for more formal work stuff.

rosarosa

I wear kitten heels sometimes. That's not too bad, but the thing is, I want to be able to sashay into a room with some fabulous heels on, without making sure there's a support near by!

Never tried wearing socks before. First time hearing about that. Will try it tomorrow!

Red Hand

That guy's in high heels now, is he? Jaysus...:p

Cathmandooo

Sorry havent read through all comments but here's my two cents:

It completely depends on the shoe, I find it's a lucky dip for me whether i can wear high heels all night or not. Depends how well made your shoe is, I'm not saying more expensive is better at all. For high heel boots i've found Dunnes boots to be great, can walk in them all night and never be sore.

Puddleduck

hmmm..okay apparently Im the only woman on the planet who lives in runners.. Im tall enough as is (not far off 6ft) and on the very odd occasion I wear heels I feel like a giant and tower over the OH. I still think they look pretty

RoseBlossom

rosarosa wrote: »

I have tried and tried, but just can't seem to get past the 2-hour mark with them on my feet. I've tried practising at home, even doing the house work in heels, but they get so uncomfortable I always end up in flats :mad:

I'm so jealous when I see girls out in gorgeous heels, and I've tried gel pads, the old band-aid on the shoe-edge trick, and even had my feet checked out by a doctor (who said I was ok). I now wear low wedge heels but I'd love to wear stilettos for a full night just once.....

My flatmate swears by hemorrhoid cream! She puts it on an hour or two in advance of the night out. I think she puts it in the fridge beforehand...

Just don't tell anyone!

Cathooo

Cathooo wrote: »

It completely depends on the shoe. i've found Dunnes boots to be great, can walk in them all night and never be sore.

I only have one pair of heels that don't induce amputation fantasies. They are from Dunnes and thank god they are classic and black.

I'm relearning the joys of heels at the moment. Definitely giving the socks and Prep H a crack.

Blush_01

All shoes love you more when you gradually break them in. There was a really interesting thing in one of the magazines free with one of the rags this sunday, giving the number of hours you should stop wearing shoes after (about 2 hours for ballet pumps as they're so flat - don't think that no heel is necessarily better than a heel!) and it opened my eyes a bit.

OP - like yourself, I don't wear heels often. Being 5'11" the whole heel thing is a bit of a weird one for me. I feel really wobbly in most heels. Plus, I'm a size 9 in heels, though I normally take an 8 in flats. So I feel like a mountain walking around on its peak in most heels. However, to get used to my lovely, lovely, falling apart heels (not the most expensive shoes I ever bought either!) I wore them for half an hour day one, 45 minutes day two, an hour day three... and so on. Tacking on a few extra minutes every day was the key. If you go from nothing to one hour, spend a week doing that and then jump to two hours, from my experience, your feet still suffer every time you move up a step. By pushing just a little bit extra every day, the whole thing never came as a shock to my feet.

Carrying a pair of really flexible flats in your handbag if it's big enough is also a great idea for day-to-night events.

The Sweeper

Yes to flats in the handbag. That's vital.

Make sure the shoes fit you. Even pointy toe high heels shouldn't start to taper to a point until AFTER your toes fit into them. Buy a bigger size if they don't work.

Ginny

It totally depends on the shoe, I have 6 insh heels from Office i can run around in but then have 3 inch heels I can't walk 2 feet in.
Try in the shoes, make sure they have adequate support in the base and heel, and get your foot refitted, most girls haven't done this for years.
I have a problem in the fact one of my feet is a 4 and a half and the other is a 4 and 3/4s which means I have to buy 5s.
I am a shoe whore and have about 100 pairs.
Its about looking after your feet day to day too, make sure you moisturise going to be and massage them every now and again, I also tend to walk around either barefoot at home or just in socks to give them a rest.

lizann

rosarosa wrote: »

Ladies, hi....

I've been visiting the forum, and love it! just haven't had anything to say yet.

Well, here's the thing. I know I'm a shoe freak and can't pass by any shoe store (cheap or not) without a look-see (just in case there's something in my size....., heh, heh), but I have a real problem in that I always end up buying heels, but never wear them! I have tried and tried, but just can't seem to get past the 2-hour mark with them on my feet. I've tried practising at home, even doing the house work in heels, but they get so uncomfortable I always end up in flats :mad:

I'm so jealous when I see girls out in gorgeous heels, and I've tried gel pads, the old band-aid on the shoe-edge trick, and even had my feet checked out by a doctor (who said I was ok). I now wear low wedge heels but I'd love to wear stilettos for a full night just once.....

How do you do it? Is it practise or what? Cos the hubby is threatening a bonfire of my shoes if I don't start wearing them (they are sadly, beginning to gather dust.....:(

Did you try adding gel cushions or pads??????

Femelade

You should try getting a size bigger and throw in some really cushiony insoles?? maybe even 2 sets of insoles?

Unaton

Seen girls with 4 inch heels! Don't they know what they are doing to their hips and feet!? Scary.

I have several pairs of heels, don't mind wearing them and I've kinda gotten used to those 2 extra inches. I'm average height, 5ft9, but I really don't feel the need to wear 4inch heels just to look that tall.

roberta c

Never really got the whole heel thing.. worn them a few times to the debs and weddings, dont think I'l wear them again though. I dont like what they do to my posture, and i really dont like pointless pain!
I'm 5"5 so i wouldnt need them for height, I feel stronger and more able in flats, I'd also hate the idea of not being able to run properly in an emergency!
My advice would be to not bother putting yourself through pain!

my 2c worth anyways!

rosarosa

Well, am trying the socks thing right now, lets see how that goes after a couple of days.

I do take care of my feet and sleep with lotion and cotton socks on (when I remember), but I don't know if that really makes a difference. I never wear socks or tights during the day as I can't stand the feel.

Good point about the shoe re-fitting. I don't think I've had that done since I was in secondary school. I guess that needs to be done too.

angeldelight

I've recently lost 3 stone and found it's made a huge difference to lots of things, one of the main ones being my ability to wear heels for longer without crying. I can now wear higher heels and for longer because the amount of pressure being put on the balls of my feet is so much reduced... now I just need to lose another few

SarahSassy

From years of pain, tears and experience I think its down mainly to the width of the she (who said girth isnt everything?? ).

I have pointy toe boots which cripple me and other boots the same height as the pointy toe ones which are broader over the foot and I could walk in them for weeks...

If you think they feel tight when you try them on then dont buy them. They seldom stretch enough.

Yours

The shoe addict

connundrum

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

That guy's in high heels now, is he? Jaysus...:p

echosound

I find I can only do heels if the shoe is "secure" on my foot - ie boots are grand, as are sandals with straps across the bridge of my foot, but slip on heeled shoes are a mare for me as I either slip out of them at the heels on every step or I don't feel secure in them, like I'm more prone to wobbling/stumbling or putting my ankle out.
Will have to find a pair of heeled shoes with straps across them, like a nice t-bar court or something. Problem is I have ridiculously broad feet so finding shoes with straps that don't look like orthopedic shoes for a flat flooted clown-granny is hard. Having said that, I tend more towards converse runners anyway. I only tend to do heels under trousers for work.

OP - try the wearing them around the house with thick socks on to break them in. I do this when it's a pair of highheel shoes I have to break in (eg for under a dress for a wedding etc where flats just wouldn't look right) otherwise I just leave them behind in the shops and go for the kitten heels.

mollybawn

I thought I was the only one, so it's good to know there are other gals out there with the same problem. It's definitely tougher when you're small and butty with size 36 feet, - the only hope you have of looking any way dressed-up is to wear heels. Bought a pair again lately after giving up in agony and despair years ago. These are "Sixty-Seven" brand, - never heard of them before, and you know what - they are actually comfortable!!!! Only at the "wear around the house" stage yet but I think I might be able to get through a night in them.

amtc

not sure if this will be helpful but am size 36 and 5 foot 7 and 10 stone - can walk all day in 4 inch heels. even climbed ayers rock in them. even have high heeled slippers!

can't wear flats. think to do with doing ballet which shortened muscle at back of leg. Personally i would recommend dune for shoes, great. also find river island good but dunnes shoes only start in a 37.

The Sweeper

I'm 5ft 7, 38 feet, and the wedge heel is the best invention in the world. Because of how I walk, I angle my heel forward into the ground before my toes follow, and I practically kick into the ground when I do it.

As a result, I can't buy high heels at all where the heel joins the sole at a right angle. I have to have those heels that join the sole at a sort of curved angle, so that if you were to look at the shape of the shoe from the side, the inside of the heel would join the sole as an 'r', not as an 'l'. If I buy the 'l' shapes, I nearly break the heel off the back of the shoe.

Subsequently I find wedges really comfortable - 3-4" heels no problem - they don't even have to be a wedge where they have a full sole in contact with the ground. They can just have a blocky arch bewteen the heel and the shoe. If it makes a sturdier shoe, I can sprint in them.

Some of my favourites - 3.5" wedge sandals, brown crossover leather straps and a cork-style wedge heel. Red leather peep-toes with an arch wedge and a bow on the front. Black knee-high suede block wedge boots - I can sprint in these, they are a blessing in winter.

I find tiny, delicate high heel sandals just aren't going to work for me. I'm a size 12-14 in clothes, but I've got a more muscular frame so I'm heavy. Heavy + size 38 feet = feeling like the shoe is going to give way under your foot.

Red Hand

connundrum wrote: »

Well, you were bound to turn up in this thread!:pac:

Aristophanes

hey i've just found this forum and loving it so far!

i used to have real problems walking in heels, even low-ish ones with ankle straps etc but recently i've found a trick which really helps...it sounds a bit odd but if you try and draw youself up to be as tall as possible, as if there's a string attatched to your head, you sort of glide along! whenever i'm wearing heels and feeling a bit wobbly it seems to work. might be psychological but worth a try i suppose!

Babette08

Haven't read all the posts but IMO the best thing you can do is alternate different heights, types etc and give your feet a break every now and then

I'm very petite but can't wear very high heels. I've pretty much lived in wedges, or stillettos with a slight platform for years. Office and Buffolo have some really cute ones. Although these look really high there's less of a dip for the base of your foot to deal with so much more comfy. Some gel insoles and your good to go;)...oh and don't forget the vodka

Mrs_Doyle

high heels conundrum!

Well now, for a second there I thought this thread was gonna tell me that 'MY' connundrum had been seen wearing high heels

Pythia

Lil' Smiler wrote: »

I finally got my foot sorted this time last year with a pair of prescriptive Orthotics and have had SO much fun buying shoes!! If i fit into them and they're comfortable I buy them!! I even bought a pair of Zara shoes last week, I have never been able to get the bit of my foot with my toes into those shoes!!

How do you get the Orthotics to fit into heels? I find htey don't fit properly.

rain on

Blush_01 wrote: »

So I feel like a mountain walking around on its peak in most heels.

I can't stop laughing at this.. such a funny mental picture It is quite how I feel in heels. Or else I get kinda scared at how far away the ground is, and start wobbling like crazy. The only shoes I have that aren't totally flat have about a 1.5 inch heel, and I even manage to fall off them. I'm a pretty clumsy person and my feet basically have a mind of their own. I'd like to try and train them into heels though.

rosarosa

Well, the progress so far is this:

I used the socks on a pair of 3-inch slip-ons the last couple of nights. tried to wear them this evening. It wasn't so bad in terms of fit (none of that tight feeling), but they tended to slip off when I tried going to the bathroom. Had to sort of shuffle and hope it didn't look so obvious. Maybe I'll be going for lighter socks in future.

No pain though, hurrah! but then, I wasn't dancing or anything. More work needs to be done!

Femelade

RoseBlossom wrote: »

My flatmate swears by hemorrhoid cream! She puts it on an hour or two in advance of the night out. I think she puts it in the fridge beforehand...

Just don't tell anyone!

Hey!
This post came into my mind the other day when i was deciding what shoes to wear to a wedding 2moro..
i have a lovely pair of white heels, they are pretty, and they are dead comfy for the first 2 maybe 3 hours, then hell!
Was just wondering about this cream....does your friend rub it all over her foot, or just the soles??

RoseBlossom

Femmy wrote: »

Hey!
This post came into my mind the other day when i was deciding what shoes to wear to a wedding 2moro..
i have a lovely pair of white heels, they are pretty, and they are dead comfy for the first 2 maybe 3 hours, then hell!
Was just wondering about this cream....does your friend rub it all over her foot, or just the soles??

Hey!

She only puts it on her soles about half an hour before she heads out. She cools it in the fridge beforehand. She says it really works!

Have a great time at the wedding!