How To Walk In High Heels

The step-by-step guide to having a painless after with the stiletto.

It's always the perfect diet excuse for me: The higher my heels are, the skinner I look. So why cut calories when I can just slip on a higher pair of heels and look like I've shed two kilos in a snap? My walk is sexier, I slouch less, and feel more confident.

The merits of wearing heels are hardly unknown, but wearing how to find a comfortable pair of heels seems like a mystery to most. My friend, Linda, 24 has a small mountain of heels that she absolutely loves (They're really quite swanky). But what do I see her wear daily?

Her pair of worn-in-Birkenstock sandals. "I can't seem to find a pair of heels as comfortable as my Birkies," she bemoans. "It's just unfair, the nice-looking ones always bite!"

Of course they do. But just like boys, the simple solution lies in knowing how to deal with them. so before you attempt a strut down New York city in those four-and-a-halfs (inches, of course), only to hobble back home, read on.

Anatomy Of High Heels

Toebox - There should be room for your toes to move freely. The more room there is, the easier it is to walk (that's why those pointly beauties hurt). Try to make sure there's a finger-wide space between your big toe and the hip of the shoe. 

Insole Lining/Material - You can tell the general quality of the shoe from the material it's made of. Softer fabrics and materials cushion pressure on your feet, so go for leathers like suede. These materials tend to be more resistant too; they withstand use better and with proper care, they last longer.

Sole - The sole consist of an insole and outsole. The softer the insole, the greater the shoe's ability to absorb shock. And if your outsole is too smooth, ask a cobbler to etch some grooves into it to create greater sole-ground friction.

Heel - It's usually made of plastic. The higher the quality, the higher the price. The good ones are covered with leather, or with a layet of rubber or nylon. Always check that it is reinforced (with a steel tube inside) to ensure it doesn't break when you wear it out dancing - you don't want a twisted ankle.

Breast - This refers to the arch of the shoe and it effects your stability. The further forward the breast leans, the less you will wobble. If you have low arches or no arches (commonly known as flat feet), you'll need arch supports, or specially customized insoles from orthopaedics, for better fit.

TIPS AND TRICKS TO WALK IN HIGH HEELS

TRICK 1
Understand The Workings Of Your Foot And High Heel
Whether you're a high-heel novice or veteran, you need to be able to go into any shoe botique and know what fits you best. For me, shoe shopping is good any time of the day (clearly), but the best time is in the late afternoon, after you've been on your feet long enough for them to have swelled up and significantly affect your shoe size.

I question my well-heeled friends about their shopping habits. "Rule of thumb for me is to try the shoes thoroughly before buying," says Diana, 24, a Designer. "Be unafraid to explore your feet's full (the stresses "full" again) movement in the store." Flex your foot left, right, up and down to see if the fit is sufficienctly comfortable.

"And don't just pace around on carpeted area," advises another shoeholic, 24-year-old Caroline, a teacher, "walk on hard ground too. Make sure the shoes are a comfortable fit right from the start - a little teeny discomfort is magnified once you've worn them for hours."

Comfort is firstly decided by the type of heel chosen. The thicker the heel is at the point where it touches the ground, the easier it is to wear. Stilettos, with their spindly and narrow heels, are the most difficult to balance on. Wedges, on the other hand, are easiest because your weight is evenly distributed throughout the shoe which is great, especially when you need to get used to the extra height. Elaine, 27, a manager who lives in her heels all day long, wears mainly wedges. "Whenever the heel of the wedge is made of cork, I know I'll have easiet time with it. It's lightweight yet stable enough for me to run across the street," she explains.

TRICK 2
Learn How To Strut
Trust me, wobbling around town in a pair of heels (even if they're Blahniks) looks more tragic than wearing a pair of grotty slippers. The late Willi Ninja, creative director for Eon Model Management and walking coach to red carpet stars like Paris Hilton. Kristin Davis and Kim Cattrall, believed that the right walk can make any body look slimmer. The trick is to fully extend your front leg when you walk, without locking your knee. Don't over-do this though, and keep to the usual length of your stride. "Doing so completely changes your body alingment," said Ninja. "It's so sexy - you move like a beautiful graceful cheetah."

And stand straight. Wearing heels automatically thrusts your derriere out, but remember to keep your shoulders back. This will help with your balance, as well as reduce further stress on your spine. "Slouching makes your back ache and your clothes look terrible," said Ninja. 

Stand against a wall so your head, shoulders and heels from a straight line againts the wall. Practise maintaining this posture until your body automatically assumes it whenever you put on a pair of heels.

TRICK 3
Get The Essential Help
Ever wonder why some people can live in high heels, and some just can't?  Well, perhaps our genes are to blame. I remember someone saying, the shorter your calf muscles, the more your body tilts in a way that makes you feel comfortable standing on a pair of heels. Dr Low Chee Kwang, a senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon says it's true. "People with long calf muscles (who can bend their toes towards their shins with more ease) don't do so well on heels," Dr Low says.

If you're born with long sineway muscles, there's hope still. Heel exercise classes, which promise to make stiletto-wearing a breeze, have become a cult hit in Manhattan, where students are made to balance the balls of their feet on two knobbed rubber domes called Foot Wakers. While stretching your hands on them, go to yamunabodyrolling.com.

Willi Ninja swore by another exercise routine with the same claim. Five times a week, go barefoot and pretend you're in stilettos by walking on the balls of your feet to strengthen the ankles and calves.

So you see, there's no need to put those heels into cold storage. If they hurt, switch to a more comfortable pair, or quickly flag a cab and head home. And care for them; remember to stuff them with tissue to keep them in shape once you get home. Even Manolo Blahnik advise so.