walking in heels

[morpho]

by obsevation technique remember the clip clop rule, as previously said heel then toe, but if you run is the other way around, if you climb a slope or stairs is also the other way around, remember that you have to lift your leg and knee, and make sure to have a straight posture otherwise you can get injured. Another observation is that when i walk with 5inch up my knee faces a dificulty to keep straight position when standing straight, then if you feel disconfort go with a lower heel. If you want to walk in the streets in a male mode just watch out with the holes and cracks of the street as you will naturally would like to walk quick, and if you panic never sprint or go fast in wet floor. If you will street heel in femme maybe you really need to practice alot and also never walk fast, here is a nice fun and enjoyable drill: set a cord or a rope in a straight line over the floor, lets say 10 -15 feet long, then walk in a straight line having the rope at your middle point but never stepping on it, your left foot will go to the right side of the rope and your right foot to left side, very sexy as a fashion model, watch out with your ankles, when you will do this without problem you can do anything. remember to inspect well the shoe before you go out, check if your heel is strong enougth, and double check if there is enought cushion in the forefoot, you may get injured and out from the game for a couple of days. you can buy a gell cussion or something like that at anystore. I suggest you to bring w you 2 pairs of extra shoes, a lower hheel pair and also tennis shoes just for incase, the lower hheel is only for you to keep the fun if you feel tired but not to quit, and the tennis shoes is for when your feet will tell you to quit, as you are a beginner most probable wont last long distances or hours.

[jamie1608]

i am slowley getting the hang of walking in my 5.5 inch heels. it feels so good!

[jamie1608]

i am slowley getting the hang of walking in my 5.5 inch heels. it feels so good!

my first outing in high heels will be during easter 2009. i have left it until then to get as much practice as i can. pics and videos will be soon! I CANT WAIT!!!

[jwhite44]

my first outing in high heels will be during easter 2009...

Why so far away?

[Bubba136]

I'm with jwhite! Why wait?

[jamie1608]

so i can get plenty of practice! i cant wait!

[jwhite44]

You can ask others to post their opinions, but if your goal is to walk in heels in public, I don't think your "all or nothing" (5.5" heels immediately) is the best plan. I think you'd do much better to start with a lower heel that are are comfortable with now, and go out with that. It doesn't have to be a shoe that you are in love with (which it sounds like your 5 1/2" heels are), and it doesn't have to be that expensive a shoe. [in the US we have a shoe chain called Payless where you can buy shoes and boots off the shelf, heel heights up to 4 1/2", probably no more than $40 (I got a 4 1/4" pump for $20, and a 4" platform sandal for $6!).] I think you'll have better results, and a lot more enjoyment sooner, to go thru a pair, maybe two, of 'training heels' first, then to practice for almost 6 months in 5 1/2" heels, with the expectation that you'll be perfect in them then. Unless you are completely comfortable with anything that occurs while wearing heels in public, things such as: - how much noise will the heels make - how is it walking on slipperly surfaces (like a marble floor in a shopping mall) - how is it handling steps, hills, etc. you'd do better to encounter first and learn how to handle in lower heels than 5 1/2" ones. Besides, since you seem so excited about your heel walking, I think we'd all like to hear the details of your first public outing sooner than later.

[RonC]

Also, not to contradict the earlier post, but practicing walking like a model (rope down the middle, stepping across the rope with each step forward) would result in a walk that would draw attention from everyone in the world. Models look rather goofy when they walk that way, and wonem do not do that when the walk down the street. So if you're looking for attention and everyone looking at you going "what the f___!", then go ahead and walk like that!

[CassieJ]

Another thing, walking out and about is MUCH different than walking around the house. Even if you don't sit down and roam around the house, being out on the streets and in the shopping centers is a much different, and harder, experience. Different unknown surfaces and actual walking long distances is harder than making a random path around the house. Head out in heels that are too high and you will suffer for it. Start with lower heels (3.5-4") until you know what you are getting into. Build up as you gain confidence. I would hate for your first outing to end in pain, blisters and limping.

[morpho]

experience says: buy forefoot pads, you will thank me later.

[jamie1608]

just done a reccy on the passage of my first outing in high heels. it seems that i might be ok after dark!

[Dawn HH]

Jamie1608:-) Once you conquer the darkness, try to conquer the daylight. We have all been through this before and it is easier than you think in your head. That is why so many have said that it is all a head game. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[Histiletto]

Hey jamie1608, You've heard many of our concerns and you have had plenty of instruction as to the right things to make your heeling activities joyous ones. Actually, wearing heels is the same as wearing any other footwear. You just don't remember the becoming comfortable part in your others, because you expected them to feel a certain way. After a while, your heels will come to the same level of familiarity. Then all that will be left is your fear of the unknown as you begin heeling in public. I can't promise that everything will be a pleasureable experience. Expecting the worst is not the best attitude to have when you are beginning to heel, because it can be self-intimidating. You have chosen the footwear that you want to wear. It is your right to choose your own attire. With a positive attitude and having confidence in who you are, it doesn't really matter what others think. You may get some who will laugh at seeing something unfamiliar. Being consistent and determined will help the newness of your heeling to wear off. Then you will gain strength as you continue wearing heels and then people will come to expect it. Your real friends will stand by you and then you will be able to find some new ones who can accept you for who you are. It would be nice to hear of your quest to be an active heeler, so post them as you want. I wish you the best!

[Dawn HH]

It couldn't have been said any better, Histiletto. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[jamie1608]

i have broke my 5.5 inch heels in so they are now comfortable. not long untill i wear them outside.

[jep2438]

If you have never walked in heels don't go for the tall skinny ones yet. You may end up really sore or even worse a twisted ankle! Take it slow and start with a 2 - 3 inch first. Just my 2 cents.

[Dawn HH]

Jamie1608:-) My advice to you would be to start out wearing a 3" or a 4" heel outside when walking to start with. A 5.5" heel for streetheeling may be a bit troublesome encountering the differing terrain that you may come accross without being able to have a great amount of experience in wearing them daily. You don't want to spoil your fun doing any physical damage to your body parts. Jep2438:-) Welcome to the Forum. Tell us a bit about your love for high heels. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[Heel-Lover]

Hey jamie1608, When you say just broken in your heels.... I worry about that - a good pair of heels should be snug when worn - but not too tight because your feet do swell when you are on your feet for a long time. They shouldn't need too much "breaking in". My experience with walking in heels was to work my way up the heights - and the higher you go it gets exponentially harder with each little bit of extra height to still walk with skill and grace. Graceful walking is most important - and as everyone has said it is heel - toe heel-toe. I don't think as heels get higher it should become any less so - your heel must still come down first. Don't try and cross your legs over each other (crossing over the imaginery straight line in front of you) because this leads to a "funny" hybrid model styled strut - which is not the same as what the models do - I think it is oversimplified in this way. Very experienced heel wearers will understand what I mean - but it is not crossing over the legs - but more sweeping a hip forward with your leg when you take a step which helps to keep the knee and leg straight which you need to do when wearing very high heels with a longer stride , thereby avoiding a ridiculous short mincing type stride. As you go you twist on the ball of your back foot (keeping your weight on both the toe and heel evenly) which flicks the heel around and causes that inwards lean of the high heel on the back foot that catwalk models get. (only really works well with a stiletto heel) The hips tilt when you do this which makes it look as though the legs cross over - but in reality the legs don't need to cross - the hips have moved across the body instead (if you know what I mean). Your shoulders stay in a imaginery straight line- your shoes stay in the same straight line and your waist and hips cross back and forth. You can then spice it up by "kicking forward" which means as the front foot heel touches first and your weight comes off the back foot you then bend your back foot more at the knee and lift the heel towards your bottom a little (not much) then you flick it forward to straighten the knee as you swing your hip - this adds some gusto to your step (used for pushing heavy dresses/ skirts and gowns that reach the floor forward of the models footwear so they don't trip up forwards!) This is actually quite natural once you have worn heels for sometime....and is necessary to do a small amount of this when wearing higher heels. The fun part is with heaps of wearing experience you find you can dial up the amount of "strut" you want - and this is part of the fun. The lower heels (stiletto shape) are not easier to balance than higher heels - they are just different. Low stiletto heels are wobbly sideways (they wobble from side to side in line with your shoulders - and you need to learn to manage that) Chunky/block low heels minimise this problems and are relatively easy to wear. Start with lower fine stiletto heels until you can wear them for several hours of walking comfortably. Higher heels can be either chunkier heeled or stiletto as the balancing problem becomes more forwards backwards than sideways (sideways still exists but is relatively easier in higher shoes). Still it would be easier to avoid a stiletto as you go and stretch your limits in height. The forwards-backwards balance is far harder to master than the sideways and the only way aroud this is to wear them everywhere and on hard surfaces only. Carpet does not count. If I am honest to myself and everyone else too I would say it took me around three years to go from 4.5inch to 6inch for daily wear. And 6 inch is extremely comfortable now. I would be surprised if anyone can jump straight in to a really high pair of heels and master them straight away. It is an individual thing - but womens feet are apparently more flexible than mens so it is a lot easier for them, but that said every person is unique. Half the fun of heels is wearing them out and about. You don't know what is around the corner. You need to be able to walk on all different hard surfaces (marble - linoleum, asphalts, concrete, glass floors, escalators etc) - up and down stairs, up hills and down hills and down ramps. I don't count dodgy/ soft surfaces (gravel, hard soil, lawns etc.. because you just don't wear heels on these... you take the long way around. Test yourself in your highest heels you think you can manage and walk downhill (a gentle gradient) on a hard footpath or equivalent for 100m or more. How graceful are you now? Walking downhill is equivalent to wearing higher heels so you always need to have additional flex etc.. in your foot and ankles to allow you to walk gracefully in any situation. Also the situation comes to play... what if you have to cross a busy main street in a small gap between passing cars. Its not that easy stepping off pavements and onto uneven road surfaces and crossing roads quickly. Can you move gracefully if you have to briefly "run" or increase your stride length. Again this is where I believe you need to leave additional allowance of foot flex to allow you to cope with the unexpected gracefully. Taking a longer stride is equivalent to wearing a higher pair of heels - so you need to take your max height and come back at least 1/2 an inch to an inch for daily wearing. The point I am coming to is in order to handle any situation (and not make a spectacle of yourself) then you must be realistic about the heel you can manage. The only way to gain the ability to go higher is just to practice and practice etc.... Street heeling requires confidence and I wouldn't recomment anyone to put themselves at risk of not managing a situation/ circumstance that arises because you can't control what will happen when you are out. Everyone will have horror stories and great stories too. No one wants self inflicted shameful/ embarrasing stories to tell or try to forget. My personal test for ability in heels is as follows (for what its worth):.... put the desired shoe on and stand on a hard floor. If the wearer cannot stand up on tip toe (while keeping their knees straight) and by arching their foot lift the heel of the shoe off the floor by half an inch (abs. minimum) and comfortably hold that elevated position then the shoe is too high for the wearers ability. (in some case with some shoes if you have enough flex you can arch your foot enough to lift your foot out of the back of the shoe (shoe heel stays on the ground)- so the gap would need to be between your foot and the insole of the high heel at the back of the shoe. If you can do the above you can gracefully manage anything you come across in the chosen pair ofheels. (the only exception might be if you have to carry something heavy (and bulky). I haven't come across a solution for this other than taking you heels off - or asking someone else to carry it for you.) :-) cripes... that must be equivalent to short tertiary education paper on the subject....I'd better go now. See ya Heel-Lover

[jamie1608]

the only reason i have had to break my heels in is because i caused a small injury to my right foot. my heels have a small platform and not so skinny heels. not long until i wear them outside.