Imagine there is a piece of invisible string holding your head upright—your head should be in line with your spine and your chin should be parallel with the floor. Avoid looking down when walking in high heels![3] X Research source Put your shoulders back and down and keep your arms relaxed at your sides. Swing your arms slightly as you walk for balance. [4] X Research source Keep your abdominal muscles engaged, sucking your belly button towards your spine. This will help your stand up straighter while also making your look thinner. [3] X Research source Bend your knees slightly, they should never be locked when walking in heels. Keep your legs close together as you walk and point your toes directly ahead. [4] X Research source
One foot should come down directly in front of the other, with your toes pointing straight ahead. This walk will take a little extra practice to master, but the results will be worth it. [6] X Research source Have a look at some videos of catwalk models to see how the professionals do it, then try to emulate what you see. Be aware that catwalk models tend to exaggerate their walk, so you may want to tone it down a little for real life!
Exposing your heels to different surfaces: You will likely need to walk on tiled floors, carpets and slippery, wooden floors at some point in your high heel wearing, so try to master them all. If you’re planning on wearing your heels to a nightclub or a party where you know you’re going to want to boogie down, then dance to the beat of your own drummer in the privacy of your home until you’re comfortable shaking things up in your heels. Take extra care when walking down stairs. Place your entire foot on each step as you come down the steps, but only place the ball of your foot on each step as you go up. Hold onto that railing gracefully, just in case.
Even minor surface flaws in tarmac or cracks in the pavement will present difficulties, so try walking up and down outside your house a few times, taking great care to avoid uneven surfaces. A good place to practice after you’ve gotten the hang of it in your house is to wear your heels to the supermarket. Use your cart for balance![10] X Research source
To stand correctly in heels, stand with the heel of one foot touching the middle of the other foot, while cocked at an angle from it. Put your weight on the toe of the foot in back, and as soon as that foot gets tired, switch feet so that your weight is on the other foot.
Remember to cross your legs, sitting up straight and stretching out your legs from the waist down. This is also a great opportunity to show off your fabulous shoes![10] X Research source Avoid taking your heels off. When you take high heels off, your feet tend to swell. If you’re constantly taking your shoes off and then putting them back on, it will become progressively more painful.
If you need to wear heels everyday for work, try wearing varying heights. This prevents too much pressure or friction from concentrating on one particular spot and keeps your feet feeling fresh. [13] X Research source
Begin with a shoe that has a low heel of about 2–3 inches (5. 1–7. 6 cm). Try to go for wider heels (rather than skinny spikes) as these will provide more balance. Closed in shoes can also be easier to walk in than strappy sandals as they provide plenty of support over your foot and around the heel and ankle. High heeled wedges are the easiest high shoes to walk in, as the heel is fully attached to the sole of the shoe, giving you increased balance and comfort. These are a great option if you want the height of a high heel, but don’t feel ready for a stiletto. Wear the mother of all heels. Stiletto heels are also referred to as “spike heels” and include anything with a heel above 3–4 inches (7. 6–10. 2 cm). These are the final step in your high heel training—once you’ve mastered walking in these, you’ll be ready to take on the world!
When in doubt, always go for shoes that are slightly too big rather than slightly too small. You can always make big shoes smaller by adding insoles and cushions, but your can’t make small shoes bigger. Shoes that are too small will be terribly uncomfortable and you’ll probably regret buying them. Remember to have your feet sized regularly, as your shoe size can change over time, especially as you get older. Your feet tend to get longer and wider as your arches begin to fall.
