High heels are a staple for every woman’s wardrobe, as they can make any outfit look gorgeous. Yet, walking in them can be challenging for most beginners. However, with a few tips and adjustments here and there, you'd soon find that it's not as hard as it seems. Well, not until you read our guide on how to walk in high heels.
The perfect high heels for beginners
The first step in wearing high heels is to find the right pair. While stilettos can easily give you a sexy look, they’re not the most comfortable pair for starters. So, the trick is to work your way up, starting with a comfy pair as introduced below.
1. Start with Wedges or Platforms
If you’re just learning how to walk in high heels, keep in mind that a pair of stilettos isn't where to start. Instead, you'd want to wear something that looks like heels but feels like flats. And in most cases, wedges shoesand platforms are your best friends.
Wedges, because of their flat soles, give you a significant height without compromising on your comfort. With that and their additional arch support—which helps distribute your weight evenly, you don’t have to do much balancing yourself on the ground.
So, if you’re a beginner wanting to learn how to walk in high heels, wedges should be your starting point. They're the most comfortable and easiest-to-walk-in pair of high heels for anyone. Also, platform shoes are another comfortable high heels for beginners. Though you might see them with crazy heights, that's not always the case when you try them on.
2. Move to Chunky heels.
After mastering and balancing yourself on wedges and platforms, you can move on to the chunky heels. Honestly, they provide more stability than you’re going to get from the stilettos. While starting, you’d want to opt for a pair with buckles or ankle straps to ensure your feet aren’t swaying abnormally.
Just know that the thicker and sturdier the heel, the easier it is to walk in. So, you wouldn't want to start your high heels journey with a pair of thin-heel stilettos. That will not look comfy!
3. Time to rock the Stilettos!
The key to mastering how to walk in heels for beginners is to work your way up. Once you’re confident rocking shoes with 2 to 3 inches, nothing stops you from trying the mother of all heels—stiletto heels!
A pair of stilettos with 4 to 6 inches would give you the ultimate height, effect, and sexiness. If your heart is still shaky while wearing them, you can opt for a pair with a platform in the front. For instance, having a 1-inch platform on a 4-inch high heel can make it feel like a 3-inch high heel.
How to walk in high heels: The seven vital tips
Walking in high heels differs from walking in flats. As heels make you look taller, they also impose a new walking style on you. But will a few adjustments here and there, you'll soon become a pro.
1. Walk heel first, not toe first.
While breaking in your first high heels, you might be intimidated to place your whole foot on the ground, as you typically do with flats and sneakers, but it doesn’t walk that way.
The first rule of thumb to walk in high heels is to master the heel-to-toe technique. When placing your leg on the ground, go with the heel first, then follow with the toe (I mean the rest of the foot).
It sure would take a bit of practice and mistakes, but once you get it, you’re becoming a pro already.
2. Take fewer steps at a time.
You see people walking fast or even running in high heels, and you want to be like that straightaway? No, it doesn't work like that, or you’ll just wound yourself.
While it’s not a big deal to walk fast or run in heels, it takes a lot of practice and mastering to get to that point. As a beginner, you must take fewer, slower steps at a time, or what my friend would call "baby steps." That means you'll not walk as fast as you used to in your regular flip-flops, flats, and sneakers.
3. Simulate walking in a straight line
Your first few shots at walking in high heels usually feel awkwardly unnatural. But with a few more practices, you’ll feel like a boss.
That said, you may need to start your high heels journey walking like you're cat walking, and achieving that is as simple as pretending you’re walking in a straight line. While practicing, place one foot in the front of the other while maintaining the heel-to-toe technique.
It'll take more time to master this trick, but it'll be worth the practice, as it'll help you identify your signature walk.
4. Maintain the right posture
Perhaps the most requisite tip in learning how to walk in high heels is maintaining the ideal posture and improving it.
Besides simulating walking in a straight line, another tip that can help you maintain excellent posture while rocking your high heels is to avoid looking down. It might tempt you to watch your feet while walking, but don't do that, or you'll lose your focus. The perfect way is to stand upright (or lean slightly back), keep your chin parallel to the floor, and keep your head in line with your spine. Do you get it?
Additionally, you should lower your shoulders and keep your arms comfortably at your side. After all, swinging them slightly as you walk with aid better balancing.
Finally, learn how to bend your knees slightly while walking. Do not lock them like a walking stick while learning how to walk in high heels. And also, don't forget to walk like there's an imaginary straight line guiding you.
5. Break in your high heels.
Perhaps the perfectly worst way to have horrible blisters is to wear your new pair of high heels without breaking them in. And this can apply to any footwear, not just high heels. I guess you don’t want that, do you?
Breaking your heels is like the essential startup trick to make them super comfortable when you finally wear them out. Doing that requires wearing them around your house—while doing chores, vacuuming, or just wearing them for wearing sake. Doing so will help you find your way around the shoe.
The trick to breaking in your heeled shoes is to wear them around your house, exercising all the tips we've mentioned so far. And within a short period, you'll get used to it and feel less scary when you finally wear them outside.
Conclusively, while you're just learning how to walk in platform heels, stilettos, or any high-heeled shoe, you’ll want to ensure you’re giving your feet some break. You don’t have to wear them all the time. And after a long day of walking in heels, relaxing your feet is crucial.
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