How to Wear Heels

Co-authored by Susan Kim and Amber Crain

Last Updated: October 20, 2020 References

A great pair of heels can make you feel empowered and attractive. Slip the right pair on and they can upgrade an average outfit in to a high fashion ensemble. Wearing heels often can hurt your back in the long term, but wearing them occasionally shouldn't cause any major problems. Just learn the right walking techniques, take measures to avoid heel-related pain, and have your feet sized professionally.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Walking in Heels

1
Walk heel to toe. If you’re new to heels, your natural inclination may be to walk toe to heel – resist that temptation! Walking toe to heel provides less stability and looks unnatural. Place your heel down first, then roll to your toe in one fluid motion.^{[1]
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- Avoid putting your whole foot down as you're wearing flats. This will look and feel jarring.^{[2]
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- If you're wearing very tall stilettos, land on the outer border of the heel and then roll to your toe. Tall heels may snap if you land directly on the heel.^{[3]
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2
Take smaller steps. The design of heels forces your stride to be shorter than usual. To combat this, keep yourself upright by taking smaller steps in order to compensate. How much smaller really depends on how tall your heels are and how long your legs are, so you'll ned to experiment at home before you wear your heels in public.^{[4]
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- Adjust and cut your step size in half as needed to see what feels best.
- Avoid taking baby steps as that will appear awkward and unnatural.
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3
Spread your toes inside your shoe as you take each step. When you roll fluidly from your heel to your toes, spread your toes slightly inside your shoe. This will give you a little grip and distribute your weight evenly, helping you to maintain your balance as your weight shifts to that foot.^{[5]
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4
Walk slowly. Moving quickly in heels can look awkward and increase your chances of taking a tumble. Instead, slow down a little. Take each small step as deliberately and naturally as possible. You may feel like you’re walking unusually slowly, but to an onlooker, you will look confident and relaxed!^{[6]
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- Make sure not to stiffen up if you start to feel off balance during your slow stride.
- Try swinging your hips slightly in a figure 8 motion to help you maintain balance.^{[7]
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5
Maintain good posture. Keep your head up and your shoulders back as you walk in heels. Straighten your spine and tighten your core gently to take some of the pressure off of your feet. This will help you keep your balance since heels tend to make you lean forward in an effort to feel more stable.^{[8]
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6
Lean back slightly. In an effort to keep your balance, you may find yourself craning your neck forward while you’re walking in heels. This is especially true if you need to walk a little faster than your heels comfortably allow. To counteract that inclination, lean back ever so slightly. This will compensate for the neck position and make your walk look more natural.^{[9]
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- Be sure to maintain good posture as you gently lean back.
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Imagine yourself walking in a straight line. Choose a point straight ahead that you can focus on. Don’t look down at your feet! Look at the goal while imagining a straight line extending from your feet to the goal point. Then picture yourself walking a perfectly straight line to reach it. Remember to take small steps and walk carefully and slowly.^{[10]
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8
Get better grip by applying specially made pads to the soles. It's easy to lose traction and slip when you're wearing heels. To prevent this, invest in tiny pads that you can affix to the bottom of your heels for better grip. You can buy these at shoe stores, big box stores, and online.^{[11]
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- For a quicker fix, rough up the bottom of your heels with a piece of sandpaper.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Preventing Pain

1
Break in new heels at home before wearing them in public. Even if your heels are a perfect fit for you, stiff materials like leather need to be broken in first. Try wearing your heels around the house for short spurts at a time – an hour here, an hour there. Doing this also gives you the chance to practice walking around in your new heels before venturing out.
- Avoid buying a brand new pair of heels and immediately wearing them to the office for 8 hours straight. You’ll definitely end up with soreness!
2
Invest in cushion inserts and rub relief strips. As you're breaking in your new heels around your house, take note of where the shoes are rubbing or hurting your feet. One of the most common areas to feel pain is the ball of the foot. Buy cushion inserts to counteract this. If the shoes are rubbing your skin raw on your heels or under your ankles, try rub relief strips. These provide padding between your foot and the shoe.^{[12]
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- These products can be purchased at shoe stores, big box stores, and online.
3
Opt for a thicker heel over pencil-point stilettos on most days. Stilettos are notoriously painful, but they don’t have to be! The key is not wearing them every single day. For most days, opt for a chunkier heel that provides better support and balance.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Susan Kim
Professional Stylist
Expert Interview. 30 April 2019} The thicker heels are also less likely to cause painful ankle wobbling. Save your gorgeous 4-inch red stilettos for occasional wear.^{[14]
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Choose heels with thicker soles. Shoes with thin, flimsy soles will cause the bottom of your feet to hurt pretty quickly. There’s just not enough cushion between your foot and the hard ground. Opt for heels that have thicker soles, like platform heels.^{[15]
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Susan Kim
Professional Stylist
Expert Interview. 30 April 2019.} Thick soles will keep the bottoms of your feet cushioned and protected.^{[16]
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Take frequent breaks during the day to stretch your feet. Whenever you have a few private moments to yourself during the day, kick those heels off under your desk! Wiggle your toes around, then point them down and flex them back. Slip the strap of your bag under your toes and pull back on the strap for a deeper stretch into the calf muscle. Rotate your ankles slowly.^{[17]
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Bring a backup pair of flats. If you’re concerned that a new pair of heels may cause you pain, don’t force yourself to suffer through it. Bring your comfy black ballet flats or another cute pair with you as a backup. If the pain gets to be a little much, slip your comfy flats on and call it a day. Even experienced heel-wearers have to do this occasionally!^{[18]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Choosing Heels

1
Shop for heels at midday to get the perfect fit. In the afternoon, your feet swell. Because of this, shopping in the afternoon may cause you to buy a size up. In the morning, your feet haven’t started swelling yet. Shopping in the morning may cause you to buy heels that are too small for your feet. At midday, your feet are in between those 2 states, making it the perfect time to shop for heels.^{[19]
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2
Get the right size by having your feet measured annually. Your shoe size fluctuates over the years, especially after major life changes like weight loss or giving birth. Make it a practice to get your feet sized professionally by a shop clerk every year. The best time to have it done is when you’re already out shoe shopping! Make sure the shop clerk measures both the length and the width of your foot.^{[20]
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Invest in a quality pair and avoid cheap heels. Quality heels offer better support, stability, padding, and comfort than a cheap pair. Well-made shoes also mold to your feet better over time, allowing you to walk more comfortably. High quality materials last longer, too. While you may cringe at the higher price tag, quality heels are a better investment all-around.
4
Utilize the shop clerk’s expertise. Many people avoid shop clerks, preferring to shop in peace and avoid small talk. Totally understandable! But when you need help or have a question about heels you’re trying on, don't hesitate to ask the clerk for help. They can answer questions and possibly modify a pair of heels to make them fit perfectly.
- For example, you may find the perfect pair of heels in a shop, but they pinch the sides of your feet slightly. Ask the clerk if they can stretch them for you.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What are the most comfortable styles of high heels?

Susan Kim
Professional Stylist
Susan Kim is the owner of Sum+Style Co., a Seattle-based personal styling company focused on innovative and approachable fashion. She has over 5 years of experience in the fashion industry, and received her AA from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.

Susan Kim

Professional Stylist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Definitely wedges. Since they have a high platform, they won't give you that feeling of literally standing on 3 to 5 inches. If you don’t like wedges, any type of heel with platforms will be more comfortable.