Lovelyish

try wedge heels. they’re much easier on the feet, and they’re still really cute. i’ve got a few pairs, i love them.

also, if you really want to stick with heel-heels, trying walking around on the balls of your feet for one minute every day to strengthen your ankles. that’ll make it easier to tolerate stilettos.

hope this helps!

Shoe inserts.

PLEASER SHOES!!! My friend and I were looking for comfortable heels and stumbled across a bunch of their shoes on amazon.com. I think they are made for strippers…lol, but they are the most comfortable heels in the world. Some of them are a bit extreme…some are really extreme…but if you want a classic stiletto, or just any kind of classic heel, check them out.

I have three or four pairs and they are wonderful!

I promise you, insoles are the best cure for this. Usually if you go to CVS or any other drug store, you can find the Dr.Scholles shoe inserts, they also have some nice ones for heels. Although wearing heels will never be the same as wearing flip flops, you usually have to wear your heels out in order to make the comfortable, and shoe inserts are the best cure.

1) try them on and walk around in them while you are in the store.  There really isn’t a way to tell if they are going to be comfortable.

2) the more money you spend the more likely they will be comfortable.  It isn’t always the case, but it is usually true.  More expensive shoes will be constructed with looks, support for ankle, arch, and back in mind.  They are also more comfortable on your soles and your toes.

3) the comfort of a shoe has more to do with the construction of the shoe, than with the thickness or height of the heel.

@XxFireXboltxX@xanga - some of those are cute.  I had to check them out b/c of the name.  They’re affordable as well.

I agree with the shoe inserts.
I have them too for the front part
of my feet. It really helps, the pain
comes much later sometimes not at all.
they have them also for back part or
full feet.

This company does great comfy heels:  http://www.sofftshoe.com/

I’ve gotten the gel inserts to try and help.. But after a few hours it doesn’t even feel like they’re there anymore. I think wedges are the only way to truly be comfortable in heels. Of course that doesn’t stop me from buying them!

dancing heeeeeeeeeels..

what girls will do to look feminine…

heels are great but wearing them all the time everytime is murder for your feet.  you can have ingrown toes/toenails and flipped toenails which requires surgery to fix so sometimes its not all that worth it just to look hot. 

try nine west.  they have some pretty good comfortable shoes and their not too high so they dont kill your feet.  not too pricey either. 

1/2 size larger AND gel inserts…2 pairs if you want, 1 that covers the whole foot, and 1 just for the ball of your feet(support).

I also work retail, and I have the same issues you do. So far I’ve bought exactly three pairs of shoes that I can wear all day with no issues:

1.) Wedges. The base is solid, which makes walking easier. Because they don’t require concentration and lots of balance, for me they also reduce the rubbing created by all the wobbling around. These are pretty popular right now, so finding a pair should hopefully be pretty easy for you.

2.) Shoes with a wider heel/thicker sole. By wider heel I mean both the stem and the base where it attaches to the shoe. Wider stem means better balance, and wider base means that your weight is being distributed a little more evenly. I have to recommnd the brand Blowfish for these. As an added bonus, they also have a microsuede footbed that helps keep your feet from cramming down into the toe of the shoe.

3.) Kitten-heeled shoes. These are shoes with relatively short lifts–I think it’s two inches or less (I could be wrong). They’re practical enough to look adorable and still be practical at the same time. The pair I have are classy and professional, but I can speed-walk from A to B with no problems.

In my opinion insoles really aren’t helpful. At least, I’ve tried several pair and they really don’t help. Maybe there’s an insole out there that can do the trick, but I find that my feet hurt just the same with them in the shoes.

I hope these tips help, and if you find any awesome shoes to wear for work, please drop me a line!

I bought a pair of BCBG heels for this past christmas party. and seriously, my feet didnt hurt at all! I was standing and walking for a majority of the time at the party. So i needed a new pair of just black heels because my old ones finally died and i bought another pair of BCBG because i figured if the other ones are so comfortable these should be too. Some stores sell lil pads to inside the shoe but around the toe area, those have helped me Actually if you go to my page, I have a picture of the shoes under my photos and in one of my blogs….

Def. a low wedge heel would be comfy.. but Bandolino low heeled pumps I’ve heard are really comfy. I own a low heeled boot by them and they’re really good. Also the Nine West pumps are good too.. just make sure they fit you width wise. Some might be more narrow than others. Pick shoes that are leather.. not patent leather or hard man made materials.. that should help too.

I used to try putting all that stuff like inserts and w.e. but I find that it doesn’t do much.. especially if the shoe just fits and you are putting extra stuff in it (making it tighter).

I only wear heels when I know I aint doing a lot of walking

@phuck_diz_shiz@xanga - i’m agree with you..

@gpannu@xanga - u R soo right about this! Dr. Scholls insoles are the best inventions to solve sore feet since deodorant!

WEAR COMFY FLATS BEFORE AND AFTER THE EVENT

High heels are not really ideal for walking, at best you could expect to be able to stand or dance in a really comfortable pair for a more extended period of time.

I had just the same problem as you, a lifestyle which didn’t really suit wearing heels (not enough dressy occasions or having to be constantly on my feet). But about a year ago I started doing tango and through that I got a lot of experience wearing high heels for a long time. Now I know a lot better than I used to about which shoes to choose for comfort.

This is what I think. Heels are meant for dressing up anyway. It’s a mistake to fool yourself into thinking that if you get a more ‘comfortable’ seeming pair that you will be able to wear them 24-7 without pain. Don’t buy sensible granny shoes just because they seem like they would be more comfortable. You don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort.

But you have to have reasonable expectations. I have found that even after getting really comfortable with doing some pretty intense dancing in heels, 5-6 hours is really the limit. I need to take sitting breaks from time to time to rest my feet and after that amount of time is up, if I want to keep dancing I switch to a pair of flat shoes or sneakers. Dancers wear pretty high heels, 4 inches seems to be the favored height (for me I am more comfortable with no more than 3 inches) but most of the women usually wear a pair of slippers or lower heeled shoes on the street, then when they arrive at the event they change into the heels.

This is a necessary trick for anyone who doesn’t have a car or expects to do a bit of walking before they arrive at whatever party they are going to. Try to save your feet for the actual occasion by wearing a pair of light comfortable slippers or flat shoes until you get there, then switch shoes when you arrive.

CHOOSING COMFORTABLE SHOES

In addition to the tips others have given, I would add:

1. Make sure the shoes are secure. (but not tight, with plenty of room) The most secure shoes are those with some sort of strap about the ankle.

The toes also need to be secure. Unless you are wearing high heeled boots, it’s usually a bad sign if your toes are sliding around. For me, I have a lot of problem with narrow pointy toed shoes (too constricting) as well as strappy sandals that expose too much of my toes. Gravity brings your feet forward into the front of the shoes, so if your toes aren’t secured the shoes may hurt later on. What works best for most dancers I have seen is peep toe shoes that don’t have too wide of an opening at the bottom.

Boots are actually a really good option because they are really secure. Provided there is enough room for your toes, generally you can wear a higher heeled boot and still be comfortable than the average height possible with normal heels.

2. Stability.

Make sure the heel supports your weight squarely under your foot. Even with stiletto thin heels, if they are constructed properly the weight should be balanced and the shoe shouldn’t bend from side to side.

3. Shock absorption

This makes a big difference. Put gel cushions in the balls and heels of the shoe, or insoles, or some combination of them. Even shoes which fit well could give you blisters without the appropriate cushioning to distribute your weight evenly from your feet to the shoe.

I’ve gotten some really comfy heeled shoes by Mudd, Aerosoles, and Naturalizer.  I think I got them all at Marshalls.

Foot Pedals are my life saver with my heels. =P They are these insoles that can go on the front of the heel to stop your feet from sliding forward, and to give your metatarsal some confort. There are full feet ones, which comfort your entire foot. There are Pedals for the heels with the sling back, and Pedals for when your shoe is too big. I think that your feet just swelled from the work you do, and your body might be holding onto water, which swells your ankles. Try drinking more water, that should help. And when trying on heels, walk in them, from one side of the shoe carpet, to the other (take your purse of course!) That helps me figure out if a pair is a keeper or not.

Hope this helps you!

those shoes in the picture is so cute! =)

Thanks so much for blogging about this! I adore heels, but too many times I’ve ended up limping the quarter of a mile back to my dorm barefoot, heels in hand.

I have a pair of Gabrielle Rochas (in a thin, supple leather) that are very foot-friendly, and supercute. I’m definitely looking for some of the brands mentioned!

make sure they always have a bit of squishy platform (who the hell invented the wooden ones?)

the platform will keep your foot from slamming against the floor at each step, and it makes a biiig difference. xoxo s