There’s just something about wearing heels that gives you just that little bit more confidence, and somehow your legs appear longer as you stand taller. Never mind the fact that they look good with almost any outfit too. Some of us would wear heels every day if they didn’t hurt so much after a long day! Whether you absolutely can’t get enough of your heels and would like to wear them all day, or you have to wear them as part of your work uniform, there are a few hacks to make it a bit more bearable.
1. Choose comfortable heels
You pass a store window and your eyes are instantly drawn to a spectacular pair of heels and all you want to do is buy them and give them a home in your closet. But are they even comfortable enough to walk in? Try them on first, walk around the store a little to get a feel for them, then make your decision. A thicker heel or platforms are a good option as they can provide more support for your foot so you’ll have more stability. When going shoe shopping it’s advised to go later in the day. If you go shopping after you’ve been active throughout the day your feet might be a little swollen, so when you try shoes on you can gauge the comfort level even with swollen feet. This is an important first step to ensure you’ll manage to wear them all day.
2. Wear your heels in
Once your dream heels are home, wear them around the house a few times so they can adapt to your foot and soften up a little. There are two tricks to help with this. Try putting them in the freezer for 30 minutes before wearing them then watch how the cold material will adapt to the shape of your warm feet when you put them on. Another trick is to place a plastic bag filled with water inside both shoes and then put them in the freezer. The water will freeze and that will result in the shoes stretching out a bit. If you’re not comfortable putting your shoes in your freezer then try soaking a pair of cotton socks in warm water, wring out the water, and then put the socks on with your heels. The warmth of the socks will help stretch them slightly and improve comfort.
3. Tape your third and fourth toes together
The reason why wearing heels can be painful is because of the high amount of pressure placed under the ball of the foot and on the toes. Between your third and fourth toe specifically there’s a nerve, which when pressured, causes irritation and inflammation. By taping them together with medical tape it alleviates the discomfort and hence you can withstand wearing those heels for longer periods of time. This will only be suitable if you’re wearing closed heels because with peep toes you’ll be able to see the tape and it won’t look good.
Moisturizing your feet, using foot deodorant, or even using double-sided tape can also help reduce friction, which usually results in rubbing, pain, and blisters. All in all, you can be sure that we’ve got you covered and if you follow these tips, you will be parading those beautiful heels all day and your feet will not only look fabulous but feel fantastic too.
