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How-To: Ease Into Heels

Q. I’m 25 and stand a whopping 5’10″ in bare feet. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy being this tall (especially at concerts), but when it comes to shoe shopping I usually opt for something boring, masculine or clunky. For the first time I have been curious about wearing heels. I have zero experience walking in them, and I’m not really looking to be taller than my boyfriend (who is 6’1″).

Do you have any shoe suggestions for me?

- Jenny

A. Absolutely!

One great option for you is a kitten heel. Technically a kitten heel is a skinny little stiletto-ish thing that’s 4.75cm or less (thank you, Wikipedia)…but what it really is is a nice way to get a little lift while avoiding the perils (and discomfort) of for-real high heels.

Since warm weather is on the way, try a pair that will give your outfit a pretty pop of color (and if all that brightness makes you nervous, pair the shoes with simple jeans and a white tee for a look that’s fun, but still classic). What’s nice about most of these styles as well is that they have an open toe; the pointy toe that you’ll find on lots of kitten-heel styles may be a little uncomfortable for you if you’re not used to it.

If that narrow heel looks too teeter-y for you, try a low wedge (raffia is great for casual wear, but stick to leather styles for work).

And once you’ve gotten a bit more comfortable with the idea of wearing heels, you may want to invest in a gorgeous, neutral, go-with-everything pair like one of the styles above. (Yes, I consider leopard a neutral.)

Enjoy!

x

J

Product info after the jump.

Top set, clockwise from L: Asos ($63), Michael Perry ($210), Butter ($49), J. Crew ($179)

Middle set, clockwise from top L: Juicy Couture ($198), Jaeger (140EUR), Ash ($184), Bandolino ($60), Sigerson Morrison ($225)

Bottom set, L to R: Rupert Sanderson, Burberry, Robert Clergerie



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April 5th, 2012 | Posted by Jordan | Style | 4 Comments »
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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_BSZWCTIQXN5DKQMSGOSZ4YAHFU **

    From one tall girl to another, if you’re 5’10″ (I am too!) if you have larger size feet, kitten heels can be kind of unflattering. The low wedge is a much better idea, or else something with a chunky heel that’s cut lower over the toes instead of the skinny kitten heel which are harder to balance on, like these: http://www.zappos.com/frye-coral-ankle-strap-dark-brown

    And seriously don’t give yourself a complex about being taller that your boyfriend. My bf and I are the same height in bare feet and he totally loves it when I wear heels.

  • http://twitter.com/katshermack Kat Shermack

    Sorry Jordan, but I have to agree with this comment! I am also 5’10″ and I hate kitten heels with a passion. Wedges are a much better option because they are more flattering and more comfortable. These Steve Maddens would be great – they look really high, but because they’re wedges they’ll be really comfortable, and with a pair of jean shorts, your legs will go on for miles!

    http://www.theshoecompany.com/shop-by-brand/steve-madden/steve-madden-p-font-color-black-at-town-shoes-font-/prod178XXX362XXXX.html

    Chunky heels are great too. They can be a bit masculine though, and  are not always the most stylish, but if you look around, you’ll find something good, especially at this time of year. I like these ones from Aldo – there’s a heel, but you won’t tower over people, and they are still really cute and stylish!

    http://www.aldoshoes.com/ca-eng/women/sandals/mid-low-heels/88243516-lettiere/65

    The vertically challenged hate when we complain, but it kinda sucks for us tall girls right now, because all the trends are sky high heels and platforms. Don’t be afraid to rock a heel every now and then though, especially when it’s a night out with the girls ;)

    (Wow, it’s kind of embarrassing how much time I just spent writing about shoes. And how much I want to go shoe shopping right now.)

  • jordanreid

    weird little coincidence – a link to this site just landed in my inbox: http://community.longtallsally.com/
    they sell shoes specifically aimed at girls taller than 5’8″.

  • http://vallykate.wordpress.com/ Valerie

    I was in the same shoes (ha!) as the letter writer when I was 25. My advice: buy a pair you love, wear them on a special occasion, wear them around your house, get used to being taller and walking on heels. It doesn’t matter so much if the heels are 2 inches or 5 inch platforms if you really love the shoes. Your bf’s posture will improve when your shoes make you taller than him (I’ve seen this happen with bf’s, brothers, co-workers, random strangers). For me, it was a pair of flowery olive green 3.5 inch stilettos that I could not afford but had to have. These eased me into heels and now I regularly wear shoes that make me stand well above 6 feet.