Pumps and Heels are a HUGE part of Kate’s Closet….however not all of us can wear pumps as high as hers…or we don’t even know where to start.
Going from NO HEELS to FULL BLOWN platforms is SUPER difficult (Or Rather Impossible)…and not at all the way you should train your feet. If you don’t have the muscle memory, walking in heels and simply standing in them is SUPER difficult.
Taken from eatworkandblog.blogspot.com
Start Small (2-3″ with Lift)
A wedge is the perfect way to bring height to your outfit, especially something like the Pied A Terre Imperias. They have a 1/2″ lift, reducing the overall pressure applied to the balls of your feet and still giving you support to your ankles. Unlike high heels, wedges disperse your weight along the entire base of the shoe instead of one small point (like Kate’s Sledges), thus making it easy to walk and stand with EASE.
If you are new to heels, start with wedges, they are the easiest to walk in.
Taken from ASOS.com
If a 3″ heel is still too high, you can always give yourself a little more support by inserting pads to the interior of the shoe.
Taken from Dr. Scholl‘s
For added support, you can support your arch/instep by looking for T-strap wedges (they will support both your ankles and your arch, SCORE!)
Keeping the Height (Jumping to a Heel)
Once you have worn wedges and feel comfortable walking and standing in them, you should be able to upgrade to a heel in the same height (just removing the wedge from the equation). Now you are allowing your feet to find balance in a small heel.
Kate’s Aquatalia Royal/Rhumba/Zipkin Boots are a PERFECT example of this type of shoe. These pairs have a small lift with a rather basic heel (which is thicker than the average court shoe…still dispersing weight comfortably). One massive difference between the Aquatalias/Stuart Weitzman and the Piede a Terres is the overall support across your foot and ankle. With boots, you get support EVERYWHERE :). When I began training my feet, I wore nothing but my Pied a Terres and my Aquatalia Royal Boots…before you know it I was able to wear even HIGHER heels :).
Taken from Nordstrom’s
Taken from Nordstrom‘s
Taken from 6pm
The Moment you’ve Been Waiting For (SLEDGES!!!)
Now that your feet (arches/ankles/in-steap/balls of your feet) have gotten a better feel for the incline…. IT’S TIME to put them to work!!!!
The L.K. Bennett Sledges have what we need when it comes to the look of a Platform Pump but aren’t actually as high as they LOOK (perfect for high heel trainees). Your feet will be strained a little more in this kind of shoe, mainly because you now have 1/2″ higher than of an incline. Take your time with these, and focus your weight on the balls of your feet and NOT your heel…this will strengthen your calves/ankles and give you some muscle memory when it comes to walking in these types of shoes.
Taken from L.K. Bennett
Don’t want to attempt the Sledge? what about the Sliver? As we learned early in this post…something that supports your arch, IS ALWAYS A GREAT IDEA :)
Taken from L.K. Bennett
Lift it UP! Time for Platforms
While Wedges with platforms are EXTREMELY comfortable, you need to have stronger ankles. If you have strengthened your ankles, these types of shoes will be EASY to walk in :) The platform half of this shoes is what makes the wedge more comfy while still giving you the height…problem is this is also what makes them uneasy to walk in if you don’t have strong ankles. If not…do some ankle exercises :)
The Stuart Weitzman Minx is a great one! there are lovely little ankles straps to give you more support when you walk ;)
Taken from Nordstrom’s
Taken from Zappos
LOOK MA! No Training Wheels
There are only 2 styles of shoes that Kate owns, that I am STILL trying get strong enough for….she seriously makes them look easy! and that’s the PLATFORMLESS Prada pump (and the Jimmy Choo Cosmics…). Without the platform, the balls of your feet and ankles are taking the brunt of the work…Using the Dr. Scholl’s inserts will help :). And of course training yourself to walk on the balls of your feet.
SUPER-HUMAN Strength!
Sky High and no support! That’s pretty much the Jimmy Choo Cosmic. Why? the heel, even without the platform is about as high as the Prada heels….AND THEN you have to balance on a 1″ platform, FUN HUH?! If your ankles are strong enough and you have trained yourself to walk on the balls of your feet, these shoes will be a little easier to walk in. I, however, recommend using this shoe only for small outings ;)
Taken from Jimmy Choo
While I don’t feel the VAMP is as difficult to walk in as the COSMIC…I feel it is in the same category, the height is pretty much the same. DIFFERENCE? the straps around the ankle and your foot! I LOVE THIS! Because of these straps I can walk in these with ease :)
Taken from Jimmy Choo
Exercises to Strengthen your feet!
1. HEEL RAISES – Lift off of your toes, raising your heels. Works your calves and ankles.
2. TOE RAISES – Life off of your heels, raising your toes (the opposite of the Heel Raise). Works the front of your ankles.
3. RUNNING – Strengthens your legs.
4. BAR METHOD – Basic ballet warm-up routines are the PERFECT way to strengthen your feet. Given these ladies dance on their toes…I think this is a great place to start.
A great article Brittany! I’m definitely adopting some of those ankle exercises now that Spring is nearly here in Australia and I’ll be whipping out my wedges to wear with my sundresses. Last spring a had nasty fall when wearing my non-supportive slingback wedges for the first time … I’ve learnt my lesson! Another point to remember is “aspect ratio”. Being a size 5 I have less area to distribute the pressure of a 4″ heel, for example, compared to somebody who is a size 10.
Keep up the great posts!
Agreed! I have tiny little feet for how tall I am, so balancing is an issue sometimes LOL
Wow, a great post Brittany! Very useful and “professional”! I started wearing heels regularly only 4 years ago and at the beginning it was such a struggle!! I wish I had read those tips of yours before :)
By the way, may I ask you to indicate the link of the wedges you post from Asos, Zappos and Nordstrom? (I have replicas of all of them but I am looking for other colours)
thank you!
Hi Valou, the photos are taken from stock images through nordstroms, however the shoes are no longer available :(….the Stuart Weitzman Minx Wedges are however available on 6pm and amazon.com as well as the corkswoons in other colors! :0
thanks anyway Brittany :)
cannot wait for another post of yours!
Good thing that I do ballet! Maybe that will help with higher heels!
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up.
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