People often ask how I manage to wear heels all day and almost every day. The secret is simple: it's all about height, style and overall design!
The thing is, when I buy heels, I want to be able to wear them all day without getting sore feet. I have no desire to carry massive handbags with “just in case” extra pairs of shoes. To me, this ruins my outfit. I want to be able to carry a clutch, a little purse or a bag that is aligned with my outfit without stressing about having a pair of shoes to change into.
What I mean by the height is not necessarily buying a kitten heel simply for the sake of comfort. Actually, despite what people think, not every kitten heel is comfortable! Also, it's not about buying 130mm heels for the sake of elevating your height for that killer heel look. It’s just about balance. I have found that any heel height above 90mm becomes uncomfortable after a few hours and anything below 80mm doesn't always flatten my foot (if I can call it that).
Apart from height, knowing fabrics and if you are invested in shoes, the overall manufacturing process. This is a great way to understand whether the shoes will stretch if the fabric might create discomfort on your skin and so on. All these features aid in whether you can wear a shoe all day or not. Going back to height, I always buy shoes within the 80mm to 90mm range and this seems to work out well for me. But I will say wearing heels is very subjective and as much as it is about comfort, it’s also about being graceful when you walk in heels. There is nothing worse than trying to walk in a pair of shoes and it makes you wobble or feel nervous. Also, though people might not say it directly, it just doesn't look right!
From a High Street perspective, I usually gravitate toward Zara in terms of looking for the right pair of comfortable high heels on a budget. However the trick to buying high street isn’t about the price point, but more about the quality. I always recommend reading the product description before buying any pair of heels. At times I use high street to shop for seasonal heels I might want to buy in the long term before committing to a high-end luxury purchase.
When it comes to designer heel brands such as Gianvito Rossi, Sergio Rossi or Manolo Blahnik, my approach is slightly different. When I look for high-end luxury shoes that suit my style, I look for comfort, design, material and also still do take into consideration the price point. It comes down to common sense with the price point, really (evaluating cost per wear happens to be one of the things I use to decide whether or not to buy regard designer heels). Aside from that, I find the best way to shop for shoes is actually in person rather than online! I like the experience of trying on the heel, looking at the fabric and material, the overall cut of the shoe, and walking around for a few minutes to test out the shoe before buying it. These are all the things that you don’t get online. Plus, the champagne that comes with the experience is always a nice touch!
With high-end shopping online, I either shop directly on the brand website or I go to some of my favourite online luxury shopping sites such as Farfetch, Harrods, MatchesFashion and Net-A-Porter. When I am looking for a luxury fashion piece at a discounted price or something hard to find, my favourite place to browse includes YOOX and The Outnet and also preowned outlets like Vestiaire Collective. You just never know what you'll find in these online shopping places!
So, the next time you go shopping for designer heels, don’t be afraid to try on the heels and remember to focus on the height and design and comfort as it all relates to you as an individual. After all, your comfort is going to be what determines if you can wear heels all day or not! As Victoria Beckham said: “I can’t concentrate in flats.”, and you won’t have to if you learn how to shop for heels that are comfortable and well-made for all-day wear.
Quick Tip: Aside from the height, in regards to comfort. Other aspects to consider is how the shoe is hugging your feet and also consider whether the height of the shoe curves in or not. If the heel is at the end (back) it will throw all your weight to the front. |