HOW TO BUY THE RIGHT HIGH HEELED SHOES FOR YOUR FEET

As a very experienced buyer and professional wearer of spike heeled shoes, I bring you this information hoping to help save you tons of money (not to mention foot pain or a trip to the hospital!). I have been buying and wearing high heels just about every day  for 15 years.

----If you're buying shoes or boots and you plan to wear socks, always buy a size larger than you are. The same rule does not apply to stockings, as they are very thin and slippery inside a shoe.

----Look for nonskid rubber or leather on the soles. This doesn't apply, of course, to people who use the slipperyness to their advantage.

----Look for cushioned insole (usually a suede or suede-like material). Some really good shoes unfortunately do not have these, but the good news is that you can buy them in shoe stores or online.

----Look for sturdy heels or one-piece constuction.

----If you have narrow feet, look for a toe hole that isn't too large, so your feet don't slip through .This can cause you to stub or scape you big toe, or the upper can cut into the top of your foot. Ouch! A good way to gauge toe-hole width is to make sure your pinky toe (or the model in the picture's pinky toe) is covered completely  most of the way, so that just the toenail is sticking out.

----If buying platform shoes, make sure the bottom is not too narrow, or they can tip easily (like if you step on a pebble)and you could twist your ankle. The wider the platform is on the bottom, the easier it will be for you to walk in and your balance will be better. Some platforms have an angled toe tip (like on the front of a rollerskate) that allows your foot to roll when you walk--this allows you to walk more naturally and point your toes better.

----A sqiurt of a strong-hold hairspray on the insole helps prevent feet from sliding around inside the shoe, but this does eventually wear off depending on how much your feet sweat. this works better on opened toes and sandals, but can be used in all shoes.

                               DIFFERENT STYLES OF SOLES

NON-PLATFORM  ONE PIECE PLASTIC OR LUCITE (1-5 INCH HEELS)---usually always have a cushioned insole and rubber or leather nonskid soles (which may come off with time-Gorilla glue, Krazy glue or a shoe repair professional can fix this). You have to be careful though-some still come with slippery sole that are black-but hard plastic instead of rubber or leather. After some use and abuse, these soles may develop thin cracks in the soles by the front of the foot, but they can still be worn like this as the cushioned insole holds them together. Be careful when you are walking outside--these can tip a little if you step on a pebble.

PLATFORM PLASTIC OR LUCITE ONE PIECE SOLES (6-8 1/2 INCH HEELS)----these are the same as above, but due to their height they may tip easier. Due to the thickness of the plastic, they don't break as easily as the ones mentioned above. This type of platform is usually slightly tapered at the bottom; also making them tip easier. They look more elegant than the non-tapered type of platform--so these are usually always worn when the wearer does not plan to go outside (this si why these are called stripper shoes). This type of platform is heavier than the non-plastic type. With time and wear, the insoles may come unglued, but you or a shoe repair man can fix this. This generally doesn't happen to the non-platformed plastic shoes because they are not anywhere near as heavy. 

NON-PLASTIC SEVERAL-PIECE CONSTRUCTION PLATFORM----these usually have an angled toe slope on the sole, making them much easier and more natural to walk in. They are lighter in weight than their plastic or lucite counterparts. They can take a beating and still look great-many strippers buy these shoes (and they last longer than many of their careers) or they just get sick of them but can't throw them away because they haven't worn out yet. If you only want to buy one or two pairs of dancing shoes these or the non-platform one piece pastic ones are the way to go. Their only drawback is that they have no cushioning on the insole, so you should buy the ball of foot cushions from a shoe store or online.

NON PLASTIC NON PLATFORM----(1-9"heel) these bend naturally with the foot as you walk. Usually the heel will not be as sturdy and will loosen quickly with wear (unless they are British made-they must reenforce the soles from the inside with steel). These are the type of shoes that you see or hear of the heels breaking (I've never broken a heel, but I have seen it happen to other people). They are incredibly elegant and sexy, and they don't tip as easy as the plastic ones-so they are better for wearing outside because the soles flex. These usually never have cushioned insoles or nonslip rubber or leather soles (a shoe repair professional can add  something called  "cat paws"( a custom-cut rubber non-slip sole) for $10-15 US. You can also buy foot cushions at the shoe repair store, a regular shoe store, or online. Those stick-on  non-slips you can buy at shoe stores reallt are too good to be true. They fall off in about one week, then the glue remains on the soles and pisk up all sorts if fuzz, dirt, and hairs. It is very difficult to remove--I would suggest NEVER buying these no-slips for your shoes!

WOOD PLATFORM AND NON PLATFORM SHOES-these in the platform version are very heavy-like lifting weights when you walk--and they will do SERIOUS damage if you kick somebody. Of course the non-platformed noes are lighter in weight, but both types are very strong and sturdy. The same rules as the plastic one piece soles for 'tipping' apply (but they are more like the non-plastic platforms in that they are wider and easier to walk in). They are usually very heavily cushioned and you'd be hard pressed to find high heels that are more comfortable than these. If they get old and ratty looking, a preson who works with wood or refinishes furniture colud refinish them (and perhaps even stain them a different color!-I hope to try this soon). All of the pairs of wooden-soled shoes that I have seen have non-slip rubber soles (even the ones made in the1970's).

                  STYLES OF UPPERS

CLOSED TOES----good for narrow feet, but make sure the big toe doen't press or rub in the front--this is common with non-pionted toe shoes. This can be very painful after a few hours! Closed shoes tend to get sweaty and slippery inside after awhile-so you need to wear powder or socks.

D'ORSAYS---- good for people with narrow feet as the toes don't slip through the toe holes.

MULES----for people with narrow feet-make sure that most-if not all of the pinky toe is covered or your foot will slip through  the toe holes and the upper will cut into your foot. The more the front of the foot is covered, the better the shoe will stay on the foot without making the "flip- flop" sound.

STRAPPY SANDALS----not good for narrow or bony feet, as the sratps tend to cut in after an hour or so. They are very sexy and they keep feet cool.

ANKLE STRAPS---make sure they aren't too tight. If there are not enough holes for the buckle,  you can make an extra hole using a small awl (available in craft or hardware stores ) or a pair of manicure scissors. If using scissors, make sure that when you push in the blade,  the blade is aimed with the length going with the stap, not across it or it will break. Only make the hole as big as the other ones or the strap will weaken and eventually break. When you push the blade in, twist the blade to make a round hole.                          

BOOTS---good for all types of feet. Always buy a size larger than you normally wear (I can't stress this enough!). All types of boots are extremely comfortale when compared to shoes ( if they aren't too small) and they give you added ankle support. they can also cover scars, bruises, and tattoos. They are also much warmer, so if you are in a hot climate, they may make you overheat. For thigh-high boots, make sure that you can bend your legs properly-if the material is too stiff, you can end up with bruises on the backs of your legs if you bend them a lot while exerting pressure.