Last Updated on October 26, 2023 by Eve Dawes
I’m a pageant queen & live in heels. Here’s how to make them more comfortable!
How do you make high heels more comfortable and not hurt? I’m super petite so unless I’m working out, traveling or going to the grocery store, I wear high heels whenever I’m out. How do I manage to do it is something I’m always asked. Let’s be fair, after wearing pointe shoes for the first 25 years of my life, I’ll always choose heels as the more comfortable option! However, I’d still never class heels as comfortable shoes and some brands are better and worse than others. Let’s be fair, the perfect dress isn’t complete without a gorgeous pair of heels. But if you struggle with keeping your heels on for a while, here are my best tips for making your heels more comfortable. Besides obviously going for the most comfortable heels you can find to start with as sometimes the prettiest heels are worth the sacrifice.
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Top 18 tips for making heels more comfortable
Here are my tried and tested ways of making heels more comfortable:
- Buy heels that fit.
- Break them in, more details on this below.
- Find a padded or gel insert that works for your heels.
- Use baby shampoo or dry shampoo to reduce moisture, friction and blisters,
- Use a numbing spray to reduce the pain of wearing heels.
- Look for brands known for their heel construction and comfort like Sarah Flint.
- Go for a lower heel height. I know, I love 5″ stilettos too. However, if you’re going to be walking a lot or on your feet for a long time consider a lower heel.
- Go for wedges or platforms that put less pressure on the balls of your feet if you don’t want to sacrifice your heel height.
- How you walk matters. It’s all about the heel-toe gait and using your ab muscles to distribute the weight correctly and for stability.
- If you can fit padded socks into your high heels boots do it! They’ll help to give some extra cushioning to reduce the ouch factor.
- Choose the correct shape high heel for your foot shape. If you have wide feet, pointed toe shoes might not be the best option however pretty they are.
- I learned this trick as a ballerina. Stick moleskin wherever you know you normally get blisters to help prevent friction. I like the versions you can trim to size so there’s not too much bulk. It also means they don’t show in strappy sandals.
- Another trick I learned as a ballerina was to tape my toes before putting them into pointe shoes. This works for high heel pumps and boots too but in a slightly different way. Tape your 3rd and 4th toes together to help prevent friction and protect the nerves in those toes to make your heels more comfortable.
- Always keep a few spare Bandaids AKA plasters in your purse for emergencies or use them like moleskin and apply them ahead of time.
- Anti-blister sticks are another purse essential for when you’re wearing new shoes or wearing a pair normally hurt and cause you blisters.
- If you struggle to walk in heels look for either sturdier heel shapes
- Ankle straps are another feature to look for to help them feel more secure.
- Rolling transparent deodorant around any areas of your heels that normally rubs can also help reduce friction and pain.
1. How to make heels more comfortable: Buy shoes that actually fit you
Topping my tips for making heels more comfortable and probably the most obvious tip is to buy shoes that fit. If you have wider feet, try to stay away from pointed toed heels. An open-toe strappy heel is a better option if you have wider feet. There is a perfect shoe shape and heel height out there for everyone. So don’t bother trying to squeeze into one that doesn’t fit and is going to hurt whatever you do.
There’s also the issue of shoes fitting differently from season to season. I like to find shoes that fit on the hottest days of the year and then add inserts for when my feet shrink on colder days. If you get shoes that fit when you’re cold, they’re really going to be a squish on hot and humid days! If a shoe doesn’t fit you often end up changing how you walk and causing even more issues and injuries.
2. How to make heels more comfortable | Break them in
My second tip for making your heels more comfortable is to wear them in before you wear them out. As soon as you get your new shoes home, wear them around the house.
If they’re too small, do this with thick socks on to stretch them out to make them as comfortable as possible. This is a tip I give all my pageant coaching clients to get them used to walking in their new heels.
If you’re worried about them getting dirty breaking them in, e.g. with white satin bridal shoes, slip a pair of socks or thin stocking socks over the top to protect them.
Try to do this at least once a day or a few times a week depending on the date you’re planning to wear your new heels.
3. Tip for how to make heels not hurt – Find an insert that works with your heels
Another great tip for making heels more comfortable is to place inserts inside of your shoes. You can either use a full sole foam or gel insert, or just one for the heel, ball or back of your foot. Put them wherever you think they’ll be the most useful and make your heels the least painful.
4. Tip: Use dry shampoo or baby powder on your feet before putting your heels on
Ok, so this might sound odd and dry shampoo is normally for your hair, but you can also use it in your shoes to make them more comfortable. By using a little baby powder or dry shampoo in your heels it helps to prevent sweating and absorbs moisture and sweat which in turn helps to prevent getting blisters or condensation build. This is especially useful with clear heels!
5. Tip: Use a spray designer to make heels less painful
Another tip for how to make heels not hurt is to use heel comfort sprays on your feet designed specifically to make wearing even your highest heels more comfortable. A spray like Hollywood Secrets Haute Heels that numb your feet a little and is infused with aloe vera is great for some extra help making your heels more comfortable.
After all, no one wants to be that girl walking home barefoot on gross floors at the end of the night. Look for ones that come with a purse size version too so that you can pop it in your purse to spray more during the day/night if you need to.
6. Look for brands known for comfort
Research brands known for both their comfort and style.
Don’t worry I’m not talking Dr. Scholl’s or Uggs when it comes to heels but brands like celeb favorite Sarah Flint whose heels are known for their superior construction and comfort.
Use code SARAHFLINT-BAEVE for $50 off your 1st pair.
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More shoes to love from classic to whats trending now
Whether you’re looking for a classic style or what’s trending now, here’s what’s in my closet or on my wish list.
