Rethink Your Footwear

By Cheryl Mattox Berry

Full disclosure: I don’t like high heels. Never, ever will buy stilettos. I only wear shoes that are a little over two inches.

Don’t get me wrong. I love shoes, all kinds from boots to wedgies to Birkenstock. I just don’t like very high heels because No. 1, they’re uncomfortable. No. 2, stilettos are so high that it’s impossible to walk gracefully. Heels are supposed to make you look taller and thinner, elongate the leg and facilitate a sexy walk.

However, most of the girls I see in restaurants, malls and social events give high heels a bad name. The mile-high shoes worn by these young ladies are causing poor posture and a weird gait. Many stiletto wearers wobble, hunch over, walk peg-legged or take tiny steps. Walking seems forced or strained, not natural.

I know we must suffer to be beautiful, but think about your poor feet. Instead of wearing shoes that are four to six inches tall, take it down a couple of inches. You’re not giving up style; you’re gaining comfort and ensuring that you won’t develop foot problems or suffer an injury. Also, you can save the stilettos for special occasions, but keep in mind that your feet will hurt if you must stand most of the night.

While shopping for sneakers after surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon, I met two women who broke an ankle when they fell off their high heels. Both women said they didn’t realize how uncomfortable their stilettos had been until they were forced to wear sneakers while their ankle heeled. One of the women said she thought the platform heels she tumbled off would be safer, but she was wrong.

Don’t feel compelled to buy stilettos because all your friends are wearing them. Choose a pair of shoes you can actually walk in and those that fit your personality. And who said you had to wear heels anyway? Take a cue from Kristen Stewart, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez and other stars who walk the red carpet wearing Converse sneakers. I bet they didn’t have to take off shoes once during the night.