Tall Stories: Tall person + Heels? Ummmm

While high heels (3 or more inches) can 'look' pleasing they can throw up problems-

• Being tall and wearing heels can be undesirable (giant syndrome anyone?!)  Not to mention the ache from your neck after stooping to chat to all the small people who didn't get the memo to grow tall!
• They are impractical for wearing all day!  Fine if you are Nicole Richie or Tamara Ecclestone who has a stylist choose their outfit, prep them in a car before they walk 10 paces before the press and then sit for an evening before walking another 10 paces to the car (while the photographs lead us to believe that all they wear are skyscraper heels day in day out)!
• They hurt your feet and cause posture misalignment which can lead to all sorts of varied and related problems you never knew about until your doctor/osteo/chiropodist tells you some long latin words and then explains some horrible condition that all relates to your choice of footwear...

Christian Louboutin made these en pointe shoes to raise money for English National Ballet.  Pretty or pretty uncomfortable?

On the plus side they make your feet look smaller.  Yes I am talking about 'that' episode again.  Some of you will have read this before but I'll share it again... I'm talking about the time I went to try on some shoes.  I just wanted some day to day Mary Jane style shoes (like normal office heel shoes but with a strap so they stay on your feet when you walk).  I opted for the 1-2 inch heels but the Sales Assistant said I should try on the 3 inch heels just to see.  I do like tall heels, but I am not a fan of sticking out all the time- plus I worry about getting posture and arthritis when older so I'd rather reserve higher heels for occasional wear.  Anyway I tried on the lower pair, which fitted fine, I then tried on the higher pair wondering if the height would hurt my feet or turn me into Godzilla... then came the sting.

"How are you getting on?" said the Sales Assistant.  "Yeah, I'm not sure about these" I said, eyeing up the skyscrapers on my feet.  Then came the immortal words I have never forgotten... "Those look good.  They make your feet look smaller"... You WHAT?  You're saying I have big feet?  And that wearing cripplingly high heels will make my feet look smaller and this is a good thing?

Lobster shoes! Comfortable and height? Or just plan daft?

I wasn't really hung up on the size of me feet too much until that day.  Don't get me wrong- I know they are big- but my shoes size always sells out so I know it is popular.  More importantly they balance my height and I would look very odd (and fall over) if my feet weren't proportionate.  I may feet like I have to wear small canoes on each foot (especially when wearing flat shoes) BUT DONT USE MY SIZE TO BRIBE ME INTO BUYING ITEMS!!  And certainly don't give me complexes about fitting in when I am perfectly normal!!  I know that now, but at the time several years ago I just wanted to blend in and it seems that every store I visited for shoes just stocked skyscrapers and no alternatives.  Thankfully nowadays the flat shoe trend is hear to stay and mid sized heels which look fashionable AND comfortable are here to stay!  And even if they aren't 'fashionable' they are vintage styled which also appears to be cool nowadays!

Freya Shoes from Hush Puppy (link) £35-£60 with a normal heel! Get in!

I have some posts coming up about shoes for tall-ies.  Shoes that won't hurt your feet, cost the earth or make us stick out for the wrong reasons :) Having struggled in this area for many years I knew this was one of the topics I wanted to share on this blog- so keep your eyes peeled for some shoes posts!

Do you wear high heels?  How high will you go?  Do you have special trusted shops?  Any shoes secrets or stories?

Stand Tall x

(P.s. I didn't buy those shoes.  I removed them, smiled, thanked the guy and left the shop- and took my 'big feet' elsewhere to shop!)
(P.p.s. 5 foot 10 is now on Facebook (link) and Twitter (@5foot10blog) so more ways to stay up to date :) )