Pumps are cute and athletic shoes are practical, but when it comes to adding a little bit of oomph to your outfit, nothing beats a great pair of sexy high heels. The fact is, when you want to turn heads, nothing beats the leg-lengthening, calf-toning, confidence-boosting effects of a stellar pair of heels. Learn how to choose and how to wear the sexiest high heels around.
Purchasing Sexy High Heels
High heels aren't hard to find. They're available at department stores, boutiques, popular clothing stores and online hubs. A few ideas on places to shop for alluring heels include:
- Pinup Girl Clothing: A wide range of heels are available from this shop, from wedges to spike heels. Their helpful article on types of heels helps clear up any confusion.
- Banana Shoes: This store specializes in discounted heels in alluring styles from a number of top brands. Also available are other items, such as lingerie, hosiery, and costumes.
- Italian Heels: High-quality heels in a range of styles and heel types, including mules, pumps, and ballet boots and other fantasy styles.
- Sexy Hi Heels: Buy eye-catching, embellished, and platforms heels at this club wear store. Heels in five, six, and even seven inch heights are available.
Most Alluring Styles of High Heels
While just about any high heel can exude sex appeal, there are some styles that really shout it. Try these types of shoes to spice up your look:
- Low cut heels
- Red or other brightly colored heels
- High heeled boots
- Strappy sandals
- Leopard, zebra, or other animal print heels
- Glamorous accents like grommets, studs, or rhinestones
- Peep toe heels
- Ultra high or extreme high heeled shoes
Different Types of Heels
High Heeled Wedges
In general, the thicker your high heeled shoe is at the bottom, where it touches the ground, the easier you'll find it to wear. High heeled wedges are the easiest heels of all to walk in, and can be a great way to get used to the extra height. You'll find wedge sandals with heels up to four inches high, but the shape of those heels means that your weight is distributed evenly over the foot, making it not too difficult to walk.
Stiletto Heels
At the opposite end of the scale, stilettos have thin, narrow heels which can feel very difficult to balance on if you're not used to them; however, once you get used to walking in high heels, you may actually find that stilletos are easier to walk in than other styles because they force you to balance on the balls of your feet.
High Heels
Somewhere in the middle are high heels, which are wider at the bottom than stilettos. Some of these shoes even have block, or woodblock, heels that provide chunky, thick bases for you to balance on.
Kitten Heels
Kitten heeled shoes are very low to the ground and they typically have a narrow heel base. Many people who are new to high heels are tempted by the kitten heel because it's so low, but these can actually be some of the hardest shoes to balance on because of the distribution of weight on the heel.
Toes and Straps
The front of your shoe will also have some bearing on how easy the shoe is to walk in. Pointy-toed stilettos may look hot, but those pointed toes sometimes pinch, and a round or square toe could be much more comfortable. Similarly, slip on mules with sexy high heels can look fabulous for an evening out, but can be almost impossible to walk in as your toes have to continually grip the sole of the shoe to keep it on your foot. If you're a high heel novice, something with a sling-back or an ankle strap might be much easier to manage.
Walking in Sexy Heels
There's no great secret to walking in high heels. The key point to remember here is that practice makes perfect. If you've never worn high heels before, or just haven't worn them for a while, you'll want to start off gradually by walking around your house. Try starting with a standard high heel with a height of 2 to 3 inches. This may seem counterintuitive when there are "easier" heels to walk in, but if you can master the proper form in this style heel, you'll be able to transition to other heels with greater ease. Here are some tips for walking in high heels:
- Start getting used to your high heels by simply standing in them. You'll want to gain your balance, shifting your weight forward slightly so that your center of gravity is over the balls of your feet, rather than over your heels.
- Start walking around your house or up and down the block. You want to lead with the ball of your foot, continuing to maintain the forward-shift of your center of gravity. If you can get used to balancing on the ball of your foot, you'll be able to maintain your balance even if your heel slips out from under you or your heel is a little wobbly.
- Try walking on several different types of surfaces - concrete, linoleum, wood floors, etc. All of these surfaces will feel different on your heel and will affect your balance.
- Try walking up and down stairs. Make sure you start by holding a banister or railing to help you maintain your balance. It's often helpful to place your feet sideways or at an angle on each stair to maintain greater balance.
- Switch out your high heels and try stilletos, kitten heels and wedges to test how each style feels. Remember that even though it's easier to balance on a wedged heel, it's still important that you walk on the ball of your foot to maintain greater balance.
Remember that it's completely normal to feel wobbly at first. It takes some time to build the ankle strength required for stability. If you start for a few minutes here and there, gradually wearing your heels for longer periods, you'll be surprised at how natural it becomes to walk in heels after just a few weeks.
Popularity of High Heels
For decades, high heels have been recognized as the ultimate in sexy footwear -- and with good reason. High heels are sexy for a number of reasons: the height of the heel alters the wearer's center of balance, creating a walk that makes the hips sway and the bottom protrude; the shape of the shoe elongates the leg, making legs appear longer and leaner; that same shape also arches the foot sexily. High heels make the wearer look taller and slimmer, creating an air of confidence and sophistication which is, in itself, sexy. It's no wonder high heels are one of the most popular types of women's shoes around.
Choose Your Heels
When picking out heels, you want to make sure they're comfortable and personally appealing, so it's best to try shoes on in-store when possible. If you'd still like to purchase your shoes online, make sure the retailer has an appealing return policy so that you can send the heels back if they don't fit properly. Just remember, the most important aspect of creating sex appeal with any pair of high heels is to wear them with confidence.
