Save Your Feet: How to Wear High Heels and NOT Want to Cry

he sacrifices women and drag queens make for fashion are nothing short of a miracle.  Our feet can be callused, shredded, blistered, and swollen, but we still manage to squeeze them into sky-high stilettos and dance the night away.  Does such excruciating pain have to exist?  Well, of course not.  But what fun would it be to rock flats all day long?

If you want to save your feet total misery, there are a few things you can do to minimize the pain and damage that can be done over time.  Pain-free isn’t a guarantee, but you will feel better over the long haul.

1. BUY SHOES THAT FIT.  I am the queen of buying shoes a half size smaller than I wear, thinking they will stretch out or stay on more snugly.  What ends up happening is that my feet get cramps and red and swollen an hour later.  Go to a wonderful place like Nordstrom where you can be sized by a shoe professional, and remember that if you feel totally restricted by the shoe on the first day, it usually doesn’t get any better.

2. PUT THE PETAL TO THE METAL.  Footpetals.com is a web address that can save your feet meat.  With padded adhesive cushions that fit neatly inside shoes of all kinds, this company has been dishing out foot relief since day one.  My personal must-haves are the killer kushionz^® and tip toes^®.  The tip toes helped me dance in ultra high Louboutins at my wedding reception with no regrets.  If you aren’t an online shopper, you can also find Foot Petals products in the shoe section of major  retailers, like Dillard’s.

3. NUMB UP.  This is one of those silly suggestions that works, but only use it if you have to.  Go to the pharmacy and buy topical numbing cream to rub all over your feet.  I recommend doing this immediately before putting your shoes on.  The cream may take 5-10 minutes to full take effect. Keep the cream in your purse for touch-ups as the night goes on, and feel no pain.

4. HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW.  Yes, your hair dryer can make a difference in those new shoes.  Blast the shoes with warm air for 2-4 minutes before putting them on-the heat should make the shoe material expand and fit more comfortably.  You can also ball up socks or get large potatoes to place  firmly into the toes of the shoe for several days before wearing them out.  Heat and stretching always loosen up your body; they also loosen up your shoes.

If all else fails, keep a comfy pair of flats in your bag and switch them out as soon as your feet begin to feel the burn!

*Check out more amazing shoes on our Killer Shoes board on Pinterest.