Practical: How to Wear Heels to Work

Do you find wearing high heels difficult and uncomfortable? Is it time consuming to find high heels that actually fit you? Are you constantly getting friction blisters on your big toe or back ankle? Have you tried multiple products without relief? If you answered “yes” then you’re in the right place.

I put together this practical post of

How to Wear Heels to Work…For Busy Female Professionals.

If you are not a high heel kind of gal and want to know how I wear ballet flats to work, please see my post HERE and my beloved Tieks by Gavrieli ballet flats review HERE (the only ballet flat brand I wear).

Before you begin reading, this is a long post broken into Part I & Part II. Besides being practical I also share this information with you today because if you are another healthcare professional like myself, you understand when I say “Can you RUN in HEELS to SAVE A PATIENT’s LIFE?” As a critical care pharmacist I need to run (including stairs sometimes) responding to “Code Blue” situations. And yes, I do wear professional clothing to work (NOT scrubs/running shoes). Now, if you’ve ever seen a doctor take off her heels & run barefoot through the hospital then you are with me when I laugh to myself & think how gross that is…

This is not a sponsored post but it may contain affiliate links. Full disclosures HERE.

Heel Photos: M. Gemi Proprio Heel Crema di Menta Size 35.5 Suede Colors or Neutral Colors); Cole Haan Kelsey Detail Waterproof Pump Size 5.5 (Similar HERE or HERE) in Navy AND Maple Sugar Taupe; Michael Kors Flex Round-Toe Pump Size 5.5 Vanilla; Cole Haan Heel Size 5.5 (very old from Outlet) in Black, No-Show Socks (20% off with code PSSVIP20, $15 minimum + free shipping)

 As I have noted many times before I am brand-loyal and these products I have owned for months to years and genuinely love them. 

Part I

How to Find High Heels that actually Fit You:

1. Measure Foot: If you don’t know your foot size or haven’t gotten measured in a while, get your foot measured to find your shoe size. You can do this at-home or in the store. (for at-home see this tutorial). Once you have this, use it as a guide moving forward. Best time to measure your foot? At the end of the day because your foot is likely more swollen from a full-day of walking around.

For Me: my foot measures ~8.5 inches. This translates into an approximate US Women’s Shoe Size of 5. My width is wider at ~3.3 inches. I did not find the calculated widths from this website accurate. I wear a standard B width.

2. Try On: Now that you have an estimate of your foot size, try on a couple different sizes in your selected brand.

For Me: Knowing this estimate, I try on a Women’s US Size 5, 5.5 and 6. My usual size is 5.5 or 35.5 for most purchases despite my estimated size 5 above.

Wiggle your toes when trying on. Make sure your pinky toe is not getting squeezed in this size.

3. Walk Around: Make sure to walk around in the shoe, preferably on a hard wood/tile surface (not just the carpeted area).

How does the shoe size feel after these steps? Ready to confidently purchase a pair of shoes in this shoe size?

4. Online…Read Reviews: If you can’t try on a new brand in the store, read reviews.

For Me: I will read reviews on the sizing and either purchase 2 sizes (see below) or decide to purchase my usual 5.5. If half-sizes are not available I will lean towards reviews to size up or down. Look for reviews from “Top Contributors” that are very detailed if there are varying opinions on fit. For my Tieks ballet flats I size up to a 6 (read why HERE).

Conveniently many online stores offer free shipping/free returns so purchasing 2 sizes is easy—for example, M. Gemi and Tieks by Gavrieli both offer this convenience. If a store only offers your size online (which often happens for sizes <6) then I will make sure purchases online can be easily returned in-store (example: Shop AnnTaylor.com)

Now that you have your new high heels, what next?

5. Put them on at home and WALK around INSIDE your home! I prefer to do this mostly on carpet or a soft surface to prevent any scuffing of the soles (if for any reason you realize you purchased the wrong size & need to return them—they are still in near perfect unworn condition). Move on to a hard wood/tile surface next before getting ready to wear them to work!

Part II

How to Wear Heels to Work…without pain or friction blisters

1. Find your Perfect Heel Height

For Me: My perfect heel height is ~3 inches. A reasonable range for me is 2.5 – 3.25 inches. Anything over 3.5 inches is too high for me.

From My Photos:

M. Gemi Heels: 3.25 inches (80 mm) – My Review HERE

Cole Haan Kelsey Detail Waterproof Bow Heel x2: 2.5 inches (65 mm)

Michael Kors Flex Round-Toe Heel: 3.5 inches (90 mm)

2. Use Friction Block Stick: Friction block stick is truly a lifesaver for me. Apply to blister-prone areas such as big toe, pinky toe, and back of ankles before putting on your high heels. I was recommended this product by a pharmacist colleague before one of our week long pharmacy conferences and have never been happier with a simple product!

For Me: I use Band-Aid Friction Block Stick. It retails for ~$5-10. Unfortunately, recently it has been difficult to find in stores or online (for a reasonable price, Amazon/eBay for >$25! Outrageous!). I recommend looking around at your local drugstores (Target, CVS, Walgreens, etc) and trying the “Find in Store” feature on websites to potentially locate it nearby. I did stock up on a few sticks when I found it at a local CVS.

Other options (sorry I haven’t tried these yet): Gold Bond Friction Defense, Dr. Scholl’s Miracle Shield Stick, Body Glide Foot Anti Blister Balm

I would also consider New-Skin Liquid Bandage or an actual band-aid if you’re in desperate need of something to prevent blisters.

Honestly, I use this Band-Aid Friction Block Stick EVERY time I wear high heels. Prevention is Better than a Cure! I would prefer NO blisters than a potential blister that takes weeks to heal (yes, this has actually happened to me with my Steve Madden Stecy heels that almost killed my back ankle).

I will use this product during a “break-in” period for new shoes. I mentioned this in the M. Gemi Attorno sandal review because the Italian leather did need to loosen a little over a few wears.

3. Use Insole Insert: Ball of foot insole insert is a must when wearing any high heels for me.

For Me: I use the Pedag Princess Insert

I came across these after an exhaustive search to replace my ivory white half insole inserts that I used to get for free while shoe shopping with my mom. Does anyone know what I’m talking about here? I think they were intended for 1-2 time uses and I would keep them in for longer but when I took them out they practically stuck to the shoe and a film had to be cleaned off the shoe. Sorry I don’t have a photo; during my KonMari organization in spring 2016 I threw them all out (they were disgustingly gross from wear).

Let’s Break-down why I use (and love) this particular insert

1. Comfort: Extra cushioning for ball of foot (same as the SHEEC SockShion for ballet flats)

2. Size: Easily adapts loose-fitting shoes. This is great for those of us between sizes or one foot larger than the other to add a little extra so the heel does not slip off.

3. Odor control: Breathable leather and active carbon help neutralize odor by providing freshness and optimal hygiene. This helps heels (and stockings) last longer.

4. Removable: Insert and remove easily to transition from different heels.

5. No-Show/Hidden: No one knows you are wearing this insole during the day. Like I said with ballet flats; show off you shoe not your shoe liner.

Also, shop my “Practical” Tab – the forgotten items are sometimes the best purchases!

Why I Prefer this Product over Others?

(personal opinions, what works for YOUR foot is the only thing that matters)

1. Heel Liners: As shown in the picture, I have tried Heel Liner that you place at the back of the heel. Unfortunately I found these unstick easily when walking around for hours at work and suddenly would be dangling on the back of my ankle. Not a style I want to accidentally be walking around while teaching at the university.

2. Heel Cushions: I have tried these as well. I think they work well if this part of your foot needs extra cushion and shock absorption throughout the day. I personally think they work better for running shoes rather than high heels or ballet flats but that is a personal opinion. These are quite thick though so please try on, you may need to go a half-size larger to accommodate these inserts.

3. High Heel Insoles: Scholl’s DreamWalk version. I have these and they are wearable but I find the arch on them uncomfortable for my particular foot.

4. Foot Cushions: Place on ball of foot. I have tried the petals Foot Petals and gel ones. I prefer the Pedag Princess Insert to these because the leather is designed to be more breathable and odor controlling versus the gels/petals. These may work better with an open-toe heel or strappy sandal heel because the Pedag Princess Insert may not work because it will be visible in these shoe styles (although I just saw the Pedag Caprice is toeless for open-toe heel wearers).

5. Foot Liner: Protect your toes with a Foot Slingback. If you want something washable and are not looking for extra cushioning or support this may be a good option. Could also combine this with one of the above products for personalized comfort/fit.

Why not use the SHEEC SockShion for Heels

(like you do for ballet flats)?

If you also read my How To Wear Ballet Flats to Work post (HERE), you know I discussed in detail how I wear the SHEEC SockShion with all my Tieks ballet flats. Well, the short answer to this question is: it’s too thick. I’ve tried wearing it before but because it has extra cushioning underneath it was not comfortable. But it definitely is an option if it fits your heels well. It also is washable which is the one thing missing from the Pedag Princess Insert.

KonMari Philosophy: Spark Joy. Be Mindful.

Why do I bring this into my How-To? Because this is a photo of ALL my closed-toe high heels that I wear to work. Yes, ALL of them. I want a few practical ones for versatility—black, navy, vanilla, nude. My M. Gemi Heels are my one “fun” pair. I wear heels to work 2-3 days of the week; the rest of the time I wear my Tieks ballet flats.

Heel Photos: M. Gemi Proprio Heel Crema di Menta Size 35.5 Suede Colors or Neutral Colors); Cole Haan Kelsey Detail Waterproof Pump Size 5.5 (Similar HERE or HERE) in Navy AND Maple Sugar Taupe; Michael Kors Flex Round-Toe Pump Size 5.5 Vanilla; Cole Haan Heel Size 5.5 (very old from Outlet) in Black sole is detaching from shoe so may need to replace these with a new classic black heel soon

Video:

Here is a short ~2 minute video reviewing how to wear high heels comfortably all day long for visual/auditory learners! Also watch on my YouTube channel & please consider subscribing for future updates!

Side Note: These Michael Kors heels were a more recent purchase and I snagged them for $25 at Macy’s (thanks South Coast Plaza for shipping them to me). Even though small sizes are sold out online, ask in-store to locate your size, call the store and have them shipped to you for free! The sale price was a shock to me and is/was not listed online so just ask!

RECAP: Did I answer all of your questions?

Do you find wearing high heels difficult and uncomfortable? Is it time consuming to find high heels that actually fit you? Are you constantly getting friction blisters on your big toe or back ankle? Have you tried multiple products without relief? If you answered “yes” then you’re in the right place.

Part I: How to Find High Heels that actually Fit You:

1. Measure Foot
2. Try On
3. Walk Around
4. Online: Read Reviews or Take Advantage of Excellent Customer Service Free Shipping/Free Returns
5. After Purchase: Walk Around INSIDE at HOME

Part 2: How to Wear Heels to Work without Pain or Blisters:  

1. Find your Perfect Heel Height
2. Use Friction Block Stick
3. Use Insole Insert
4. Consider other Products

And above all else, YOUR foot & YOUR comfort is the most important in all of this. Figure out what works for you (this may require trial-and-error) & then STICK WITH IT.

Have any questions, please leave a comment. And if you think your friends would find this post helpful, please click to share via my teal Social Media Buttons!

Jessica Louie, PharmD, APh, BCCCP is the CEO of Clarify, Simplify, Align and Host of The Burnout Doctor Podcast. Dr. Louie uses her signature Burnout Doctor Method to coach burned out pharmacists & professionals to simplify because work-life balance is a LIE. Align work into your life & break free from people pleasing, perfectionism and thrive in life on YOUR TERMS.