I’m a people watcher. It’s what I do. So I’m witness to women of all ages, shapes and sizes damaging the very core of femininity, the high heel.
You know these women, you've seen them teetering around in heels that they simply can't walk in. They lean too far forward, they bend their knees too deep or they don’t bend their knees at all! It’s cringe worthy and so sad to see when it’s happening to a gorgeous pair of strappy Louboutins.
As a petite 5ft 3incher I’m no stranger to the painful ‘heels = elongated calves x height + look hot in new LBD’ formula. I have had to give up many a sexy looking heel and face the harsh reality, I can’t walk in them thus I’ll never wear them.
In a bid to fix this – I’m a firm believer that everything is fixable - I source the help of Chyna Whyne. A self-confessed high-heel lover and Alexander Technique practitioner, no I didn’t have a clue either.
The Alexander Technique teaches you poise, balance and elegance all through the realigning of your body. Chyna has been teaching this since 2002, "I love teaching women," admits the heel loving, 5ft 3in singer-songwriter.
I turn up on time with my favourite pair of sky scraping heels tucked neatly in my bag. Couldn’t wear them yet, obviously.
Chyna is gorgeously petite and so softly spoken I have trouble hearing her as she chants ‘beautiful, gorgeous, perfect’ again and again as I sashay up and down her office. I’m not going to lie, I felt a bit stupid walking up and down trying to swing my hips and use the ‘ball of my foot’ – isn’t that the part that’s so sore by the end of the night you’re begging for piggy backs?
It took all my focus to stand tall, with my neck and back straight - how does this stop my ankle from going under me when faced with one of those super shiny marble floors. Note; Am I the only one who wants to crawl to the lift when faced with that?
"The head, neck and back relationship is our primary control," says Chyna. "When that's all working together, everything underneath flows perfectly."
Apparently, the main reason women feel unstable in heels is that they want to walk with their feet parallel to each other, like they do in flats, but in heels you need more balance. It’s all about placing one foot in front of the other with a slight turn out, this will balance you between strides – but don’t turn out so much you look like a penguin, there’s a fine line.
You should never walk from heel to toe, advises Chyna, but always lead with the ball of the foot, anchoring your weight in the heel.
"You have to glide in heels," says Chyna. Glide? I’m lucky I can get down stairs in one piece when wearing my favourite patent peep toes (Topshop Boutique, £79. Thank you very much).
Once you're all aligned you can focus on the shoe - go for a strong, sturdy heel, and avoid the flimsy stilettos - these can be hard to walk in, "sometimes the problem is the shoe, not the woman," admits Chyna.
Chyna's Top tips:
1. Lead with the ball of the foot - it should touch the floor first.
2. Keep your weight anchored in the heel.
3. Ensure you turn your feet slightly out, to maintain balance.
4. Smile!
True. If you keep smiling at people, they won’t notice when you shrink three inches. God bless the oversized clutch, my ballet pumps fit perfectly.
Learn to walk in heels? Watch a video here
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