I vividly remember the exact day I decided I was going to grow up, and be the type of woman who wears high heels. At 16, I was interning at a law office over summer vacation. On my lunch break, I watched two stylish young women cross the street from an office building, confident and sexy in their heels. Something about the way they looked and the way they walked really struck a cord with me, and I remember thinking to myself, “I want to be like that…I’m going to be the type of woman who wears high heels…”
Over a decade later…I own my fair share of heels, and am happy to report I even wear them every now and again. But 16 year old Kelly had a long road ahead of her before she got to this point. From learning the hard way what size to wear, to discovering the following tools that have helped make high heels comfortable to wear.
Disclaimer – not all shoes can be rehabilitated with these tips, and some women’s feet, for whatever reason, refuse to wear heels without pain. These tips do not guarantee your shoes will feel like you’re wearing Air Jordans, but they might help you make it through the work day without a blister.
The following items are my best kept secrets to make high heels comfortable…
Foot Cushions
Place At The Ball-Of-Foot
My favorite foot cushions are ball of foot cushions. These fit on the bottom of the shoe, where the ball of your foot sits. These do two things:
1. Cushion the part of your foot that receives the most pressure when wearing heels.
2. Stops your foot from sliding forward in your shoes.
The shoes above were my first pair of 4 inch heels, and while I absolutely love them, they were horrific to wear. The bottom of my foot would get sore from the pressure of such a high heel, and my feet would slide forward, so my toes were scrunched and the slingback would slip off my heel. Adding a pair of these cushions to my shoes has allowed me to wear these for hours at a time, even while boogieing down at weddings.
Ball of foot cushions:
Foot Petals combo pack at Nordstrom
Foot Petals color combo pack at Shopbop
Foot Petals color combo pack at Zappos
Fab Feet in black & khaki at Target
Heel Liners
Place At Back Of Heel
My second favorite type of foot cushions are heel liners. These serve two purposes:
1. Keep your heel from slipping out of, and/or rubbing the back of the shoe, preventing blisters.
2. Push your feet slightly forward in the shoe for a tighter fit.
Shoes that rub at the heel, or have stretched with wear get a pair of these. The shoes above are my beloved Cole Haan open toe pumps. As I wore them, the leather slowly stretched over time, and began fitting a little loose. That’s when I slapped a heel liner at the back, and all of a sudden my shoes fit snugly again.
Tip: these are also great if, like me, you have one foot that is slightly smaller than the other. Buy the shoe size that fits well on your larger foot, and then place a heel liner at the back of the shoe for your smaller foot. It will help the shoe fit your smaller foot better.
Heel liners:
Pedag Suede Heel Grips at Amazon ← These look cool!
Foot Petals combo pack at Nordstrom
Foot Petals color combo pack at Shopbop
Foot Petals color combo pack at Zappos
Fab Feet in black & khaki at Target
Foot Liners
Protects Your Toes
These strange looking things are my toe’s best friends! Even with all the foot cushions in the world, closed-toe shoes would rub my toes painfully raw. First, I tried full length foot liners, but they wouldn’t fit, hidden from view, in my heels (I do wear these with my kitten heels though). Then I found these slingback liners and my toes have never been happier.
Foot liners:
Hue Slingback liners at Nordstrom
SHEEC Slingback liners at Amazon
HUE Slingback toe covers at Bloomingdales
HUE Slingback liners at Lord & Taylor
There are also Toe Covers without the elastic but I’ve never tried:
In Combination
So…what secrets are my favorite grey suede Cole Haan heels hiding, you ask?
1. A heel liner
2. A slingback foot liner
And now, I can be the type of woman who wears heels. ;)
Other Tips
– I detest the plasticy or gel filled cushions because they not only promote foot sweat, but they also make squeaky noises as you walk (true story)!
– If the heel of your foot feels sore from pressure, there are shoe cushions for that too.
– Adding cushions and liners will make your shoes fit snugger. This is great if you find shoes to be a tad too big at times, but can make them painfully tight if your shoes are very snug to begin with.
What secrets are your high heels hiding?
Oh! I must get some of those. Currently my heels aren't hiding anything…except the fact that they hurt!
I love heels so! I don't want them to hurt. Thank you for sharing this!! <3
I am having a hard time finding heel liners that actually stay in place. I have a few pairs of heels that are a tad too long and the heel liners I’ve used never stay in place!
Hi Christine! Are the inside of the shoes dirty? Those liners have a hard time sticking on the inside of shoes if you’ve worn them already, because of things like dirt, sweat, and body oils.
Nope! They’ve all been brand new (or close to it).
Hmmm…some other reasons might be:
– If you tend to slather your hands in lots of lotion, that can get on the sticky film when you place the shoe liners, which can affect their ability to stick.
– If you tend to buy the same brand of shoe, maybe there is something about the material that doesn’t work well with the sticky film. For example, they tend to stick really well to natural leather insoles, but have a harder time sticking to manmade materials.
– Same idea but for the brand of foot liners you’re trying. Try different brands…maybe the one you’re trying just isn’t very sticky.
– Also, if you mess up while putting the pads in and then lift them out to replace them (as I do pretty often), that hinders the stick ability of the pads. Try to get it right in the first shot (hard!) or limit the number of times you peel and restick them.
Hello.
I have a pair of open toe heels that have a very thing elastic band for above the back of my heel.
Everytime I walk they “clop” like I’m wearing flip flops.
A new product on the market since 2016 is a tiny insert in two parts that fits completely underfoot, is customizable to your foot length and stops your foot from sliding forward by having soft Poron cushions in front of the ball of foot and in front of the heel to hold the foot in place. It stops heel gaps too. It is made as both temporary and movable from shoe to shoe, or permanent. You can find it online by searching for ‘permanent high heel inserts’
This is so great and exactly what I have slowly been discovering! Thanks for the tips since I was just second guessing my beautiful new cole haans.
My left foot is a little smaller than my right, so in some of my heels, I have 2 cushions under the ball of my left foot. Sometimes, I even stop sticking them in with the adhesive, so I can air them out from smelling, or move them to another pair of shoes. They are pretty good about staying under my toes.
@Jackie – Oh no! I hate when beautiful shoes hurt! Definitely give some of these items a try, and I hope you find your perfect shoe combination to make your heels wearable. :)
@Alyssa – I've tried sticking foot cushions in new shoes with scotch tape before, when they weren't quite fitting right, but I wanted to see if foot cushions would help before returning them. ;)
If you wear those goofy looking slingback toe liners along with your foot cushions, they absorb sweat, so the foot cushions don't smell. Then you just toss the liners in the washer in a lingerie bag and they get all clean again.
When you must buy those darling shoes that are inevitably too big, I have successfully used toe pads (made for ballet shoes), and voila, they now fit — or fit enough to wear.
Great post and great tips! I've never even heard of the toe liners–I'll have to try them out! I put Dr. Scholl's For Her High Heel Insoles in all my heels. The arch support is second-to-none.
I think it's interesting to note that the smaller your feet the 'higher' proportionally a heel is. So for me with my Eu35s, a 4 inch heel makes my foot steeper, and my weight more on my toes that it would for a friend in size 40. Thanks for the tips!
Great post! I've heard of heel liners, but never actually purchased any. My trick is to take a pantiliner, snip off the curved ends, and stick them into the heels to prevent rubbing.
I have all those plus some gel "spots" and some Dr. Scholl's cushion strips to fit right on the shoe right where the shoe hits the ankle bone. I'm not sure why, but I *always* get cut there. Maybe my ankle bone is just too low naturally? I just have a huge box full of inserts and shoe "goodies", it's almost ridiculous. I hate having hyper-sensitive feet!
great post!! I havent heard of/seen the slingback liners before…going to look for them today! I have "long toes" for small feet and I think these would be great…thanks!
~GRITS
Love this post! so informative for us girls who haven't quite figured out how to wear heels in comfort!
I have never seen those sling back foot liners before and they look amazing! Thanks for sharing all of your high heel secrets ;)
Wonderful post showing all the ways we can "adjust" our heels! I also love heel liners for the reasons you mentioned. I have one foot that's slightly smaller, plus when I use two heel liners (one in the toe bed and one behind the heel) it helps bring the shoe down half a size.
Those full insoles have never done anything for me. When I got shoes at aldo that were too big, the associate tried to pressure me into getting their full thick terry insoles which just pushed my foot directly upwards versus make the length shorter.
And omigosh, gel heel liners squeaked so bad on me and chafed.
I loved your tips especially about not using gel liners. I always felt like I was slipping and it made the heels even more uncomfortable. Also, I agree with Jean in that full length insoles don't really do much except elevate your foot so more of it is up. Sad to say, but I've actually stuffed tissues in the toe box just to make them smaller.
Adore this post!! I own a decent amount of heels and I have heel liners in most of them. Did you know Nordstrom gives them to you for free when you buy shoes in-store?! I always ask for extra and now I have a little plastic baggie filled with heel liners. They are awesome!
I haven't ever tried toe pads (and didnt know about the liner slingbacks!) because I always feel like they'd be too large for my size 5 heels and that I'd have to cut them down to size! But maybe I'll try them out now :) Hooray for heels!
Those slingback liners look JUST like the liners that I used for my pointe shoes! With the exception that it doesn't have that translucent straps on them. I have been noticing that I'm slipping out of shoes more than usual with the reasons that you stated, leather just stretches out. BOO! Nice to know that we can still wear shoes and have our precious footsies protected. =0D
Brilliant idea! I wear heels everyday but what I figured out is that if there is some platform (just 1/2 inch) it helps absorb that impact and pressure when you walk and I haven't had any issues with wearing heels
Those foot liners stay on you? Maybe I'm not getting the right ones b/c those always seem to move around for me and cause more blisters! Actually I just realized yours have straps! I don't think I've ever seen those!
Amazing tips! I need to get heel liners! :)
I have very hard to fit feet, so I've used combos of all of these for ages. Depends on the shoe! I do like gel insoles for shoes I plan to walk in a lot — the key is to find gel insoles that have fabric on one side (the side that touches your foot). Very soft, no sweat, no squeak. I find them at Walgreens (but not CVS for some reason).
I add non-slip shoe grips to the bottoms of mine, since most heels don't have much traction.
I also use Love My Straps for strappy shoes that rub.
Those gel ones without a fabric outer gave me a blister even more painful than when I didn't have it in from all that chafing! Plus, it wouldn't stay put when I moved it to another shoe. Those things are pure evil. The foam and fabric lined ones are ok though.
I like the ultra slim fabric topped gel liners from Kiwi smiling feet to help cushion "hard" soles http://kiwismilingfeet.com/
I think Nordies rack has them. I've seen one with arch support as well, but not here in the states. Wish I could find them! It isn't so much about fit but finding a pair which are already comfy and adding some padding for shock absorption.
A bit of moleskin fabric can also be stuck inside the top of shoes to help snug things up or prevent rub. I wish the toe boxes were wider on heels so my pinkie toes don't suffer shoe burn but a) wide toe boxes on heels usually doen't look good b) women who wear heels usually have mushed their toes to be more almond shape c) maybe I have a wider toe spread.
Sometimes I use body glide or First Aid anti-chafing stick (usually near the blister bandages) to help when wearing new shoes.
Great tips! I also recommend using sole grips if your heels are slippery!
Thanks so much for this post, it's so helpful. The other day I was at dsw trying to decide what to buy to help my small feet fit into bigger shoes and I couldn't decide, I asked for help but the SA didn't know much.
I use superfeet insoles:
http://www.superfeet.com/products/Women_s_3_4_High_Heel.aspx
They only work for heels under 3 inches, but that is all I wear anyway. I tried all sorts of cushions, but it's not padding that I need, it's support. Even though superfeet are made of hard plastic, they are extremely comfortable. There is also a version made for flat shoes, which I use in all my ballet flats. The best thing is that they are much more durable than foot cushions, so I can easily transfer them from one shoe to another, using tape to hold them down.
Great tips! Just a few weeks ago, my friend (new to heels at the young age of 19) also asked me about how I wear heels all the time without my heels slipping out…then I took off my heels and showed her my secret..heavenly heelz!! I'll have to share this post with her :)
I need to get tip toes for one of my pairs of heels, my foot keeps sliding forwards too!
-Lor
Thank you so much for this post! I'm a newbie when it comes to heels, and I needed these tips.
Great post! I'm a size 4, so shoes are ALWAYS too big for me. I've tried using multiple pairs of heel cushions, but sometimes it just doesn't work! One pair of heels I own have a very cushy heel liner in the back, and a thick gel toe cushion in the front – Even then, I can only wear them with 2 pairs of socks. They're pumps, so this look only goes well on Halloween!
The rest of my heels are hiding Insolia shoe inserts though – They redistribute the weight backwards. Heaven!
I'll definitely have to try SuperFeet for flats though!
My aunt went to Asia and got the cutest foot liners ever. They look like tiny panties. :D
Great post Kelly!!!! I don't have issues w/heels or toes hurting but I think I may try the heel pads :D
@MoneyMaus wow this is a great tip! I will ask next time!
@Anonymous – OMG…I never would have thought of that! Are they cushioned?
@Maytheweed – Incredibly good point! The smaller your shoe size, the more treacherous those 4" and higher heels are. Larger footed ladies swear they won't wear anything shorter than 4", but 4" is my max. My little size 5 feet just can't bend that far! Not to mention the pressure that puts on the ball of your feet!
@Lucia H. – LOL! I never would have thought of that either, but certainly see how it would work. Has anyone ever looked inside your shoes and asked if there's a panty liner in your shoe?
@Cher – I'm slowly building a box of "shoe goodies" as well. Hmm…I have one pair of heels with a high cut back that cuts into the bottom of my ankle, and I haven't quite figured out how to fix it yet. Some people mentioned heel lifts, which has me intrigued. :)
@Grits – I found mine at Nordstrom, but I think I've seen them at other major department stores too. I hope they work for you!
@PetiteAsianGirl – Where do you place the heel liner in the toe bed? I'm having a hard time envisioning it. I always figured those full length insoles would be too long for my size 5 shoes, so have never bothered. Good to know I'm not missing out on anything. And, yes! I had a horrific day with gel heel liners and will never try them again. The squeaking was so embarrassing! ;)
@b_ra – LOL. You're not the only one who "stuffs". I had a chat with an employee from Cinderella of Boston, and he mentioned that a lot of small footed ladies would come in with size 6 shoes stuffed full of tissues to fit their size 4 or smaller feet!
@MoneyMaus – That is one of the best tips anyone has ever given me! Can't wait to buy my next pair of shoes from Nordstrom and get a hand full of heel liners!
@Banhannas – I had no idea there was a similar liner for dance, but it makes so much sense! I wonder if the ones HUE makes are inspired by dance wear…
@Slayerbabe – Yes! Platforms help a lot. My Cole Haan's have a small platform that hides their "Nike Air Technology", which helps the comfort level a lot!
@Elaine A (TOBeautyReviews) – I don't think I've ever seen those without straps. I've seen (and own a pair) ones with a silicone pad at the bottom to keep them from sliding around inside the shoe, but I haven't seen that kind in a few years now. The straps on these definitely help keep them on the toes. ;)
@Trystan L. Bass – Fabric on one side! Genius! I must find those! Gotta check my local Walgreens…thanks! ;)
@VictorianKitty – I just added my very first pair of shoe grips to a slippery pair of boots. Haven't worn them yet, but I'm excited to see how they do. I've also used those strappy cushions, but on slingback shoes where the strap slides down and comes off.
@doxyloo – Ugh! I spent a day falling out of, and squeaking all around town in a pair of shoes with those gel liners. Never again!
@Anonymous – I've never tried Moleskin or anti-chaffing products, but I've heard women sing their praises. Would be a good bet for someone who needs help with blisters, but doesn't want to add the added bulk of a cushion to shoes that are already snug.
@The Little Dust Princess – Just slapped on my first pair of shoe grips the other day. Haven't walked in them yet, but have high hopes! ;)
@Ledda – What? The sales associates at DSW didn't know what to put in your shoe? It's a warehouse…full of shoes! I'm shocked!
@Rebecca – I've never heard of those before. I would probably be turned off because they're plastic, but your recommendation has be intrigued. ;)
@Petite in the City – LOL! I remember being 19 and wondering how the heck all these women were walking around without their heels flying off all over the place. Ah…the wisdom that comes with age! ;)
@ShortBlonde – Good luck! ;)
@LaLaaLove – All those pads AND two pairs of socks?! Poor little shoes! Insolia inserts huh? I'm intrigued… ;)
Thank you so much for this post! I have always wanted to wear heels but I never understood how people kept their feet in the shoes comfortably. I walk right out of most flats even. I guess I have high arches? It sounds like there are certainly products out there that can help me out.
GREAT post! I'm an avid fan of heel liners but I never knew why in the world I'd need a foot liner. Now that I understand its "power", I will definitely be checking it out! :)
This is such an informative post. I loved it, especially the foot liners. I definitely have to try those! I have the bigger version of them but they always slip off. I've alway wondered how other bloggers wear heels, and now I know!
Complex Cardigans
This is great! I never knew about foot liners prior to your post. Is it the same thickness of a pair of pantyhose or is it thicker? I actually wear most of my heels as they are unless they're a bit too big. I'm definitely going to have to try out the foot liners, plus the ball of foot cushions for all the shoes where my feet slip to the front!
This is a GREAT post. Thank you for sharing!
Jen
I love this post! lol It's like interior decorating for the high heel. :D
great tips! i love looking at heels because mentally I envision myself with a few inches higher into the air… but that's usually as far as it goes.
I'm going to try the first tip to see if it eases the pain for me when i slip on some heels.
I have the problem that my feet are so sweaty that I'm always slipping out of my shoes unless they're sneakers. And if I put on a nylon ped-sock thingie, that makes them slip off, too. Plus the grossness that builds up in my poor size 4 shoes. :(
Thanks for sharing this! I shall try the slingback sock one. I didn't know the ball of foot cushion prevents the feet from sliding up.
This reminds me of my post:
http://daintychibi.typepad.com/dainty-chibi/2011/03/spring-shoes-and-a-little-secret.html
I absolutely have no ideas about these products so thank you..thank and thank you. They seem to make heels wearing more pleasant and less painful and stinky especially closed toe type heels.
this is an amazing article, kelly! i always find my shoes way too big because i am more of a size 4.5 than anything and the not-so-snug usually leads to a lot of pain and discomfort throughout the day. can't wait to deck out my pumps for a go!
Nice roundup! I use heel liners on a few pairs of heels, but have never tried the foot cushions.
great post! glad to know i'm not the only one that uses insoles. have u tried this brand… http://www.stilettohardware.com? i love these. they're my go-to product for when my feet ache. will have to check out those sockliners!
ah-mah-zing post!! i use foot liners and i found only one kind at target that actually stays on and doesn't show through my pumps. i had to buy 5 different kinds to find them! but i MUST try the ones you recommended asap :)
i love wearing heels but have faced similar problems, so this is a very useful post for me..will be hunting for all the mentioned add ons in shops starting today!!!
PHENOMENAL POST! Thanks for this!
fun note: both the foot cushions you mentioned are sold out online.. i wonder if your post had anything to do with that =)
Great article! Thank you! I didn't even know there was such a thing as slingback toe covers! I have to admit though, I have tried heel liners and they failed me… So I stick to a small piece of double sided tape just under my heel. Works like a dream on slippery shoes – and on the one smaller foot, that I have as well :-)
Relatable Style
I should really try a heel liner! I avoid the classic pump style because my heels usually slip out.
Thanks for the tips!
Thanks so much for sharing this post! I am a big fan of Foot Petals foot cushions, but I've never even seen anything like the slingback toe covers before. I have a lot of problems with heels (especially pointed toe ones) rubbing my skin raw. I'll have to try to find those in stores!
Such a great post! I love heel liners for the same reasons you described. To make the inside of a streamlined shoe cushier, I also rely on Dr. Scholl's gel insoles, the slim ones with the fabric covering on top that are designed for open-toed shoes. They fit in ballet flats and heels without crowding toes.
Thanks so much for sharing this post! I am a big fan of Foot Petals foot cushions, but I've never even seen anything like the slingback toe covers before. I have a lot of problems with heels (especially pointed toe ones) rubbing my skin raw. I'll have to try to find those in stores!
great post! glad to know i'm not the only one that uses insoles. have u tried this brand… http://www.stilettohardware.com? i love these. they're my go-to product for when my feet ache. will have to check out those sockliners!
fun note: both the foot cushions you mentioned are sold out online.. i wonder if your post had anything to do with that =)
PHENOMENAL POST! Thanks for this!
This is such an informative post. I loved it, especially the foot liners. I definitely have to try those! I have the bigger version of them but they always slip off. I've alway wondered how other bloggers wear heels, and now I know!
Complex Cardigans
Thank you so much for this post! I have always wanted to wear heels but I never understood how people kept their feet in the shoes comfortably. I walk right out of most flats even. I guess I have high arches? It sounds like there are certainly products out there that can help me out.
@Ledda – What? The sales associates at DSW didn't know what to put in your shoe? It's a warehouse…full of shoes! I'm shocked!
@Rebecca – I've never heard of those before. I would probably be turned off because they're plastic, but your recommendation has be intrigued. ;)
@Petite in the City – LOL! I remember being 19 and wondering how the heck all these women were walking around without their heels flying off all over the place. Ah…the wisdom that comes with age! ;)
@MoneyMaus wow this is a great tip! I will ask next time!
Great post! I'm a size 4, so shoes are ALWAYS too big for me. I've tried using multiple pairs of heel cushions, but sometimes it just doesn't work! One pair of heels I own have a very cushy heel liner in the back, and a thick gel toe cushion in the front – Even then, I can only wear them with 2 pairs of socks. They're pumps, so this look only goes well on Halloween!
The rest of my heels are hiding Insolia shoe inserts though – They redistribute the weight backwards. Heaven!
I'll definitely have to try SuperFeet for flats though!
My aunt went to Asia and got the cutest foot liners ever. They look like tiny panties. :D
Thank you so much for this post! I'm a newbie when it comes to heels, and I needed these tips.
I like the ultra slim fabric topped gel liners from Kiwi smiling feet to help cushion "hard" soles http://kiwismilingfeet.com/
I think Nordies rack has them. I've seen one with arch support as well, but not here in the states. Wish I could find them! It isn't so much about fit but finding a pair which are already comfy and adding some padding for shock absorption.
A bit of moleskin fabric can also be stuck inside the top of shoes to help snug things up or prevent rub. I wish the toe boxes were wider on heels so my pinkie toes don't suffer shoe burn but a) wide toe boxes on heels usually doen't look good b) women who wear heels usually have mushed their toes to be more almond shape c) maybe I have a wider toe spread.
Sometimes I use body glide or First Aid anti-chafing stick (usually near the blister bandages) to help when wearing new shoes.
I add non-slip shoe grips to the bottoms of mine, since most heels don't have much traction.
I also use Love My Straps for strappy shoes that rub.
Adore this post!! I own a decent amount of heels and I have heel liners in most of them. Did you know Nordstrom gives them to you for free when you buy shoes in-store?! I always ask for extra and now I have a little plastic baggie filled with heel liners. They are awesome!
I haven't ever tried toe pads (and didnt know about the liner slingbacks!) because I always feel like they'd be too large for my size 5 heels and that I'd have to cut them down to size! But maybe I'll try them out now :) Hooray for heels!
Love this post! so informative for us girls who haven't quite figured out how to wear heels in comfort!
I have tried the heel liners and they did not work for my :( My heel still slips out of my shoes. I am not able to wear my fabulous heels because of this :( Any other suggestions? The toe part of the shoe fits snug so the foot petals would not be an option and I am not able to go a half size smaller….
Hi WBgirl66!
-Are you using foamy texture heel liners or the gel-like, smooth ones? My heels slip out when using the gel-like smooth ones, so if you’re using those, try the foamy texture ones. They grip better.
-Is the back of your shoes (the part that comes over the heel of your foot) kind of short? Some brands have short backs, and some brands have higher backs. Some brands even have higher backs that squeeze smaller at the top. Heels that have a higher back, and especially those that squeeze smaller at the top, hold your heel in better. I have an expensive pair of Jimmy Choo’s that even thought they are great quality, the back of the shoe is too short, so it doesn’t grip my heel and I slip out with every step. I’ll have to sell them. :(
– Is your foot really really narrow at the heel? Maybe you need to look for “narrow” shoes…which admittedly are very hard to find. Another thing you could try is cutting the heel liners in half, and only putting them along the side of the back of the shoe so they only pad around your narrow heel. Putting the whole heel pad in will only make the shoe fit smaller, and it sounds like that would be uncomfortable for you. Instead, just put the heel liners along the side (and you can stack them on top of each other if you need) will help bring the shoe in.
– If you’re still not finding a good solution, bring a few pairs of your shoes to a shoe repair shop, and explain to them what’s happening. They might have a better solution for you, or might be able to explain to you why this is happening.
– Other than that, maybe you’re buying the wrong brands for your feet. Shoes, just like clothing, can fit differently in the same size, depending on the brand, and even the style. For example, I have narrow feet, and I can’t wear shoe from Aldo in size 5 because they run too wide for me. However, Cole Haan size 5 fits me better and I stock up when I can find them. Christian Louboutin in size 35 (US5) fits me EVEN better, and I plan to expand my collection of those when finances permits. :)
Good luck!!
Oh , I have this problem too! I have a 5 inch wedges which i absolutely adore but i couldn’t wear it because my heels slip off all the time even when i insert heel grips (spongy types) and my toes really hurt (kinda tight infront).
I even thought of putting on some 2 sided tape on my heels as I didnt wanna sell them :( Sound ridiculous? Have you tried this method?
Hi Angie! Try the ball-of-foot cushions. It sounds like your 5inch heels are so high, that your foot is sliding forward in your shoes from the incline, causing your toes to get smooshed. The ball-of-foot cushions help keep your feet from sliding all the way forward in your shoe, which should also help your heel stay in the back on the shoe, so hopefully your heel won’t slip.
Thanks a lot . You’re very helpful :)
Hello. You have a fabulous site. Love looking through it.
What would you say is your best comeback to people teasing you about being short?
In my family, all the women are petite. We say, “Good things come in small packages.”
You’re right…good things to come in small packages. I’d like to find a more effective come back to the comments we petites all inevitably face from unkind people. Any body out there with comments??? Thanks to all for your time
Love the idea of the slingback footliners.I do wear slingbacks alot and think they lookgood with bare feet. I wonder if they would work with mules too?
Hi Kim! They’d probably show with mules, since the elastic strap that slips around your heel is a little shiney & plasticy looking. But, I do have a pair of slingback footliners that the strap broke on, and I still wear them in the toe box of my shoe if the shoe is a little snug. Otherwise, the liner will move around. If your mules are snug in the toe, you could snip the strap off a pair and it would work just fine. :)
Is there an insert to use along side of your anklebone where my high heels rub?
So sorry for the super late reply! I somehow missed this comment! If the shoe is rubbing your anklebone, try putting something like these under your heel. They will lift your foot a little higher, which will hopefully raise your ankle a little higher so the shoe won’t rub. They also add cushion to your heel, which is always nice. =)
http://rstyle.me/bujsmecz5
(Foot Petals Haute Heelz)
You rock for showing me those Slingback foot liners. I made a pair ands they saved my life. Thnannkksss :D
Of course! Aren’t they wonderful? I haven’t had a toe blister since I started using them. I’m a BIG advocate. =)
Love this page. Soo helpful. Because of this page, I was able to wear 5 1/2 inch heels all night last light – and they weren’t mary janes! Finally the answer to my shoe problem! Who knew it would be $3 heel liners at Wal-Mart!
That’s what I like to hear! =)
Ooh..the cushion at the ball of the foot might just do the trick for me. My feet don’t slip, but the pressure from the heel on my boots – which are my favorite, I’d wear them every day if I could – often kills the ball of my foot and makes it sore. I must look into these..
Great tips! I think you may have revived a few of my heels that I thought were goners. Thanks for sharing!
I tried the gel type heel grips in a new pair of heels. Initially, I thought they were the best thing & couldn’t believe I’d never used them before! Then, after walking from my car to my office, the grips started coming out. They weren’t sticking in the shoe! Ugh! So, I hot glued those suckers in. I wore them today, & guess what. They still came out! Unblieveable. Wonder if a shoe repair place can just sew them in for me………..
LOL! I can’t believe they still came out after being hot glued! A cobbler might be able to do something about that. Sometimes if a shoe is a bit dirty from wear (usually body oils are the culprit), those things won’t stick very well. Maybe giving them a good inside cleaning will help.
The gel liners don’t work at all. I like them because they don’t make my shoe fit quite as tight as the regular heel liners but after only a few steps they lose their umph! This happened to me too and my shoes were brand new!!! The liner slipped down lower than where it was supposed to be.
Thank you so much for all these great tips, I’m gonna share this page with everyone!
So I bought a cute pair of heels for Junior prom (my first heels!)
http://origin.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/13b/2/AAAADJn_iRoAAAAAATsjig.jpg?v=1300554227000
Nothing too fancy, or too high, and they are accually comfortable (who knew that could be possible for heels?) EXCEPT that my left heels kept slipping out, making it really awkward to walk! I was scared that would ruin my evening since I had never heard of heel liners before and then I found your page and tips which just saved my life! I’m so grateful, thank you so much, I’m going to go get some right away!
An amazing trick I learned for stability and not squishing your toes in heels is to tape your 3rd and 4th toe together and I am telling you heels are soooo much easier to walk in! I don’t know how but it works! So the toe next to the pinky and the one next to that tape them together and presto…soo much better especially those heels that have the super skinny heel and its hard to balance it helps a ton with that!
Hope this helps!
My heel liner makes a sqeaky noise. How do I get rid of that noise?
Probably by trying a different kind of heel liner in your shoe. I’ve had the plasticy ones make noise before. Try the foamy ones instead.
I was reading this last night and it seems like this gets a lot of hits, so I wanted to add my two cents…
I’ve tried inserts similar to “foot petals” and though they help with comfort on the ball of the foot, they don’t seem to help with my feet sliding forward. I found “Summer Soles” online. They are a suede insert and you can size (alter) them to fit your shoes. They also have an insert specifically for extra absorbancy, but I purchased the suede type. Best part, they have a 30 day satisfaction guarantee so if they don’t work, I’ll get my $ back. I haven’t received them yet, but am very excited. Check them out! http://www.summersoles.com/
The shoes that make you taller may certainly not just raise the highness of the patron, nonetheless additionally increase the physical effect of them. The shoe heel elevates you select need to match your shoes in relations to elevation also.
Can you wear the slingback footliners in shoes that are NOT slingback shoes? For instance, can u wear it with pumps?
Take a closer look at the last two photos in this post. I’m wearing them in a pump. In fact, I wear them in most of my pumps, and have never worn them in a slingback shoe. ;)
i’m a petite with size 5 slim feet. my problem is my feet seems too “skinny” around the heel to create an “arch” that holds slingback, or pump or flats without strips :-( i tried heel liners but my heels still “jump out” at each step even the toe part is tight enough is hold still. do you have any idea how i could figure this out? thank you for sharing your fabulous tips.
Hi Camille,
A reader just suggested recently that she uses these strips to keep her narrow heel from slipping out:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HBR5RW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001HBR5RW&linkCode=as2&tag=alteraneeded-20&linkId=AQ4BPCXXG2XKDKB3
She places them just along the top of the inside of the heel, so it creates a “lip” that helps stop her heel from slipping out. Maybe that will help! =)
Also, on future shoe shopping trips, look for shoes where the heel forms a “cup”. They help hold your foot in so much better! Example:
https://twitter.com/AlteratnsNeeded/status/292000938032500738/photo/1
Thanks so much! I just got a pair of high heels online that are nonreturnable. I wasn’t sure what size to get, but because I have a very high instep, I went with about 1 to 1-1/2 sizes larger than I wear. They’re about 1/2 size too big and my heel completely comes out, so walking is nearly impossible. I’m hoping my using a heel grip like you suggested I’ll be able to wear these, as I love everything else about them. Also thinking of putting some moleskin along the rim at the top of the shoes where they rub a little against the top of my foot. Thanks again! :)
Sure thing Kelly! And if you find that your feet slip forward in your shoe after a bit of wear, making your heel slip out again, try the ball of foot pads. They give your foot traction so you don’t slide forward. Just had to add some of those to a pair of shoes over the weekend!
What can I put under the heel of my foot to keep it from sliding off to the side of my sandals?
You can try a heel pad that sits under the heel of your foot, but no guarantee it will work because sometimes our feet slide off sandals because it’s not shaped the same way as our feet. I’ve had sandals that my heel always sat off to the side because the shoe was just shaped funny compared to my foot.
Here are the pads:
http://rstyle.me/buhzrqcz5
The peep toe heels are so so sexy when you put on!
i bought a pair of 5 inch stilettos that are surprisingly comfortable to walk around in but i hear air releasing during each strut. What should i do to control this annoying noise? I see a few commentors complaining about hearing a squeak with plastic inserts. I don’t have any inserts in them at all but i can’t get over the sound of air blowing out. :/
What you should do is try to pinpoint the part of the shoe where the air noises are coming from, and then try to remedy it from there. Is the air coming out of the toe box? Then maybe the shoes aren’t snug enough on your feet and you try adding ball of foot pads to your shoes to make that area fit tighter. Is the noise coming out the area of the shoe near the arch of your foot? Try putting arch support in there. Is the noise coming from the sole of the shoe itself? It could be an issue with the construction of the shoe and you can take it to a cobbler to see if they can fix it.
wonderful advise, thanks for the tip! :) :) :)
advice*
This is great. I use all of the items you mentioned as well as no show socks. however i have had a problem come up that I cannot seem to figure out how to fix. I bought a pair of Toms wedges and I love them but on the top of my big toe the cuticle gets rubbed raw to the point of bleeding from the canvas. I don’t know how to fix it from doing this. Do you have any suggestions?
Depending on how large of an area is rubbing your feet, try spot cushions (http://rstyle.me/hijd76cz5) or Strappy Strips (http://rstyle.me/hn5qg7cz5). I’ve used the strips on a pair of peep toes that rubbed the top of my toe in a similar way you’re describing and it worked like a charm!
A bit of adhesive moleskin from the drugstore, cut to size and stuck inside the big toe area, might help. I have that rubbing problem with certain materials or while breaking in flatter toe boxes. Moleskin and a runner’s blister stick help a lot if the fit is already snug.
hi,i found this all very helpful,many thanks,and i did’nt think your shoes looked that dirty,that did amuse me.
I have narrow feet. Will the heel liners help me. They don’t make cute stylish shoes in narrow witiths. ;-(
Yes! I also have narrow heels, so my heels usually slip out of shoes pretty easily. Here are some things I use to help the situation. Heel liners will help your foot grip the back of the shoe, so definitely give those a try. For future shoe shopping, look for shoes that have a higher back heel slope to them, since ones that are shallow won’t be able to hang onto your foot as well. Also, look at different shoes next time you’re in a shoe store and look at the way the heel of shoes cup together. Shoe that come together more at the heel creating a kind of “cup” will hold onto your feet better. Ones that don’t come together at the heel very much will make it much easier for your foot to slip right out. Hope that helps!
Hi! I’ve just bought a fab pair of peep toes, five inch heels. Love them but my foot slides forward n top of shoes dig into my toes. Is there anything available to stop this? The tops of my toes are raw! Ouchie! Thanks x
Of course! The ball-of-foot pads shown above in the slingback heels (the first pads I talked about) will help keep your feet from sliding forward. The Foot Petals ones are very thin, so shouldn’t make the toe box too much tighter as compared to some other brands.
Try ‘Walk on a Cloud’ half insoles. I’m a dancer and I have been using them for years. I don’t wear peep toes, but they should still help you.
This is a great post! It’s helped me a lot with some of my painful heels. One question. I recently bought a pair of four inch peep toe heels that are absolutely gorgeous but were a little wide in the heel. So I put some gel heel liners back there but now it pushes my foot forward which is painful, plus now my heel slides out when i walk. What should i do???
First of all, ditch the gel liners. They are thicker than most heel liners, so they’ll push your foot further forward. They are also slippery because they are plastic covered, so they won’t grip your heel. I suggested “Foot Petals” in the post, and think that’s the way to go for you. They are thinner (won’t push your foot AS FAR forward…they will still push your foot a little forward) and they are foamy so they have grip (they’ll hang on to the heel of your foot better).
Thanks for the response! I had some foot petals at home and gave them a try. At first I tried the heel grips but my foot was still sliding, so then I tried the ones for the balls of your feet and that helped the sliding my heels still popped out occasionally. So I tried a combo of the two which works for my left foot…but my right foot is bigger so it was too much. I think I might be destined to never wear these shoes. Curse my narrow heels!
I also have narrow heels, so I know what you’re dealing with. For the future, shop for snugger fitting shoes to begin with which will help a lot. Higher heels also make your foot slide more than shorter heels. Also, the right shoe can be stretched if you need it. Leather shoes (aside from patent leather, which will eventually stretch, but it takes a long time) will stretch with wear, so you can simply try wearing them around the house a few times, or google search how to stretch leather heels and you’ll find a slew of options (the water-in-a-bag-in-the-freezer method, the sock method, or alcohol method, come to mind). A shoe repair shop can also stretch.
Just had to leave a message since I just finished struggling with all of this myself. To wear heels, I learned I needed both a ball of foot cushion and heel liner. One additional note, since the heel liner pushed my foot too far forward and made the shoe tight, I cut it in half and place each half on the sides of my heels where I was slipping out and left the back open so I could keep the original shoe length. There’s no reason you can’t cut up these products and play around with them to find the best way to fill in the gaps for the particular size and shape of your individual foot!
Thanks so much for amazing tips, just one question. I have peep toe shoes that rub on my toes and if I wear HUE Slingback Liner the fabric will show through the peep toe. Do you have a recommendation of a similar product but something that is for peep toe shoes? The rubbing of my toes is my main concern when it comes wearing peep toes. Thanks so much! :)
These sock liners are made specifically for open toe shoes: http://rstyle.me/~jeV3
hi, I have just started a new job where i have to wear kitten heels. They are slightly too big and slide off so i have put gel heel grips in them but they still slip off – what would you suggest is best?
Get some ball-of-foot pads, as they help stop your foot from sliding forward, and try non-gel heel grips. I found the gel ones are still slippery, but the foamy ones have better heel grip.
Thanks so much for sharing! I have a question, I have clammy feet which suck when wearing open toe heels because my toes just slide right out, would you happen to know any helpful tips? Also how on earth do you keep slingback heels up?! The back strap never seems to stay for me!
Hi Shyla! Try foamy (not gel ones…those will just get slippery) ball-of-foot pads for the clammy feet problem. The texture of the pads help give your feet grip so they don’t slide forward. My favorites are these:
http://rstyle.me/bum7n2cz5
For slingbacks, try foamy strips like these (I have these on a pair of my slingbacks and they work well):
http://rstyle.me/~kKYe
Good luck!
I’ve wondered if any kind of dancer’s toe pad would work in closed toes shoes, does anybody know if it does?
This is great! My heels are always slipping out! I’m definitely going to try this out.
http://www.divinelashesqc.com
I have tried all this but still my feet slip out of heels i have a high instep which might b the problem.. i have to wear sling backs :(
Great tips! Do you have any tips for wearing heels on slippery surfaces? I’ve had a few slips. Super embarassing. Lol
Thanks! You can try something like these grip pads you stick to the bottom of your shoes:
http://bit.ly/103bnrD
http://bit.ly/1390bLc
This is an awesome post.I love wearing heels but they definitely take getting used to and the pain never goes away completely.
ehowtobuy.com
Please reccomend something for those of us with high arches
You’ve got to try SummerSox. They are thin, cotton flat socks that stick to shoe insoles and stay put to keep feet comfy, soak up sweat and keep you from slipping and sliding forward in your shoes. They come in 2 styles, full for no-sock look in heels, flats, wedges, slides… and 3/4 for flip-flops and sandals. Best thing is that they are washable and reusable so you can wash after every use to keep take the daily grime out of your shoes and keep them fresh (the special adhesive on the bottom of the SummerSox stays sticky even through hundreds of washes). They are at summersox.com
This sounds like a great read.I appreciate you for the post.
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I love heels, but my feet are so narrow! I just bought a pair of ankle strap heels with just a strap over my toes from Steve Madden. My feet slide forward and my heel slides to the right and it makes walking impossible! What can I possibly do to keep both my heel and balls of my feet in place?
The items featured in this post will help. Ball of foot pads help your feet from sliding forward, and heel liners help your heels from slipping out:
http://rstyle.me/n/bb5qacz5
Not only do my feet slide forward but I sweat a lot in my feet which makes my foot so slippery making the sliding worse.
But I will try the foot petals and foot powder.
This post has been so useful because I have really narrow feet and they just slip down in high heels so I’ve ended up getting a size smaller but then my squished toes are in pain, hopefully no more of that for me! Thanks! :)
I didn’t even know slingback liners existed, thanks so much!! Hopefully my toes won’t bunch up so much anymore and my heels won’t keep slipping out, thanks to the heel liners hint!!
Thanks for this! It is extremely helpful and I am glad that I found it now that I need it. And gosh, my heels aren’t even that high, but I do have the one foot a half size bigger than the other issue.
I have one problem with heels that I can’t find an already existing product for. The bottom of the shoes are rubber for the sole of the shoe, and there’s even extra grips for those. But the bottom part of the actual heel is plastic which is too smooth and makes it very difficult for me to walk on hard, smooth floors. I need a rubbery grip for that so my heel doesnt slide when I’m trying to walk.
Hi Kristen,
It sounds like you’ll need to replace the heel tips for ones that are more rubbery and have more grip. You can find them for pretty cheap and try it yourself if you’re handy, or a cobbler can do it for you for about $10. Here’s a combo pack from Target: http://rstyle.me/n/c9sg2cz5
Talk about a HELPFUL post. So much wisdom in one page. However, I tend to get really sweaty feet in heels, what do you recommend as a solution to this problem? I just bought new Christian Dior heels, and want to put some good use into them. Help please! Thanks!
Thanks Eli! I haven’t tried this myself, but I heard somewhere that applying an antiperspirant deodorant to your feet the night before you’re going to wear heels (so the product can dry, or else your feet will be so slippery, you’ll slip right out of your shoes), helps with sweat problems. If you give a try, please report back if it helps or not! ;)
Thanks for the wonderful post! I also want to suggest detachable shoe straps. they’re removeable straps that you can add around the heels. They’d look ok especially with pants since you can’t see them.
http://www.amazon.com/Detachable-Shoe-Straps-loose-heeled/dp/B00KFP73PU
Tape your 3rd and 4th toes together!!! I’ve used medical tape and literally I wore 5 inch heels to an all night wedding, with my feet perfectly happy the next day! Just make sure you tape them at the angle they’ll be in your shoes. It’s been the ULTIMATE heel hack for me!
I got totally desperate today to keep my heels from slipping out the back. Folded up a slab of post it notes and stuck it in there…. I was desperate I tell you.
Heel grips are a saving grace for my bony size 34.5 feet which also have a very thin achilles heels. The ones that work the best for me are the ones that Nordstrom provides when you buy a pair of shoes, but I discovered the Dollar Store has the same ones so I stock up on them.
OMG, thank you so much for this post! I bought a pair of heels the other day and I feel it’s a little loose for my fit. Glad I found your post right at the moment I needed it the most! I found this post on Pinterest. Definitely going to follow your blog
Thanks for the comment Sayantini! So glad I could help! Enjoy your new heels. =)
There is a new invention in high heel shoe inserts that is very effective, especially to prevent any foot pain from toes being crushed or squeezed because the inserts completely stop the foot from sliding forward. The inserts also prevent heel gaps, and any heel pain from chafing. The inserts are made from soft Poron. The inserts are adhered permanantly inside the shoe as they have to resist hundreds of pounds of pressure to be effective in firmly holding the foot from sliding forward, even in very high heels. You can find them by searching ‘permanent high heel inserts. ‘
I have some high heel boots, I tried them on and honestly the heel feels as though they are higher then the ball of the foot. so I walk like a duck is there any tricks to make them feel even?
I have a pair of tall thin strappy heels that are causing the bone beside my pinky toes pain. (kendall and kylie madden girl Mystery Sandals) also the straps on top of my toes hurt. I’m wearing them for prom tomorrow and I can’t get new ones please help!
Hi Starr,
I’d suggest the strappy strips (http://amzn.to/2ocQgHB) but you can’t really find them in stores and they may not arrive in time if you order online. So instead, how about you make your own from a pair of heel liners (http://amzn.to/2pN5Xp5). You can usually find these in store (try Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, and sometimes off brand ones are at CVS/drug stores). Then take a sharp pair of scissors and cut them into thin strips. Appy them to the areas of your shoes that are painful, and the foam should stop the shoe from rubbing, and help make them more comfortable. Also, a little trick I’ve learned is to carry chapstick/lipbalm in your handbag if you’re wearing shoes that can get painful. If things start to hurt, rub your finger on the lipbalm and apply it to the area where things are hurting. It usually helps for at least a little bit. Enjoy prom! =)
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I have read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you’ve got
the opportunity, Guess I’ll just bookmark this page.