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Wearable High Heels? Yes, She Finally Found Them

By Gloria Diaz

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Fort Wayne Reader

2013-05-16

A while back, I wrote about not being able to walk in high heeled shoes. For decades, I'd buy pairs I thought I could walk in, only to realize I couldn't. I resolved to find out why. A check on the Internet showed that I was an extreme supinator, or extreme under-pronator.

In English, it means that I walk on the outside edges of my foot, to the point where the outer edges of the heels get worn down to nothing, while the inside edges of my heels look as new as the day they came out of the box. In order to walk in heels, I'd have to flex my foot to try and walk flat-footed. That got tiring after about ten minutes or so, and I'd revert to my natural gait. That would send the tiny plastic heels, no bigger than my index fingernail, skidding sideways under my feet.

Depending what shoes I was wearing, either my feet would be on solid ground, and my shoes off, or the shoes would be lashed to my inner ankles. If I was successful in keeping the shoes on my feet, I'd be in agony. Because of this, I gave away the Etienne Aigner shoes I picked up for $6 at Goodwill. They were beautiful, but after a few hours of wearing them, I just couldn't take it anymore. I loved looking at them, but I couldn't wear them.

Year after year, I looked at high heels, even tried them on, but thought it was futile. Unless I could have foot and ankle surgery to make me more flat-footed, or have a custom pair of heels made, I wouldn't be wearing them. All I really needed was a broader heel. Couldn't do stilettos, or even moderately slender heels. So I just sort of gave up. And then, the miracle happened.

Over Christmas break, I had the urge to treat myself. I was nearly broke, yet I drove to the Warsaw Goodwill just to check it out. I didn't really need anything, but thought it might lift my spirits to get out of town. I didn't find any clothing, but hovered around the shoe rack, and there they were: a gorgeous pair of three inch black satin platform sandals with a heel about an inch and a half wide. Hmmm. Maybe these would work? So I tried them on.

Granted, they were just a little too big for me. But I secured the straps, and took a few steps, and there was none of the pain of trying to coax my foot inward, not outward. I didn't have to. The heels were wide enough to give me the security I needed. Yes, they're not stilettos. They are not extremely high heels. But they are pretty, and I can walk in them. I wondered if I really needed to get them. But I thought about the decades I'd wondered what was wrong with me that I couldn't walk in heels. I had to get them. I also found a pair of white Bass sandals, and scooped them up as well. I shelled out less than $10 for some great shoes. Sure, the heels are a little big, but just a couple hours before writing this column, I was looking through a box for something else and found those little tiny insole pads you put in high heeled shoes to keep your foot from mashing into the toes of your shoes. So they'll work. Last night, I put the shoes on and walk around in them again, amazed that yes, I can walk in heels, as long as they are wide enough. Thank you Unlisted, made by Kenneth Cole. I need to write you a letter.

Out of curiosity, I looked on eBay to see if I could find these shoes online and what they were going for. I found the exact same shoe, in a size eight (which seems to be my size these days) listed for $70. I grinned. Not only did I get wearable heels, but the price was totally right. Considering all the money I've shelled out on heels that I thought I could walk in, but couldn't, I think I deserved a break. And it's about time.