KEY POINTS:
If "three's a trend" on the catwalk, then falling head over heels will be the height of style this summer. Models have been falling like trees at recent fashion weeks in New York, Paris and New Zealand: Australian model Abbey Lee bailed at Rodarte during New York Fashion Week, two models fell at Prada at Paris Fashion Week, and two more had a fall from grace on the New Zealand Fashion Week runway at Annah Stretton. The cause of all this runway carnage? Scarily tall, killer heels.
As the It Bag dies a slow and painful death, fashion is looking for something else to fill the very profitable gap. Next in line? The It Shoe. Each season shoes are getting more elaborate, sought after and much, much taller. The YSL tribute was one such heel that caused mania when it was released last year. With its patent shine, spike heel and platform sole, it wasn't exactly the most sensible of heels. In fact, it sort of looks like a bondage shoe. But who said fashion was ever sensible? Women have long had an unusual obsession with heels - Marie Antoinette reportedly had a servant whose sole purpose was to take care of her 500 pairs of shoes - and while the flat has had its phases, heels will forever reign supreme as the footwear that makes everyone's legs look skinnier and taller.
I am a very recent heel convert. Up until six months ago, I was a ballet flat fanatic. They were cute, they went with everything and, more importantly, they were comfortable. I would happily glide into work in sweet little flats, and inwardly smirk every time one of my high-heeled colleagues complained about her sore arches. But then I bought a pair of tan Marc Jacobs platform heels. Eley Kishimoto heels followed. But it was Kathryn Wilson's patent ankle boots for Hailwood that were my graduation into full-blown heel addiction. They were far more comfortable than any pair of flats I'd ever worn.
That's the thing about heels - once you start wearing them, you can't stop. Partly because it sometimes hurts to go from a week of wearing heels back to flats. But mainly because of the way they instantly make you feel more powerful, mature and, dare I say it, sexier. The fact that they make you look like you have legs that go on forever, well, that's just a bonus.
Just beware of falling over like those models. Your fall from grace may not be captured on film, but it'll be just as embarrassing. These tips should help in your quest to keep upright:
Wear shoes that fit! Shoes that don't fit are one of the biggest causes of blisters, calluses and corns. Shoes that are too big will make you stretch your feet out and may lead to an unladylike trip - and shoes that are too small hurt like hell.
Don't wear your heels all day and all night. Give your feet a break: you need to know when to call it quits and pull out the flats. Also, if you're a heel beginner, don't go for skinny stilettos. The thicker the heel, the easier they are to walk in.
Scholl Party Feet (or any similar gel pad) should be a close acquaintance when wearing heels - it helps minimise the burning pain on the balls of your feet.
There's nothing worse than a woman who can't walk properly in a pair of heels. So, practise! In How to Walk in High Heels, Camilla Morton recommends the supermarket aisle as a place to perfect your high-heel glide, with the trolley as your balancing tool. We tried it and she's right - each aisle is like your own personal runway. When in heels, walk slow.
Don't drink and heel. It's a fact (okay, maybe we made it up) that killer heel face-plants are far more prevalent after a few drinks. If you're planning a big night out, may we suggest shoes that don't require too much concentration?
