It’s round 2 of A Week In My Shoes, and this time you’re stuck with me, podiatrist and TWH co-founder Ele! While I am certainly no busy mother of 3 like Elouise (El I don’t know how you do it – my idol!), I do keep myself jam-packed busy with a full client list, running TWH, travelling, and most importantly – being social. I am often asked by my patients, clients and friends how I manage to wear my heels so frequently without being crippled and in pain. They all get the same tip – plan ahead and match your heel choice to your day and activity. Today I’m going to share with you some typical things I do in a week, and how I work my shoes around this for maximum chic and minimum pain!
A bit of background before we jump into it – I spent 7 years in pointe shoes and training seriously in ballet when I was younger. As a result I believe I’ve managed to create for myself the shortest calf muscles in history, no matter how much I stretch, foam roll, trigger point etc. Wearing dead flat shoes or walking barefoot is a huge no-no for my body. My back goes out, my legs fatigue and that’s when I feel really cripple! The reason for this is that my body has to compensate for my shortened muscles and it does this by rolling my feet in, tilting my pelvis forward and compressing my lumbar spine – great! I feel most comfortable in a 3-4 cm heel, and as you will see I am hardly ever barefoot. Not even for Netflix and chill! This is not the same for everyone – check out our previous blog post which talks about finding your own ideal heel height.
A full day of meetings
Rubi Sock Booties
There’s not a whole lot of standing involved in a full day of meetings, although there usually is power walking to the coffee shop or between locations! As a result, I aim to be comfortable but tend to be able to get away with a bit more height at the same time. On this day I went with my peep toe sock booties which feel like a dream. The heel height is close to perfect for me and the neoprene material of the ‘sock’ feels soft yet stable. Big tick! While I love my sock booties I tend to avoid them for huge days on my feet as there is not a lot of padding in the ball of foot area and it can start to burn! I just got these from Rubi Shoes – I didn’t bother investing much as they are an obvious ‘trend’ item which I will probably ditch next season. Love them with a palazzo pant.
Weights training at the gym
Converse Chuck Taylors
Wait why is this podiatrist wearing flat shoes to the gym after basically condemning them in the last paragraph? Ah but that excludes lifting weight, which doesn’t involve a lot of walking, running or jumping for me. According to my power-lifting friends David and David (yes you read that correctly), doing weights in flat shoes or barefoot is most efficient, and certainly a quick Google reveals the same – http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2013/12/big-3-chuck-ts-benefits-chuck-taylors-powerlifting. I am by no means a power-lifter, heck I’d be lucky to go above 5kg for arms, but I do find wearing flat shoes works well for me during weights training, and that sneakers with an elevated heel pitch (most) throw my centre of balance and technique off. In saying that, I wouldn’t recommend the open back shoes you see here – they were too hard to keep on and I ditched them shortly after. Back to the originals…
A full day treating patients
Rubi lace up booties
Yes I went on a Rubi spree at the start of the season and it was clearly successful. These lace up booties are my favourite – I even wore them to meet Jimmy Choo! The heel height is a modest midi 3cm with thick padding under the ball of the foot, meaning I’ve NEVER had pain on the balls of my feet in these. The lace up feature keeps me feeling very stable and quick on my feet which is important when treating patients. It’s also fully adjustable for wider feet or retracted toes. A great option for looking stylish yet feeling functional. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
HIIT/cardio training
Nike Air Max Thea
This neutral, cushioned jogger is definitely a favourite – I can wear it to HIIT training AND out to brunch on the weekend. Win-win. Seriously though, these were a GREAT investment piece which work really well for my feet. The heel pitch is just a touch low for me so I add a 5mm raise into each and voila – my calf muscles are happy. Tip: I’ve found this particular style fits small and I always have to go up a size to avoid blisters!
Dinner date
Valentino Rockstud pumps
How good are sit-down dinners? I come out all guns blazing in the shoe department for these because I know my feet aren’t going to cop it much, especially in the age of Uber. The Rockstud has proven iconic yet it is not functional at all. Pointed toe, studded straps, stiletto and patent leather – stunningly painful combination. There IS however a major tip to improving comfort with these – stay tuned, we’re doing a YouTube video on it shortly!
Netflix and chill (around the house)
Sadly not Givenchy slides
As previously mentioned – I can’t and won’t go barefoot, which as a Queenslander is practically blasphemous (but it feels good). I cycle between these slides with arch support, Archie thongs or Birkenstocks around the house. Note – I do not wear my slides to the shops like a lot of people are at the moment because they are not made for walking. Your toes have to grip to keep the slide on and believe me, you will cramp girl. Swap out for sneakers or wedges.
Drinks with the girls
Zara Fishnet Mules
Friday night drinks with the girls is always ‘mule-time’ for me. Once again, guaranteed not to be walking very far BUT dancing? That’s a different story. Usually there’s plenty of that, and unless I have a few too many Espresso Martinis and break out in a highland fling then these usually serve me well – not too high and easy to slip off!
Saturday social event
Seed Slingbacks
I’ll admit these sling backs are a little high but I always find a way to get away with it. Perfect for day-drinks or a networking event, I save these babies for sit/stand combination events. If you’re prone to pain on the ball of the foot or have retracted toes this ones not for you, although you could find a similar style with a lower heel and deeper strap. Add a bucket bag and you’re good to go.
Lazy Sunday
Zara embroidered sneakers
These Zara sneakers are perfection (God, I love Zara). Not only do they look chic at breakfast but I can stroll around Newfarm for a few hours after without any issue. In fact – I wear my orthotics in these! Slightly flat so I need a bit of an internal 3-5mm heel raise (which my orthotics have), but otherwise good to go. A great investment which gives off MAJOR Gucci vibes.
Until next time,
E&E
