Desperate to still wear something with a heel? Try opting for a lower, wider heel, this will mean less pressure is exerted onto the balls of the feet, meaning better stability, and less likelihood of falling and the possibility of spraining an ankle! It is also recommended, that before and after wearing heels, you should carefully stretch the muscles in your legs, because let's be honest, wearing heels is pretty much the same as a workout for your legs, and you wouldn't start a workout without warming up! 

When shopping for heels, make sure that you are looking at the slope of the shoe, this is more important to finding a comfy heel than the height of the heel itself. Look for a heel with a platform sole to decrease the angle of the foot, and ensure that weight is distributed across the entire foot. Make sure that you choose a wide toe box, if you still prefer a more pointed toe, then ensure that the narrowing of the toe begins after the toe box, this will still give the illusion of length while allowing enough space for your toes. Lastly, ensure that your shoe fits correctly! Your foot should not slide back and forth but instead should be held firmly in place, this will reduce the chance of blisters and other complications, allowing you to continue dancing the night away!

Happy wearing flats? As explained yesterday, these can be as bad for your feet as heels, so how do you determine a good flat shoe for your special occasions? Ensure that they have good arch support and are wide and long enough, the shoe should not push the toes or make them curl. Some good things to check when shopping for new flat shoes, are that they have a stiff back; holding the heel in one hand and the shoe in front of the heel in the other, the shoe should not be able to move side to side around the heel. They should also have a small amount of torque (rotation), holding the shoe at both ends, it should be able to twist slightly. When trying on flat shoes, they should feel comfortable right away. 

Some good tips for your party shoe shopping, whether it is heels or flats, shop in the late afternoon, as your feet swell throughout the day and otherwise you may find those beautiful shoes you got in the morning, aren't so comfortable in the evening. Wear whatever socks or tights that you would normally wear with the shoes and if you have two slightly differing sized feet, buy the shoes that fits the larger foot!

Did you know that wearing high heels can lead to at least nine different foot complications?! to find out what these are, and how both high heels and flats can affect your feet, watch our video here!