Heels and the Highness
I started dancing in heels almost 10 years ago. Shortly after, I began teaching heels classes. The style has progressed, and the shoes have become a hotter topic than ever before.
People regularly ask, “what kind of heels do you wear?”
More importantly than merely what kind of heels is why those heels.
The higher the heels, the closer to God? A strong perhaps.
Time for links and answers!
At this point I wear shoes from Kelaci, Elegance, and Burju sourced from https://dancehappy.com and https://burjushoes.com.
For general use, I prefer a platform and a slightly thicker heel. For a more jazz style, I prefer no platform. For a more contemporary style, I prefer a skinny heel.
I highly recommend shoes that both zip and lace if you’re a beginner, if you have an oddly shaped foot, if you need a more customized fit. The combination of a zipper for security then laces for exact snugness is really wonderful.
There is something magical about how energy transforms when putting on a pair of heels.
The air sizzles, crackle and pop.
A hair flip, a wink, a shimmy.
These shoes become your partners in crime, your most sacred weapon, your drivers on the road of desire.
A walk in heels can be a strut, a saunter, a stomp.
The confidence held in your soles and in your soul is what matters most when choosing the right heels. I have many pairs for all kinds of different occasions, which has been a long term investment.
And let’s be real, the heels on those website I linked aren’t cheap. Those weren't my first pair, or even my second or third.
I bought a pair of black Gianni Bini heels with red embroidery on the side from a clearance pile at a Dillard’s, and they lasted me close to three years. They’ve been long retired, heels chipped beyond repair and stitching come undone. They didn’t need to be fancy or from a specific dance heel designer brand. I found myself while wearing those heels. I cultivated my style in those heels, and they saw me grow so much.
Knowing that you’re spending money on quality is important, and I certainly tried on the clearance heels and busted a move in the aisles before purchasing. Trying on things in person before buying anything online is vital.
Shopping for heels makes you look at your feet in a totally new light. Length of foot and toes, width at heel and ball, height of arch, it goes on and on and on. Remember to be sensitive with yourself no matter how things fit. It’s a journey, much more a marathon than a sprint.
Be prepared for things to change, as they are guaranteed to do in life. Some of the heels that hugged my feet flawlessly five years ago don’t comfortably fit now. Things have grown and shifted, so gift yourself wiggle room with time.
The “why” of the heels.
First: you’re wearing them for you and yourself first and foremost [hopefully that goes without saying but still].
Second: they fulfill their purpose, whatever you determine that to be.
And then beyond? They feel right — in your soles and in your soul.
