Photo Courtesy of Instagram @themillennialdecorator
I recently found myself needing to break in a pair of heels for an event. While there are tons of old wives tales for how to break in shoes – from putting the shoes in the freezer, to wearing them with socks, or even banging them with a hammer (yes, I have tried this before!) – I decided to do the tried and true method of wearing them down.
They were a casual pair of heels that I felt I could wear into the office and since I rarely get up from my desk, I thought this was a great place to test them out. They ended up being naturally comfortable shoes and were not too difficult to get adjusted to. However, wearing them made me come to a whole different realization.
Wearing the shoes to work and after work to run errands made me feel so confident and feminine. Walking around Trader Joe’s, I felt that I stood a little taller and walked with a little more poise. Obviously, I was a little taller, but that’s not the point! Were people at the store being any nicer than normal? No. But, did I feel like they were being nicer? Yes! The point is that I could feel my glow from within by changing a little part of my appearance.
Growing up any time I had a big test or presentation my mom always told me to dress up. Not because it mattered what I looked like when I filled out a scantron, but because “when you look good you feel good and when you feel good you do good!”
Those words are something that I have stuck to and tried to maintain in my life. Now I am realizing that the power of looking good and feeling good can be implemented everyday; it doesn’t need to be reserved for special occasions.
I am normally a sneaker girl who opts for comfort. However, I have found myself drawn to dresses and long skirts this summer. Partly because I am realizing that a flowy skirt is just as comfortable as linen pants, but also because I am realizing how much my appearance can affect how I feel. Now that I have a few dresses and skirts that I feel comfortable in, I am now trying to find heels that I can bring into my casual style.
Living in LA, I am aware that we are known around the world for our yoga pants, workout sets, and overall, casual attire. However, the boost of confidence that I get from wearing heels to do simple activities, like run errands or going to church, has made me feel more in touch with my feminine self. I am finding myself now looking for moments where I can throw on a casual heel or dress, no matter the occasion.
The same way I feel about my friendships with other women, I feel that wearing heels connects me to a small part inside of me that ignites the special feeling of being a woman. Last summer we all felt the pink-power from the Barbie movie and were reminded of our bond over our shared experiences as girls and eventually women. Heels are an integral part of this shared experience in womanhood, whether that be seeing them on women when we were girls or buying our first pair for a promotion ceremony or school dance. There is no denying that high heel shoes are synonymous with us ladies. Use that to your advantage and put on a cute pair of wedges when you want to feel a bit more feminine.
I understand that fashion is unique to everyone’s taste. No two people's fashion sense is alike and that’s what makes it all the more personal. Heels might not make you feel any more confident, maybe you feel your most confident in sneakers or loafers. However, what I am trying to put on your radar is that if you are saving the heels for a special occasion or have yet to break in a pair of shoes, wear them to pick up your medication at CVS! You don’t need to wait for the gala invite to put on the cute shoes you’ve been saving, wear them now and reap the benefits now. Any way we can feel better about ourselves, or feel more confident, we should be taking advantage of.
Whether it be a kitten heel or a platform, lace them up and hit the town!
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