It was a Saturday night, and I had a date with my girls for some long overdue girl time. I took a quick glimpse in the mirror on the way out the door and smiled, I was definitely feeling myself. I was on top of the world as I headed out with my hair done, nails done, everything did. I confidently strutted to my car just knowing that I had on the right pair heels for the night. I analyzed the angles, and calculated the perfect amount of height and width in order to purchase the most comfortable pair of heels possible. So far so good.
I arrived at the venue, and my squad was already there waiting. Everyone was looking flawless. I walked over to where my girls were gathered, and was beginning to catch up on some girl talk when it started, a slight twinge of pain in the balls of my feet. I tried to refocus my attention to anything other than the hellfire beginning to radiate throughout my lower ligaments, but all that ran through my mind was the pain.
Then, my favorite song began to play and as if reading each other's minds my girls and I headed out to the dance floor. I began to feel a little relief. “Hmmm, maybe I was just standing in one place for too long," I said to myself. Unfortunately the relief was only temporary and the pain began to invade my entire being once again. My girls were still dancing, but I was slowly beginning to transition into an awkward, backward two step, off the dance floor, frantically searching with my eyes for something to rescue me from my struggle. At that point, the feeling started to progress from a slight tingle to feeling synonymous with Zeus himself throwing bolts of electricity at my lower extremities purposefully trying to ruin my night.
I frantically searched for a seat to relieve the intense pain in my feet as I contemplated spending the rest of the night barefoot. I quickly axed that notion, however, because the thought of all the interesting possibilities scampering around on the dirty floor quickly reminded me I am not about that germ life. I eventually found myself sitting out the rest of the night, as I watched my friends enjoy themselves from my seated, yet pain free position. That night was the night I admitted to myself that heels simply weren't worth it for me. No matter how hard I've tried over the years, I've yet to find a pair of heels I can comfortably wear longer than an hour 10 minutes.
I'm aware many people believe that a woman in heels screams femininity and sexiness, however, in my case it only screams awkward. I personally know women who insist that a woman who can't wear heels aren't much of a woman at all, but I choose to think I'm sexy with or without them. To be honest, I really don't get the big deal about heels. Besides the fact that the higher they are the more painful they feel, as a woman of above average height, I truly don't see a practical use for them in my daily life. Maybe it was the changes my body experienced after motherhood, maybe it was the reality that I don't like to intentionally put myself in excruciating pain, maybe I'm just not “built" for it, I don't know I don't care. Simply put, in the words of Keri Hilson: "I hate heels, love how they look but hate how they feel."
[Tweet "I hate heels. I love how they look, but hate how they feel - Keri Hilson"]
I choose to think that I'm sexy with or without heels.
Now that I've accepted my situation, I've found a variety of flats that complement my outfits, whether I'm going out with my girls or I'm at the office. I have absolutely no shame in the fact that I'm just not built for that “heel life," however, I give props to all of you women who continue to bear the pain in the names of fashion and style. I personally refuse to embrace the motto “pain is beauty." I refuse to put myself at risk for plantar fasciitis and a host of other foot related ailments just to “look good" for others. I have thrown in the towel and accepted “da feet"... literally. To those of you who continue to persevere in your high heels and stilettos, continue to werk ladies...for those like me who just can't or won't.
Are you about that heel life? Share how you keep your brain off the pain below.
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