Recently, my cousin Fifi and I decided to drive to The Dubai Mall, in Downtown Dubai and after she sat in the driver’s seat, she took off her stilettos and looked worried. I asked her what was going on.
“I’m going to drive barefoot because I can’t drive with heels on, it will hurt my feet,” she declared. It seemed logical, but it never occurred to us that she could’ve worn flats that day, especially when walking in the mall was on the plans.
Later that day, when I got home and took off my own pair of heels and replaced them with slip-ons, I did a little research. It was not especially hard to find people who echoed Fifi’s high-heels-related concerns about feet health.
I read stories about how women had fallen and hurt themselves after wearing high heels, this included professional models, who had tripped on ramps because they were wearing vertiginous heels.
I think it makes sense that wearing anything so high could affect our health. However, even though our love affair with high heels is a relationship filled with pain and suffering, we don’t seem to be letting this fashion trend go. It could probably be because of films from popular culture, which seems to take these shoes to new heights.
Some films depict how wearing high heels have been the turning point of female characters. Think Anne Hathaway in Princess Diaries or the Devil Wears Prada, who personifies confidence the moment she slips into high heels.
A Hathaway-heels combination that I liked the most was her role as Catwoman, a super hero who beats up villains in Gotham city, in sky-high heels, without falling down.
However, the click-clack of heels had waned after the pandemic sent most of us looking for ballerina flats and loafers, at home. Even as the pandemic-related restrictions eased and social gatherings became safer to be a part of, I expected to still see ballerinas and flat sandals on the streets of Dubai. However, some UAE-based expats are back on their feet, quite literally, in the post-pandemic era.
Shahidah Abdul Salam, a 23-year-old Dubai-based Indian expat says that she’s been wearing heels ever since she returned to her office after remote working ended in her company.
I remember wearing heels even then, as even the pandemic did not stop me from what I wanted to wear! Now, I love wearing heels, especially to work because it’s an important element in dressing up formally.
“During the pandemic I switched to a pair of heels that were lower than the ones I used to wear before I started working remotely, as I would not go out so often. I remember wearing heels even then, as even the pandemic did not stop me from what I wanted to wear! Now, I love wearing heels, especially to work because it’s an important element in dressing up formally. Flats make me feel laid-back and remind me of the pandemic days, which were a bit gloomy. Heels also go with almost every kind of dress I wear, be it street wear, office wear, or casual wear. It helps me stand tall and makes me feel like I'm in control. When I wear heels to work, I start the day on a positive note.”
Others feel a similar sense of confidence when they wear high heels. Farhat Asgari, a 30-year-old Indian expat based in Dubai says, “High heels represent my personality and it makes me feel strong, determined and focused. I started wearing high heels more frequently after the pandemic and now I wear high heels almost every day.”
High heels represent my personality and it makes me feel strong, determined and focused. I started wearing high heels more frequently after the pandemic and now I wear high heels almost every day.
Zainab Bilal Abuji, a 22-year-old Indian expat based in Dubai says, “I love wearing high heels, and I wear them on a daily basis. Whenever I dress up, I opt for heels as it makes every outfit ten times better.”
Getting used to post pandemic trends
Sabera Khanam, a 62-year-old Sharjah-based Indian expat, who recently retired, remembers wearing her heels to work almost every day.
I have never worn any other kind of shoes, only heels give me that confidence, but during the pandemic I was mostly at home and I used to wear flats. Sometimes, I wear my old heels again, but I have to be careful not to walk long distances in it.
“Wearing heels has always been a big part of my identity. I have never worn any other kind of shoes, only heels give me that confidence, but during the pandemic I was mostly at home and I used to wear flats. Now I have gotten used to it. Sometimes, I wear my old heels again, but I have to be careful not to walk long distances in it. I am still coming to terms with post retirement life. I advise other women to maintain good posture when walking in heels. Wear it if it makes you happy. Having fun with fashion is important.”
Others have changed their stance on heels, like 33-year-old Filipino expat Jeanine Sadiasa, who is based in Dubai.
“As a woman of new generation I always wanted to do more, to be important, to have a voice, to have power. That’s why I used to wear heels all the time as it made me feel more confident, powerful and more important whenever I wore them. Every time I wore high heels I felt like I was two or three inches closer to reach what I wanted! But after I realised that what I wear doesn’t define me, I switched to flats and shoes. I also lead an active life now, I walk and run for hours and go around town in the Metro. I can’t do all this in my heels.”
Every time I wore high heels I felt like I was two or three inches closer to reach what I wanted! But after I realised that what I wear doesn’t define me, I switched to flats and shoes.
Whether it’s about coming to terms — or a wonderful realisation, depending on your outlook: women's shoes seem to be getting higher, especially as the party season in the UAE approaches.
If you’re making a transition from flats to heels, then Salam advises getting back to kitten heels or wedges for a while, “ …just until you get used to them and then slowly increase the height of your heels by choosing block heels or combat boots to have an easier grip on the height of the footwear while walking.
“Eventually, you'll be able to walk in pencil or pointed heels once you get the hang of holding your body upright in taller footwear.”
How to care for your feet when you wear high heel shoes
Michelle Champlin, a Dubai-based British expat and podiatrist from Dubai Podiatry Centre advises, “Wearing heels occasionally is absolutely fine to do, however, there is an increased risk of foot and ankle injury and an increased risk of falling in high heels. The risk can be reduced by wearing heels that have a smaller heel height and that are well attached to the foot with an ankle strap. But if heels are worn every day for work for example there are options to consider keeping the foot in a healthy position.”
Wearing heels ... is absolutely fine to do, however, there is an increased risk of foot and ankle injury and an increased risk of falling in high heels.
Champlin shares the following tips:
1. Finding the right fit
Always wear a heel that fits the larger foot and use a heel grip on the smaller foot to make sure both the feet are comfortable inside the shoes.
2. Protecting the skin
Wear stockings or lubricate your toes with Vaseline.
Use a thick ointment on the fifth toe, where the shoe may rub the skin.
3. Wear for short durations
Try to avoid prolonged use of high heels. In the office you may want to wear slippers for inside your office and wear heels for specific meetings and wear sports shoes or comfortable shoes, while commuting to and from your place of work.
4. Maintaining posture
Specific toe socks, silicon toe aligners and specific insoles that help to maintain the perfect posture of the shoes, which can help to reduce the problems that high heels and pointed toe shoes can have on the feet.
Specific toe socks, silicon toe aligners and specific insoles that help to maintain the perfect posture of the shoes, which can help to reduce the problems that high heels and pointed toe shoes can have on the feet.
5. The right height
Find the perfect heel height if you are going to wear heels every day for work.
For work, try and get a heel height that is not very high compared to the ones you may wear for a special event, where you can go for high heels because you’re only going to wear it for a short time and are sitting.
Champlin cautions that different heel heights affect the feet greatly. “The higher the heel, the more the ankle leans towards the outside of the foot, and it can increase the risk of ankle injuries.
“Increasing the heel height will also dramatically affect the amount of weight that is put at the front of the foot just behind the toes. Wearing very high heel shoes can lead to stress fractures in the metatarsal region of the foot that are important for walking. It can also crush the sesamoid bones underneath the ball of the foot and cause pain and swelling.”
However, certain heels are safe for regular use, like going to office and wearing them for nine hours a day. Champin says, “Comfortable high heeled shoes are those with enough space for the toes to spread and with cushioning under the ball of the foot, and the heel height should not be too high if worn on a regular basis.”
Whatever said and done, most of us have a soft spot for heels because truth be told, they look great on our feet!
