The power of high heels is undeniable. Nothing is sexier than a woman in heels. I know for me personally as well as my friends, fellow fashionistas and all of my personal clients, wearing heels magically makes women feel on top of the world.

Okay, confession time: after 13 years in the fashion world, despite countless attempts to master a heel I keep coming up flat.  My tolerance time for heels is about five minutes and then, out of necessity, out of survival, I flee to flat boots and ballet flats.  I can’t even stand in heels or even walk to a cab – let along walk all over the city in them.

This is what happens.  First my legs begin to twitch. This quickly escalates to trembling and soon my whole body starts vibrating. My ankles cramp, my feet freeze, and my steps become slow and stiff. I am determined to walk at least a block but fully realize how ridiculous I must look: stomping one leg down at a time, readjusting my body and balance with each step and swaying my arms with tightly balled fists. Inevitably I end up going straight back home, all sweaty and disheveled, kick off my heels and slip into my “failure” flats so I can easily and quickly pitter patter down the pavement.

I’ve researched every fashion trick and tip in the book and the truth is, although a wedge or platform is more comfortable, nothing beats the Christian Louboutin dagger heels. These ubiquitous buzz-worthy heels began to tempt and taunt me; they screamed Sexy, Seductive, Superwoman. I envisioned myself as Jessica Rabbit, surrounded by dozens of guys with their tongues hanging out like a rolled out red carpet at my feet.

Now that fashion week is around the corner I’m on a mission to master the heel. Last year I wore my highest heel to the tents and within ten minutes of arriving I was walking around barefoot. Yes barefoot! I looked like a little girl in my bare feet among all the glamazons in sky-high heels. Hardly the glamorous look I was going for when I had put my heels on earlier that day!  For the rest of the evening, I grasped my high heels between my fingertips.  Never were they to touch the floor again.

This year walking barefoot, heels in hand is out of the question so I went straight to the top females in fashion for a crash course on how to walk in high heels and here is what they suggested….

With Champagne and an attitude.
–Mary Alice Stephenson

How to walk in high heels? With lots of practice–provided the shoes are the right fit to begin with.
–Cathy Horyn

With a dose of Motrin and great pride!
–Stephanie F Solomon

Walking in high heels is a fine art-I wouldn’t say I walk so much as totter in some of mine but the main thing is that I totter with style. When I put on my Louboutins, I do transform. They give you that certain angle that is just erotic. They make me walk like a 1950s siren-rouged up and curvaceous but in all the right places. And if heels can do that for you, even if its just psychological, then I want a pair.
–Holly Fulton

I found heels alot easier to walk in than in my ballerina point shoes……! I also question why wearing heels at night is much less effortless and painless than wearing them in the day time?
–Leila Antakly

It’s all about practice makes perfect.  Anyone can walk in high heels if they have the right shoe, good fit, right type etc….we can all be in that Cinderella story.
–Georgina Goodman

To make comfortable shoes you need to make sure you use soft leathers, and have a good last. I think walking in heels are more comfortable when you wear a wedge. That works for me 10 hours a day on my my feet.
–Tabitha Simmons

Much in the same way I breathe … naturally and without much thought
–Michelle Harper

With a girlfriend for support…or alcohol!
–Michelle Ochs

I am the worst person in heels!! And always jealous of those women who can walk around all day effortlessly!! Any tips on how to improve in this area would be much appreciated so I can finally start enjoying my shoe collection!!
–Anya Yiapanis

I don’t wear high heels anymore, I only wear platforms but I agree [with your article] if you cannot walk and feel comfortable in your shoes don’t buy them. It will definitely ruin your look if you start walking in a strange manner.
–Diane Pernet

Okay here it goes…for those beginners a platform heel is your best friend. The elevated front cuts down on the incline making the whole experience a lot easier. When you put on heels you instantly (and dare I say naturally) adjust your body so that while you’re putting more weight on the front of your foot, you balance that by sticking your butt out just a bit more. Why do you think men like women in heels so much?
–Kate Dimmock