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transitioning from heels to flats

cinnamon fern

Veteran

After a summer working from home in shorts and bare feet, these last few weeks I've been back in office wear. For decades I've worn shoes with 2 or 2.5 inch heels for work with no problem - but now I get home from work, my back hurts, my feet hurt, the first thing I do when I get in the door is take my shoes off.

(Except for today, when I am wearing my new experimental shoes, the NAS Ecco sneakers. I feel short and underdressed, but happy.)

It is time to give up the heels! My question: should I do this gradually, or is it more of a rip-the-bandaid-off kind of thing? Do I donate everything uncomfortable? Keep a pair or two I really love? Keep a pair or two for the rare formal occasion with no walking? What would you do?

Dressing

36 replies

Latest reply was from Well Dressed Guy

Anonymous

I did it by ripping off the bandaid. I took every single pair of heels (except one pair for unexpected "emergencies") to the Goodwill. I started buying flats that were dressy enough to wear for more formal occasions (two pair). Discovered that my wardrobe functioned great without heels, finally donated that last pair. No regrets.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Sounds to me like you already ripped that band-aid off. Why put it (or the shoes) on again? Get some flats you like before donating the others, and maybe keep your favorite pair for a while.

And welcome to flatsville!

Anonymous

Foot surgeries forced the issue so I had little choice. Does not mean I did not hold on to heels. I have been gradually giving them to new loving homes. I have 3 pair left.
There are now so many cute flats you won’t feel bad moving in that direction. As you get older- comfort over rules adorable footwear

Ginger

Veteran

Do you want to transition? A couple winters ago it was unusually wet and chilly, and I mostly worn some Ecco boots because they were waterproof. When it warmed up and I started wearing 2-3" heels again, I noticed that my legs got unusually tired. But I figured it was just slight loss of muscle tone from those few winters. I kept wearing the heels, alternating with flats and wedges, and soon I wasn't having the same issue.

That said, I totally support transitioning into flats! I just don't want you to give up something that you have enjoyed if you don't want to.

Thistle

Veteran

I ripped off the bandaid years ago when I was diagnosed with scoliosis in my very low spine.

I vowed not to do another day of damage with shoes.

I started with 2 pair, and expanded from there.

I donated every other pair I had to Dress for Success so I wouldn't be tempted

cinnamon fern

Veteran

So far ripping off the band-aid is in the lead! Thanks to everyone who weighed in.

Thistle, I shared your thought about temptation - I have super short legs and my eye will certainly need to adjust to flat shoes.

That's an interesting suggestion, Ginger. But I'm wondering if we maybe have a different issue with heels. I've taken up running this summer so (I hope) my leg muscles are in better shape than usual.

Ginger

Veteran

That's a good point. I could have been more specific. There are particular muscles in your legs, ankles, and feet that work together to help you balance and walk in high heels. For me, that seemed to be what either weakened or fell "out of practice" while I was wearing flats only. I don't think it's merely muscle mass. My legs felt tired (not to the point of aching, but it was significantly noticeable) because they just weren't used to acting that way any more.

JAileen

Veteran

Just get rid of everything that is uncomfortable.

I stopped wearing heels when I was pregnant. I never went back. I figured I was a very good accountant, better than most (if not all) of the men, and they didn’t wear heels, so why should I?

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I've never really worn higher heels much but even low heeled to flat shoes can be a problem I've learned as I've gotten older . I didn't realize I had a higher arch for example and hadn't been properly supporting it. Also some of my shoes suddenly started giving the tops of my feet pain. Now I am extremely picky - even some fairly recent purchases have quickly been passed on after just a few wears. Sandals can't be saved with inserts so I'm having to be extra careful with those choices. I've also resorted to wearing "indoor" shoes to help keep my feet happier. I bought an affordable pair of skechers that do not see the outdoors but give me support and padding on harder floor surfaces (rather hard wood floors in my case).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I'd say it depends on a couple of factors, most of which you allude to in your original post.

1. Do you want to make the change?

2. Are there certain outfits (esp. dressy outfits) that won't work with any flats you can imagine and do you have a pair of heels that would be wearable for such occasions, if not for regular daily wear -- i.e. can you tolerate some "sitting shoes" in your closet?

3. How's your budget? It could be a pricey proposition to rip the bandaid off completely and all at once and you'd have to know you were able to cover your needs with your available funds. Footwear is not cheap, especially comfortable footwear. Can you get by without many new clothes this year?

4. If you need dressier shoes for the office, are dressy flats any more comfortable for you than low heels? Sneakers are one thing...but as texstyle notes, just because a shoe is flat doesn't mean it will work for all feet. Like her, I find most flat shoes don't offer enough support and most don't stay on my foot, so I have to be picky.

I'm not sure what I would do in your position. But in switching to flats I'd be aware of outfit proportions and try to wear higher waisted bottoms or dresses to lengthen the leg line.

Echo

Veteran

I did not get rid of all my heels, but I did find that I NEVER wore them as time went on, so they got donated one by one. I do still have a couple of pairs that are too beautiful to get rid of and I do still have several lower heels to wear to special non-walking occasions, but the bulk of them are now gone.

I think the reason I didn't get rid of them all at once was because I didn't necessarily have the flats to replace them. I LOVE having shoe variety, and it took me a while to build that up with a flat-shoe wardrobe. I kept the heels in the meantime, not because I wore them, but as a security blanket. I couldn't imagine not having a huge variety of shoes I could potentially choose from (even though my odds of choosing the heels was almost zero).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Life is too short to wear uncomfortable shoes.

Pass on everything that is uncomfortable. Start afresh. Dressy flats DO exist. I wear them all the time.

1.5 inch heels are best. Start looking for those as your new high heel height.

Joy

Veteran

What Angie said. I ripped the bandaide after being told by a doctor: no more heels or sandals, and have never looked back. As Angie says, life is too short for uncomfortable shoes...or shoes that may damage your body, for that matter. Not wearing sandals was harder than not wearing heels, but it can be done.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Joy, why no sandals?

cinnamon fern

Veteran

Thank you all for your thoughts! This is helpful. I would not exactly say I want to make the change - but I think I will be happier if I do. There is no reason to be distracted by my footwear all day at work. So, bandaid ripping it is.

Fortunately the budget is looking good these days. And I will keep one pair of generic pumps in case of emergency.

kkards

Veteran

hmmmm, well i just want to add not all flats are comfortable, and not all heels are uncomfortable.....so that's not how i'd make my decision....but you can find tons of fab shoes with less than a 2 inch heel so if that's your goal, you should be able to have complete collection of shoes for all occasions

cinnamon fern

Veteran

Kkards, even a year ago I would have agreed with you! Now I only buy the 'not all flats are comfortable' part

anchie

Veteran

It could be just the case of getting used to heels again after prolonged period in flats. It happens to me too. But if you want to transition to flats, and it seems to me that you do, just go ahead.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I was never a high-high heel wearer. Even in my 20s, they were only worn for special occasions, not work, and they weren't those really high, really spiky ones even when they were pumps and stilettos. For me, who has almost transitioned out of heels, it has been giving up the perceived idea of more glamour and elegance when wearing heels, especially when I am now about 5 foot 1 having shortened by an inch over time. I still own 5 pairs of high heels and I do wear them occasionally for special events like Christmas parties or weddings. If the parties involve dancing then I take along a more comfortable pair that is usually something lower heeled that also matches my dress. The last pair of actual high heels I bought in 2014.
I have another collection of what I call mid heels. These are more like 7 cm or 2.5 inches. These are worn maybe a couple of times a year each, again for a more special occasion. I think I've now sworn off buying even these ( the last pair was early last year, and I've only worn them twice). Because I'm aiming to do #30 wears and can see that at that rate I'd need to own them 15 years to do that! Not perhaps a happening thing.
And when I buy flats that I love, and that are comfy but still meet my needs for interesting shoes as a "shoe person", I wear and wear them. The black fringed booties I bought on 1 April, which took 3 attempts to get ( ordered and returned 2 others), cost $110 and have just hit 55 wears in under 5 months. $2 a wear now and make me happy every time. That's what I'm aiming to do now.
So, I suppose I didn't rip off the bandaid, I have done it more gradually. But in some ways it has prolonged the agony. So if you can rip, good luck to you I say.

Jane

Veteran

I'm on this journey. I wear dressy heels in the office, but as soon as I can find some dressy reasonably priced comfortable flats / 1.5 inch heels, my black patents are going. I liked wearing them but I'm moving on...when I can find comfy dressy flats suitable for work....I am reading with interest!

cindysmith

Veteran

I had to RIP the bandaid off when we moved out here. It hurt like nobody's business at first because I had to stretch the muscles and tendons back out (I had worn nothing but 4" or higher heels for years and years).
I did keep a couple of pairs that I just couldn't bear to part with, and now I'm glad I did because I'm about to be job hunting. I've also added a couple more pairs just for the hunt & potentially occasional wear.

delurked

Veteran

Yes, rip off that bandaid. There are tons of flatter shoes that have style. You may just need to experiment to find what makes you still feel good without the added height. You’ll get used to it. If you want, keep a couple backup pair for dressy occasions, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself in lower alternatives even for those events.

Anonymous

Flat to you may not be completely flat. It depends on your arches and how your foot naturally angles from your leg. How your foot is naturally is going to be the most comfortable. To me the truly flat shoes with no support at all are worse than heels. In other words, experiment!
I can't condone wearing sneakers to work though, unless youre a personal trainer:)

Well Dressed Guy

I noticed that everyone was thinking in terms only of work. I would agree, if wearing heels that long are making you uncomfortable, then wearing flats to work is the only thing that makes sense. I get the impression that you still do like to wear them, though, at times, in principle. My suggestion would be to get the flats that you would have anyway to wear to work, but save your heels for other occasions when you need / want to dress up. For example, a date with your boyfriend / husband, when you may only be going out to dinner, and won't have to walk far enough or long enough to cause your feet to hurt. Just keep what you have, so that you can put together then right outfit. Then, even if you can't handle that, then there would be no point in keeping them.

The transition does not need to be an all or nothing proposition. Just don't let your work life needs rule your personal life.

shiny

Veteran

I did it in the more gradual way. I still own heels, I just have few and I wear them rarely.

Years ago hubby was complaining that I was often complaining about my shoes when we were out and about. So he made a deal with me: for every pair of heels I bought, I had to buy a pair of flats!

This got me to 50/50 fairly fast. In more recent years, I've been wearing the flats so much more often, often enough my eye has adjusted. And that's no small feat seeing as I'm only 5'0 tall.

Recently I did a major shoe cull and many many heels got decluttered as they just don't make me happy anymore. I kept the ones I can stand in for 4 hours, or wear to a business meeting which is a combo of sitting and standing for 8 hours. The rest are all gone now.

So I am now more like 80 percent flats, 20 percent heels. And I have some sparkly ballet flats that I can wear to formal events to switch in and out of, to get there and back.

I reach first these days for flats. My most comfortable heels are wedges, but even those can't beat my flats.

Glory

Veteran

I

rosee

Veteran

Following this. I have about 24 pairs of shoes/boots right now and 5 of these shoes are heels - even 2" block heels (2 pairs of dress shoes, plus 3 pairs of ankle boots which are very comfortable and supportive). I am currently contemplating getting rid of anything above 2" (3 pairs) as I rarely wear them, but I also don't want to be too hasty in case the need arises for them. It took me a long time to get footwear I really like and find comfortable so I don't want to go through that process again of finding the right shoes. I have a slightly wide foot with high arches so finding footwear is a pain.

Well Dressed Guy

Rosee, you seem right to hesitate. It seems as though you feel as though you may still have reason to wear them, and you are definitely doing no harm whatsoever in keeping the shoes just in case.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

WDG, I don't mean to be harsh, but you might want to look up a few sites for women professionals that include sections on attire in their advice on how to move up in a career. Not fashion sites--places giving advice for work. Flats are slowly advancing, but we are not at the point where tossing the heels at work is a simple choice. Not yet, anyway.

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