By Boma Benjy Iwuoha
Do you have people asking you why you love your heels? A mum who’s always asking; don’t you think that’s too high dear? Or a cousin who sits on your bed watching you dress up, then slips in that unsolicited guidance that goes like; do you ever wonder how uncomfortable it would feel if you fell off those shoes? Oh yes! I’ve heard it all. From the aunt who thinks I may end up with a cracked skull and 20 stitches, to a brother who thinks I’m too tall to wear heels that high; and let’s not leave out the know it all friend, who’s rather too scared to walk the heels, so she goes like, “you just love to attract unnecessary attention to yourself”. Yes! Like I said, I’ve been there.
Some people may want to know if you’re comfortable in those heels, “Girl, of course, I am comfortable” and even if I wasn’t; as fashion quotes go, the famous French fashion designer Christian Louboutin said, ‘I would hate for someone to look at my shoes and say, “Oh my God! They look so comfortable!’ and I totally agree. Being chic is not everyone’s business. It’s no wonder Marilyn Monroe said ‘Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.’ We can’t all be conquerors now, can we? I don’t think so.
Here’s the thing, we all know the cliché about ladies feeling sexualized when they put on high heels because they “supposedly” take smaller steps, and the high heels force you to arch your back and put your chest out there to make up for the hill that you’re standing on. There’s also that part about how they’re hard to run in, plus other health reasons and Blah! Blah!! Blah!!! Yeah! While those arguments may ring true, I’m not about to debate that. I’m here to give you reasons to feel comfortable putting on your high heels and strutting off to conquer the world. So let’s take it from another angle.
What does it do for your confidence? There is this general thinking about how heels represent power in a culture. For instance centuries ago, only the wealthy wore heels. Also, if you found yourself in a really poor neighbourhood today, you would hardly find a woman in heels. In another instance, there are the dystopian movies where wealthy women are in heels and the poor ones are not, or movies like Sex and the City amongst others that begin with shots by showing the shoes (specifically, and always high heels) and pan up to the woman’s face as she’s walking.
You almost always find yourself feeling more confident, powerful and important when in heels. They make you look and feel taller, they can add 6″ inches or more to your height, especially if you’re wearing platforms. They make your legs look longer, which appeals to both men and women alike. They do a lot of things for women. It’s no wonder Marilyn Monroe, one of the most famous fashion icons that ever graced the Hollywood scenes said, “I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot”. I think she’s right. We cannot deny the feeling of confidence that comes with the heels. When you dress up in a power suit and slip on those pumps, it literarily serves as a confidence boost, you find yourself towering and not cowering. I totally advise ladies to go for heels when trying to make an impression; on a different note, can you picture yourself arriving a small business meeting in your ballet flats? I don’t think you want to be the one in that picture. Moving on, we can all admit that heels can make women look pretty attractive. There’s also something about the clicking sounds of them against the ground too that’s alluring.
Then there is the social aspect of it as I noted earlier, Girls often learn from a very young age that high heels are “the thing” and they just can’t wait to get on their first pair. It almost feels like your “first pair of high heels” is a kind of initiation to “becoming a woman”. Though this is not quite true, it cannot be erased from the thinking of society.
On the other hand, many girls and ladies would love to strut about on heels but are often discouraged due to their circles, peers, culture, height etc. They are probably not ready to answer the uncomfortable questions about their strange wardrobe addition or they just don’t know the answers to those questions. I’m a heels person, and while growing up, I got so many awkward looks and questions about why I wore heels considering the fact that I’m a comfortable 5” 11 who struts about with 6’ + heels, pretty tall I’d say. People sometimes believe that heels are meant for the “Not so tall” ladies. That’s not true; today, we are going to take a look at a few reasons why tall ladies wear heels and here they are:
- You are never “Too Tall” For Anyone
First of all, you’ve got to understand that you are not too tall, every human is made unique for purpose, and you shouldn’t give up what you want or love as long as it’s not harming anyone anyway. I’ve had so many people saying to me ‘Those heels make you too tall,’ I usually reply, ‘I’m not afraid of heights’ the simple truth is you are never too tall for anyone. Wear what you like. Wear what makes you feel good.” Rajahnique Jones from TallNNatural stands at 6’ 0 and she wants us to know that we don’t ever have to feel like we need to put on a pair of kitten heels or flats to avoid standing out in a crowd. Wear what you like. Wear what makes you feel good.”
- Standing Taller should be a Powerful and “NOT” an Awkward Feeling
Do you feel awkward standing in out in a room full of people because your head is towering over everyone else? No way! Imagine yourself as the shortest person in that room and everyone towering over you. Can you picture that? I bet it won’t be a good feeling having stood heads higher for decades. I used to get sent to the back of the class in the primary school because I was the lanky girl, Ha-ha! No way am I feeling bad about standing taller. Fashion blogger Bree Wijnaar of The Tall Society thinks that strutting around in heels only accents your long frame, and it’s empowering! She stands at 6’4″ in flats, so the woman knows what she’s talking about.
Her advice to Tall Sisters, “I hope you choose to wear what makes you feel beautiful, elegant, empowered, comfortable, and ready to take on the world!”
- Being Tall Isn’t any “Less Feminine”
Girls are meant to be small and delicate right? Don’t get it confused; Kacy Karlen of The Height of Style said that when she was younger, she often worried about losing my femininity if she towered way over the heads of every person in the room standing at 6’4”. Like many other tall sisters, she grew up to understand that “Wearing heels as a tall woman doesn’t make you any less feminine; it rather puts you in control of your femininity. What do heels really do for anyone? Does it increase the height? And why increase your height? It has a way of boosting your confidence. We’re all captivated by confidence. There is nothing more beautiful than a tall woman wearing fierce heels and rocking the hell out of her life.”
- You Were Always Meant To Be A Tall Glass Of Water
Instead of wishing you were an average stature, embrace the fact that you were meant to be willowy and a show-stealer right from the beginning.
Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista stands at a lovely 5’8″ in flats. She says to tall sisters, “OWN IT. Your beauty, height, and body are not an accident! If you can find and score heels that speak to your style and looks, girl rock it. You are an amazon, so stand tall and embrace every inch of you!”
- If you’re already commanding the Room, You Might As Well Rock the Heels
If you are a tall lady, chances are you are already standing taller than most people in the room. I do not believe in half measures, whether you wear flats, stilettos or sandals, there is a 90% probability that you’re going to get noticed either way when you walk into a room. So if you’re dying to wear that four-inch platform, do it! There’s really no point in denying yourself that little pleasure If you’re already commanding the Room, You Might As Well Rock the Heels
- Don’t Take the Fun Out Of Fashion
When we limit ourselves in what we’re allowed and not allowed to wear, fashion becomes more stress than fun. Not only will you find it difficult to find the right clothes, but it also becomes a task to look trendy and stylish. If you want to look fabulous, don’t box yourself in. Fashion is first an adventure of self-expression; don’t take the fun out of the adventure.
Finally: Be Proud Of Who You Are!
Though I could go on to list over a hundred reasons why tall ladies should wear heels, it all boils down to your level of confidence. Love yourself and be proud of who you are, you cannot change you, so make your 6’ frame count. Stay true to yourself, and don’t put up unnecessary barriers when it comes to expressing your tastes and likes just so you can blend in with a crowd. Remember; you were never meant to blend.
So the next time you’re on your heels and you get the look or the question; don’t you think you’re too tall? Tell them “I’m not afraid of heights”
