When it comes to walking in heels, I am an expert.
And when it comes to wearing heels all day with zero pain, I'm an expert at that, too — thanks to a weird trick I'm going to share with you. Readers, I am here to tell you that taping your third and fourth toes together not only works to stop high heels from hurting your feet, but will change your entire shoe-loving life. It's that amazing.
Initially, this was a fashion hack I didn't even know I knew: it was taught to me by a former ballet teacher, and was meant to stop me getting cramps and nerve pain in my calves when I danced en pointe. I also quickly learned that it helped me wear heels without the balls of my feet getting tired or sore.
Supposedly this helps "split a nerve" in your foot to prevent pain. I don't know if that's true, but I know that it works for me. Here's how I do it.
1. Begin with the right tools.
You can use beige athletic tape to secure your toes if you want, but I find that peels away. Clear sellotape is OK if you're wearing really open-toed shoes because it's harder to see, but it can make your feet sweat and tends not to stick all that well. I've also used gaffer tape, electrical tape, and duct tape, and I do NOT recommend any of those.
By far the best thing to use are Band-Aid Tough Strips ($4.49, Drugstore.com). They hold really well, and stay put through everything. They also don't peel away and leave gross sticky stuff on your toes that can cause blisters afterwards, btw.
2. Cut to fit.
You don't need to mummify your entire toes to get the benefit of this; as long as the bandage or tape is wide enough to cover up to the last "knuckle" (ew) of your toe. DO NOT tape over the nails. I cut my Band-Aids in half, long-ways, and that works for me; your mileage may vary depending on the lengths of your toes.
3. Wrap.
Wrap the bandage around the third and fourth toes of your foot. Make sure it's tight enough to be secure, but not SO tight that you lose circulation. If you have doubts about this, or you have existing medical concerns, do consult your doctor.
5. SLAY ON THE STREETS.
You are now ready to go out and kill it in your heels, secure in the knowledge that they will not be killing you! Because you haven't taped over your toenails, you can wear open-toed shoes with very little fear of anyone seeing your pain-killing secret. And because you've just used a regular Band-Aid, you can wear the pointiest stilettos without any added bulk.
Now get out there and sashay — pain-free!
