A Pageant Girl's Guide To Walking In Heeled Boots

Oh, high heel boots. You are simultaneously the easiest and most painful way to complete a date night outfit in the fall. Alas, as a former Texas pageant girl, I learned exactly how to walk in high heel boots and am excited to share my secrets with you! While there's no way to avoid a little pain, following the steps below will make your high-heeled boot life a whole lot easier. Because let's be real, looking like you're in agony with every step doesn't exactly sound pleasant for you or your date.

If you haven't already found your perfect pair of boots for fall and winter, now is the time to start looking! Trust me, you need the time to break them in. For ideas, check out 11 types of fall boots and how to wear them (and, if you're feeling bold, Ciara's fringe boots!) Once you've found the right pair, don't forget to learn how to protect boots from the rain.

Before I go any further, there are two essential things you need to learn before you walk in high heel boots. First, make sure you have a "runway" like space to move around in. A regular hallway is fine, but a place with a mirror is better. Window reflections work, too! Second, pick whatever makes you feel like a strong, hot goddess.

Once you've got your space (and music), it's time to learn!

1. Massage & Sand The Boots

3M 9005NA 9-Inch by 11-Inch Aluminum Oxide Sandpaper, $3, Amazon

Gently rubbing your shoes around the ankles and on both sides wears them in just a little and helps make the first few steps more comfortable. Also, if the bottoms are completely smooth with no tread, rub a little sand paper across them to give a little more "grip." Slippery shoes means you're going to bite pavement. Also, don't forget to add arch supports at this point if you need them.

2. Take Your First Steps

Turn your music on, and do your best to confidently walk around in them, heel-toe, heel-toe. It's absolutely OK if you fall and doesn't matter what you look like. The important thing is that you're just finding your balance!

3. Strut

Once you feel a little more sure you're not absolutely going to topple over, it's time to strut! The perfect example of the "yeah, I got this" walk is Sandra Bullock is Miss Congeniality. You'll notice her steps are long, she's stepping one foot right in front of the other, and her hips swing wide. This isn't just to look sexy; it actually makes walking in high heels so much easier. While big steps, a straight line, and swinging hips might feel forced and uncomfortable at first, you'll gradually settle into it and love how strong and stable you feel. Teetering be gone!

4. Hit The Streets

Before you go outside, re-read #1 and make sure you've sanded the bottom a little if you needed to. Again, super smooth shoes means falling! Once you're ready, hit the streets, pop the same music in your headphones if you're solo, and own it. Keep strutting, and it will even out into a natural-looking, confident walk. Bonus point if the streets are cold and your feet go a little numb! Then you can wear them for hours. Mwahaha.

5. Soak Your Feet & Do Some Yoga

I don't care how tired you are, you need to go soak your feet as soon as you take the boots off. Hot water and epsom salt is my favorite way to help my feet recover fast from a night of high heel boots so that I'm good to go the next morning. Additionally, heels can put a fair amount of strain on your back, so doing a couple downward dogs and cat-cow poses are really helpful in stretching it out. Trust me, there isn't a pageant girl out there that would skip this step!

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