Heels? Not Today, Please

I had a modeling stint when I was 17. Back then, part of our ‘runway’ training required us to walk everywhere wearing heels. This was a dream for me, as my mother hadn’t let me wear heels as a child. I loved the look and ‘glamour’ of it, plus, I also had the energy to pull it off. It wasn’t too long before I found I could comfortably strut about, even run, in heels.

Ten years and a baby later, I can barely stand upright when I wear heels. Sometimes it feels as if my centre of gravity shifted due to the changes of pregnancy and childbirth. Unlike many yummy mummies, I simply can’t pull off the ‘hot-mama-in-heels’ look. Even in comfortable flats, standing and walking too long hurt my feet. #Sigh. Now, my style is primarily based on comfort, and I recently started to reflect on many general fashion choices for women that are great for looks but tough on our bodies. So, this post comes from my thoughts around ‘How my fashion choices were hurting me.’

Heels

Heels make a lot of women feel more confident and walk taller. But wearing heels day in, day out hurt my feet and tendons in ways that are better imagined than experienced. Even if you love heels, from time to time, switch to flat shoes with comfortable insoles and other shoes designed for walking. Your legs will thank you for it.

Makeup

Makeup is a regular part of the average woman’s lifestyle. Whether it’s as little as lipstick and mascara, or a full face beat every day. Same with me–mostly. However, I’ve found that using makeup without taking breaks negatively affects my skin. My advice: Go without makeup sometimes to let your skin breathe and recover.

Extensions

Looking sleek with the use of extensions is mainstream today, but lack of moderation has its drawbacks. With weaves and falsies for hair and lashes, too much use easily leads to hair loss. I was constantly trying to regrow my edges. Artificial nails weaken my nail beds as well. For the long term health of my natural hair, lashes, and nails, I’ve found it important to take a break from extensions every once in a while.

Tight clothes

Let’s face it, we often want to flaunt our best physical assets, and with certain figures, tight clothes will do the job perfectly. But my skin also needs to breathe, abeg. I’ve seen enough movies and shows to also think that wearing spanx every day is the quickest route to a publicly embarrassing fainting spell. My wardrobe these days is mostly filled with loose and breathable fabrics that aid circulation.

In the end, I want to live long enough to enjoy my fashion choices for as long as possible. And part of getting to do just that begins with saying to my favourite pair of heels, ‘Not today, please!’