I'm a size 10~10 1/2 and bought size 11 heels that are just a smidge too big for me. They slip off my heels every time I take a step. Is there any way to make them fit me so they are wearable? They are so cute, I'm dying to wear them but I can't walk in them. :(
We've all been there- you find that one pair of heels that checks all the boxes; it looks great, fits well, has good heel support.
The moment you start walking in them, however, they either pop off your feet entirely or pull out enough such that the back of the shoe rubs your heels and causes painful blisters.
Or your feet slip and slide forward in your heels, causing you to need to clench your toes to "grip" on to the shoe.
Feet or heel slippage could happen for a couple of reasons; your feet are hot and sweaty, you're wearing tights, or you have narrow heels.
Whatever the reason, having your feet sliding out of your high heels every other step can be VERY frustrating.
So how do you keep your feet sliding forward in your heels?
You know the rubber matting that your nana buys by the roll from the dollar store and cuts out for her kitchen appliances so they don't slide all over the counter top? The same non-slip principle works great for keeping your feet sliding forward in your heels. Cut the rubber matting out in the shape of your insole and trim them down from there for a perfect fit.
While any dollar store version will do, we prefer these fancy Gorilla Grip Drawer Liners that come in shades of mint green, lilac and pastel pink. Look for the thinnest version possible so they liners don't end up crowding your feet
[Read: These Easy DIY $5 Insoles are the Cure for Sweaty Summer Feet]
#2: Heel Liners/ Heel Grips
A common solution to shoes that slip off at the back is heel liners or heel grips; adhesive pieces that work like back of heel pads for shoes. Heel grips work especially well when the high heels in question are too big, as they fill up the space at the back of your high heels, and provide traction between your feet and the shoe so they don't slide off. Be sure to pick ones that are made of gel or soft foam like these ones from Ballotte for maximum comfort, as a rough surfaced heel liner can be abrasive on your skin.
#3: Hairspray
For a quick and temporary fix, mist hairspray onto your feet before stepping in your high heels. Once dried, the hairspray becomes tacky and helps slippery feet stick to your shoes and stop sliding forward.
#4: Toupee tape/ Hollywood tape
Celebrities like Jessica Alba swear by double sided tape for preventing their feet sliding forward in heels. Double sided tape can be extremely sticky and tear the soles of your shoes, so we recommend either toupee tape (used to hold wigs and hair pieces in place) or Hollywood tape. Both alternatives help your feet stick to your heels so they don't slide forward, but are easier to remove, gentler on your high heels and don't leave a residue.
#5 Shoe bumps
A relatively new solution to the problem of feet sliding in heels is shoe bumps. These come in a variety of options from foam to resin, and are inserted under the toe joints. Think speed bumps- but for high heels; these work by providing grip for your toes and traction for your foot, preventing your feet from sliding forward in your heels as you walk.
Bonus #6 High Heel Insoles
Elevating our feet in heels pushes our bodies forward and changes the way we balance and walk. While walking in high heels, your heel lands first in the heel-toe movement, impacting your back; and while stationary, you concentrate pressure on the balls of your feet- leading to the familiar feeling of slipping forward, as well as a burning-ball-of-foot sensation when you're in heels too long.
Good high heel insoles that add traction to your shoes and protect your feet can make a world of difference. Airpufs are high heel inserts cut from material originally invented by NASA. A foam that's been to space and back (literally!), our insoles are ultra impact absorbent, luxuriously soft, breatheable, and helps your foot grip on to your shoes better. You can read more about them here, or, because we are undoubtedly biased, read our reviews from happy customers.
We hope that our guide on preventing your feet from sliding in heels helps you walk a bit better and stand taller in the shoes you love. Please share this with your friends if you find it useful, and stay tuned for more high heel guides.
[Need more tips on how to walk in high heels? Check out our friendly guide to walking in heels for beginners]
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Hi Amy, This may just be the dumbest question ever but I’m also hoping it therefore has a simple solution! When I wear open-toed shoes my feet tend to sort of… slide forward in the shoe? So that my toes hang off the edge a little bit? I don’t know if it’s because my toes are kinda long or maybe I need to wear a smaller size, but I never see other girls with toes hanging off the tips of their shoes and I, too, want to be classy like that. I buy my normal shoe-size and things go well for the first few steps and then.. pfft. It’s over. Any advice?
Jess
You want a simple solution? As in, a singular solution instead of me just tossing out half a dozen ideas in the hopes that one of them is sort of vaguely the right one? MAN, are you hanging around the wrong advice column. Oh, I kid. (And also, there are no dumb questions about shoes. None! Never!) Seriously, though, there could be many reasons your feet are sliding and many solutions to stop the problem. The first one, of course, is that you are in fact buying the wrong size shoe. This is USUALLY the cause for unsightly toe problems. It kind of amazes me that as grown-ups, we often assume that our feet never change in size and never think to double-check and get re-measured. Instead we keep buying that same shoe size we’ve been buying since the 10th grade. But our feet can change, particularly after pregnancy, or if your job requires lots and lots of years of standing. Hell, I swear my feet go up a half size every summer and then back to a smaller size each winter.
If it does, or if the smaller size is unbearably tight, then YES. It’s entirely possible that the toe overhang is simply a quirk in your particular foot. Solutions? Opt for peep-toe (a small opening that just exposes the center two or three toes) over open-toe (the entire toe line is exposed). And try adding grips to the inside of your shoes — you can get open-toe-friendly adhesive grips for just the balls of your feet or for your full insole. I used the full version for a pair of heels that just had a weirdly slippery insole that caused my foot to slide forward and smush the hell out of my toes, and thought they worked quite admirably.
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