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How to Make Your Feet Look Smaller

Over the years, a number of you have asked me about shoes, everything from converting from male to female shoe sizes to finding funky shoes in large sizes. While I do not own a pair of big feet myself, I do know how to make my size 9 women's feet look smaller than they actually are.

Feet are an important part of your overall packaged appearance and a pair of shoes can be considered both a necessity and an accessory in your package. If your feet are big but the rest of you isn't, you have to figure out a way to make everything about you look more "balanced." The following advice will show you how to downplay your feet size. If you don't have large feet, you can still benefit from my advice. After all, information isn't worthless if you know how to use it.

Say YES to Black Shoes!

The color black is understated yet elegant. Simple yet sophisticated. Classy, modern, tres urban chic, and wickedly sexy. Better yet, black really does go with everything. Black shoes look good with even the most outlandishly colored outfit. Black shoes, and black clothing for that matter, can make your feet and other body parts appear smaller. Women have been wearing black to hide their actual or self-perceived weight problems for years. Take heed on this little tidbit of knowledge and go black the next time you decide to buy a pair of shoes.

Say NO to Pointy Toes!

Although shoes with pointy toes may look tres chic, they will also make your feet look, literally, a foot longer than they actually are! The pointed end of a pointy-toe shoe isn't designed for the toes to slide into. In fact, in a pointy-toe shoe, your toes are likely to stop short of the tip of the shoe by an inch or more. Stick with shoes with round or square toes to minimize the size of your feet.

Say YES to High Heels!

The general rule is the higher the heel, the shorter the length of the shoe, from its tip to its heel. That means flats are out for you big-footers. But don't go out and buy yourself those five or six-inch high stilettos just yet. You have to learn how to walk in them first! Try not to walk in your shoes as if you have something hanging between your legs.

Say NO to Big, Bulky Boots!

Most boots are bulky because of the extra material used and the extra support they provide around the foot and leg. This is especially true of cowboy and platform boots. Some people who have trouble walking in opera pumps have little or no trouble walking in boots or boot shoes. Big, bulky boots are great because they're comfortable, sturdy, and durable, however, such boots can make your feet look really big.

Say YES to Stretch Elastic Boots!

Stretch elastic boots are opera pumps encased in a stretch elastic material that can rise to anywhere from ankle length to as high as thigh length. The stretch material can make your legs look more toned. However, like shoes, avoid such boots if they have pointy toes or look bulky. Sometimes a high-heeled boot may be accompanied by a slight platform underneath the ball of the foot. This adds bulk to the shoe and will actually make your feet look bigger. Chunky, wide-heeled boots are notorious for this. Thin heels are best, but it's difficult to find a stretch boot with a thin heel.

Say NO to Skinny Heels!

Chunky, wide-heeled shoes look bulky and can make your feet look big. Stiletto heels can also make your feet look big if the heels are too thin, because a thin heel makes a shoe look a lot longer than it actually is. Choose a heel that tapers from the base of the heel to the heel tip. An excellent shoe looks balanced: the shoe is attractive, the heel is not too high and not too thin, the shoe has a lot of support for the toes, arch, and heel, the shoe is made of a high-quality material, such as fine leather or suede, and the shoe is light and easy to walk in. Some of the shoes you see models wearing in magazines should never be worn by anyone in the real world.

Say YES to Building Up Your Legs!

Skinny legs can make a person's feet look bigger than they actually are. If you have skinny legs, commit yourself to a leg workout three times per week to add inches to your thighs. I have seen many women work themselves to preposterously thin proportions. This is not attractive! If you have trouble building up your legs, try wearing hip and thigh padding, especially beneath jeans or slacks.

Say NO to Baubles and Big Buckles!

Aside from being a fashion faux pas, shoes with big "things" on them that draw an onlooker's attention to your feet can be a problem. If you have big feet, you may wish to stay away from styles that sparkle, glitter, or have some other high "gawk factor."

Say YES to Strappy Sandals!

Their lack of material makes them excellent candidates for showing off more of your feet, especially your heels and arches. If the sandals have high heels, you can sometimes get away with wearing one-half size smaller than you normally wear. You have to watch out, though, because you will look really silly if the heels of your feet extend too far beyond the heels of your shoes. Choose a sandal that has more than one strap for better support and don't forget to practice walking much moreso than when wearing opera pumps or other more supportive shoes. One clear disadvantage to strappy sandals is it probably won't be possible to wear cushioned insoles in them unless you figure out a way of cleverly trimming the insoles to hide them better.

Say NO to Bad Posture!

Correcting bad posture is important for your appearance, attitude, and confidence. To project yourself in a positive light, you have to stand tall with your shoulders back and your head up high. Don't overdo it, though, because you don't want to look robotic or military-like when walking. How does this relate to making your feet look smaller? Remember that there are certain things that can draw an onlooker's attention to your feet. If you have a hunched-over appearance, your eyes will probably be looking at the floor much of the time. An onlooker who doesn't make eye contact with you will look in the direction that you're looking towards the ground. This gives the onlooker another excuse to look at your feet.

And Most Importantly Try Before You Buy!

Most of the shoes you will see in store displays or in catalogs are size 7, 7-1/2, or 8 women's. A shoe that looks great as a 7 to an 8 may not look so hot outside that small range. This is especially true of larger shoes, perhaps due to the poor approximation of heel lengths by the manufacturer. I have seen wildly sexy opera pumps in a size 7 look atrocious in my size 9 and downright icky in size 12. Why? Comparing a size 8 and a size 9 of the same shoe, I noticed that the heel lengths were identical! I then compared a size 6 with a 7. Same heel length. A 10 with an 11. Same again. Half sizes were the same as the nearest whole size down.

You would think that the manufacturer would have gotten all of the even numbered sizes right and shortchanged the odd numbered sizes. Nope. The heel length and the overall build of a larger sized shoe should be proportionately longer and larger than the "ideal" size 7 to maintain the size 7's proportions, however, the proportions are not always correct, because I have seen some manufacturers' heel lengths that were the same for sizes 8, 9, and 10. A pair of opera pumps I bought from J.C. Penney years ago comes to mind. That's why I advocate a "try before you buy" attitude when shopping for shoes. Don't rely on store displays or pictures in a catalog. The best way to find out if a shoe looks good, fits well, and is ultimately awesome is to go to a store, pick a shoe, get your size, open up the box, try them on, and walk around a little. Gawking at your own shoe-clad feet in a store mirror is acceptable and important. Always try before you buy.

Kalina's Cool Colors of the Month

L'Oreal Jet-Set Nail Enamel in Short Order, Snappy, Fast Lane, Revlon Baby Berry, Blackcherry, Raven, Maybelline Indigo Chic, Plum Delish, Almay Amethyst, OPI Malaysian Mist, Not in Kansas Anymore Red, Pro-10 Stellar, Estee Lauder Ruby, Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss in Rose Sugar

Kalina's Cool Product of the Month

Winner: Lancome Extencils Dramatic Length Curling Mascara, Runner-Up: L'Oreal Rouge Pulp. Try wearing it on top of your favorite like-shaded lipstick.


Like this column? There's more great advice and cool stuff on Kalina's Web site!

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