There’s an easy solution if you’ve ever wanted to reach the top shelf, to see above a crowd of gig-goers or just feel that extra inch taller in a dress that doesn’t require suffering in a pair of stilettos. It doesn’t require surgery or cost a fortune. In fact, it’s comfortable and affordable and it’s available on Amazon. It’s called heel lifts.
Commonly, they look like insoles and were first produced for a serious medical purpose. Originally these padded wads were slipped into shoes to help patients balance out different leg length, had stressed out their Achilles’ tendons or had an uneven gait. However, over the years a certain school of fashion editor have been tucking these into their trainers to add a couple of inches to their height.
At 5ft 3inches I am anything but tall, however with my shoe lifts snuck into my loafers I can an extra six centimetres on without anyone realizing. Several years ago (2012) Isabel Marant lured the fashion community into her cult leg-lengthening trainers explaining: ‘Sneakers are so comfortable but at the same time it’s not very elegant … to have a little heel in it makes a difference, it gives you legs’. Hers with inbuilt wedges had Kate Bosworth, Miranda Kerr and Rosie Huntington-Whitley as fans, but also cost a small fortune. With a pair of heel lifts you can have the same effect but for the grand total of £9.
Opening my first pair of shoe lifts was an eye-opening experience. For one, I was surprised to see that mine, from Footinsole, had harnessed the power of Nike’s Airmax’s with an in-built air-pocket, which makes them feel lighter and like walking on a cloud. There are three height options, which can be built up with pieces that you plug-in, so you can mix it up throughout the day. However, the element I was most taken aback by was how inconspicuous they are. They slide into boots (healed or otherwise), and any number of types of shoes.
Working like a wedge, they elevate your foot just enough that it feels supported, which makes me think this might be a safer alternative for anyone wobbly in heels. Plus, it puts less pressure on one part of your foot, which means pain has no part in this game.
After a week of stuffing my day-to-day shoes with these insoles, I learnt three valuable lessons. Firstly, being taller has its benefits. And, secondly, this is not a suitable solution for every shoe. Those few centimetres may not sound like much, but the reality was different. I could reach the top handle on the tube with added ease and I felt commanding in a room, without feeling unbalanced on wobbly heels. However, I stretched a good number of my favourite shoes out of shape with these unsightly slip-ins. RIP favourite Mary-Janes.
I tried the 3-Layer Height Increase Elevator Shoe Insoles, Currently priced at £8.95.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.