Heel height refers to the length of the stiletto and it goes by inches, or cm. Generally what’s mostly used are 8” but for a start, we’d say usually 7” (17.8cm) is manageable – neither too high nor too low, somewhere in-between.

If you’re not a frequent heels wearer on a regular basis, maybe consider even going down an inch to 6”. After a few months, you can swap out for 7” and gradually move up to 8” when you have built up more strength in your ankles.

When browsing, you will come across a wide variety of heels! We can categorise them mainly into two categories – Boots & Sandals.

BOOTS refer to heels that covers the majority of your foot, including the ankle, sometimes with heights going up to the shin, knee and even thighs. These typically are recommended for heels beginners so as to give the ankle a little more support with the wrap as wearers start their ankle strength training journey.

SANDALS refer to heels that are open toe and only have straps that go around the top of foot and the ankle. These typically are suggested for more seasoned heels wearers who have gone through at least a term of dancing in boots. Sandals are great for ankle training as there is nothing more than the ankle straps securing your ankles in place, hence placing a high emphasis on strong ankles being able to take your body weight at different angles that your ankles will be tested in.

Different models of heels will come with different straps. Generally they are either the clear plastic ones, or coloured patent ones. Those that are not clear plastic are typically more comfortable, but do note the width – longer the width, the better the ankle support.

For clear plastic ones, some people have commented that it digs into the skin. This either happens when the shoe is new, or if the shoes have been left unused for a long time, causing the plastic to dry up a little, making it less malleable.

Size up or down? We’d suggest sticking to your true size unless you’re in-between size – if that’s the case then you might want to do an in-person try on as sizing might differ a little across the different heels models.

Pleaser generally label their shoes with US sizing. They also provide the equivalent sizing in UK, EU, and even cm.

Entirely up to you! Some people prefer to let their toes breathe, others like to keep them hidden.

One tip though, is that if you’re doing lots of floor work in your heels, consider closed toe options to protect your toenails.

They come in many different various materials! Patent leather, faux leather, faux suede, acrylic, glitter, silicone, etc.

A general rule is to avoid suede if you are using your heels for pole tricks – you would want to get the patent ones as they are able to grip on the pole.