A Farewell to Heels

I couldn't help but feel envy as Suzanne showed off part of her Multiply shopping haul—a pair of wedges with bubblegum pink chiffon straps. They're the type of wedges with the heel inclined well above the toes, almost at a 45-degree angle.

You see, I can't wear shoes that steep anymore, whether they're wedges, or worse, stilettos. You know how high heels are a short girl's best friend—they add to your overall height and make your legs appear slimmer and longer.

Today, I'm wearing boots whose heels are under three inches, and I can already feel my knees aching even on a short walk to the water cooler. I'd attribute this to my four years of regular exercise. I'm not even one of those hardcore marathon runners, and I've since toned down my exercise schedule to a casual pace and intensity. My go-to activity this summer is basketball, and since I stand at a paltry five-feet-two, I need to do a lot of jumping. Go figure. It's a great cardiovascular exercise, but it sure takes its toll on the knees.

I've since decided to preserve my knees to continue to exercise, at the expense of sacrificing pretty high heels. The last time I bought a pair of wedges, I had to find a pair that didn't feature too steep of an incline. I do feel like a midget when I wear sneakers next to Trina, Erica, Tanya, and Gisa towering over me, but ah, that's the price of comfort.

I do wear high heels every once in a while, but that comes even after careful consideration of my exercise schedule and agenda (definitely must not feature a lot of walking). In any case, I keep a pair of flip-flops underneath my desk at the office, if I need to go out for a walk.

The saving grace for me is that I can't go into a shoe store and spend a lot of money on high heels. But as a girl, believe me, not being able to buy a pair of high heels that catches my eye really hurts.

Sarah Jessica Parker admitted that wearing all those designer high heels while shooting Sex and the City wrecked her knees.

Have a blessed Holy Week, dear Belles. I'll be staying in the city, flitting around in my sneakers.