Stairs, heels and a basket of laundry

[evadan]

At home alone and able to dress - finally! So I thought I would be productive. I got a basketful of dirty laundry and headed downstairs. Well, it's been many years since I've walked down stairs in heels. And never carrying something. Not to mention my "bangs" were falling in my eyes. I almost went down the hard way! I guess I need more practice!:heehee:

Eva

[AllieSF]

Practice makes perfect. I have made it a point to always have one hand on the rail when going down the stairs in heels.

[suzy1]

You go down sideways. [And very daintily with a slight wiggle of the hips]

[JohnH]

How high were the heels? I have no problems walking up and downstairs with 4 inch stiletto heels, and not doing it sideways. However, a 2 inch heel is too high for my wife, so everybody's different.

Johanna (John)

[evadan]

Just 3" pumps - a recent Payless purchase!

[Miranda-E]

How high were the heels? I have no problems walking up and downstairs with 4 inch stiletto heels, and not doing it sideways. However, a 2 inch heel is too high for my wife, so everybody's different.

Johanna (John)

I never understood the sideways thing either.

[suzy1]

I never understood the sideways thing either.

If the stairs are shorter than the length of the shoe then going sideways is necessary otherwise one goes face forward down the stairs into the washing machine [ouch!]
Are the stairs shorter in the U.K. or are my feet bigger than yours?

[paulaprimo]

omg i have a ways to go...you ladies are talking stairs and i have trouble on level ground...lol

[Piora]

Being closeted, and having no stairs (living in an apartment) I've never tried it.

On a side note, I happened to be watching a bit of "Real Housewives"....(oh god - did I say that out loud? :eek:) and one of them happened to be walking down some exterior concrete steps. I had seen this thread earlier, so I decided to watch her and see how she did it. One thing that was obvious was that of course, she had small women's feet - that would have made it easier.....but she had at least 4" heels, so she was being careful. She put her foot straight forward, though - I thought she would have put her feet down sideways on the steps as Suzy mentioned....

[Miranda-E]

your foot is shorter in heels than in flats.

[Laura912]

Ask a roofing contractor...it is all in the pitch. A small foot in a four inch heel has a greater pitch than a size 10 in a four inch heel. Most people actually go up stairs on the ball of their foot. Done that in heels and it was almost a disaster. Because the portion of the shoe past the ball of the foot (the arch) in a pair of heels is very slick, we need to angle the foot so that there is good traction. There, that should keep the engineers happy. :)
Laura

[evadan]

Now that would be an interesting conversation at the hospital.
"So how DID you end up head first in a washing machine with a broken leg?.....Nice nails btw."

Yes, that crossed my mind. If I did tumble, I'm sure my dogs would have been amused! They were already giving me funny looks.

[Mindy More]

I almost did the exact same thing earlier this week going down my stairs. My heel of my boot (about 3.5" i think) caught up on the stair as I was going to the next step. My ankle still doesn't feel right. But as a true trooper I kept my boots on so as to get used to he pain LOL. Probably not the best idea, but I'm full of bad ideas.
I usually go straight down myself, and on occasion (depending on footwear and heel size) I go forward with a diagnal type stype, not exactly sideways but not exaclty forward pointing. Not sure where I picked that up from, maybe walking in ski boots when I used to ski?

[Allisa]

I have carpet runners on my stairs,better go side ways and use the rail or else.My dogs allways look at me funny,thier Pugs.Heels and wash never thought of that.

Bye-Bye,Lisa.

[Rachel Morley]

Oooh ... that sounds like it was a close call. If the stairs are steep and my heels are high (4" and above) then I too do the "sideways thing", except my sideways isn't exactly sideways, it's more of a "45 degree thing" :)

[KaTanya]

It sounds like you might want to work on walking down stairs in heels before trying that again. Also maybe adjust how you carry the laundry basket. Kinda hard to wear those sexy heels in a cast.

[Jilmac]

I have a hard and fast rule when I dress and that is, NEVER DO HOUSEWORK IN HEELS.

[Genny B]

If I am leaning forward going down the stairs I find I feel more comfortable turning to my right side, but if I can lean back just a little (usually because a hand is on the rail) I can go straight down. I know this sounds wierd, but it is an issue that I have been working with alot!

[docrobbysherry]

I have fully carpeted stairs. Going down wearing spike heels sideways is CERTAIN DEATH! Even going down straight, I caught a heel. Grabbing a rail saved me, but not the heel. Which snapped off! Crap!

[suchacutie]

Walking down stairs without holding on to the rail requires some practice, but it is remarkably satisfying to know that there is nothing stopping you from being in 4-5 in. heels all the time. For me the first time was with a cup of tea in each hand, and once I got past the first step it was pretty easy :)

tina

[donnalee]

Tried that with disastrous results; 4" pumps and down my front steps. There are 10 steps, a landing and then 2 more to the street. I was fine as long as I could balance myself with one hand for the 10 steps, but the last 2 had nothing to use, and the first step my foot twisted horizontally as I lost balance and I fell directly on my dignity. I managed to hobble back up the stairs barefoot (the heel in the damaged foot had slipped out of the shoe and was OK, but the rest of the foot was not as the shoe twisted horizontally. I tore myself up pretty good and had to have my foot elevated with an ice pack for about 3 weeks to deal with the swelling and pain. I think that I needed a narrower width as the rear was too loose on my foot (the front fit OK). Genetic curse of slender feet; I'll know better the next time!

[Stephanie47]

In my city there are some very very steep streets that rival walking down stairs. At least stairs have landings to plant your foot on. On the steep hillsides there is nothing than a greater obtuse angle to break your neck.

[Talldrinkofwater]

Oh my, i almost did the same thing the other day while trying to break in a new pair of platforms. Needless to say, once i managed to awkwardly fobble down to the bottom step, i dropped the clothes and spend a couple seconds scuffing the bottom of the shoes a bit. Now it's not so bad, but not nearly as easy as going up the stairs.

[Lorna]

It isn't so much the heels as the skirt that makes things a little trickier on stairs for me. Narrow skirts are fine but in flared skirts I find I can't see where my feet are going. I therefore take extra care, hold on to the hand rail or hold the front of my skirt against my legs with my hand (as I have seen women doing) so I can see where the stair treads are and where I'm putting my feet. I do admire those women who, even in very full skirts, manage to walk down long flights of stairs with ease and without looking down or holding on.

[Kali]

Flats or kitten heels when doing laundry or housework. Trying to handle stairs with my hands full and in a pair of high heels would be simply courting disaster ;)

[evadan]

Good advice. I think I will go have to go shoe shopping!

[Lee Andrews]

Oooh ... that sounds like it was a close call. If the stairs are steep and my heels are high (4" and above) then I too do the "sideways thing", except my sideways isn't exactly sideways, it's more of a "45 degree thing" :)

This is the only way for me to traverse stairs in heels, with or without a full basket of laundry. Had a few close calls but it is easier to pick up a tossed basket of laundry at the bottom of the stairs than try and explain to hospital staff how you broke something dressed up. :)

[JohnH]

How high were the heels? I have no problems walking up and downstairs with 4 inch stiletto heels, and not doing it sideways. However, a 2 inch heel is too high for my wife, so everybody's different.

Johanna (John)
I never understood the sideways thing either.

My wife has to walk sideways when she is going up and down stairs even when she is wearing house slippers.

Johanna (John)

[~Joanne~]

Funny thing is, I am doing laundry as we speak and traverse the stairs in my 5" heels. I do walk up on the ball of my foot/ tippy toed but going down is always sideways and I didnt put much thought into why when I do ;)

[joank]

Jilmac, I'm with you. Low wedges maybe, otherwise flats, loafers or sandles. I would not enjoy the ride to the hospital with a broken leg (in any mode od dress).

[Alice B]

My house has 4 levels of stairs, so I get lots of practice. But there is a difference between different shoes and sideways is always the best answer.

[RenneB]

Oh yea Eva, this is nothing to get hurt over. Heels are a totally different way to walk. Always have a hand on the railing, that is unless you have a long dress on then you have to use both hands to hike the dress up a bit to clear the stairs.... Also, I've found that if you turn your body sideways a little, it'll give you more of a landing area to send the next heeled foot to. At times, I've even caught myself doing one step at a time....

Renne.....