I have always admired the women who can pull off 5 inch heels in fetes and keep them on all night. For me, after years of wearing 4 inch heels to fetes without problems, I suffered the worst foot pain ever at an Insomnia fete a few years ago owing to the most uncomfortable pair of heels (the pain left me unable to wear anything but flats for a week) and I have never been able to wear anything over 3 inches comfortably again.
So, the thought of wearing heeled boots or heel shoes/sandals to play mas has never entered my head even though I have seen many women doing it with ease and style, like the two ladies pictured below:
And I have also seen masqueraders in incredulously high heels and wondered if it was easy navigating the streets of Port of Spain on 5 inch spikes!
One of my readers sent me a question about wearing boots with heels and since I have no experience on the matter, it would be nice to have comments from you ladies who play mas in heels or boots with heels:
I was looking online for boots and I knew since the band launch that for my section I wanted to go with a thigh high boots (I'm in Xi'An). However the only ones I find have heels.
I am a bit scared I must say. I have noticed that this year many ladies chipped down the road with heels and I am not too sure if you covered the topic. I would LOVE to have their feedback:
Was it painful, uncomfortable, a bad choice for the road? Would they recommend it? What height and size of heels (how thick)? Would you suggest flats for Monday and heels for Tuesday? And by heels I do not mean wedges.
I would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks
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14 comments:
I can't even fathom the idea of heels to play mas. I can imagin that the roads in Antigua (where I am from and play mas) are much worse than they are in Trinidad. I have seen many girls in the past few years in heels. I am dead after wearing flats or sneakers for all theat time, much less two days in a row. They can have it. I will pass. I am not a heel hater. I am 5'2" and I am alsways wearing heels that are at least 4". I am a heel pro but I wouldn't try them for mas.
Heels do look sexy with the costume but I for one would not be able to do it. The wrong heels for an extended period of time can really do a lot of damage to your feet permanently. It's not worth it. The closest I'll come is wedges. I'll try them out for the first time in Miami this year (much shorter route and the day is shorter) and then I'll decide if I'll try them for Trinidad carnival.
I am someone who doesn't go to a club in anything under four inches, and me and my friends are the type of people who dance all night, until we get chucked out of the club usually.
But I will NEVER play mas in heels. I like my feet and joints too much. It's one thing dancing to some hip hop and dancehall on an even floor in a carpeted club, but on the hard road for hours and hours? And with the streets of POS not been renowned for their quality, I feel it's a risk I am most certainly not willing to take.
In addition, it's one thing to be chipping down the road (and I've found that chipping is something that's very hard to do in heels) and getting lost in the music, but unless the band stopping right in front where you're spending the night or wherever you've parked, chances are you'll have a fair amount of walking to do once the music stops. And THAT is the hard part.
So if you want the height and all the stuff that goes with a heel, like the leg lengthening and all that, I think a wedge is the way forward. Luckily, I'm already 5'10, so flat boots/trainers work for me! :P
I'm with mjsbunny and nikki - I am 5 feet tall and I ONLY wear heels, 3 and 4 inches routinely. Stilettos are my fav. But on the road?? From sun up to sun down? Sometimes chasing after the band (ie the drink truck lol!!) or walking in gutters or hopping off of one too many curbs and avoiding cracks in the road?? And like mjsbunny said, there is a lot of walking to do at the END of the night once the music stops and you're no longer lost in the music. That's when reality REALLY hits you, even in flat boots!! I'll pass...
If you are considering boots I would recommend flats on Monday and boots on Tuesday. That is what I do (I am the little Loulanite on the left and my girfriend is wearing 4 inch stilettos)and usually wear 3 1/2 - 4 inch heels. I do not do the stilettos or wedges but regular heels (the sturdier but not chunky ones) like all mas wear I buy my boots bigger than my actual size and put in padded inserts and I also do rounded toe boots. I do not find my feet bothering me any more Tuesday than on Monday and the truth is no matter what I have worn flats, sneakers or heels at the end of the night some Epson salt soaking is my best friend. I LOVE wearing my heels on Tuesday and feel like I have completed my outfit however just like everything else each person has to find what works for them.
I'm glad someone asked! I'm 5'3" and wear heels a lot! I was thinking of wearing heels or wedges for 2011 (for that leg lengthening look)...I've done wedges in Caribana and DC and was ok (MUCH MUCH shorter routes), but I think I'm stickin w/ flat boots for Trinidad! Plus, my livelyhood depends on my feet - I don't want 'carnival toe' or plantar fascitis OR WORSE.
If ah cyan make muh money ah cyan play mas!! Life after Carnival INDEED!
Correction to my prior post - I am on the right my girlfriend is on the left. Just now finished drinking my first cup of coffee and realized I was clearly half asleep when I posted my thoughts.
I love love shoes especially heels but there is no way I am wearing them on the road or in fetes. Firstly, our roads are not conducive to heels, walking on the road in working shoes is pressure much less for 4-5" heels. Secondly, fetes are all about standing and that's way too much on the balls of my feet. Remember ladies, we're not going to feel or see the effects of those high heels now, but we will later. Instead, on the road I opt for Picadilly Wedge Heel Boots (ahhhhhh so good for the feet) In fetes, I wear low heel boots, also comfy. To the writer (Bags By Mimi has some wedge heel knee high boots, you can check them out I definitely will be). So for all the ladies who can "stand" in those heels I think you have a very high pain threshold...lol...I admire you guys. But there are so many more comforting things to wear that looks just as nice,but, To Each His Own...I guess!!!
To mush1205. How much larger do you buy your boots?
I'm playing in boots for the first time in 2011, my challenge is in making sure i doan get black toe by the end of Carnival Tuesday! I'm a Bigfoot Bootsy - size 11/11.5 which is GREAT when you learning to stand on one foot with the other straight up in the air, but not so much when you shopping for shoes...I buying boots early to break them in...I know I couldn't manage to chip and palance in anything else but the flattest ones I can possibly find.
I buy 1 size bigger so that the new insole will fit comfortably.
I usually suffer in certain heel heights by the end of the night in a club far less for 12hrs on the road for Carnival so heels would most definitely be a no. Added to that it's difficult negotiating the pavements and road surfaces in some parts of town in work heels so that would also detract me from using them for mas. I used 2.5"/3" wedges this year though and it was great! The only time i really started feelin any discomfort was at the end of the night when the band was stopping.
As a general suggestion though I'd imagine it would be best to go with a sturdier heel if you want height, a round toe so your feet have room to move, a 1/2 to a size bigger and ensure that your ankle is well supported in the boot as your feet are likely to have more play in a heel than flats...
I'm going to drop in my 2 cents. I don't know how old some of you ladies are, but I'm in my early 40s. In my early to late 20s I used to wear heels all the time. The higher the better. Then I had a child, hit my 30s and my feet were never the same. I can't wear heels higher than 2-3 inches now, and only for a short time. I can wear wedges, but again, nothing too high because they hurt so much.
Everyone is different of course, and if you can wear heels, wear them well. But word of warning...what you do when you're young can come back and bite you later on in life. From foot pain to back pain, extremely high heels worn for an extended period of time will wreak havoc on your body.
I wear boots to play mas in TT and in Toronto and I always go for a very low wedge heel (1-1 1/2"). For me, I feel the wedge gives more support throughout my whole foot. Stilletos make you put pressure on the balls of your feet, and that's not good, especially if you're trying to chip down the road.
I've seen quite a few women wearing heels at the start of the parade, only to see them limping, shoes in hand by the middle of the day.
I would stick to flat or very low wedge heeled boots to play mas in. Take care of yourself now...your body will thank you later.
Carnival Basics here we supply boots to masquaraders and carnival bands we have a number of ladies requesting heels and wedge boots for carnival. We think most ladies just want to look extra sexy and stand out on the road. And nothing can make your legs look sexy like a pair of heals so we tip our hats to those ladies
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