KILLER heels are making a come-back. Yes it seems sexy shoes with eye-wateringly high heels will literally be the height of fashion this autumn.

But even though I know they make you look taller, slimmer, sexier and so on, if you're anything like me, just the thought of tottering around in vertiginous footwear is enough to make me feel dizzy.

The last time I splashed out on a pair of boots with four-inch spike heels I nearly broke my neck trying to walk down a flight of stairs.

They are now relegated to the back of my wardrobe where they have been gathering dust ever since like a pair of old museum exhibits.

But Maria Darling, who runs a local shoe party company, Shoes Glorious Shoes, promised to show me how to wear killer heels without killing myself.

"There is a knack to walking in high heels but it takes no time at all to perfect," she assured me.

She then produces a pair of gorgeous sling backs in soft black leather with towering five-inch heels and invites me to try them on.

"It's all about posture," she says encouragingly. "You need to check your position in a mirror. Ideally you should have your ear over the tip of your shoulder, over your hip, over your knee, over your ankle - all in a straight line.

"Now tuck in your chin and lift your head by stretching the back of your neck. Lift your chest but don't lean back and relax your shoulders.

"Tuck your bottom in and gently hold your tummy in without lifting your ribs. Now lock your knees and stand tall."

Maybe it's the altitude or the fact that there's so much to think about but my head is already starting to spin and my attempt to walk across the room is more of a shuffle than a strut at first.

"You're too far forward - your weight is on the balls of your feet which is crushing your toes," she explains.

"Try lifting your big toes up inside your shoes. Keep your other toes and the balls of your feet down. Your weight needs to be distributed evenly between the balls of your feet and your heels."

Eventually I can feel my weight rock back to vertical and I start to feel more comfortable.

"You need to practice it and internalise what it feels like while standing still. Once you have mastered that you can walk normally carrying your weight from heel to toe with each step to avoid the bum out knees bent look where your heel and sole hit the ground at the same time."

Maria, whose passion for shoes could rival that of Imelda Marcos (see below), says it is also important to select the right pair.

"Good quality, natural materials will always be better for your feet and if the shoe is well designed like this one which has a slightly built up sole, it can help relieve pressure on the balls of your feet too."

After 40 minutes or so I was amazed that my feet still hadn't started to ache and when I reluctantly took them off and put on my old flat boots I felt like I was wearing a pair of wellies by comparison.

I even dusted off my spike-heeled boots when I got home. But although it will be a while before I attempt any staircases, I will definitely be walking a little bit taller from now on!

  • For more information about how to walk in high heels visit shoesgloriousshoes.co.uk