Tall women and high heels go as wonderful together as do chocolate chip cookies and milk.

Believe it or not, some tall women who love wearing high heels used to hate high heels.

And then one day, they had an awakening and realized just how glam high heels make a tall woman look! Every woman deserves to feel sexy, and this includes tall women!

Critics will argue that high heels ruin feet. But my point is this: Women are always going to be wearing high heels. Tall women should be part of this fashion demographic as much as shorter women.

Avoid high heels if they hurt your feet, but NOT because OTHER people think you’re too tall to wear them! YOU are more important than someone else with a negative opinion of tall people.

If you’re a tall woman struggling to accept your height, then you can start by ignoring negative people and flaunting your height with high heels!

My mother always made sure that I stood up straight and was proud of my height. 

Once when I was 14 years old (and 5-9) she took me shoe shopping.  As we browsed the section with heels, I commented that I liked heels, but they make me too tall. 

She nearly knocked me out and declared (at the top of her voice) that I could never be too tall and that everyone else is just too short! 

We then spent the next 30 minutes trying on heels, and the smile on my mother’s face as I wobbled around the store in my first pair of heels was priceless!

     -Che’von Slaughter, 5-11, 23, public relations, Los Angeles

I think the biggest turning point came when I broke up with a guy that was just my height.  

I never wore heels when I was with him because I didn’t feel comfortable, but then I started dating and not really caring if I was taller or as tall as the guys I was going out with, and it made me realize how much I absolutely love wearing heels.  

     -Kate Rickard, 5-11, PR professional, New York City

I used to avoid wearing high heels for fear of towering over everyone in my presence.  With age, I became more confident with myself.  I thought, if other women look great in heels, won’t I? 

     – Katie Tsilimos, 24, 5-11, recruiter for a recruitment firm, Chicago

If you feel too tall to wear high heels, do this: Shop the Internet for the coolest or sexiest high heel shoes, and while you do so, forget about your height.

Make your shoe selection based entirely on what you see on the web site. If you prefer to look at shoes in person, do that instead. But again, don’t think about your height. Focus ON THE SHOE.

Then do it. BUY the shoes! Just do it. You can always return them. When the shoes arrive by mail order, or once you get home from the store with them, put them on with an outfit that suits them.

Take a few deep breaths and just do it: Go someplace where there are people. Tell yourself your bank account will grow by $10 every time someone stares at you. Stay out for 10 minutes.

Every day, repeat, and add on five minutes. At the end of these sessions, tell yourself, “I look hot!” Hating your height is a learned behavior. IT CAN BE UNLEARNED.

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.