One of the most common questions that a bikini, figure or fitness competitor will ask us… do I go for a posing shoe with straps or without straps?

It can be a difficult decision as it very much is dependent on the person, but read on as we go through some things that you should consider when making this decision below…

No Straps / Posing Shoes

Petite Competitor? Posing shoes without straps are particularly good for the more petite competitor if you are looking for another way to elongate your legs when you’re on that stage.

Tall Competitor over 5ft 7? Posing shoes without a strap might not be the best match if you are tall and/or don’t hold much muscle, as you might run you the risk of looking slightly more stringy on stage. Especially your calves as being tall we often struggle in this department! Our advice if you fall into this category is to try different shoe styles and see which ones you feel work best on you. Remember we hold various events across the UK where you can see the shoes in the flesh which has helped many girls make their final posing shoe decisions.

If you are looking to select a posing shoe without the straps, typically you will be looking for product codes such as:
301: no strap with a 3 inch heel
401: no strap with a 4 inch heel
501: no strap with a 5 inch heel 

Pictured left to right: Chic 01, Flair 401, Caress 401, Cocktail 501 DM, Gala 01, Majesty 501, Glory 501

Remember… a thicker heel will give you slightly more stability and support then a thinner heel, having a small platform on the heel will also give you slightly more stability and support, but again this all comes down to how much experience you have with high heels before reading this!

When NOT to choose a posing shoe with no strap…

Let me ask you…how good are you at keeping your shoe to your foot? Might sound a bit strange, but this factor can make a difference when you are looking to nail your posing on and off the stage. If you find yourself often in ‘flappy’ situations with your heels in day to day life, then posing shoes with no strap might become annoying or make you feel not as confident on stage.

With Ankle Straps / Posing Shoes

This choice offers a great deal of stability and support for those who are new to wearing heels and/or don’t tend to wear heels a lot in their day to day lives.

If you love the look of the thinner heel but unsure of how much stability you will have in them due to your past experience, then consider choosing a heel that has a thin heel and ankle straps such as …

Chic 08 / 4.5” Heel

Chic 08 DM / 4.5” Heel

Chic 07 / 4.5” Heel

Chic 06

Alternatively…

Choosing a posing shoe with a thicker heel and an ankle strap is a great choice, especially those who are beginners and/or want ultimate secure and comfortable shoes. Want even more comfort? Choose a posing shoe with a small platform at the front. This makes the side posing in particular a lot easier to nail and hold under those stage lights. As well as strutting that I or T walk.

Here are some examples below, click on their images to head over to their full individual product pages.

Pictured left to right: Belle 308, Clearly 408MG, Caress 408, Clearly 430, Flair 408, Iris 408, Poise 508, Flair 408MG, Flair 408DM

When maybe NOT to choose posing shoes with straps…

If you are a competitor with long nails who gets stressed having to buckle your shoes when they’re calling your class on stage. Of course you can easily get around that by keeping your shoes on, but if you’re the type of competitor who doesn’t like standing around in their heels until the last minute, it’s small but it might be something to consider after getting feedback from our KOMPAK girls.

If you’re a figure/fitness competitor who gets frazzled when you have to change quickly between doing their posing routine where you wear no shoes to quickly getting back on stage with your posing shoes on. Some competitors we know personally prefer to wear posing shoes without straps for that reason alone OR they go for. we what we call ‘inbetween’ posing shoes (read on below!)

In Between / Posing Shoes

Many competitors love the look of the posing shoes with no straps, however not everyone feels comfortable wearing them on stage, but want something different to the traditional ankle strap. Luckily, there are even more to choose from which give you the perfect balance between style and comfort.

When on stage, you can hardly notice the extra support of the additional strap, yet these styles give you the illusion that your shoe is more of a ‘mule’ style of posing shoe, elongating the leg and making you look even more flawless!

Caress 450

Famously worn by ex Bikini Olympian Amanda Latona, this style is ultra clever by giving you extra support and grip with the strap going behind the sole of the front instead of infront which you typically tend to see.

Flair 402 / Lip 102

Same style, different size heel. Both provide that extra bit of support at the front without being distracting on the overall look and physique of the competitor.

Detachable Ankle Straps / An Easy Back-Up Plan

A popular selection is choosing a posing shoe with no strap and purchasing a pair detachable ankle straps at the same time.

This provides you with many benefits …

1) Essentially you are able to create two styles of shoes for the price of one

2) It gives you a back up when backstage if your feet become sweaty and shoes become slippery before going on stage

3) It eases you into your new shoes, almost as a pre-practising ritual. Especially if you are practising in a posing shoe with a higher heel than you are used to. You can first start practising in a higher heel with the detachable straps, then once you feel comfortable start removing the straps.

Pictured examples below from left to right: Belle 301, Caress 401DM, Flair 401, Poise 501

If you remember anything…

Make sure you choose a posing shoe that you think you are going to feel the most comfortable in.

Why? Because being comfortable and confident on stage is more important than having a gorgeous style of shoe that you can’t properly walk in, feel confident and nail your posing in.

Always make sure you are choosing a shoe that is best suited to your chosen federation(s) too. For more information and guidance on Posing Shoe UK Federation Guidelines click here.

NB / Most federations these days are fairly relaxed in regards to the platform, as long as it’s not ‘stripper’ style if you get my drift you won’t have any problems... P.S do NOT panic if you’ve ordered shoes and you’re unsure whether you’ll be able to pull them off, because with enough practice you can rock whatever heels you decide on, it just might take you a little longer than originally planned 🖤

We hope this helped you come closer to making your final decisions about your next or first pair of posing shoes. We’re always happy to help in whichever way we can so if you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact us or send us a DM on Instagram.

Or check out our full range of posing shoes.

*This blog was updated 27/11/2021