High heels

Effect of high heels: normal shoe (top) compared with heels (below)

Basic court shoe, the most common type of high heeled shoe. Heels usually wider than in this illustration.

Shoes for Latin dancing: very stable heels

Sandals with stable high heels

Mid-length heels

Wedgies

Extreme stiletto heels

High heels are shoes where the heels are much higher than the toes. They are a fashion item, usually for women. Cowboy boots and 'Cuban heels' are shoes worn by men with high heels.

Look

Mid-height heels are from 2½ to 3½ inches (6.2 to 8.5 cm). They are an intermediate between standard heels and stiletto heels, which are from 4 to 10 inches. The extreme heels are made of steel, and very narrow at the base: 0.4 inches or less. These have been widely criticised for the health risks regular wear would bring. They have also been criticised by feminists.^[1] If the soles of the shoes are also raised, then they are a quite different kind of shoe: the platform shoe.^[2]

Wedgies or, more properly, shoes with wedge heels, are a compromise type. They raise the heels, and are much more stable than standard high heels. Wedges for women were popularized by Salvatore Ferragamo who introduced the design to the Italian market in the late 1930s.^[3]

Assessment

Advantages

Reasons for wearing high-heels, which are almost exclusively aesthetic, include:^[4]^[5]

They change the angle of the foot with respect to the lower leg, which accentuates the appearance of calves
They change the wearer's posture, requiring a more upright carriage and altering the gait in what is considered a seductive fashion
They give you extra height - Heelser Archived 2022-11-04 at the Wayback Machine
They make the legs appear longer
They make the foot appear smaller
They make the toes appear shorter
They make the arches of the feet higher and better defined
They make the lower leg muscles more defined

Disadvantages

Reasons against wearing high-heels, which are almost exclusively health and practicality reasons, include:

they may cause foot pain
they increase the chance of sprains and fractures
they may create foot deformities, including hammertoes and bunions
they may cause unsteady walking
they may shorten the wearer's stride
they may make the wearer unable to walk on some surfaces

Conclusion

There are so many types of shoe, and so many differences between people that no type will suit everyone. It is obvious that the higher the heel, the riskier the shoe. The more sensible versions are quite safe; the extreme versions seen on fashion show catwalks are not for everyday wear. A lot depends on their use. Nurses tend to wear flat shoes; office staff may prefer high heels. Despite the critics, high heels have been around for a long time, and are probably going to stay.

Imelda Marcos: a collection of 2700 pairs of shoes.^[6]

High Heels Media

A pair of high heeled shoe with 12cm stiletto heels.
- European; Shoes;
Safavid Persia men customs (Qizilbash)*Published in Voyage, ou relation de l'etat present du royaume de Perse in 1695
Customs: Women's clothing (Qizilbash) in Safavid Persia*Published in Voyage, ou relation de l'etat present du royaume de Perse in 1695
RigaudLouisXIV
Early eighteenth century ladies' shoes (mules).
The Wilson machine of November 12, 1850. Earliest model filed in Patent Office.
Women's high-heeled shoes with dyed black harp seal fur, by Inuk designer Nicole Camphaug