The purpose of a high heel ?

[onhertoes]

Years ago when a high heel shoe was designed it was made to raise the heel and make the foot look smaller and the leg look longer. And it had a huge impacked on the fashion world. Then things went towards the platform shoe. And all people cared about was how high the platform was. Now in this era they are back to a combo shoe that has a high heel and a platform. All I hear people say is I just bought a pair of 5 inch high heels and when you see the shoe it is a 5 inch heel and a 1 or 2 inch platform. It does not make the foot look much smaller but it does make the leg look longer from behind. So now it seems people are not to concerned about what a high heel was ment for and what it did to the shape of the body and they now just care about the comfort. And looking sexy now seems to mean not being on your toes anymore. Unless they buy a shoe with a very high heel and a small platform. And that is a rare thing to see these days. Do others see things like that ? Maybe I am just old fashioned.

[jwhite44]

I've never been a fan of platforms. Typically they were ofter referred to as "stripper heels". Why that became sort of mainstream fashion, I'm not sure. Three guesses: - designers needed something different - designers really thought platforrms were attractive - the only/best to sell higher "heels" was to offset the effective height with a platform. Now, people that could only wear only handle a 4" height difference, sometimes as low as 3", can now buy a pair of 5" heels.

[onhertoes]

I've never been a fan of platforms. Typically they were ofter referred to as "stripper heels". Why that became sort of mainstream fashion, I'm not sure.

Three guesses:

- designers needed something different

- designers really thought platforrms were attractive

- the only/best to sell higher "heels" was to offset the effective height with a platform. Now, people that could only wear only handle a 4" height difference, sometimes as low as 3", can now buy a pair of 5" heels.

It drives me crazy when a girl brags that she walks all day in 5 inch heels. When they are 3 at most because of the platform. Christian Louboutin Is also getting into the platform look. I hope he keeps them low.

[Dr. Shoe]

In actual fact, designers don't necessarily design shoes because they like that particular style, they design shoes that are likely to sell- otherwise they will soon go out of business.

Now, there is no doubt that Louboutin designs shoes he loves the look of and the same goes for Blahnik et al. These guys do buck the trend and do well from that because there will still be people who want beautiful shoes when the fashion is for ugly ones.

However, fashions come and go and if you want to sell shoes to the same people that bought shoes from you last year, you have to offer something different.

[Shafted]

Platforms = cheater heels.

[StormClaw]

Platforms = cheater heels.

Cheater heels?

I like paltforms,not to high.Prefer the ones in my avatar and probably 1.5".I'm not too big of a fan of any higher.I have seen some paltforms that looks silly,like stripper heels, but its casual heels.

[Shafted]

Cheater heels?

I like paltforms,not to high.Prefer the ones in my avatar and probably 1.5".I'm not too big of a fan of any higher.I have seen some paltforms that looks silly,like stripper heels, but its casual heels.

The reason I posted that is you only get credit for walking in a 4 inch heel if you're wearing a 5 inch heel with a one inch platform.

[StormClaw]

The reason I posted that is you only get credit for walking in a 4 inch heel if you're wearing a 5 inch heel with a one inch platform.

Oh....I get it...Im a bit slow today.Damn rain.And yes I agree with that

[ilikekicks]

An explanation given to me that I sort of bought off on.. I know a few women whom work in what we in Buffalo NY call the ' Canadian Ballet '. Stripper clubs across the boarder. While working on ones home, I actually asked her ' Whats with the god aweful shoes? ' as she had a bunch sitting in a box by her door. ' They are more durable and stable, CHEAP and disposable '. After giving thought to it, and seeing the condition of those shoes.. I can fully understand her explanation. Why spend 100's of dollars on a pair of shoes your going to fly off a pole on and scuff the crap out of? The ' soles ' ( if you can call them that ) are made of a hard plastic/graphite and not leather, they dont flex at all. In all actuality, She ( the woman whos home I worked on ) is actually a very level headed individual, practical to say. After seeing that pile of shoes, I couldnt imagine spending huge amounts on them for what she does. Its better to pay me lots of money to fix her house . Wiser investment I guess a pair of those pleaser platforms could be compared to a boy-kids ' Tonka ' truck.

[roniheels]

It seems to me that throughout history, platforms come and go. In the 70's platforms were popular for both men and women, yet the focus was on "high heels." When platforms faded, the heels even seemed to be lower until the resurgence of the higher, sexier, and designer high heels. But again, the platform is starting to make more of an appearance again.Whether it be the seen or hidden platform, copied by many shoe makers, platforms seem to be popular agin similar to the trends in the 70's.

[maninpumps]

In my opinion "The purpose of a high heel " is to have fun wearing them. The platforms do tend to give me more support as the non-platform styles seem a little flimsy. I try to find the styles with at minimum 1/4" to 1 1/2" platform. Growing up in the 70s may be the reason for this. Platforms are all I saw my sisters and mother wearing. The flimsy styles just never seemed fun to wear or looked vary good on me.

[wood&metal]

In my opinion "The purpose of a high heel " is to have fun wearing them.

ding-ding-ding-ding...We have a winner!..

Exactly.

[Ricky909]

I find a lot of the hate towards platforms ironic, considering the nature of the Forum we're posting in. Personally I love platform heels. Single-sole heels seem pretty flimsy to me and I don't really like them, so I don't wear them. I haven't acquired any yet, but short platforms such as these I think I'd like as an alternative. I don't like short heels under 4", and I don't like those sky-high heels with no platform either. I like 5-6" heels with 1-2" Platforms because the longer heel is sexy, it re-angles your foot, and any platform adds a great deal of stability.

I'm only 18 so my collection of heels hasn't blossomed as much as I'd like, yet, but of the 4 pairs I do have, the "Rise" (Heel" - Platform" = Rise") ranges from 3.5-4.25". The 3.5" heels feel a bit awkward to walk in (Mainly because I'm just not used to it) but the two 4" rise and the 4.25" rise feel totally natural. The next pair I want is a 5.25" heel with a 1.25" platform (4" rise).

I think it can get a bit dangerous when we start singling out certain types of heels and calling them "Cheater heels" or determining the amount of "Credit" they receive. A 5" Platform heel (1.5" Platform) feels different than a 3.5" Single-Sole heel. Maybe standing still will be similar, but when walking, the contact point for the heel is 5" away, even if the foot only has do go down 3.5" after that.

Perhaps I missed something in the title, but High Heel Place doesn't sound like a platform-exclusive name. My favorite kind of heels are 5-6" Platform Sandals, but since it could be pretty hard to get away with those at, say, a mall (For the stated reason that they are known as "Stripper shoes") I'm trying to find more pump-like styles such as the one I linked above. I still love platform sandals and wear them all the time at home, however (Not to imply I ever venture outside, as I only just graduated High School, just started college, and still live with parents that look unkindly towards any form of cross dressing going as far as throwing away previous pairs they found, then shoving any memory of the incident out of existence).

As a popular Starcraft 2 commentator stated in reference to fans of the game booing at Call of Duty gamers, "I can't see why people can't just love the shit out of one thing without hating on everything that isn't that one thing." -Sean "Day[9]" Plott

If you love 3" Cowboy Boots, that's absolutely fine. Stop hating on my 5" Platform Sandals. We're already a bunch of men revolting against a social norm, the last thing we need is to start something between ourselves. [Yes I know this is the For Everyone forum] Love your heels, be indifferent about my heels, and continue to foster the growth of something we all share and love.

Have a wonderful day.

Edit for my favorite heels:

5.5" (1.5" Platform) Pleaser Allure 670.

6" (1.75" Platform) Pleaser Delight 660FH.

[Shafted]

I hear what you are saying Ricky909. My personal dislike for plats is for several reasons: 1. I don't like the added bulk in either appearance or weight of the shoe. 2. The platform has the effect of making the feet look bigger. Making the feet look smaller is one of the purposes for a high heel. 3. Platforms tend to make a person's legs look shorter. Why anyone would want this effect is beyond me. Here again the platform is working against the purpose of the high heel. 4. I do own one pair of plats, and I find the rigid sole is causing real foot fatigue in the ball of my foot. I need toe flex to be comfortable. Toe flex when walking is natural and no toe flex is not and that is causing discomfort. I have always been biased against plats. Having given them a fair chance, I have been wearing them but they aren't even close to winning me over. And as to the cheater heel comment, I still stand on that mainly due to people who brag that they wear 7 inch heels but with a 3 inch platform. Almost anyone can wear that. If one wants to impress me as to their heel wearing skill try a 5 inch heel with no platform. The equivelent heel height to the platform in this paragraph is only 4 inches. Big deal.

[onhertoes]

I do like the answer that some feel they are fun to wear. Everyone is different and knowone will like the same thing. I am just concerned the real high heel pump will go away and all that people will be stuck with are platforms. In my mind when I see platform shoes I am always reminded of Frankenstein the monster http://i2.listal.com/image/1888645/936full-frankenstein-screenshot.jpg . Just watching tv sometimes you might come across a show about high heels and the first thing they do is measure the heel of a platform shoe and freak out because it is so high. but the shoe has 2 inch platform and they never say anything about that. I don't know how the rest of the world looks at platforms but I know in my office at work girls don't wear any platforms. Just pumps and maybe pumps with a low platform. There is a reason for that but I have no idea why. Keep in mind that this is just my perspective . I myself do not wear highheels but love seeing women in heels. I also have no problem with guys wearing heels. More power to you guys.

One other thing I read . One person said the pump is not stable like a platform. It only make sense the a pump would not be as stable as a plat form shoe. The heavier a person is the lass stable the pump would be. So a platform just might be the way to go.

[XtremeHeels]

Platforms = cheater heels.

I totally agree with you!

[Trolldeg]

2. The platform has the effect of making the feet look bigger. Making the feet look smaller is one of the purposes for a high heel.

Your opinion.

In my opinion some platforms can actually make the foot look smaller.

3. Platforms tend to make a person's legs look shorter. Why anyone would want this effect is beyond me. Here again the platform is working against the purpose of the high heel.

Again, your opinion. If the platforms are elegant enough, they serve to elongate the legs, in my opinion.

The equivelent heel height to the platform in this paragraph is only 4 inches. Big deal.

I'm sure you would find that a 7 inch heel and a 3 inch plaform would offer a whole other set of challenges than just demanding flexibility of the foot.

[Shafted]

Yes, my opinion but I can't get over the illusion that someone's legs are too short to reach the floor.

[Puffer]

Without entering into the like/dislike debate about platforms, I am sure that many of us would be happier if there were proper affordable alternatives to platforms readily available in the high street. By that I mean a classic single-sole court with a pointed or almond toe and a properly-shaped and positioned stiletto heel 4.5" high or more (and certainly some with a true 5" rise). They have of course been available from time to time but seem to have been ousted by the 5" heel/1" platform combo, very often with a peep toe. The 'Lois' court from Schuh (5" heel) and the 4.5" 'Tina' from Faith (and cloned elsewhere) were seemingly very popular but are no longer in the shops and I do not understand why. Some women (and men) would love to have the choice between single-sole and platform shoes with a comparable heel height and not just rise.

[Roxyinheels]

For me, the purpose of wearing heels is just my pleasure. In fact, a combination of elegance and sexual fetish, a symbol of myself.

Platforms = cheater heels.

Mirror, mirror on the wall...cheating..cheating.. ain't a part of our femenine charm ??

Seriously..my feet are small...how could I wear the high heels I love without platforms?

[Shafted]

For me, the purpose of wearing heels is just my pleasure. In fact, a combination of elegance and sexual fetish, a symbol of myself.

Mirror, mirror on the wall...cheating..cheating.. ain't a part of our femenine charm ??

Seriously..my feet are small...how could I wear the high heels I love without platforms?

Point taken Roxy.

[hhboots]

I just like the height and the feel of walking in heels. I'm not that interested in wearing them for the feminine look. In fact, 90% of my heels are black, non-shiny, rounded/almond toe, and with chunky heels. Also, I try to get shoes with rubber grip material on the bottom, or I sometimes modify them and add rubber to the heels if they are too loud when I walk. Attached are some of the 5" ankle boots I usually wear out. Yes, they are not ultra sexy or anything, but again, they are for me to wear, very comfortable, I can walk for hours in them, and I like them. But I do love the look of a sexy, very feminine looking dainty stiletto on a woman, just they are not for me to wear daily in public, so I choose boots like these instead.

[jetheelsfan]

For as long as I can remember noticing the shoes girls wore, which goes back to kindergarten, girls' feminine looking shoes looked "dainty" and "fragile." the shoes tended to have low vamps set off with a single strap across the instep unlike the shoes for the male. The soles were very thin and glued on instead of thick and sewn on. The female shoes were meant to look very lightweight. the over-all femenine look was that of soft, frilly, and vulnerable. Then came the age of "enlightenment" that took girls out of dresses and skirts and put them into pants and "sensible" shoes that looked much like the styles for male shoes. The move to the "athletic" shoe as a casual style pretty much ended the "feminine" look on style. Now the "feminine" shoes are "flipflops" for warm weather and "ugg(ly) boots for the cooler times. They just are not "pretty shoes" for the "dainty" lady look. The "liberation" seems to have made "feminine" a taboo style. The higher heel on the girls shoes typically made the girl change the style of her walk. It seemed that the way many "trained" was to walk balancing a book on her head for hours at a time. This lead to the needed graceful movements of a lady. They looked as if they were gliding in an alluring manner instead of clomping around like Frankenstein's Monster. I really do not find the platforms as a piece of beauty like the lines of a classic pump - whether they have a low jet heel or a skyscraper heel. Most of todays styles are far from feminine and more towards "hideous." A graceful lady looking graceful and fluid wile on a pair of heels is one very intoxicating observation to me as she shows obvious pride in the way she presents herself. Heels took on the being the ideal ladies styles and now they have tried to mix heels with sturdy bold appearance that is the "way of the female" predominately today.

[Guest]

love all your boots there hhboots, could you tell me what brand the middle ones are, & if they are still being made!(I'd really love a pair like those a lot!)

[HappyinHeels]

All, Saw this thread and a thought struck me. I had seen a documentary about Brazil which gave the viewer a great overview about the country I may one day call my winter home centered around the idea of transformation. Whether that transformation is from student to pilot or civil servant to carnival queen it was all about how ordinary people transformed themselves into something else. That's what the heel is about. It transforms the feet and, by extension, the psyche of the person who wears them. The transformation may extend to other things like tops, pants, hair, makeup, etc. to further the experience but the point is to enjoy life from a different perspective. Some of us seek comfort and enjoyment in just wearing heels in the venue of our choice, others (like me) love to paint our toes and pamper our feet as it enhances the experiences of the heels. It all comes back to transformation from our usual self to something different whether for an hour, an evening, a day, or a whole week. This is, if you think about it, is the purpose of a vacation. A time to transform your surroundings and recharge your batteries. There is nothing clinically wrong with you rather this is a natural human need to step back from the routine and let the creative side come out. HappyinHeels

[hhboots]

love all your boots there hhboots, could you tell me what brand the middle ones are, & if they are still being made!(I'd really love a pair like those a lot!)

Hi Demonia, thanks the middle ones are Nine West Janajay boots... I just now looked them up and they're on sale at Endless.com. here is the link

[hhboots]

Hi Demonia, thanks the middle ones are Nine West Janajay boots... I just now looked them up and they're on sale at Endless.com. here is the link

Note: I just read their description and can tell you that the heel height is more than what the description there says. I measured mine and they are slightly more than 4.5" heels

[Roberto74]

The purpose of a high heel might be different for many people, also different from the 'wearer' or 'watcher' point of view... First of all I think a high heel from the esthetic point of view makes a female leg look more sexy/taller/more slender from behind and looking from the side in about a 5" rise the arch of the foot/footposition completely vertical might be the most perfect look too...whether with/without platform is not important to me, and i think if the proportion stays pretty the platform indeed is a gift for women to reach higher heights even in smaller sizes, but also for the larger sizes that want to reach more extreme heights...... For me the fetish aspect comes in when the heel/arch is even more extreme and it makes walking in them not effortless anymore From the 'wearer' perspective she wants to look sexy/feminine/attractive, even when it gets more difficult to walk properly in them, if she's really determined to stand out/be the most attractive woman she's the one that would wear trendy and higher heels than all the other women around, just to dress to impress! She would be proudly walking in them showing that she can walk in heels that most cannot/do not dare to and feel that excitement... I think the 'lower' heels or more easy to wear heels like sandheels or thick heels are for the women that don't dare to take that challenge, cut kind of want to go along with the trend the easy way... They probably see the 'higher' trend and any heels higher than they can wear as a 'punishment' invented by 'man'! (maybe it is?) From fetish perspective also the 'wearer' could love just that challenge to wear extreme heels to feel the excitement (almost) not being able to stand/walk, maybe just the same way as 'bondage' can be exciting being limited in movement or not being 'in charge' of the situation anymore...

[ChipsHH]

The point of a high heel? : To be comfortable, to be different, to be yourself.

[Roxyinheels]

JETHEELSFAN SAID:

Now the "feminine" shoes are "flipflops" for warm weather and "ugg(ly) boots for the cooler times. They just are not "pretty shoes" for the "dainty" lady look. The "liberation" seems to have made "feminine" a taboo style.

Sadly, so right.

I dont wanna (and never will) be "liberated"