gaijin gig Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Hello it's me again.. Just quick note..I was asked not too long ago what the difference was between the two... I drew a blank.. I was once told that a spike heel was just that a spike , but a stilletto was supposed to be a more drastic higher heel than the spike.. since we have such an distingushed panel of experts here I thought that this would be the place to ask such a question. thanks again.. Gig Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 I always thought that a spike heel and stiletto heel referred to the thickness or width of the heel and not the height. Click on the links below for more authoritative definitions: http://www.bartleby.com/61/85/S0758500.html http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=stiletto+heel click .... click .... click .... The sensual sound of stiletto heels on a hard surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raccoon Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 I've always thought it has to do with the shape of the profile. A spike heel has a triangular profile (straight slopes). A stiletto's profile has smooth curves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Surprise Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 I think I know the answer: Spike is an Americanism for stiletto (ie. the same thing) Stiletto simpy reflects the thin dagger like shame of the high heel. Americans have taken this and called it a spike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heelfan Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Are you saying that the term "Stiletto Heel" is not used in the States? That would amaze me! Cheerfully yours, Heelfan Onwards and upwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allheel Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 I have seen 1930s heels referred to at the time as spikes. The term stiletto did not come in until the much thinner heels were invented in 1950s. Then and 1960s just about all heels were thin and tall or not were generally known as stilettoes. Now seems like people call anything high and not chunky a stiletto. Just shows how language changes. Means now have to explain a bit more the kind of heel y ou mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 A spike is generally a thicker heel which still might be quite high, named originally after the spikes which hold down the rails to sleepers on the railway. A stiletto is a thinner version. It is supposed to be over 3" to be a "true" stiletto. In modern American parlance I think the terms are now used interchangably, with spike being favoured, whereas in England the term stiletto for both is used 95% of the time. Other languages have there own variations. Eg French, Talons aiguilles (needle heels) or Italian, Tacchi a spillo. The last two I learned from the the HTML code on Jenny's site because they are mentioned in the key words on the meta tags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Surprise Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Didn't know that Firefox. Are spikes really thicker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 That was the original distinction. I read this on one of the stories on Patent Letter ezine, so it may not be entirely accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 I would go along with any theory that said that a spike heel is a high and thin heel, but that a stiletto is thinner still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 According to my pattern cutting lecturer (David Lyon an old boy with over 45 years in the footwear industry) Spike is easier and quicker to spell than stiletto. That is the only difference! Spike tended to be an Americanism as in "Spike Heel Pump" we in the UK would tend to say "Stiletto Court Shoe". Hope that clears that up. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaijin gig Posted October 28, 2003 Author Share Posted October 28, 2003 See?? I knew if i asked this question i would get an answer! thanks again for ALL of the help.. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Surprise Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 I would tend to agree with you Dr. Shoe. According to my pattern cutting lecturer (David Lyon an old boy with over 45 years in the footwear industry) Spike is easier and quicker to spell than stiletto. That is the only difference! Spike tended to be an Americanism as in "Spike Heel Pump" we in the UK would tend to say "Stiletto Court Shoe". Hope that clears that up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spikey Dan Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Speaking for myself as an American heel admirer, I've used both terms of 'spike' and 'stiletto' many times in conversation and in written form. I always call a stiletto heel with a heel higher than 4", while I call a spike heel any heel height from a 1/2" to 7" (and beyond). This is my own personal preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurieheels Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Who cares, so long as shoe manufacturers keep making the shoes with those heels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spikey Dan Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 Who cares, so long as shoe manufacturers keep making the shoes with those heels! I agree with you Laurie. The shoemakers keeps making them, everyone keeps buying them and buy them often. (And we send them all to Laurie - The Goddess ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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