Platforms

[pussyinboots]

That's very true actually. I happen to be a stiletto heel girl through and through - but I have several pairs of platform mules - the most comfy being a clear pair by 'Footlights' of London - 5.5" stiletto heel and 1.5" platform - and I can wear them all day long.

[Guy N. Heels]

Well, I happen to like plats. In fact, my most comfortable heels are plats with at least 1" platforms. Not only do the plats get me "up there were I belong", but the cushioning in the plats where the balls of my feet carry all the weight (I really need to lose some) make for a much more comfortable shoe. My favorite shoes are a pair of black slides by White Mountain with 4" heels and 1" plats. They're actually more comfortable than my sneakers.

[johnieheel]

One of many. These are more for play.

[balletboot2000]

My extreme pair have a 7" platform and a 12" heel, and they are actually quite comfy to wear. You just need to careful where you walk, as uneven surfaces tend to be amplified. Wouldn't mind trying something higher though !

[derf]

Show us the pics of these. Would love to see heels of that magnitude on display.

[Guy N. Heels]

My extreme pair have a 7" platform and a 12" heel, and they are actually quite comfy to wear.

You just need to careful where you walk, as uneven surfaces tend to be amplified. Wouldn't mind trying something higher though !

Those aren't platform shoes! Those are low profile stilts!

[ChipsHH]

My opinion: I look at platforms as a way for people to get taller n feel better about one's self. I would like to try one on to see a difference in height, but otherwise, I don't consider them that much.

[Guy N. Heels]

My opinion: I look at platforms as a way for people to get taller n feel better about one's self. I would like to try one on to see a difference in height, but otherwise, I don't consider them that much.

I will admit that plats will get you "up there" faster than an express elevator. But I prefer them for the comfort more than anything else. Most heels simply don't provide that cushioning under the balls of the feet like the plats do.

On the other hand, BalletBoot likes his 1 foot heels with a full 7 inches of platform. So just how much cushioning can one stand?

[stilettolover]

I have a couple of 7" heel plats, but prefer the ones with a 5"-6" heel with no more than a 1" platform. IMO , more stable for all terrains, and still quite wearable for longer periods of time. Needless to say, most of my plats fit the latter classification.

[Guy N. Heels]

I have a couple of 7" heel plats, but prefer the ones with a 5"-6" heel with no more than a 1" platform. IMO , more stable for all terrains, and still quite wearable for longer periods of time. Needless to say, most of my plats fit the latter classification.

Right you are. One of my major objections to spike-heeled plats is that some mfgrs. actually reduce the surface area under the platform, thus making for a rather unstable shoe. With both spike heels and that going on, nobody in their right mind would dare wear such shoes out of doors. Personally, I require a plat that (poet & don't know it) is suitable for outdoor wear as well as indoors. Any shoe that doesn't measure up just isn't worth my money.

[Wolfgang]

I like them because they create the illusion of heel height without the actual incline.

[Guy N. Heels]

I like them because they create the illusion of heel height without the actual incline.

Hi there Wolfie, long time - no hear from.

Yeah, I too find them much more comfortable, or should I say less demanding on my feet? I just can't seem to get that same feeling without the plats.

[asdf174]

Don't see anything wrong with plats at all myself. I love them. I also love non plat shoes.

[tallguyinheels]

I agree, that a plats first use is to gain height. either to accentuate the long legged look - also making the illusion of being thinner. And second, the plat lets you gain height while maintaining a more comfortable slope between the heel and the ball of your foot. This second aspect generally makes the shoe a little mor comforable to wear. A bonus feature of a plat is that added padding can be placed under the ball of the foot to aid in comfort also. As for added stability, for a given heel height a well designed plat will seem more stable. But for a given rise (the diference in height from the ball of the foot to the ankle) I'll take the the non plat shoe. I have just ventured into the plat world. At my 6'5" height in bare feet, i hardly need the added height - but for fun I bought a 7" heel 3 inch platform. The lower rise is just a couple of inches, makes them very comfortable to stand in - though the perspective of being 5+ inches taller is a bit unnerving - as is the requirement now to duck under doorways. When you are on a sloping surface you have to face up or down slope - any cross slope walking is very tretcherous in the plats - though likely only because of the excessive height of these shoes. Btw, i have no problem going cross slope in a non-plat 5" heel. The other drawback is that I probably won't go public in the tall platforms - 'cept in a special costume circumstance I s'pose.

[ChipsHH]

The other drawback is that I probably won't go public in the tall platforms - 'cept in a special costume circumstance I s'pose.

Like what? Long jeans to cover them up or an actual 'special' costume?

[stilettolover]

I went out in a pair of 8 1/2" heel plats, and I found it io be (like I mentioned earlier in this thread) a real pain in the a** to go anywhere but a level smooth surface in those shoes. I'm sure there are folks that are o.k with that, but I want to enjoy my heels, and not have to worry too much about how and where I step. All I have to say to anyone who wants to brave the outdoors in extreme plats, is be real careful. We all don't need hurt ankles, feet, or our pride.

[tallguyinheels]

Well, I'm not sure about a costume - just being in the plats would look pretty rediculous in public on my 6'5" 200lb frame - so I'd have to match it with tights, a denim mini and some kind of very large fake breasts. A holloween or new years costume party with friends I guess... Maybe I'll throw one this year.

[ChipsHH]

good luck with that, and remember to keep us updated with that (despite it's about on the other side, if you know what i mean)

[ShockQueen]

I still like my boots on occasion that I got online:

and of course, I love to surprise people with my skyscraper sandals:

Not all my faves are plats though, like my boots from Payless that have a 3" stiletto and lo-o-o-ng pointy toes. I don't have a pic of those yet, but I'll get one posted.

[Guest]

platforms are my most comfortable kinds of footwear (both being black, one of them is sandals, the 2nd one are the boots-my screen name in here, BOTH made by DEMONIA, btw) my NINE WEST blade heel knee high boots arent too bad, bu my feet always feel better in my platforms from DEMONIA.

[pussyinboots]

I first wore platforms when I was very young - then grew into stilettos and high-heeled boots - and stayed wearing those for a long, long time.

Whilst I would still class myself as a true 'stiletto heels' girl - I have recently got back into platforms - thanks to a friend encouraging me to buy these 6.25" beauties - which I absolutely adore now..............

[Guy N. Heels]

I first wore platforms when I was very young - then grew into stilettos and high-heeld boots - and stayed wearing those for a long, long time.

Whilst I would still class myself as a true 'stiletto heels' girl - I have recently got back into platforms - thanks to a friend encouraging me to buy these 6.25" beauties - which I absolutely adore now..............

Unh Huh! Just the thing for high altitude work.

Just one question: Do you have trouble keeping the scuff marks cleaned off them?

[BobHH]

That height of platform is very attractive because the heels are higher without the platform being too extreme, and that particular style is very graceful. However, the thing that makes them difficult for me is the narrow sole - often quite a bit narrower than your foot. That makes them difficult for me on uneven ground, particularly since my ankles don't tend to be stiff enough and have a tendency to turn out when tired, with a bad result in platforms. Otherwise, they are very comfortable.

[Guy N. Heels]

That height of platform is very attractive because the heels are higher without the platform being too extreme, and that particular style is very graceful. However, the thing that makes them difficult for me is the narrow sole - often quite a bit narrower than your foot. That makes them difficult for me on uneven ground, particularly since my ankles don't tend to be stiff enough and have a tendency to turn out when tired, with a bad result in platforms. Otherwise, they are very comfortable.

Golly BobHH, I thought I was the one with the world's worst ankles. But your point about the way the mfgr. undercut the soles is well taken! Precisely why they'd want to do that escapes me.

[oli_in_ecuador]

I have to out myself here as an absolut platform heels lover - I don't wear heels personally, but seeing women in platform heels is the most sexy thing that could happen to me. Can't share the opinion about platform heels looking clumsy - especially the view of some platform heels (with stiletto heel) from the front is very, very sexy IMHO. Best combination in my point of view are platform heels with any kind of trousers - jeans, normal trousers etc. Don't know why, but that combination seems very sexy to me - maybe the platform heel fetishist here will understand me :-)

[Guy N. Heels]

I have to out myself here as an absolut platform heels lover - I don't wear heels personally, but seeing women in platform heels is the most sexy thing that could happen to me.

Can't share the opinion about platform heels looking clumsy - especially the view of some platform heels (with stiletto heel) from the front is very, very sexy IMHO. Best combination in my point of view are platform heels with any kind of trousers - jeans, normal trousers etc. Don't know why, but that combination seems very sexy to me - maybe the platform heel fetishist here will understand me :-)

Welcome to the forum, Oli.

IMHO the reason some people think that plats are clumsy is because the wearers are clumsy in them. Plats do readily increase one's height without increasing the "stability base" (area of footprint), and so it does take a little extra skill to walk in them. However, unless someone is going to extremes, this should present no real problem with a little practice. But I will agree that one should take the time and trouble to master these shoes in private before wearing them outside.

[oli_in_ecuador]

Thank you for the welcome ! Agree with you, I imagine they take some time to learn how to walk in them (my wife needed some time, but masters 6" platforms now in a wonderful way) and especially when somebody can walk in them without bouncing from one wall to the other :-) they look extremely sexy IMHO. Wearing them outside...hm... I was in the lucky situation to "convince" my wife to wear them for some rare occasions outside, but she doesn't feel too comfortable with them in public (depends also where you live and how accepted stuff like this is - we live in a latinamerican country, very religious and with people who love to have prejudgments about other people). Now we would love to buy some 8 inch platforms - strictly for home use of course Let's see if we can find them on our trip to the US in april... Greetings from Ecuador, Oli

[BobHH]

Platforms are back! Often looked down on (or up at?) as CFM shoes, stripper shoes, etc., stiletto platforms are back in high fashion spring styles. Here are just a few pictures from the March issue of W:

from DSquared

from Gottex

from Lanvin ad (YSL shoes?)

from Yves San Laurent

[Elegant]

Well, I liked the Lanvin pic the most. [gives a horny look, and his voice sounds sexy and provoking] You know why .

[oli_in_ecuador]

Agree - the Lanvin pic is the most sexy (don't know why, but the combination of trousers and platforms looks best for me). Platforms are back in fashion ? HALLELUJA !!!!! :-)