Whats Your definetion of high heels?

[larry]

Through the holiday we had friends and relatives over for dinner on the grill. I made a comment to my 13 year old niece about how fast she was growing and she said that she was wearing high heels. Her wedge sandals had about a 1" platform sole and a 1.5" heel. Certainly not what I would call high heels. Imho. High heels are only high heels if they have at least a 3' heel with out platforms. Its the visual and its the feeing of wearing 4-5" stilettos that makes them High Heels. I have seen many photos here of people here in wedges or cowboy boots and I would have no problem wearing them to church. I'm curious as to what you consider calling them high heels.

[Guest]

well, off hand (@ least to me that is) anything 4 inches & higher means HIGH heels!

[hoverfly]

I believe the established standard has been set a 3" and up, depending on foot size 3" can be quit a feat for small feet.

[micha]

Through the holiday we had friends and relatives over for dinner on the grill. I made a comment to my 13 year old niece about how fast she was growing and she said that she was wearing high heels. Her wedge sandals had about a 1" platform sole and a 1.5" heel. Certainly not what I would call high heels. Imho. High heels are only high heels if they have at least a 3' heel with out platforms. Its the visual and its the feeing of wearing 4-5" stilettos that makes them High Heels. I have seen many photos here of people here in wedges or cowboy boots and I would have no problem wearing them to church. I'm curious as to what you consider calling them high heels.

When I met my niece Laura at her 16th birthday on pointy 2.5'' sabots I congratulated her for the high heels. I felt how proud she was of her new shoes. For HER those shoes were definitely HIGH HEELS. And for ME too

[Danielinheels]

Really depends on shoe size. I was talking with a girl in Payless the other day about some new wedges they just got in my size, and she said that the wedge height was kinda uncomfortable to her. As I'm effortlessly maneuvering about the store in them, I told her that the heel didn't feel high to me at all, because 3" on a size 13 shoe is drastically different from 3" on a size 6 1/2 shoe (her size). Of course, having experience in 5" heels doesn't hurt, but other than the fact that I KNEW I was elevated, it felt virtually the same as a flat shoe would from a comfort standpoint. For me, high is over 4 inches. Since the average woman's shoe size is considderably lower than mine, I can understand 3 inches being the threshold from mid-heel to high-heel.

[hoverfly]

Mmmmmmmm........I am going to have to dig out the old threads here on this subject, opinions very.

http://www.hhplace.org/hhboard/viewtopic.php?t=2893&start=20&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=hight

[Elegant]

In my opinion, heels must be at least 5" to be HIGH .

[Shafted]

3 to 5.5 inches, higher than that would be an ultra.

[Dr. Shoe]

Anything over 4" is classed as high in the industry when 2"-4" is mid-height.

[micha]

Four inch heels and five inch heels are the best heel height for me with my EU 44/45 footsize. But not for my niece with her much smaller feet!

[shoefan76]

my thoughts on this question are....... anything less than four inches are not much of a challenge, when it comes to street heeling, over four inches are more challenging to wear with confidence.

[booty lover]

i think that anything over 4 inch would be classed as high

[DeSalto]

5 inches or higher for me. DeSalto

[nhoj62]

0-2 inches low heel 2-4 inches average heel 4-5.5 inches high heel 5.5+ ultra high heel well thats what i think later nhoj62

[Steve B]

I say four inches and up, with five inches being just right.

[hoverfly]

Guys, come on here, don't forget those who have smaller feet like women. A 4" heel is a 5" heel for some one who is a size 5 U.S.!! Industry standard is based on a size 7 U.S.

[iggy_ze]

Anything that makes your feet feel, Hmmmmmmmmmmm! Ian

[Pam]

I concur w/ Ian

[Pam]

I agree w/ Ian

[Dawn HH]

For me---and at my age---it's 3" to 4" on a U.S. women's size 7.5M or 8M in a shoe, and an 8M or 9M in a boot. With the way my joints are, I'm extremely lucky to manage that. I may have to revise that in the future. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[dr1819]

I was recently reading an article online which said that "generally speaking, anything higher than 7/8" is considered a 'high heel'" Gimme a break! I've got a pair of black leather Predictions boots with 2-1/2" block rubber heels that I wear when I want to be "most conservative," including travelling via the airlines, going to church, etc. I've never had anyone look twice at them, and wearing them feels no different than wearing my men's hiking boots, whose heels are just 1". Imagine - men's hiking boots, sold by Merrel, to men, that are a "high heeled shoe." A while back I mentioned that it should be measured based upon the way a user felt, but now I'd like to revise that. I believe a "high heel" should be the height at which, in a normal stance, the pressure on the heel is 3/4 that of what it is when you're in flats. For a size 8, this is typically around 2-1/2", and for my size, it's around 3". Amazingly enough, that's about the height where I feel like I'm actually wearing heels.

[Guy N. Heels]

For me---and at my age---it's 3" to 4" on a U.S. women's size 7.5M or 8M in a shoe, and an 8M or 9M in a boot. With the way my joints are, I'm extremely lucky to manage that. I may have to revise that in the future.

Cheers--- Dawn HH

I concur. Back in my preteen days my mother "loaned" me a pair of 2.5 inch kitten heels that I found delightful , but not very high. In fact, it's not uncommon for men's footwear, particularly boots, to have 2" heels these days. So with all of this in mind, I'd have to say that you really need to get to at least 3" before it qualifies as a HIGH heel.

I usually wear 3.5 to 4" heels without platforms and up to 5" heels with about a 1" plat. While some folks go for the really high altitude shoes with 6 or 7 inch heels - or more (do those come with an oxygen mask?), I seriously doubt that I could manage anything above a 5" heel and then it would have to have a platform.

[dr1819]

While some folks go for the really high altitude shoes with 6 or 7 inch heels - or more (do those come with an oxygen mask?), I seriously doubt that I could manage anything above a 5" heel and then it would have to have a platform.

A couple years ago I worked my way into a five inch heel, but trying to maintain it was much more trouble that it was worth, so I now wear heels ranging from nothing to 4 inches, with my most comfortable being 3.5 inches.

Besides, at 5" I start bumping into the overheads of doorways.

[Dawn HH]

Dr1819:-) Watch out for those low flying doorframes. TEE! HEE! Cheers--- Dawn HH

[heellovr79]

Nah, 3" are NOT high heels to me. They must be at least 4.5" or higher to be consider high heels.

[Shafted]

While 3 inch doesn't feel like a high heel to me, I understand that its a real nosebleed heel for someone with a small foot.

[Chris stiletto]

For me a 4" heel is the absolute minimum heel height,with 5" being the size that i usually wear. I do have quite a few 6"heels but they are for special times & when i need cheering up. But i agree with many of you it depends on the foot size as well, i am a size 7.5uk 41 eur so this is why i dont like to wear anything below 4".

[Phoenix]

I was recently reading an article online which said that "generally speaking, anything higher than 7/8" is considered a 'high heel'"

Gimme a break! I've got a pair of black leather Predictions boots with 2-1/2" block rubber heels that I wear when I want to be "most conservative," including travelling via the airlines, going to church, etc.

I've never had anyone look twice at them, and wearing them feels no different than wearing my men's hiking boots, whose heels are just 1".

Imagine - men's hiking boots, sold by Merrel, to men, that are a "high heeled shoe."

A while back I mentioned that it should be measured based upon the way a user felt, but now I'd like to revise that.

I believe a "high heel" should be the height at which, in a normal stance, the pressure on the heel is 3/4 that of what it is when you're in flats. For a size 8, this is typically around 2-1/2", and for my size, it's around 3".

Amazingly enough, that's about the height where I feel like I'm actually wearing heels.

For me at size 10, 3" is the start of high heels. 4" with out platforms is my max right now for actually walking any distance or standing for any length of time.

[Guy N. Heels]

It's too bad that you didn't do a poll on this, but from what I'm seeing, it looks like the consensus of opinion focus on the 3" to 5" range with the average minimum being around 3". Personally, I find it hard to imagine anything less than 3" truly being a high heel. On the other hand, Some of the coments I've read about 5 & 6 inch heels being the minimun strikes me as just a bit absurd! There are many accomplished heel wearing women who cannot handle a 5" heel. I don't really see the question as being the minimum height that you wear personally, but rather, what is the minimum height (above 7/8") that would qualify as a HIGH heel for either gender.

[dr1819]

Poll on the For Everyone thread.