Killer Heels Takes On A Literal Meaning

Alexander McQueen

If the shoe looks uncomfortable, there’s a chance that it is. Women pay a hefty price to look good in heels. From sprains, foot pains and blisters, towering footwear has many loyal female fans.

With pop icons like Beyonce and Lady Gaga performing intricate choreography in extremely high heels night after night, it’s only natural that their fans (women) feel the need to follow in their foot steps.

It’s not that the shoes aren’t beautifully made but the saying, “killer heels” takes on a new and literal meaning. Despite making women feel sexier, taller and more elongated, “killer heels” are responsible for many health problems such as hammertoes, bunions and even damage to leg tendons.

But why do we feel the need to make our feet suffer in our efforts to look good?

Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of “Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Shoe”, tries to make sense of this costly and unhealthy obsession by stating, “We have entered a moment of heightened impracticality in footwear”. ” Heels tend to get higher during economic recessions, she added.

During the Great Depression in 1930s, the oil crisis in the 1970s, and the dotcom bust heels went higher. Although she’s not sure why, Semmelhack said, “it could also be sort of a greater need for escapism.”

While some people don’t think plus size women should wear high heels, the same rules apply to women with curves than anyone else. Here are a few tips to turn your shoe fetish into a comfortable necessity.

Check that the material they are made of is soft and flexible. Stiff upper material may lead to blisters.
Check how good your balance is in them. This means trying them on and standing in them. You may even try to balance on one foot to see if you can stand upright.
Walk in them. That doesn’t just mean a couple of steps around in front of the mirror, ideally you want to walk the length of the store a couple of times while wearing them, if you feel any discomfort after walking the length of the store twice (at least once), put them back on the shelf- it never gets any more comfortable.

We’ve been warned of the dangers of wearing severely high heels but when it comes to fashion, women can be stubborn.

What cost are you willing to pay for beauty?