High heels facts for kids

High heels are a type of shoe where the back part, under the heel, is much higher than the front part, under the toes. They are a popular fashion item, mostly for women, but some men also wear shoes with higher heels, like cowboy boots or 'Cuban heels'.

The height of the heel makes a big difference. Heels around 2½ inches (6 cm) are common for ballroom dancing. These lower heels are generally safe once you are used to them. Dancers can wear them for many hours without problems. The usual style for ballroom dancing is a court shoe, which has a wider heel than the very thin stiletto heels.

If a shoe also has a raised sole under the front part of the foot, it's called a platform shoe. This is different from a regular high heel.

Heels that are between 2½ and 3½ inches (8.5 cm) are considered mid-height. Stiletto heels are much taller, from 4 to 10 inches. They are very thin at the bottom, often less than 0.4 inches wide, and sometimes have a steel core. Because they are so high and thin, wearing stilettos regularly can cause health problems.

Wedgies, or shoes with wedge heels, are a good compromise. They raise the heel but are much more stable than regular high heels because the heel is a solid wedge shape. Wedges became popular for women in the late 1930s, thanks to designer Salvatore Ferragamo.

Why People Wear High Heels

People wear high heels for several reasons, mostly because of how they look:

• They change how your foot angles, making your calf muscles look more defined.
• They make you stand straighter and change how you walk.
• They make you look taller.
• They make your legs appear longer.
• They can make your foot look smaller and your toes shorter.
• They make the arches of your feet look higher and more shaped.
• They make your lower leg muscles stand out more.

Challenges of Wearing High Heels

Wearing high heels can also have some downsides, mainly related to health and comfort:

• They can cause pain in your feet.
• They increase your chance of twisting your ankle or breaking a bone.
• They might lead to foot problems like hammertoes (where toes bend abnormally) or bunions (a bump on the side of the big toe).
• They can make it harder to walk steadily.
• They might make your steps shorter.
• It can be difficult to walk on certain surfaces, like uneven ground.

Conclusion

There are many different types of shoes, and everyone's feet are different, so no single shoe style will suit everyone. It's clear that the higher the heel, the more risk there might be. Safer versions of high heels are quite comfortable and safe for everyday wear. The very extreme heels you might see in fashion shows are not meant for daily use. How you use them also matters. For example, Nurses usually wear flat shoes for comfort, while people working in offices might choose high heels. Despite some criticisms, high heels have been around for a long time and will likely continue to be a popular choice.

Images for kids

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  High-heeled shoes

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  European heeled shoes from c. 1690

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  Portrait of King Louis XIV in high heels

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  Typical 18th-century shoe

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  1850s sewing machine

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  Women's high-heeled shoes with dyed black harp seal fur, by Inuk designer Nicole Camphaug

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  Children's high-heeled mary janes for sale in Fuzhou

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  Standard ballroom tango shoes

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  1920 US Marine Corps shoe, with high heel, showing position of foot bones (vertical black marks on the x-ray are nails used to hold the sole and heel on)

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  Same shoe from above, showing pointed toe box too narrow for the toes, and hallux valgus deformity. The high heel shifts weight forwards, putting additional pressure on the sides of the toes

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  World War II poster of pin-up girl (Betty Grable) in high heels

See also

In Spanish: Zapatos de tacón para niños