Jezebel: High Heels

Your Insistence on Wearing High Heels Is Ruining Your Life

Cassie Murdoch — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST

Are you one of those people who wears high heels so much that you put them on to walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Well then you might want to send a note of apology to your calves, because you could be fucking them up big time. More »

High Heels Are The New Lipstick Index

Anna North — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:30:00 EST

Hemlines are so over. The latest way to chart economic trends via women's fashion is farther south: heel height. More »

Breaking: High Heels Make Your Legs Look Good

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:54:00 EDT

You'd better sit down for this one. No, actually you're going to want to stand up, because sitting and getting comfortable in general makes you look like a fatty. The Daily Mail continued its record of journalistic excellence today with a stunning revelation: Wearing high heels makes you look slightly slimmer! We thought women were just wearing them because they enjoy having difficulty walking, but according to the paper heels will make you drop a full dress size — particularly if they're "nude," and you're light-skinned. More »

Fashionable Men Are Stepping Out In Women's High Heels

Margaret Hartmann — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 20:01:29 EDT

It may seem like one of the perks of being a dude is that no one expects you to contort your foot into a spiky heel for hours on end, but there are some guys who long for Manolo Blahnik to start making shoes in a size 12. According to a New York Times trend piece, high heels for men are totally in right now. Well, perhaps only if you're the type of man who frequents trendy L.A. clubs, but we can't rule out the possibility that dudes will be parading through Home Depot in stillettos in a few years. More »

Using Jesus, Defiant High Heel-Wearing Woman Defeats Arthritis

Erin Gloria Ryan — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:45:00 EDT

Women wear heels for many reasons — to look long-legged, to stand at eye level with taller men, because they have Barbie feet. I, for one, wear heels so that if I'm attacked while walking to or from the train, my footwear can double as a weapon, plus, "My goodness gracious, how do you not break your neck?" is a great conversation starter with strangers concerned about the well being of my skeleton. One blogger, however sees things a little differently. More »

Victoria Beckham Condemned To Wear Flats

Jenna Sauers — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EDT

Victoria Beckham, who reportedly has a slipped disc, is under doctor's orders not to wear her customary high heels until her back gets better. That's what Posh would be punished with if she were an uppity mortal in a Greek myth who got on the wrong side of Aphrodite. [Daily Mail] More »

Designers, Gisele Will Refuse To Wear Your Insane Ankle-Breaker High Heels

Jenna Sauers — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:45:00 EDT

Balenciaga creative director Nicholas Ghesquière says that when Gisele Bündchen (pictured here in Balenciaga's seasonal campaign), Amber Valletta, and Carolyn Murphy refused to wear his high heels, he decided to design some flat shoes. We're picturing some kind of supermodel superdelegate triad descending on the Balenciaga headquarters, and laying down the law for Spring '11. Ghesquière has always favored elaborate, sky-high heels, but he came to realize the shoes were causing his models pain. "When I saw the show and I saw how [the heel height] makes them very mechanical, I understood sometimes the pain on the feet," he explains. "It's old to have those girls walking like that, so I tried to stop that craziness." Also, Amber, Carolyn, and Gisele, "they said no for high heels. They were not used to walking with heels anymore. Gisele was worried; she would not walk with my heels." So he made flats. For one season! At its very next runway show, Fall 2011, Balenciaga was back to the 4.5-inchers. "They were a bit too high," says Ghesquière, before adding, wistfully we imagine, "They were beautiful." In other news of Nicholas Ghesquière actually taking some of what his models tell him into consideration, the best-selling (and frequently knocked off) Balenciaga "Lariat" motorcycle bag almost never made it into production. Ghesquière was asked to consider producing a couple bags under license, and none of the production prototypes pleased the executives — but one bag made an impression on Balenciaga's models. "Every girl who was walking [the show], including Kate [Moss] came in and was like, ‘What is that? Is it vintage? Is it something that you found at the flea market?' I was like ‘No, it's a handbag that we prototyped but just didn't produce.' We didn't produce it because I think when I showed the prototype to the people who asked me to do it, they weren't happy with it." And do you remember those "Sportiletto" plastic multi-colored sandals from 2007? They broke the mold. Literally: Ghesquière says that the molds used to make them exploded more than once during the design process. [WWD] More »

Lady Owns Only 1,200 Pairs Of Shoes

Dodai Stewart — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:05:00 EDT

She downsized from 1400. Seven hundred pairs of Beth Shak's 1200-pair-shoe collection are Louboutins. When the professional poker player wins, she "treats" herself to a new pair, and from the looks of her closet, she shops when she loses as well. Shak's 16-year-old daughter can't borrow any of her mom's heels because they don't wear the same size, but her sons admit to being sneaker addicts. More »

The Sexting DA's Romantic Adventures On Match.com

Anna North — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EDT

The Wisconsin Dept. of Justice has released details of its investigation of sexting DA Kenneth Kratz. In addition to disturbing allegations by a variety of women, investigators found Kratz's Match.com profile and messages. Kratz's username: exboytoy1. More »

10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:51:04 EDT

In this week's compilation of pop culture crap, men are excited to get vasectomies, Pauly D is covered in ejaculate, and La Toya Jackson acts like herself. More »

Lady Gaga And Her Meat Dress Top 2010 Fashion "Moments"

Jenna Sauers — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST

Lady Gaga's meat dress was named the top fashion moment of 2010 by the sartorial sages at Time, closely followed by M.I.A.'s burqa, and Venus Williams' lingerie-inspired French Open get-up. Let's discuss. [Time]

If The Shoe Fits, Wear It; If It Doesn't, Get Surgery

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:18:00 EST

A woman named Audy just had foot surgery. A doctor dislocated Audy's toe, sawed out 2-millimeter chunk of bone, then inserted a titanium rod to bring the shortened bone back together. Why? So Audy can wear cute high heels. More »

The 9-Inch Heel, For That Hot "Walking On Stilts" Look

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:53:00 EST

Next year British shoe retailer Parmars will start selling the Sky Heel, a 9-inch high-heel available in red or gold. A spokesman says they're inspired "by the catwalk for the sidewalk," though walking down either in these shoes isn't recommended. More »

Naomi Campbell Allegedly Set To Marry In An Ancient Egyptian Temple

Jenna Sauers — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST

According to reports in the Arab press, Naomi Campbell is going to convert to Russian Orthodox faith so she can marry her scary-rich oligarch boyfriend, Vladimir Doronin, in a massive ceremony at the Temple of Luxor on the Nile! [P6]

Women Hospitalized After Brutal High-Heel Attack

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:16:00 EDT

While leaving a Dallas club yesterday, two women allegedly attacked Jordan Pope, beating her unconscious, and hit her friend Vanessa Sarmientos in the eye with a stiletto heel. Sarmientos, 26, is still in the hospital and may be permanently disfigured. More »

Lara Stone's A Whiz In The Kitchen

Jenna Sauers — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:37:45 EDT

David Walliams says Stone asks, "'What time are you home because I want to know what time to put the shepherd's pie on?' I never thought I'd have that. An international supermodel who can make a great shepherd's pie." [Sun]

And This Is How You Totally Dominate The Cover Of Vogue Paris

Jenna Sauers — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:45:00 EDT

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Here's Russian model Natasha Poly, rocking brown hair and bright eyeshadow on the November cover of Vogue Paris. [@VogueParisLive]
Victoria Beckham Tweeted a super-close-up picture of her husband looking hunky and wearing a pair of her new sunglasses. [@victoriabeckham]

Strange Shoe Is Also Strangely Realistic

Jenna Sauers — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:16:00 EDT

Designer Kobi Levi's avant-garde footwear designs are very, very strange. More »

Brave Women Set World Record For Running In Heels

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:32:00 EDT

More big news from down under: four women won a high heel relay race in Sydney, breaking a Guinness World Record (and luckily, not their ankles). They completed the 300-foot charity race in only one minute and four seconds. More »

Lara Stone's Breasts Nab French Vogue Cover

Jenna Sauers — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:47:00 EDT

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Paris Vogue's 90th anniversary issue is 622 pages. Lara Stone is, ahem, prominently featured. There's new photography from David Sims, Mert and Marcus, and Steven Klein, but the magazine also reprints archival work from the likes of Helmut Newton. [Fashionologie]

Your Choices: Foot Pain, Calf Pain, Or Orthopedic Shoes

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:32:49 EDT

A study found women who wear high heels five days a week shorten and weaken their calf muscles, causing pain even when they switch to flats. Easy Spirit, take us away. More »

Bad Idea Shoes: Hamster Heels

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:20:17 EDT

This photo of undetermined origin has been making the rounds since being posted on If Shoes Could Kill, a blog from the folks behind Lolcats. It's obviously a joke, but...shoes! Cute furry things! [IfShoesCouldKill via Inventor Spot] More »

Study: Banning Baby Heels "Fraught With Difficulties"

Anna North — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST

A study of high heels and other sexualized products for children found that, "The attempt to control the production and distribution of sexualised goods [...] is likely to be fraught with difficulties." Not letting your kid wear heels: easy. [BBC] More »

5 Reasons Heels On Kids Are A Bad Idea

Sadie Stein — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST

Ever since Suri Cruise sashayed into a pap's sight line in a pair of tiny kitten heels, the debate has raged: should little girls wear heels? Here's why not: More »

On Fashion Statement Heels Vs. Feel-Good Flats

Dodai Stewart — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT

Preposterous high heels are all over the runways. But in today's Guardian, Linda Grant writes about wearing flats, which she calls an "act of collective fashion disobedience." She claims: "Fashion has given us shoes as decorative objects, not footwear." More »

"Sexy" Shoes: 1969 Vs. 2009

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT

The ad at left appeared in the Los Angeles Times on September 5, 1969. The shoes of this year — chunky and low-heeled, in colors like "antique brown," olive and navy, were considered sexy. Gwen of Sociological images notes: More »

Crimes Of Fashion

Katy Kelleher — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EDT

Chetania Davis, 22, has been given a year of probation for stabbing her 52-year-old coworker with a stiletto heel. Davis reportedly attacked the new performer at the Ohio strip club because she didn't think they needed more dancers. [AP] More »

The Tedious, Endless, Self-Righteous Heel Debate Rages On

Sadie Stein — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:20:00 EDT

Oh god, when will it stop? From the looks of it, never: More »

Real Housewives: Running In Heels

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT

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On last night's episode, NeNe held a charity event to benefit women of domestic abuse called Heel the Soul, a race in which the participants ran in high heels. A gay man won. More »

Brits Argue Over Women Forced To Wear High Heels At Work

Dodai Stewart — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:20:00 EDT

The buzz making the papers in the UK? A union leader is suggesting that women should not be forced to wear high heels. Cue the uproar! More »

High-Heeled Running Shoes: Awesome Or Awful?

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:20:00 EDT

These high heels by Japanese brand B by Aperire are made with materials usually found in athletic shoes. While we're all for making fashionable shoes more comfortable, the idea of someone trying to run in these? Frightening. [Inventor Spot] More »

Women's Website Discovers Secret To Wearing Heels, But Science Knows Better

Anna North — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EDT

Ever since I broke my foot four years ago, I don't really wear heels anymore. But that doesn't mean I don't get blisters. Luckily, blisterenterolgists at The Frisky are on the case. More »

Oy: Four Pumped Up Sole Survivors; One Feeling The Agony Of The Feet

Anna Holmes — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:10:00 EDT

[Tel Aviv, July 16. Image via Getty]

Dakota Fanning: Who Let My Dogs Out?

Anna Holmes — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:50:00 EDT

[North Hollywood, June 11. Image via Flynet]

Is It Weird To Use High Heels For Charity Events?

Dodai Stewart — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:40:00 EDT

Some women think high heels are empowering. Some women think high heels are damaging, sexualized, oppressive tools of the patriarchy. What happens when you use high heels as activism? More »

"I've Always Walked On The Balls Of My Feet… Even My Slippers Have A 2½-Inch Heel"

Dodai Stewart — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:20:00 EDT

"My heels don't naturally hit the ground. It was a nightmare when flats were the fashion." — Debbie Stallard, who was scolded for arriving to do community service in boots with four-inch heels. [Guardian] More »

Fight The Living Dead In Style

Margaret Hartmann — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:30:00 EDT

These "Zombie Stomper" high heels are billed as "perfect for stompin' on zombies ... and men's hearts." With a 4.5 inch heel, it's just lucky that (most) zombies don't move very fast. [Boing Boing] More »

Feminist Footwear Advice From 1930

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:45:00 EST

In this article from Physical Culture, a man writes that the next step in women's emancipation should be to ignore the new trend toward high heels and find a "non-barbaric form of footwear." More »

Police in Torbay, Devon (a resort town in...

Megan Carpentier — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST

Police in Torbay, Devon (a resort town in England) will soon begin to hand out flip-flops (printed with a safety message) to high-heel loving women out for an alcohol-soaked evening. Inspector Adrian Leisk says, "Sometimes people get drunk and you see them carrying footwear which is inappropriate." In a town where there's also concerted effort to make the many men caught urinating in public wipe up their own piss, women walking around barefoot is probably more "unsafe" and "unsanitary" than inappropriate. [Telegraph] More »

Sexual Heeling

Sadie Stein — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:45:00 EDT

Look, no one wears 4" heels cause she thinks they are good for her health! We know heels fuck with knees and backs and tendons, create hammer toes and bunions and basically cripple you for life. The problem is, for some of us, that moment when you slip on your first pair of pumps is a watershed: damn the torpedoes, there's no going back. the Daily Mail gives a very dreary rundown of all the dire consequences of our glamor — apparently they're especially awful for the developing feet of teens — but then at the end, this familiar-sounding gem: "Italian research suggests women who wear up to a 2in heel may enjoy a better sex life. That's because holding the foot at a 15-degree angle - as with a 2in heel - increases electrical activity in the pelvic muscles that play a vital role in sexual performance and satisfaction." 2"? Maybe we can cut down to that. [Daily Mail] More »