Introduction
Fashion demands that women get all dressed up, and a very important feature of that apparel has been for sometime high heel footwear, also known as high heel shoes. High heeled shoes are defined as shoes that raise the heel of the wearer significantly more than the toes. The purpose of this is to accentuate the legs and give a more attractive appearance to the wearer. The fashion industry has defined high heels as anywhere between 2 to 5 inches, while larger heels are considered more of impractical footwear worn for only its aesthetic sense. Some of the current types of heels in fashion include the wedge; in which the ‘heel’ takes up the entire space under the arch and heel portions of the foot, stiletto; a long elongated heel, prism; three flat sides that form a triangle at the point of contact with the ground. These heels sure seem to look sexy but the comfort factor plays a major role too
History
Since the 1950’s high heel shoes have been in and out of fashion multiple times; 1990’s was the latest period where high heel shoes were out of fashion in favor of flatter shoes. As high heel footwear has progressed with time, the shape and style of the heel itself has changed drastically, starting from the block style of the 70’s to the stiletto that can be found nowadays. The shape and style of the heel has inevitable led to concerns about the pressure and excessive friction that the feet have to bear with an unnatural foot posture. This has been linked to foot pain, foot deformities like hammertoes and bunions and knee tendon damage. The chance of having a fracture or sprain is also increased significantly.
Features
The problems of health and comfort associated with high heel shoes have led to designers and researchers to focus on high heeled shoes that could provide comfort to its wearer and yet still look fashionable and appealing. Some of the key features that make high heels shoes best for arch support include having thicker or extra padding in the shoes to ensure that your weight is better distributed and carried by your feet. Another important factor is to go for rounded toes instead of pointy ones since that allows for more room for your toes to work around in. In the same way wedges give better stability and comfort then stilettos, which exert the highest ratio of pressure onto key areas of the foot.
Tips and comments
Some of the best high heel shoes you can find with the aim of comfort to you foot arch include the inexpensive Colin Stuart from Victoria’s secret catalogue; these come with thick padding and a good solid platform that make them comfortable even with a big heel, the Karolina from Kate Spade that makes the stilettos an unbelievable comfort to wear, Sleigh Thread by Aerosoles that are probably the best wedge heeled shoes around with rubber soles and a special diamond patterned sole that distributes the weight in a way that make you totally comfortable in them.
