Kitten Heels
Kitten heels are a variation of the stiletto heel but with a slight twist. The heels on this particular type of shoe are usually between 1- 2 inches although heels a little higher are also seen in department stores. The heels are usually tapered and the point of the heel sits a bit in from the shoe’s edge. Kitten heels can be found on sandals. Although they are not as high as the stiletto, they offer the sex appeal of the stiletto without the extreme height. Kitten heels were first introduced in the 1950’s for girls who were just entering their teenage years as high heels were deemed unseemly for younger girls.
They were thought of as ‘trainer heels’ in the US for these girls in preparation for the higher heels they would start wearing as they grew older. Soon, older girls started wearing them and the trend caught on. However, their popularity waned soon after before a brief surge in popularity in the 1980’s. Famous shoe designers such as Manolo Blahnik brought the kitten heel on to the runways of Europe along with his amazing stiletto collection. They are very versatile as they can be worn with outfits ranging from dresses, skirts, suits and even shorts.
They can be found in solid colors, pastel shades, exotic prints and trendy designs. The materials used for these shoes commonly include leather, plastic, suede, fabric and velvet. You can find kitten heels on sandals, boots, pumps, open-toed shoes as well as sling-backs. Dresses look demure yet sexy when paired with these shoes that have 1, 2 or more straps on them. Kitten heels can be dressed up or dressed down and you can wear them for work or for parties. They are great for tall women who prefer not to tower over everybody and look equally good on shorter women who don’t want the extreme height that stiletto’s offer.
With kitten heels, there is less strain on the foot and you can wear them quite comfortably for longer periods of time. When buying kitten heels or any shoes for that matter, it is important to try them on if you are at a store. Walk around in them and if you feel it pinching your feet, try a bigger size. The style of the shoe can affect your shoe size and you may find that with different shoe styles, you might need different sizes. You can find kitten heels online where you will undoubtedly find a much bigger range of choices. You may also find that they are cheaper because these online retailers do not have the added expense of stocking a physical store.
Before placing an order, you may want to try on a similar pair of shoes at a store first. However, most of the online stores do take returns and that could be a viable option if you are not able to go to a store. In the end, kitten heels offer comfort and versatility to those that are tired of the pain that usually comes with wearing high heels for prolonged periods of time.