Designer Shoes

Posts Tagged ‘stilettos’

Stilettos are the common name for designer shoes or boots with a “stiletto heel”.  Named after the stiletto dagger – the name of which is taken from “stylus” or the Latin “stilus” meaning a stake used for writing – these heels are long and thin, varying in length from 1 to 8 inches, yet with a diameter of less than half an inch at ground level!  This is made possible by the addition of a metal supporting shaft within the heel, where other high-heeled shoes use wood or plastic.

Due to the nature of the design, stiletto heels create the illusion of having a longer, slimmer and more shapely leg, by flexing the calf muscles and making the buttocks more prominent.  They also alter the wearer’s posture and gait, as well as increasing their overall height – a combination of traits that makes the reasons behind the popularity of the shoe obvious.  These superficial advantages, however, are somewhat marred by the fact that the continued postural change and lack of cushioning means that long-term wearing of stiletto heeled shoes can cause a variety of back problems and even the shortening of the calf muscle!  It’s not just the wearer’s own body that is at risk either; the metal  shaft down the centre of the heel supports a tremendous amount of force, capable of devastating another person’s foot or carpet!

Although the reintroduction of stiletto heels could well be thanks to Commander of the British Empire Manolo Blahnik (a titled he received for his services to British fasion), the original design for the modern stiletto is credited to famous French fashion designer Robert Vivier – whose customers included Gloria Guinness, the Beatles and even our dear Queen Elizabeth II!

Extreme Facts:
• The original Italian-style stiletto heels were no more than 5 millimetres in diameter!
• When combined with a platform sole, the heel can be even longer than 8 inches!
• The first stiletto heels date back to the late 19th Century!