Stilettos are high-heeled shoes with a thin heel and a metal pin that reinforces it. They became popular in the 1950s and are still a popular part of women’s fashion. Despite warnings from podiatrists, stilettos are available in stores and online, ranging from $20 to over $1,200, with some pairs encrusted with diamonds selling for over $2 million.
They take their name from the slim razor, but stilettos, in the plural, are very high-heeled shoes. Some think they are just as powerful in their own way as their namesake weapon.
Stilettos can be pumps, slings or sandals, but they all have a thin heel in common. The “stiletto” refers to the metal pin that runs the length of the heel, reinforcing it. The heel is usually at least three inches (7.62 cm) high, but the sky is the limit, especially when a toe platform is added.
World War II brought a solid, military look to fashion, and 1950s designers like Dior and its “New Look” took advantage of unrationed fabrics to create billowy skirts and frothy tops. Such creations called for a shoe that was completely different from the chunky heels of the 1940s. Shoe designer Roger Vivier responded with the stiletto.
In the 1950s, stilettos were generally pumps or slings and featured very pointed toes. Actresses like Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield quickly discovered that these mile-high heels were 100 proofs of sexy, and their movies from the ’50s and ’60s show them tripping over stilettos. Stiletto heels, because of their height, seem to elongate the leg, and a woman has to walk differently when she wears them. Her gait changes to a hip-swaying strut, so she can keep her balance. This prop attracts men like bees to honey, and many men find the sexiest piece of clothing on a woman to be a pair of stilettos.
Considering the fact that podiatrists have warned for years that prolonged use of high heels can cause foot problems such as bunions and hammertoes, you might think that their popularity would have diminished. However, stilettos are still a popular part of women’s fashion.
Stilettos are available in stores and online, in designer labels and imitations. Depending on the manufacturer, they can cost anywhere from $20 US dollars (USD) to over $1,200 USD. A remarkable pair encrusted with genuine diamonds sells for more than $2 million dollars.
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