High Heels Shoes

High heel shoes, or just "high heels", are a type of shoe with an extended heel. The heel is often tapered down from the heel of the foot to the sole of the shoe, but it is not necessarily so. High heel shoes are considered to add elegance to a lady's ensemble.

While in modern times the high heel shoe is specific to the feminine domain, this has not always been the case. High heeled shoes were commonly worn by both sexes during different periods of history. Modern usage of the extended heel has an almost exclusive function of fashion, but having an elevated piece of footwear has proved to be useful to some trades. Horsemen at times have an extended heel to assist their feet in staying in the stirrups, and workers stepping through wet messes on the floor of their workspace sometimes employ high heels to keep their feet high and dry above the moist mess.

Whether in a fashion show, a wedding, or on a cowboy's boot, the high heel has made many appearances at many venues. The benefit of a solid foothold is certainly known by all, but there have been reasons for people to accept the burden of placing a fulcrum under their heel. Location is important, and sometimes feet need to be a little higher than normal.