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Dangerous Fashion FootwearFrom This Season’s Super-Stiletto Shoes to High-Heeled Platforms
This is the year of the super stiletto shoe. Platforms and heels of up to 7-inches; a worrying trend which can easily damage your feet.
In 2008 we have seen heels get higher and platforms get chunkier. We have seen the reverse heel and the wackiest of wedges. With women of the world now turned on to wearing super-high heels (of 5 to 7-inches), this is developing trend which podaitrists warn, can easily prove hazardous to your health. Says Dr Chris Steele in the “The Gwyneth Effect: why sales of super-high heels are soaring,” the Daily Mail’s article of 6 May 2008, “Heels that are 5, 6, or 7-inches put a lot of pressure on the toes, which can lead to unsightly bunions or bone deformities.” Add to this, that fact that you run the risk of falling over and spraining or breaking your ankle, and it is clear that the current fashion footwear needs to be handled with care. Many of today's hazardous shoes not only include high heels, but super-high platforms too. Carry Your High Heels to Your Destination?This season’s sky-high stilettos have been dubbed limo or taxi shoes, due to the need for minimizing the amount of time actually spent walking on them (isn’t that what shoes are really for?), and having to travel by taxi. An obvious alternative would be to carry your beloved footwear in a bag and slip them on when you get to your destination. Australian label SOODA have come up with fashionable leather handbag ($568 Australian dollars) with a lower shoe carrying compartment, a stylish and safe alternative to just popping them into your handbag. You can fit in anything from flats, heels to ankle boots in this chic oversized carryall, and it is available from their website. Celebrity High HeelsThe rise of the super-high heel has been embraced by Hollywood celebrities and A-listers, who lead a limo lifestyle, where they have minders to help then negotiate their way along the red-carpet, or down stairs, in their over-high-heels. In an article reporting on this year’s Glamour Women of the Year Awards held on 3rd June 2008, Britian's Telegraph newspaperpoints out that the theme of the night was painful shoes. With their Manolos, Choos and Louboutins glamorous girls like Kate Beckinsale, Geri Halliwell and presenter, Fearne Cotton “went sky high, with grievous consequences” With most of the women having to be assisted on stage and off by their minders. The Health Hazards of High Heels and PlatformsIn her book “Shoes, what every woman should know,” author Stephanie Pendersen tells us that according to recent U.S.statistics, nearly 43 million Americans seek help for foot problems each year, with the British at around 200,000, with 10,000 being taken to hospital accident and emergency departments. Podiatrists believe that “platforms and their cousins, stilettos cause the lion share of these accidents.” Walking on uneven pavements and getting heels stuck in grids or cracks all provide potential accident situations. Pedersen states that something as simple as turning around stepping of a curb or walking on uneven sidewalks can cause knee injuries, sprained or broken ankles, sprained knees, broken toes or even broken legs. In the 1990s’ fashionistas may remember Naomi Campbell's embarrrassment at falling off her 10-inch Vivienne Westwood mock-croc platforms on the runways of Paris. Another casualty of fashion footwear is ex-Spice Girl, Emma Bunton, when she fell and sprained her ankle after wearing a pair of platform trainers during a performance onstage stage. Why Women Love High HeelsHowever, despite all the hidden health hazards, retail sales are soaring and women still continue to endure the discomfort of high-heels in the name of being fashion-forward. The power of the stiletto is not only that fact that it makes you walk taller, but it has a slimming effect on your body too. Slip on pair of these tall towers and you can be transformed from housewife to sex kitten; no other fashion accessory has such dramatic results. This miracle happens as by pushing you forward; high heels tend to force your back to arch and pushes the bust and butt forward. Consequently curves become more noticeable and your feminine silhouette is exaggerated. Slip on a pair of stilettos and you will feel your confidence soar. In the words of the iconic Marilyn Monroe, “I don’t know who invented the high heel, but all women owe him a lot.” Wear High Heels in ModerationIf wearing these high heels, the secret is to wear them in moderation (certainly not all day), avoid hazardous situations like walking on dangerous surfaces and learn how to walk properly in them, including negotiating steps and stairs. Camilla Morton’s Sunday Times best seller, How to Walk in High Heels, tells us exactly that along with a mine of other useful information that any woman should know. A highly recommend read for any high-heeled fashionista!
The copyright of the article Dangerous Fashion Footwear in Shoes & Accessories is owned by Gill Hart. Permission to republish Dangerous Fashion Footwear in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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