Kitten Heels Are A Chic Way to Step Into Spring!
When you can’t or don’t want to wear stilettos anymore, but you’d love a bit of height, are kitten heels a stylish compromise? Some women have always adored kitten heels, while others associate their lower heel (usually 1.50-1.75) and curved claw shape with a look that is stuck in the 50s.
I think kitten heels for women are classic and lovely but do understand where the naysayers are coming from. Designers haven’t focused much on this style of shoe for a very long time, and the pickings have been slim. But this spring, that’s all changed. Kitten heels are a chic way to step into spring!
We’re seeing gorgeous kitten heel shoes in a variety of styles, colors, and prints. Wear them with dresses, dressy pants or, the modern way, with cropped jeans. Here’s a look at a few favorites.
1. GinghamGingham is HUGE this spring, and these black and white gingham pumps are a great way for you to dip your toe(s) (and entire foot) into the trend.
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2. Don’t Step on Palm Print Shoes!Isn’t this Leisa ankle strap sandal a pretty shoe? (I can practically hear my white jeans begging me for an introduction.) I think a lot of the time we get stuck with an old image in our mind about something, and we can’t get it out. For example, maybe you remember your mom wearing kitten heels shoes, and you automatically associate them with old. But look at this kitten heel shoe. It’s a fresh, modern palm print. Sometimes you have to open the fashion vault in your mind and shake things up a bit. |
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3. Slide Right In!Now, this is nice! This embellished slide sandal looks very sleek and sophisticated like a lovely piece of jewelry. Nothing old lady about these. I think they are quite sexy! |
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4. DenimFun, fun, fun! This denim slingback is perfect for gals who love their shoes and want to make a bit of a standout statement. These are your wear-with-everything shoes for the spring.
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5. Delicate CharmThis elegant and classic pointed toe pump is one part classic and one part modern. I love how versatile it is. This pump will play nicely with work clothes but will dress up a pair of jeans for dinner out on the weekend. I like the pop you get from the red but it comes in a ton of different colors. Check them out if red’s not your thing. And while you’re there, make sure to read the great reviews. Oh, and have I mentioned the best part? They’re from comfortable-shoe experts, Naturalizer.
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6. Sophisticated SlingbackA slingback is my favorite type of kitten heel shoe. There’s something so chic about this look to me that I never get tired of. This woven leather slingback pump is the perfect spring/summer shoe because it gets around the tricky problem of hose or no hose. A slingback is light and open like a sandal, but you can wear a nude hose with it because of the closed toe. The best of both worlds.
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Alright, ladies, you’ve seen the lovely choices. Now tell me where you stand? Do you say ‘Yay’ or ‘Nay’ when it comes to kitten heels?
This mature “girl” loves her kitten heels. What else would a classy girl like me wear on a lovely day out shopping, going to a club, or having dinner with a man? I know he will want me so much!
Miss Roxanne Lanyon
I love them, but mules and slingbacks are just not comfortable.
I saw a separate advertisement for ‘kitten heels’ featuring shoes with a 2-2.5 inch heel and the usual 1-1.5. Maybe I’m old, but when did a 2.5-inch heel become a ‘kitten heel?’ It’s nice to see the manufacturers get the message that women do not want to wear 4-5 inch heels which cause problems and are uncomfortable. It’s unfortunate because I have seen some adorable/elegant/fabulously designed shoes with heel heights few of us can walk or stand in.
Yes! I have loved kitten heels for a long time. Sam Edelman has excellent choices. My husband is just a few inches taller than me and doesn’t like for me to tower over him in heels. Kitten heels keep us both happy! Yay for the new looks!
I’ve always loved high heels due to their unique styles. But now I’m having problems with pain in my feet if I wear them. So I’ve had to buy lower heels. Mostly around 2 inches. My issue is I’m still desiring those fantastic styles. Why can’t they make those great styles in low-heeled shoes also? You would think they would if it’s better for your feet. I’m stuck wearing lower heels with not-so-great looks. Oh well! Just expressing my point of view.
Who says you can’t wear kitten heels at any age? I love them, and I am beyond 60. They are lovely for spring and summer, casual outfits, and the more glamorous styles also carry over into the evening. They aren’t the balancing act that stilettos are. I have a pair of turquoise Talbot kitten heel thongs I have lovingly worn for ten years with skinny pants and summer sun dresses. I am so glad to see them back in the designers’ sights.
Thank you for posting alternatives to high heels. I love these kitten heels but was told by a fashion consultant that because I am very petite (5’0″, 100lbs), I should avoid kitten heels and anything with an ankle strap. Do you agree? Finding comfortable and fashionable shoes is a constant challenge.
Hi Lizette,
I’m afraid I have to disagree with the kitten heels part. When you are short, a kitten heel will elongate your legs and makes you look taller. Of course, it is not as tall as a stiletto with a higher heel, but it is still better than a flat. It’s all about what height is comfy for you. I do agree with the ankle strap part. Think about it. An ankle strap cuts across, breaking the leg’s long, lean line and making you look shorter. This is especially true if it is a dark strap, but at 5’0, I’d stay away from all belts. Cheers, Deborah
I love them and hate them. They look so comfortable, but they are anything but. It took me a week to walk without a limp after wearing them one night. Michele Obama walked down Pennsylvania Ave in them after the inauguration, so I thought they must be great walking shoes. They are all too narrow in the toe. Maybe I will try the shoe stretcher.
Kitten Heels! I think they are delicious. I think they whisper, “cute and sexy.”
I love the kitten heel with jeans and a tailored jacket!!
I would like to know which brands make the most comfortable kitten (and higher) heels for us over 40 gals who tend to have wider feet. I bought a pair of Anne Klein pumps that looked great and felt great in the store, but it nearly killed me to walk in the first time I wore them. And I tried them on in the late afternoon, like you are supposed to, and wore them in the morning. The toe box crunched me like a bear trap. It still hurts to think about it.
Hi Ellen,
I feel your pain! I have a great post about how to use a shoe stretcher for those shoes that feel on the tight side.
Also, knowing what brands fit your feet is essential. Anne Klein can run narrow, but it depends on the style. If you pick a pump with a more rounded toe, it can be a bit comfier than a pointy-toed one.
I have wide feet that have only gotten wider as I get older — the emerging bunion does not help, either! For the past five years, I have shopped for wide-width brands online. I like Sam Edelman (although their wide selections are getting fewer), J Renee, and Franco Sarto, all of which make wide-width shoes. I have not had much luck with Naturalizer or Sofft, which, even in comprehensive, are too narrow. Nordstrom, 6pm.com, Amazon, and Zappos are good places to look.
Hi Magdelene, I recently learned about Calla, which makes shoes specifically for Bunion sufferers! See here:http://www.callashoes.co.uk/.
I think that kitten heels are cute as heck. I am also in my 40s and in denial, but the one thing I cannot deny is the way wearing all of those high heels over the years has destroyed my feet. Sure they are sexy, but so is a push-up bra! which I love. I cannot wear flats…there are not comfortable, so the kitten heel works well.
Hi CFS,
Many women have had foot problems after years of wearing heels which is sad. Wedges and kitten heels are excellent options if we still want to get a little “lift”!
I am not a massive fan of the kitten he l. I think it slightly ages a woman n. I am one of those women over 40’s who’s in denial until the aches and pains sometimes associated with an aging king. Although I think a stiletto is quite womanly, I have been known to play up a JAZZY PAIR of f ts. Maybe I will do a future post on cute flats.