Step in style

They spell class. That is why stilettos have made a comeback. They first took the fashion world by storm in the 1950s after their debut at a Christian Dior fashion show. “There is something so sexy about stilettos that they can make any outfit stylish. They make women look tall and slender,” says Kaushie Adiseshan of the label Pink Elf.

Stepping in stilettos for the first time?

It is best to start with a 3-inch stiletto and move on up. Practice does make you perfect. It’s all about looking like a pro in them.

What are the best outfits to wear with stilettos?

Pair them with a pencil skirt to office or with jeans for an evening out.

They work with any outfit and you can’t go wrong, even if you try to. They can instantaneously create any look you want— elegant, professional, sexy and stylish. Stay away from mini-skirts if you want to wear your tall, thin heels. Wearing them together could send a message you didn’t intend to. They are best worn with:

• Dressed-up blue jeans
• Trousers
• Knee-length or longer skirts

How to care for the killer heel?

Don’t walk on uneven surfaces with them. Get yourself dropped off at the party or office, so that you don’t have to walk too much.

FLIP SIDE OF STILETTOS

While wearing a stiletto may make you look smart, some doctors warn of its dangerous side effects.

Check out if you feel any of these happening to you.

The knee: The altered posture of walking in high heels places excess force on the inside of the knee, sometimes by as much as 26 per cent.

Posture: High heels can push the centre of the mass in the body forward, and may cause problems of the hip and spine.

Morton’s Neuroma: Heel height and a narrow toebox can create a thickening of tissue around a nerve between the third and fourth toes. This can be painful.

Bunions: Tight-fitting shoes may sometimes result in a bony growth on the joint at the base of the big toe, which forces the big toe to angle in, resulting in pain.

Hammertoes: A narrow toebox pushes the smaller toes into a bent position at the middle joint. This may lead to long-term bent toes.