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Kitten Heels: The Fashion Trend I Love to Hate

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I hate kitten heels.

I think kitten heels are the worst fashion trend ever. They make me want to vomit. I know, I know: Michelle Obama seems incapable of wearing anything else, and fashion bloggers everywhere just can't shut up about how kitten heels are soooo cute. I think they're about as cute as fresh roadkill. Maybe it's because I was a ballet dancer, but I've always assumed that the whole point of high heels is to lengthen the leg and lend a graceful arch to the foot. Kitten heels fail on both counts. I especially despise the kind of shoe with a kitten heel that curves inward from the back of the ankle, breaking the natural line of the calf instead of extending it. The really awful thing about kitten heels is that most women who wear them aren't tall and stately like Michelle, nor are they slim and narrow like Audrey Hepburn (Hepburn was the fashion icon who started the kitten heel trend).

What do you think of kitten heels?

If you're like most fashionistas these days, you're all about the kitten heels.

Maybe you think I'm totally wrong, and kitten heels are adorable. Defend your beloved kitten heels here. Or maybe you agree that kitten heels are ugly and ridiculous, in which case you should state your case and join me in the war against bad fashion trends.

Kitten heels: love them or hate them?

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I love kitten heels.

sara says:

I'm 5'10", if I wear high heels I look like I've had some sort of growth defect. My partner is only an inch taller than me so if I do wear heels I tower over him. I havent found any particularly beautiful kitten heels but I feel if designers paid more attention to them, this wouldn't be the case at all. Designers are SUPPOSED to cater for the catwalk, and catwalk girls are tall and slim like me - why do they insist on making us tall girls look like freaking beanpoles?!

Susan says:

Not everything needs to be sexy. I like kitten heels because I'm 5'7 and I'm too tall for the higher heels.

Patti says:

I can no longer wear high heels, and this upsets me...High heels are soooo sexxxxy but due to intense ankle pain and shooting pains up the sides of my legs are not worth suffering from when I wear them.May the people who hate them never have problems with their feet like I do.My only choice is a cute pair of kitten heels, but a cute pair is hard to find!!!

Tiffany says:

Sometimes wearing 3+ inch heels are inappropriate or not reasonable in certain situations.

A kitten heel is professional, cute and can be easily made to look fashionable for a night out after work.

Not every kitten heels is ugly, although IMO, most are. I love my leopard skin kitten heels from Dolce & Gabanna; I can wear them all day without feeling like my ankle is going to snap in half or get corns on my pinky toes.

Extremely High heels are for special events and nights out. Middle length heels are more professional and kitten heels are professional and fun. They are the best of both worlds.

Btw, the ladies who claim to be wearing high heels all the time must have the ugliest feet. Unless you live in a state where you drive everywhere and are hardly walking, you can't wear a stiletto every day. Especially where I am from in NYC. The cement will kill your shoes and your feet will BURN.

Lynda says:

even though I'm about 19, i can't wear high heels due to permanent back problems. So, i think kitten heels are wonderful. They're enough to make you feel like a young lady, but not so much wear you'll need to take them off half way through the work day.

Jacey says:

Kitten Heels are perfect for girls like me who are very tall but would like a nice feminine shoe that are at least slightly dressy.
In my opinion, it is HARD TO FIND a beautiful pair, particularly for Bridal!

Ash says:

Depends on the shoe, agreed that most kitten heels are ugly but I have a few pairs in my wardrobe that are stunning, I have an awesome zimmerman pair that actually make your legs look awesome as they are very delicate looking, but i am pretty fussy with clothes and shoes. Kitten heels if the right type are actually awesome if worn with the right clothes and on the right person too.

sonnie says:

i choose to wear kitten heels because i think they look feminine. i can no longer wear HIGH heels. i love them, they no longer love me. so, to look like a lady and not like a horse wearing square heels, i chose kitten heels now. may you never have foot problems like i do now. i can no longer walk in HIGH heels.

Antome says:

I love them even as a man, and even on shorter girls. But maybe someone is right they are a strange in betwee, you may find yourself preferring a higher but more substantial heel (I also love them) or a wedge as high as your usual stiletto that keeps you much more stable. But I'd say that medium kitten heels look as good, if they don't break your heel line with the idented heel. A good choice anyhow for a tall girl wanting to look like she wears a heel, but wanting to stay comfy, but she could wear flats as well.

gaurv says:

I love kitten heels , I just got it from http://www.simplykittenheels.com/

jrath says:

I think flats are horrible - Kitten heals are wearable and attractive if you cannot wear higher like me due to back problems and foot problems.

Kay says:

I love them because they give women like me that have had foot reconstructive surgery an option to wear a heel because we can't wear those uncomfortable 4 inch heels. To each his own, that's how I feel. I look very good in them too..I've been told by many :)

polkmn says:

Seems adorable and cute one. :)

Madalice says:

I pretty much love them all, short heels, stacked heels, no heels, stiletto heels. I'm past 50 now , out of shape and my stiletto wearing days are over but a cute pair of shoes still brightens my day.

sienna says:

kitten heels are not good on 16+ but maybe if your 13 and want heels
kitten heels are good

aries says:

Not GYM brand I meant TUK shoes.

aries says:

Not everyone can wear stillettoes. I am 152cm and my daughter is 172 cm. My feet are small and slender and hers are long and slender. I never felt the need to wear very high stilettoes when I was younger. I also didnt need to wear them to feel good about myself. Platforms were the best thing as long as the arch was not high. Thank god they are back in fashion with a choice of arch. The light cork platforms feel like you are not wearing any thing. GYM brand of rockabilly shoes are great. My daughter loves them.

vishal says:

This kitten heels make me comfortable while traveling or in office

Ingrid says:

If you're 186cm like me, you LOVE kitten heels!

Ruth says:

I love kitten heels. I can't wear higher heels because of my back. When I wear skirts with tights/leggings I like a nice shoe. I find ballet flats are pretty boring.

I hate kitten heels.

Kasha says:

I own one pair of nice kitten heels. One. The rest are ogly. Ogily.

Rachael says:

Kitten heels present women in a ridiculous proportion! Yet platform heels of four-inch heels are ludicrous, and eventually make podiatrists and ortho doctors rich. We are so determined on living healthy, so why don't we do the same for our feet?

I only buy Naot, Merrell or Born footwear. I will not succumb to the popular shoe fashions.

TheLifestyleChanger says:

Hate them!

KataDC says:

For me, there are only two choices. High heels or flats.

jen says:

I hate them too, ugly!! I love heels and I mean real heels

Jennifer says:

They are horrible. No longer a flat, not yet a heel. Just a wannabe in limbo.

Anna says:

Ugh, I hate them. They're soooo ugly.

Laura says:

I mean, choose flats or high heels, not something in-between and odd looking. And i must say - kitten heels don't make legs look better, they actually make them look stumpy.

Kris says:

They r just goss to look at!

Chloe says:

I despise these ugly little things. My aunt wears them all the time and they just don't look good at all. In fact they make her calves look bigger. IMHO, if you wanna wear heels either go big or go home.

Dari says:

i absolutely HATE kitten heels, they look ridiculous on 95% of people who wear them, and unless you have perfect, slender small feet, they make your feet look horrid

Ellie says:

They are UGLY. And they look STUPID!

Sav says:

Hate them. Absolutely Hate them. Vomit. The ONLY time they are even close to okay is if they are a wedge- never, ever a stiletto. They make you look ridiculous. Unless you are 10 years old, you should feel completely ashamed if you've purchased these sad excuses for "heels". If you have a short boyfriend, buy him Docs and yourself a real high heel. Work it out, ladies- there's never a good reason for kitten heels. Sorry, but it's true.

Molly says:

@ Carolina
Come on! I'm six foot tall and I wear six inch heels ALL the time. Embrace your height! It's beautiful. Do you know how many women out there would kill to be as tall as you? Kitten heels are godawful. Besides if you're tall, you probably wear a bigger shoe and kitten heels will make your feet look big. Whereas sky-high stilettos will elongate your already mile long legs and make your feet look smaller.
Just sayin

StrawwBeri says:

I personally don't like them at all. they aren't very cute. but my older sister thinks they'd be great for me to learn how to walk in heels. But I still don't like them at all.

La_Dee says:

A thin, short stiletto LOOKS ridiculous, but it's even worse for balance than it's high-rise cousin because of its placement on the sole of the shoe. It is located so far in under the heel that it makes the foot "wobblier" when the wearer walks. I do hate them and would NEVER buy them!

Amanda says:

@lola: you're right, that isn't fair.... and, do you really feel OK about judging a woman's intelligence based on the height of her heels?

You've got some very harsh ways of seeing certain "types" of women, and I would like to respecfully challenge those viewpoints.

Whether they are kitten heels or platform stilettos, shoes are just shoes. Women, however, are complex... much more so than their fashion choices.

cjsysreform says:

@Sophie:

"The only people i know who hate them are short and i feel like saying 'Your short, you can wear heels without being taller than most guys.' Yeah so shut up."

Whatever. I wear flats as often as I wear heels, even though flats make it obvious that I'm short. Who cares? I'm not interested in looking taller or shorter than I am, just for some man who probably won't even notice or care. The point is, kitten heels are ugly; end of story.

kt_glasses says:

I don't like it, looks so weird.

kzolady says:

I think kitten heels are really awakward and ugly and an insult to kittens of the world.

 
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The only kitten heels I like. 

Kitten Heels and Fashion Icons

How kitten heels got famous: Audrey Hepburn vs. Michelle Obama

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Audrey Hepburn Flats

Get the iconic Audrey look, sans kitten heels.

If you love this fashion icon's signature style, skip the kitten heels and go for a pair of retro Audrey Hepburn-inspired flat shoes. She favored pointy-toed leather skimmers, peep-toe slingback styles, and rounded ballet flats. The look should be high-class and minimalist; stick to basic colors and graceful, delicate shapes.
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More on Fashion

Not all of my fashion articles are about trends I hate.

I suppose I should admit to having a few stupid fashion cravings of my own. I love destroyed designer jeans (yes, I pay money for jeans that start out wrecked), deep red lipstick (I've been told it makes me look like a totally scary dead person), and anything with peacock feathers. Check out all of my fashion articles from the author bio page linked below.
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Thanks for visiting my kitten heels catfight.

Have your final say on kitten heels, fashion trends, and whatever else.

Do you own a pair of kitten heels? If so: are they shoes, or are your kitten heels attached to a kitten... or both?

  • D Craig Apr 13, 2012 @ 6:26 pm | delete
    I like kitten heels because they are comfortable and sometimes I need a little heel to make me a little taller during a casual affair.
  • cocktailsexaminer Jul 29, 2011 @ 9:58 pm | delete
    I respectfully disagree! If you are mad for kitten heels, check out my squidoo page: http://www.squidoo.com/mad-for-kitten-heels
  • cjsysreform Nov 5, 2011 @ 1:31 am | delete
    well, I guess that was inevitable. *shudder*
  • kt_glasses Jan 7, 2011 @ 8:37 pm | delete
    I love the real kitten heels as in that cute kitten picture, like you do.
  • cjsysreform Jan 8, 2011 @ 5:25 am | delete
    Awww! Totally. My cat's heels are definitely tres chic.... but then, every part of her is. Whenever she goes to the vet, somebody always says "oh she's so pretty." I'm such a proud mama.
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cjsysreform

Amanda Sage is the author of The Itty Bitty Bra Guide. Follow her style and fit tips on Twitter, or contact her at 32aaBra.com. more »

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