Types of Heels: From a Royal Wedding Story to the Stiletto

The story goes that in 1533, a fourteen-year-old Catherine de' Medici married the Duke of Orleans, the future Henry II of France, in heeled shoes made for the occasion to give her some extra height and presence at the French court. Historians question whether she really brought heels to France this way, and there is no strong evidence for the tale. I still like it, because it gets the point in one wedding: a heel is posture, and the different types of heels each do a different job. If you want to keep going, Louboutin Heels: The Red Sole Story, From Pumps to Mules is the one I would read next.

 

The red heel is the next chapter. Louis XIV wore them, and at the Sun King's court they were red to symbolize his authority. The needle came later. Roger Vivier's own house credits him with the first stiletto in 1954, with a metal rod set into the wood so the heel could be lighter and still hold up, and the name comes from narrow-bladed knives. That is the thin, high end of the family, and it is where I would begin.

 

Picture her walking into an October dinner in black tights and a slip skirt. The Hazel pointed-toe pump from Sam Edelman in black leather is the quiet one, and the Miranda in glossy black patent from Schutz is the louder cousin. The Daphne in chestnut brown from Kate Spade New York reads softer with camel and gray. For bare legs and a long evening I would look at the ankle-strap sandals: the Barlett from Calvin Klein, the Molly from Tony Bianco, and the Nudist II 100 from Stuart Weitzman, whose 100mm is a number worth knowing.

 

Here is the practical bit. Stand the shoe on a flat surface and measure from the floor to where the heel meets the shoe. A stiletto in the three to four inch range is for dressy occasions and is harder to walk in, so I would keep these for dinners, not for the commute.

Kitten heels have a youthful past. Elizabeth Semmelhack, a senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, told Vogue that the style took on a connection to youthfulness and teenage girls. In the United States it was also marketed as the Sabrina heel, after the 1954 Audrey Hepburn film. I find that oddly charming for a shoe that now suits a board meeting.

 

The easy test is how the heel meets the back of your foot. On a slingback, check that the strap sits snug when you stand, not only when you sit. The Sabra from Vince in burgundy patent and the Bianka from Sam Edelman in soft beige both have that pointed toe and slim heel. The Ceddy from Marc Fisher LTD is ivory mesh and patent, which I would save for a wedding guest outfit in a muted color. The Tanna from Tommy Hilfiger in black leather is the one for tights and a gray flannel trouser.

 

For the office, the Stuart Power 50 pump from Stuart Weitzman is black leather on a 50mm kitten heel, so you can stand at a meeting without counting the minutes. The GG Supreme canvas slingback from Gucci is the loud one, pairing with a plain black coat. The Cleo mule from Dolce Vita in tan has a bow, and I would wear it with a wide-leg jean and a knit that hits the hip. The Raya Knot from Aerosoles in tan nappa leather has a low heel and a knot detail.

 

What I would skip: a kitten heel with a loose slingback strap, because you will be gripping with your toes by noon.

Block heels are the ones where measuring needs a second look. A block or wedge slopes outward, so measure from the outermost point of the heel, straight up from the table to where the back of the heel meets the shoe, not along the diagonal. Do that for each pair you are comparing and the numbers mean something.

 

That wider base is why I reach for a block heel on a long day. The Blanche from Cole Haan is caramel suede with a pointed toe and a chunky heel, and the Fauna from Paul Green is chocolate suede on a wide block. Both are made for October, with corduroy or a pleated midi. The Micha T-strap pump from Vince Camuto in rich mahogany is the vintage one, and the Romina from Donna Karan New York is burgundy with gold on a square heel, which I would put with a charcoal suit.

 

For sandals, the Block Heel Ankle Strap Sandal from Prada is brown leather on a chunky square heel, and the Irisse from Cordani is beige and strappy. The Raquel from Vionic is black with a stacked block heel, and the Izzy from Naturalizer is black on a sturdy block. I would wear any of those with tights through the shoulder season, or bare legs on a warm afternoon at the end of the month.

 

What I would skip: a block heel that is as heavy as a boot. If you cannot lift your foot easily in the fitting room, it will drag by the second flight of stairs.

Platforms are the oldest trick in the book. Ferragamo's Rainbow, from 1938, was a platform sandal for Judy Garland, with a heel and cork platform covered in suede. The Bata Shoe Museum counts it among the famous shoes of the 1930s. The idea has not left, and a modern platform is a way to take the height without the steep angle.

 

Here is a number to check. Platform heels are measured twice: the heel at the back and the platform under the ball of your foot. The front lift makes a tall heel less of a climb, so look at both. The Stelan from Steve Madden is black patent with a hidden front platform on a tall stiletto, and the Jenna Buckle from Christian Louboutin is black patent with a 150mm heel, which is a night-out shoe and nothing else. The Chelsea from Kurt Geiger London is an olive suede ankle-strap pump with a chunky sole, and the Cecelia from Free People has a studded wood platform and a block heel. I went deeper on a related idea in Looking for the Most Comfortable Heels? Start With the Block, Not the Stiletto.

 

For something calmer, the Arianna from Cinq à Sept is dark sepia suede on a block heel, and the Sylvie from Kate Spade New York is a light laurel green. The Pendreya from Vince Camuto is sandstone leather with a raised platform and block heel, and the Jixte from Jessica Simpson is dark cherry with a flared heel. I would pair those with a straight jean and a cropped sweater.

 

What I would skip: a very high platform when the stairs on your route outnumber the dinner courses.

Wedges came out of the same workshop. Ferragamo's wedges were often built from layers of cork, and he showed that off by covering each layer in a contrasting material. Today the cork shows up in espadrilles and the sloped heel in fall boots, which is why this is the type I would keep going through October.

 

A wedge is one solid piece from heel to toe, so the test is the flex. Hold the shoe and bend it at the ball, and check that the sole gives where your foot does. The Olivia from Kenneth Cole is a black suede slingback espadrille platform, and the Freya from Kenneth Cole is a black ankle-strap sandal on a woven wedge. The Helen from Pedro Garcia in tan suede has a wide hook-and-loop strap, which keeps the foot in place on a warm afternoon.

 

For colder days, there are the booties. The Blithe from Blondo is brown waterproof leather, so it does the wet sidewalk. The Ashtin from Dolce Vita is a cognac pointed-toe bootie that I would wear with a plaid skirt and tights. The Getty from Seychelles is a slouchy brown suede on a stacked wedge, the Aria 2.0 from Vionic is mulled wine suede with a lugged sole, and the G-7033 from Wonders is a brown suede mid-calf boot.

 

What I would skip: a wedge with a heavy rubber sole when you are wearing a long skirt, since it will catch the hem.

Here is what I would do, in order. Decide where the shoe lives: a dinner, a desk, or a weekend on cobblestones. Then pick the height. Low heels run one to two inches, mid heels two to three, and high heels three to four, so match the number to the day.

 

Next, check the shape. Stilettos for a short evening, kitten heels for a long day, block heels when you stand, platforms for height without the steep angle, wedges for fall boots and summer espadrilles. Measure each one the same way, from the floor up.

 

Catherine de' Medici may or may not have worn heels at her wedding, but the idea has lasted nearly five hundred years. I would buy the one I could walk to the car in.