Heel Shapes and Heights, Explained

Block heel

A block heel is a rectangular column that carries the whole back of the foot. Because the contact patch is wide, the heel does not sink into carpet, does not catch in a floor grate and does not require the ankle to hold the shoe steady between steps. That stability is why it dominates this catalog: 26 of the 49 pairs here state a block heel in one form or another.

The trade-off is visual. A block heel reads sturdier and less formal than a needle, and at the same height it makes the leg line shorter. Most people find it the shape they can actually stand in for an evening.

Stiletto

A stiletto tapers to a small tip. All of the load arrives at the floor through an area roughly the size of a coin, so the ankle does continuous small corrections to keep the shoe under the leg. That is tiring, and it is also what makes the shape look the way it looks. On soft ground the tip sinks; on a polished floor it can slide before the sole catches.

Stilettos appear here mostly on the tall boots and on a few mid-heel dress sandals.

Wedge

A wedge fills the whole space between heel and forefoot, so the sole is one continuous piece. It is the most stable shape of the four and the most forgiving on uneven ground, which is why it turns up on the taller boots rather than on evening sandals. A wedge is also the heaviest shape, and it flexes the least when the foot rolls forward.

Platform

A platform is not a heel shape but a slab under the toe. It matters because it changes the arithmetic: a four-inch heel on a one-inch platform pitches the foot like a three-inch heel, while still standing the wearer four inches taller. If a stated height looks alarming, check whether a platform is doing part of the work.

How the stated height is measured

Heel height is measured at the back of the shoe, from the floor to the point where the heel meets the upper, and it is quoted for one size only, usually the middle of the run. A larger size in the same style is physically taller. Where a maker figure exists it is repeated on the product page exactly as stated; where it does not, no number is printed here rather than estimated from a photograph.

What to look at instead of the number

• Where the strap sits. 35 pairs in this catalog use an ankle strap. A strap that closes above the ankle bone stops the heel lifting out of the shoe; one that sits on the bone rubs.
• What the sole is made of. Rubber and synthetic rubber grip a hard floor. A smooth synthetic sole does not, until it has been walked on enough to scuff.
• What the insole says. Where cushioning is stated in this catalog it is stated as basic. Dress shoes at this price are not built as walking shoes and the product pages here do not pretend otherwise.