Here, Kitty Kitty
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They’re Ba-a-a-a-ack! Kitten heels, that is, and I couldn’t be happier. It feels like an eternity since we’ve had some sensible heels available in more than a few token, frumpy styles.
I must confess that a pointy-toe kitten heel shoe has always been my very favorite style of footwear, one I find very feminine and elegant. I’d never stopped wearing the two pair I’d kept from years ago, and am glad to have more choices available. They work with dresses, skirts or pants, and allow one to actually walk rather than hobble. Here are some kittens that have caught my eye recently (click on the Shopstyle or Polyvore images for links):
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Are you a fan of kitten heels? How do you style them?
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You have great legs, so kitten heels will suit you. For women like me, with piano legs, they are far less flattering; I look better in 2.5 inches (and up but I can’t wear them), a flat on the chunky side (not ballerinas) or a low wedge. Though they are far better to work in than higher heels, not all women can wear them.
Gorgeous Kitty heels – especially the leopard ones. Am also pleased they are back – very elegant without being back braking! And love your cute dogs with their scarves for 4th July – hope you had a wondeful time. x
I’ve worn kittens for years too, and love the look/comfort. Those Enzo Angiolini pewter sandals are yummy, and on sale too.
The kittens are certainly better than stilettos. But, I would not recommend wearing those pointy toes every day, especially if you’ll be on your feet much of the time. Although they are cute.
Hooray, that is wonderful news for me too. My favorite shoes at every price point were my kitten heels with a pointy toe. I still have a few pairs but it’s great to know that they’ll be readily available again. This is one trend I’m happy to see return. As for voluminous dolman sleeve tops and dresses, not so much:-)
A fun selection! I’m always a bit bemused at the declarations that kitten heels are back — for me, they’re always, or still, here. I’ve got a pair of pointy pink kitten-heeled Fluevogs that are 7 or 8 years old, and I wear them at least every few months. I always manage to have 3 or 4 pairs with a kitten heel and a pointy toe on the go. Funny, I really don’t find the pointy toe uncomfortable, as so many assume they are, as long as they’ve been properly fitted.
Ah finally…I’ve been waiting for comfortable kitten heels to make their way back into fashion.
I can no longer wear heels higher than 2.5″ – and I suspect that in the next 2 years I’ll lose that half inch as well! So I love kitten heels. I am less a fan of the extremely pointy toe; I prefer a rounded-toe the most.
Regarding bunions – not sure whether they are caused or whether one is naturally inclined to them, but I am beginning to have a slight bunion on one foot, and it only appeared after a 3 year job where I wore pointy-toed shoes most of the time.
I love the kitten heel. And for the less-than-wealthy, a couple of tips about buying them: 6pm often has last year’s Stuart Wietzman (which I am sure I spelled incorrectly) and other high-end brands at a steep discount. For a decent, attractive kitten heel pointy-toe pump for about $70, try Bandolino’s Berry. It’s been around for ages, comes in a wide range of colors, and is reasonably comfortable for office wear.
I love them, Jimmy Choo pointed toe low heels are my favourites, such an elegant shoe. I’ve loathed all of the dominatrix heels that have been in vogue this last while.
I love them, Jimmy Choo pointed toe low heels are my favourites, such an elegant shoe. I’ve loathed all of the dominatrix heels that have been in vogue this last while.
Meow that’s great news!
Love your party shoe selections…
Looks like you are having a lot of fun !
Being of the shrimpy persuasion, I didn’t used to be a fan of kitten heels. I preferred a nice 3″ heel, and a bit of saucy “toe cleavage.”
But I must say – these kitten heels have lots of flirtatious appeal – and the advantage of a little bit of height for the Lilliputian crowd.
🙂
Would someone explain which heels complement which leg shapes? I think I am clueless.
Meow, so glad they are going to be more available. I think most women look good in them. can’t wait to see the new fall styles.
I love a kitten heel and pointy toed shoe for professional, classic looks!! Just the touch of the kitten heel can actually make us look my youthful and classy from the flat…I can’t walk in the higher heels since bunion surgery, so the kitten is the way to go!
I have gigantic calves, (years of tennis) and I find kitten heels make my legs look even chunkier than they are. What would you recommend?
Susan Tiner: Piano legs-as the term suggests- are legs with little ankle definition. Nnot necessarily heavy, just lacking that well-turned curve. I inherited them and learned to dress around them (or ignore) b/c no amount or type of exercise gives you neat ankles if you don’t have the bones under there.
Thanks for the explanation of piano legs. I had no idea either. I had envisioned long skinny legs–who knows why.
I still want instruction of which kinds of heels flatter which kinds of legs.
They were never out for moi can always depend on LK Bennett for great kitten heels…now she will have even more on offer..happy footsie days.Ida
I adore the kitten heel but like Duchesse they don’t really flatter my leg shape. I wear them with trousers, love the pointed toe peeking out from the hem/cuff. I find a pointed kitten heel to be surprisingly comfortable and wearable all day!
I adore kitten heels, but have downed too often that a too-thin heel makes them more difficult to walk in ( surprisingly so), and so 8 look for what I think is called a Louis heel: not too chunky ( the kiss of death for any shoe), slightly carved-in, like an 18th Century heel. Love them with trousers, full skirts, even pencil skirts, but not dresses, ever. How odd is that?
@Gretchen, I agree with you. I have never found the odd low height/tiny heel combo of kittens to be comfortable to walk in, and there’s the added problem I have of a narrow enough heel that pumps hate. They just don’t stay on! However, I used to have some wonderful buttery Louis-heeled Petras that I wore out.
So sorry to leave my comment, as everyone else has had so much good to say about this shoe type. Well, here goes: I don´t like sharp points or kitten heels at all!
They just don´t appeal to me at all.
But, I have nothing against those of you, who seem to like them!
Duchesse – thanks! It really is about finding what best suits our build and structure, isn’t it? I love the look of wedges but so seldom find any that look good on me.
Semi Expat – yes, it’s nice to have some feminine shoes that don’t risk broken ankles! We had a lovely Fourth, thanks!
Patti – those sandals are a great price on sale…just the thing for summer.
Rita – the trick with the pointy toes is finding ones that don’t start tapering until they’re past the toe line. I don’t wear anything that pinches! The Stuart Weitzmans (black patent) are very comfortable.
Pam – I agree, just the little bit of heel makes a big difference!
Jane M – oh, the dolman sleeve tops are not my friend either!
🙁
But at least shoe shopping may soon be more fun than frustrating.
materfamilias – they never are “out” for me either, but it was so crazy-making for the last few years to not be able to find anything between flats and 4″. I love those pink Vogs of yours.
Belle de Ville – oh, me too!
Aunt Snow – I’m not sure about bunions either. I always make sure that my shoes give me enough room in the toe box so that there aren’t pressure points, but maybe I’ve just been lucky so far. I never wore big heels on a regular basis either.
cafelatte – thanks for the tip about 6pm! They have some great markdowns.
Bourbon & Pearls – I hadn’t even known that Jimmy Choo made low heels, as the retailers around here seem to carry only the vertiginous versions. But maybe now there will be more available.
ida – I’m not familiar with that line, but will definitely check them out.
Allie – I find them very comfortable too. BTW, I have been having a terrible time trying to post comments on your blog for the last several weeks. But your skirt today with the pockets was fabulous!
hostess – I must confess, I did have fun!
Big Little Wolf – even though I’m a short stack myself, I never got the hang of heels. My 3″ Fluevogs were as high as I could comfortably go. I do think some of the kitten heels are quite fetching.
Gretchen – yes, thicker heels are easier to walk in. I find that switching from a slightly higher heel to a kitten takes an adjustment period too.
Someone – I also find some shoes are just make with really wide heels. There are also some padded heel grips that you can get for the inside. I often have to do this with flats.
Susan – gah, I’m clueless. But I just got Imogen’s new book on accessorizing and am going to read it this weekend, so maybe I’ll have some guidelines to share next week in the review.
Corrine – me too! I’m hoping that this trend will be in full swing for fall.
metscan – the fact that we all have different tastes is what keeps life interesting! Your taste runs more to beautiful riding boots, if I recall correctly…
Tiffany – I’ve found that as with high heels, some low heel shoes are better balanced and designed than others. But they can take some getting used to when one has been wearing flats or chunkier heels.
Susan Tiner – there are many brands that offer wide sizes, including Stuart Weitzman. Nordstroms tends to carry more brands and options in wide sizes too.
beyondbeige – I’m not sure, but my inclination would be to balance the calves with some shoes with a bit more volume, like wedges, or something with a little bit of a platform. I’d also think you’d want to avoid delicate little straps; you can carry off bolder designs and still look proportional.
I don’t have any, but I must try some … I used to find that they gave me the wobbles (oddly, more than higher heels), but I’m willing to try again!
Duchesse has me wondering about piano legs — I have no idea what she means!
Love those kitten heels though. That’s a heel height I can manage, if I can find it in a wide size.
About bunions – they can be caused by wearing pointy toes (don’t think because the shoes feel fine, it’s not happening). But, they can be hereditary as well. I have that type of feet. It looks like I have an arch until I step down, then the foot flattens completely. The ligaments aren’t firm enough to hold things in place.
Je t’aime kitten heels! Especially pointed toe kitten heels. They are the only shoes I wear consistently. I always feel so chic/vintage in them.
Always a fan….let’s hope they stay…..xv
I adore kitten heels. They are the only shoes I wear except for flats. Great selection
Yeah! Love them!
Delighted to see more kitten heels in the marketplace. I hope it becomes a trend; I spent several hours at the Galleria yesterday, and there are still so many “hooker shoes” (stilettos with huge platforms) in the stores. Yeccch. Not only are those unwalkable, they are ugly as well (IMO).
Quite off topic, I saw something in Sephora that caught my attention. Laura Mercier has eyeliners she calls “tightliners”, as in the eyelining method you described here a while ago. She is also selling “tightliner serum”, a tiny dropper bottle of some sort of thick liquid, which you are supposed to mix with your liner cake to make a paste, and then line your eyes. The serum was about $20 for a tiny bottle. On first glance, it seems quite a rip-off. I’m wondering if it is that much better than just using a drop of water, which is how I do my liner. Has anyone tried this product, or Mercier’s “tightliner?”
I find they slip into cracks in the pavement and the heels get ruined!
I think kitten heels are very chic. However, I cannot wear them. I would fall off them and break my ankle. I don’t know what is wrong with my feet, but if I don’t have a heel that fits the width of the shoe, I will twist my ankle. I wear flats all the time, not the most fashionable look, but safer for me.
Minority report here: I find those dainty little heels much less stable than higher ones. Besides, they make me look weirdly proportioned (I’m 5’8″ and wear US size 6–Euro 36 or 37–so I always risk looking like I’m about to topple over). I do like pointy toes, because they make my feet look longer and more appropriate to my height, but I prefer a broader-yet-still-shapely heel of at least 2.5″.
Am soo glad they are back–I think they are my favorite shoe too. those and espadrilles.
I love kitten heels and really, never stopped wearing them. So good to hear that they’re back!
Can someone define a kitten heel? I used to think that they were heels of a particular shape. Are they just low heels?
Ugh, I love the way they look, but they are murder on my wide feet! I’m sick to death of Frankenstein platforms, but I much prefer a wider toe box and a less wobbly heel with more substance.
However, I’ve had my fun over the past few years, and I’ve stocked up on enough Louis heels, chunky heels, and wedges. I can give up my round-toed, clunky shoes with a good grace. (At least, I hope I can!)
vicki archer – me too, at least long enough to stock up for the next drought…
😉
Chicatanyage – thanks, glad you like these. I expect that we’ll see even more available come fall.
lady jicky – me too!
Rita – ah, good to know. I have a very high arch and tight ligaments, don’t know if that “protects” from bunions or not.
DebbieF – I find them very chic as well.
SheWhoAccessorizesWell – I get that; a wider heel is definitely more stable. The Stuart Weitzmans are pretty stable and I don’t wobble in them at all.
Jill Ann – I’m not into the “hooker shoes” either. I just can’t get past that association. I have not seen the LM eyeliners, but I haven’t been doing much makeup shopping lately. I’ll check these out next time I’m in the makeup section. I usually use the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner for tightening, haven’t tried the cake eyeliners either.
Faux Fuchsia – I haven’t had that problem with kitten heels as much as with higher stilettos, but yes, it can be a hazard.
Nancy – that’s OK, they’re not for everyone. What I do wish is that one shoe style wouldn’t predominate to the exclusion of others. It feels like low- to mid-heel shoes have been SO hard to find the last few years!
fashionoverfifty – espadrilles are fun too, and seem to be everywhere this summer.
The Style Crone – me too; I hope they stick around for a while!
Susan – generally they’re narrow heels, but I’ve seen the description applied lately on wider, stacked heels as well.
Poppy Buxom – I’m a big believer in wearing the styles you love regardless of whether they’re “in” or “out”, so enjoy your favorite shoes.