How low can you go?

Stilettos and super-high heels are out. Power dressing today is stylish but less wobbly. We're in our comfort era

- Christalle Fernandes

Look down. How many inches do you prefer? Tsk, tsk. We're talking about your shoe preferences. High heels once signified peak femininity and allure. A six-inch heel screamed "Look at me!" They made a woman seem sexy, powerful, out of reach. They were painful to wear. But many women were willing to do “Loub jobs” to numb their heels rather than give them up.

Fashion is more forgiving now. Tabloids track how many “fancy flats” Kate Middleton owns. Japanese women are questioning the sexist rules that made heels compulsory in the office. No one’s judging you for showing up to a party in platform wedges or one-inch slingbacks. Low heels are trending. We're obsessed with shoes that feel like a hug on our feet. Here’s why...

Foot in the door

Until the pandemic, “people used to consider the design over the comfort of a shoe when they bought it,” says Amol Goel, founder of Louis Stitch footwear. “After Covid, they became concerned with not putting undue stress on their bodies.” When Goel launched their brand in 2020, stilettos made up 40% to 45% of the market demand. Now, it’s just 24%. We’ve moved towards block heels, mules, platform wedges, kitten heels, and even sliders and ballet flats. “Nobody wants to sacrifice their personal comfort for style today.”