I was once in New Orleans on a bachelorette party, when, after one too many Hurricanes, I asked an off-duty dancer if I could try on her high heels. The shoes in question were six-inch platform mules and the platform was -- of course -- clear perspex. She warily handed me her shoes, and I gave them a go. These were no Cinderella slippers. Rather, they were sweaty (a lot of work goes into swinging around that pole) and precarious. I teetered across the bar a few times, returned the shoes to their owner and happily rejoined my friends.
We've watched the platform trend (literally) grow and grow. When Carrie Bradshaw made Manolo Blahnik a household name in 2000, she was solely wearing his signature stilettos (the designer famously refuses to add a platform). But those inches weren't enough. In the 12 years since, we've seen Britney fall off her platform flip-flops while holding one of her infant sons, Victoria Beckham don six-inchers at the royal wedding, Jessica Simpson reluctantly take hers off to give birth and an expectant Snooki take a tumble in her shoes.
So, how high is too high? At what point do you go from just a simple boost in height to the pole-dancing variety? The answer is that it depends on the rest of your look. If your outfit is demure, then feel free to add a few extra inches. But if your shorts are on the shorter side, or your skirt is very flirty, opt for a lower platform, since you are already exposing enough leg. Lastly, always choose a more conservative style when you're headed to the office and give your feet a rest as much as possible -- we know the toll that these shoes take.
Here, 40 stars who take it to the next level in platforms, as well as a few options to add to your shoe collection. Is it just a matter of time until people start wearing stilts?
