Whether you call them Louis heels or pompadour heels, French Heels have a rich history. Dating back to the 18th century, these royal heels have been associated with a status symbol. They remained at the peak of fashion into 1920s, but then the trend faded away. As we enter 2024, it’s important to know what French heels were all about as we try to bring back the trend especially for the summer and spring season.
The classic court shoe type heels feature a sculpted mid heel with a cinched waist and a wide top. They are rapidly curved at the bottom part as well. Besides that, the modern iterations come in the form of slip on mule heels, kitten heels and many others. Before we head onto the specifics, let’s first discuss what French heels are.
What is a French Heel?
To describe them best, they are heels which feature a wide top, a thin middle and a curved bottom part – almost like a spool heel or an hourglass figure. They are typically low height and can come in the form of boots or pumps as well. The traditional versions are out of fashion for obvious reasons as French Heels were not that comfortable or chic, but the newer versions are surely the talk of the town with many designers like Manolo Blahnik coming up with opulent designs.
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Are French Heels Out Of Style?
Traditionally, a lot of effort used to be exerted in creation of shoes. With less technology available, people resorted to manual methods of production which oftentimes resulted in unique styles of heels. French heels by their design are a hand turned item. Today, because of mechanized production methods, hand molded arch and curves are hardly ever possible unless the brand specifically hand crafts the heels.
For mass production, designers go for the classic stiletto heel designs, platform heels, chunky and kitten heels. Not just that, but even lucite heels are the talk of the town owing to the simplicity when it comes to their production. There’s a reason why most French heels are super expensive. Since special effort is put in to create the ideal pair, they can raise the bar too high, making them less affordable.
For heels to be affordable, they need to pop out of the mold rather than coming together as pieces which requires manual effort, time wastage as well as specialized set of skills. This explains why the sweeping curves of the classic French Heel are long gone with the flare and inward swoop under the arch as it is too costly to make them in plastic.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of French Heels?
| Pros | Cons |
| Heels are heels, and at the end of the day, it all comes down to your own preferences. So, if you want to add more diversity to your heels collection, French Heels would be a great pick! It’s nice to look at contemporary versions of antiques as it is likely to catch your eye the most. So, to stand out from the crowd and make a statement, go for the classic French Heels especially if it’s a formal event. | Another benefit of wearing them would be the convenient heel height and the ability of French Heels to accentuate your feet. You’ll be exuding feminine vibes wherever you go! At the same time, since there’s a plethora of options available out there, you might be missing out on the other trendy options like platform heels, chunky heels and even kitten heels. You may end up looking old fashioned and it can be quite risky to wear them as they can put a lot of pressure on your arch as well. |
Final Thoughts
On a concluding note it can be said that when you have comfortable and more convenient options available, it would not make sense to go for heels that are uncomfortable or may cause excessive discomfort to your feet. With arch support heels, cushioned insoles and so many other options available, it can be difficult to decide whether you want to settle for such heels or not, given that their hype isn’t that much either.
Nonetheless, sometimes it is better to stand out from the crowd by adopting a traditional look with a contemporary finesse. It all comes down to how you dress up. Your clothes, accessories, makeup and everything else also count. So if you’re able to pair them all up well with some nice French Heels, you may be oozing royalty and the extravagant vibes which can surely leave a lasting impression. Head onto the designer brands to skim through some of the best pairs of French Heels and then get ready to make heads turn as you try to bring back the elite fashion trend. Good luck!
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