What Are Kitten Heels & Why Are They So Polarizing?
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The cat’s out of the bag. Kitten heels have been making a comeback in recent seasons after temporarily falling out of favor with the grand arbiters of fashion.
At Milan Fashion Week, for instance, Attico and Prada showcased low-heeled footwear as part of their spring 2025 collections, as did indie brands such as Vivetta and Federico Cina.
Off the runways, celebrities have embraced the ladylike style as well this year. Sarah Jessica Parker dressed up sweatpants with kitten heels while filming the third season of “And Just Like That…,” and both Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid were spotted in pairs at Paris Fashion Week and the Cannes Film Festival, respectively.
For those wanting to learn more about the trend before jumping in, FN explored the history and controversy around kitten heels with help from two noted fashion historians. We look at the essential components and purpose of the kitten heel — and why it has its share of haters.
What Is a Kitten Heel?
A kitten heel is defined as a shoe with a low heel that measures about 1 to 2 inches in height. But that’s not all, according to Elizabeth Semmelhack, director and senior curator at Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. The shape is important as well. “A kitten heel isn’t just a shoe with a lower heel, the heel must be a very low stiletto heel to qualify,” she said.
This silhouette first arrived in the 1950s following the invention of the stiletto, an innovation whereby a metal shank inside the shoe allowed women’s heels to be taller and narrower, yet still support the wearer.
For those who weren’t quite ready to wear those towering heels, footwear designers and brands offered a lower alternative. Enter: the kitten heel.
“This type of heel was often marketed to young women who were not yet ready for higher heels — hence the reference to a cute, young animal,” said Colleen Hill, senior curator of costume at The Museum at FIT in New York and co-curator of the 2022 exhibit “Shoes: Anatomy, Identity and Magic.”
However, women of all ages soon adopted the look, as seen on Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” in 1961 and her numerous other movie appearances. And in the 1990s, royalty brought the silhouette to the forefront once again, with Princess Diana frequently opting for short stilettos for her various public appearances.
Why Kitten Heels Are Controversial
As fashion controversies go, the kitten heel kerfuffle is quite mild, but it has inspired numerous discussions on platforms like Reddit and TikTok, where fans and haters have engaged in heated debates over its pros and cons.
The problem, as Semmelhack explains, is that the kitten heel is “strangely betwixt and between,” having neither the ability to provide complete comfort or telegraph sexuality. “Kitten heels aren’t as comfortable or as surefooted as a flat and they don’t do the work, if you will, of a stiletto in terms of expressions of power or desirability,” she said.
What’s more, said Semmelhack, “the kitten heel has long been associated with demureness, so perhaps that is part of its challenge.”
The Advantages of Kitten Heels
Despite its drawbacks as an “awkward in-between” shoe, Hill was quick to come to the kitten heel’s defense, arguing for its merits as a fashion accessory. “This style can work very well with different looks, especially if their wearer wants to play with proportions — they can pair very well with a cropped trouser, for example,” she said.
Additionally, Hill pointed to the health benefits of this silhouette, noting that some podiatrists actually recommend wearing a low heel rather than a flat. Among its attributes: It can help improve posture and offer more arch support.
Plus, Hill added, “kitten heels are certainly easier to wear than higher heels or wedges.”
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