Stiletto heel
|
A boot with a stilleto heel |
A
stiletto heel (
AmE:
spike heel) is a long, thin
heel found on some
boots and
shoes for women. It is named after the
stiletto dagger, the phrase being first recorded in the early 1950s. Stiletto heels may vary in length from only a few
centimetres up to 15 cm (6
inches), and are sometimes defined as having a diameter at the ground of less than 1 cm.
Stiletto heels transmit a large amount of force in a small area, and are therefore often stengthened by a metal rod, and a metal or hard plastic tip. The great
pressure transmitted through such a heel (greater than that exerted by an
elephant standing on one foot
) can cause damage to
carpets and
floors.
Shoe fetishism frequently involves stiletto heels.
