Block heels high on style but risks linger

Marilyn Monroe once said, ‘Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.’ Looks like block heels are the right kind of shoes this season.

After stilettos being a runway favourite for some time, fashionistas are now turning towards something that they can literally wear from morning to evening without an ‘ouch’. The chunky block heels of the 90s are making a stylish comeback and how.

Nandini Swaminathan, lifestyle blogger, Sartorial Secrets says, “Block heels are back in a big way in strappy sandals, boots and even pumps. The fact that it is both comfortable and in-trend make for a great footwear choice this season. It is a given that they are more comfortable than stilettos, which is again a fair reason why block heels are getting popular with people.”

Sumreen Sandhu, blogger, started wearing block heels as she wanted to break the mainstream trend of stilettos. They being painful was another reason. “I met with an accident and fractured my toes. Since then, I found it really hard to walk in pointed heels. Wearing block heels makes me more confident; I am not scared of tripping and falling anymore,” she says.

Sumreen feels that anyone can pull off block heels on a daily basis. However, she makes it clear that your feet do hurt in these heels too but not as much as stilettos. “I can wear shoes with block heels for about six to seven hours in a day.”

The versatile nature of block heels have made it a must-have for most people in the city. Shiny Alexander, city-based designer says, “The key here is to find the right-sized footwear. Try many shoes with block heels and walk a bit in them — then you will know your correct size,” she says, adding that these shoes are suitable for all kinds of activities like running or long hours of shopping.

While many people talk about the pros of block heels, Ravindra P, senior consultant orthopedics, Columbia Asia Hospital, Whitefield still believe that heels of any kind are not good.
“Pointed heels tend to cause a little instability so people prefer wearing block heels. However, in terms of health, high heels can lead to chronic back ache, increase the chances of spondylitis and can also cause knee pain. Block heels, on the other hand, don’t allow a person to walk straight. A person tends to bend the knee which results in severe knee pain over a period of time. It increases the amount of energy one needs to spent on walking and knee observes the maximum weight or pressure of the body,” he says.

He also highlights that block heels obstruct the calf muscles to pump blood back into the body and it results in improper circulation of blood to the human body.

“There isn’t a major difference in wearing a block or a pointed heel. However, the one advantage of block heels is that since it is more stable, incidences of falling over can be avoided,” he sums up.

Style your look with block heels
Pair your tailored trousers with a button down shirt and a blazer for work.
Or keep it casual. Wear it with a skater dress, culottes or a pair of wide-legged pants.