Fashion

Magazine girls prefer pain to flat shoes

Magazine girls prefer pain to flat shoes

They cause more injuries to women than contact sports but it takes more than a cautionary tale, or even a nasty fall to get some women to climb down from their towering high heels.

Women in the magazine world — coined “clackers” for the sound their heels make on the floors of publishing houses in the cult film The Devil Wears Prada — are highly susceptible to the dangers of the killer heel.

In pictures: This season’s hot colour – white

Though stilettos and platforms may subject their wearer to discomfort, injuries and even permanent orthopaedic issues, the amount of shoe-induced injuries being seen by NSW paramedics, teamed with anecdotal evidence sourced from the ACP building, suggest women are accepting the risks and choosing glamour over safety and comfort.

National development manager for Hearst/ACP fashion titles Ann Billington learnt the dangers of this the hard way.

Ann’s incredible collection of stilettoed designer footwear which she estimates amounted to an investment of $30,000, ultimately cost her a great deal more.

An operation to remove painful bunions from Ann’s feet flagged the end of her heel-wearing days 18 months ago.

“I had a fabulous collection of heels and as a result of wearing the wrong shoes, I ruined my feet and now I have to wear flats all the time,” she says.

Ann has now sold most of the shoes that caused her bunions, but despite the damage they caused, she has no regrets about subjecting her feet to horrifying heels and perilous points for so many years.

“I don’t regret the shoes, I regret having the operation,” she says. “I wish I still had my bunion and I could wear my heels… but I’d be in a lot of pain.”

Though Ann is much more comfortable when she walks, she’s disappointed with how it has changed her.

“I’m not me anymore,” she says. “I was always somebody who loved wearing heels and spent all my money on them. I can’t wear flamboyant outfits that only look good with heels any more, I have to be more sensible.”

But The Weekly’s style director Judith Cook assures any outfit can still look chic sans heel.

Throughout her illustrious career in fashion and magazines Judith has seen her share of injuries caused by wearing heels and has even had some herself. Now advocating the flat shoe she assures us there are some stylish alternatives.

“I definitely think you can look chic in a flat shoe — I mean look at Coco Chanel and the gorgeous flats she brought in.”

Judith advises teaming a flat shoe with a longer skirt for the more mature, or a very short skirt for younger wearers. And while flats may carry a reputation for being boring, the choice is no longer limited.

“You don’t buy a boring flat shoe, you buy something with a bit of interest,” Judith says. “We all like brogues and there are plenty of designer flats with embellishments like bows and sequins. They’re incredible.”

Related: High heels more dangerous than sport

But still, there’s always a need for a sky high heel, Judith says, listing occasions like Fashion Week and weddings.

“It’s extreme torture sometimes, but I could never say to anyone they should never wear them,” she says.

Your say: Have you ever suffered any heel-related injuries?

Video: Taking the pain out of high heels

Related stories