the.com/kitten heel
the compromise shoe that lets you flee a bad date with dignity intact
means A short, slender heel, typically around an inch or two high, offering a hint of lift without the height or instability of a full stiletto.
from Named for the cat — the heel is small and dainty, a 'kitten' beside the grown stiletto. The style became fashionable in the mid-20th century, sometimes marketed as a training heel for young girls, which suits the kitten idea: a small thing not yet grown into its full claws.
- height range
- Typically 1.5 to 2 inches, no taller
- royal favorite
- Audrey Hepburn helped make them iconic
- named for
- Marketed to teen girls as training heels
- 1950s debut
- Born when stilettos felt too grown-up
- comeback kid
- Cycles back into fashion every decade or so
for instance
salvatore ferragamo vara pump — iconic 1950s shoe with 1-2 inch heel, designed by ferragamo as practical alternative to high heels
audrey hepburn sabrina — 1954 film where audrey hepburn wore kitten heels, popularizing the style globally