High-heeled footwear (often abbreviated as
high heels or simply
heels) is
footwear that raises the
heel of the wearer's foot significantly higher than the toes. When both the heel and the toes are raised equal amounts, as in a
platform shoe, it is technically not considered to be a high heel; however, there are also high-heeled platform shoes. High heels tend to give the
aesthetic illusion of longer, more slender legs. High heels come in a wide variety of styles, and the heels are found in many different shapes, including
stiletto, pump (
court shoe), block, tapered, blade, and wedge.