Shoes for making men taller
April 29, 2007 8:29 AM Subscribe
Is there such a thing as a shoe insert for men that adds an inch or so to one's height, maybe by lifting the ball of the foot up a little bit? Or are there specially designed tennis/casual/etc shoes?
I'm not talking about anything as extreme as platform shoes, but rather something more subtle. I think I could benefit from another inch. I have no idea what is available out there.
I'm not talking about anything as extreme as platform shoes, but rather something more subtle. I think I could benefit from another inch. I have no idea what is available out there.
They're called 'shoe lifts' and there's lots available.
I'm 4ft 11, and rarely wear heels. On the odd occasion when I do, I end up with terrible backache. Wearing a lift in your shoe will change your entire posture and redistribute the way your weight is carried on your skeleton, so be prepared for some lumbar problems if you decide to go with the lifts.
posted by essexjan at 8:41 AM on April 29, 2007 [1 favorite]
I'm 4ft 11, and rarely wear heels. On the odd occasion when I do, I end up with terrible backache. Wearing a lift in your shoe will change your entire posture and redistribute the way your weight is carried on your skeleton, so be prepared for some lumbar problems if you decide to go with the lifts.
posted by essexjan at 8:41 AM on April 29, 2007 [1 favorite]
ShooBoo, appropriately enough, has it.
Lifts go under the heel. Raising only the ball of the foot won't do much for your heigth.
posted by yohko at 8:43 AM on April 29, 2007
Lifts go under the heel. Raising only the ball of the foot won't do much for your heigth.
posted by yohko at 8:43 AM on April 29, 2007
Former footwear manufacturing manager here.
Few men's dress shoes are going to fit well with even a 1" internal lift. Heel fit, in particular, is paramount to avoiding blisters, and to prevent serious ankle roll accidents, which can completely tear support tendons and ligaments in the ankle. An internal lift not only changes the "grip" of the shoe's foxing and counter assembly on your heel, it also changes the way your instep fits in the shoe's throat, making it much easier for the shoe to twist on your foot over uneven pavement or terrain, leading to rolling of the foot, and severe injuries. If you're going to try this, you need to be very careful when walking, shorten your stride appropriately, and pay particular visual attention to your footing. Blucher styles are best for this, although they are not usually very flattering, because they open most at the throat in lace up styles.
You'd be much safer and better off from a fit standpoint by looking for something like Western influenced demiboots with walking heels (first row of styles on linked page), which will easily add 1 to 1 1/2 inches of height, with relative comfort and safety of walking. Alternatively, you can have external lifts and outsoles added to any shoe by most shoe repair shops, although traditional men's wingtips and full welt styles, with their classically thick soles, tend to be the usual candidates for this. The additional sole lip extensions of the wingtip and full welt styles act to minimize ankle roll, and for this reason have long been a favorite of delivery persons and others who walk a lot outdoors while working or carrying things.
Finally, there are so-called "elevator shoes" which have an upper that masquerades over a thick internal midsole, so as to provide full normal foot fit, while giving the outward appearance of a normal oxford's or blucher shoe's sole and heel profile, although, in fact, such shoes do look a bit strange to anyone who pays attention to shoes.
posted by paulsc at 9:48 AM on April 29, 2007 [4 favorites]
Few men's dress shoes are going to fit well with even a 1" internal lift. Heel fit, in particular, is paramount to avoiding blisters, and to prevent serious ankle roll accidents, which can completely tear support tendons and ligaments in the ankle. An internal lift not only changes the "grip" of the shoe's foxing and counter assembly on your heel, it also changes the way your instep fits in the shoe's throat, making it much easier for the shoe to twist on your foot over uneven pavement or terrain, leading to rolling of the foot, and severe injuries. If you're going to try this, you need to be very careful when walking, shorten your stride appropriately, and pay particular visual attention to your footing. Blucher styles are best for this, although they are not usually very flattering, because they open most at the throat in lace up styles.
You'd be much safer and better off from a fit standpoint by looking for something like Western influenced demiboots with walking heels (first row of styles on linked page), which will easily add 1 to 1 1/2 inches of height, with relative comfort and safety of walking. Alternatively, you can have external lifts and outsoles added to any shoe by most shoe repair shops, although traditional men's wingtips and full welt styles, with their classically thick soles, tend to be the usual candidates for this. The additional sole lip extensions of the wingtip and full welt styles act to minimize ankle roll, and for this reason have long been a favorite of delivery persons and others who walk a lot outdoors while working or carrying things.
Finally, there are so-called "elevator shoes" which have an upper that masquerades over a thick internal midsole, so as to provide full normal foot fit, while giving the outward appearance of a normal oxford's or blucher shoe's sole and heel profile, although, in fact, such shoes do look a bit strange to anyone who pays attention to shoes.
posted by paulsc at 9:48 AM on April 29, 2007 [4 favorites]
Forget lifts. Seconding the Western shoes. That, or some nice thick-soled combat or engineer boots (or shoes inspired by the same).
The latter is nice because they just have super thick soles, so it isn't a heel per se. Just overall height on the shoe.
Added bonus of the shoes themselves being cool as hell no matter who they're on, without looking like you're trying to make yourself taller intentionally. And, well, the fact that they're designed that way, and you're not shoving a big foreign object into your shoe that'll throw off your normal gait and invite odd wear to the soles, blisters, ankle and back pain, and so forth. (although any heel will do that if you're not used to it.)
posted by Kellydamnit at 10:15 AM on April 29, 2007
The latter is nice because they just have super thick soles, so it isn't a heel per se. Just overall height on the shoe.
Added bonus of the shoes themselves being cool as hell no matter who they're on, without looking like you're trying to make yourself taller intentionally. And, well, the fact that they're designed that way, and you're not shoving a big foreign object into your shoe that'll throw off your normal gait and invite odd wear to the soles, blisters, ankle and back pain, and so forth. (although any heel will do that if you're not used to it.)
posted by Kellydamnit at 10:15 AM on April 29, 2007
Not a fast fix, nor particularly shoe-related, nor something I can personally verify, but some people report the better posture resulting from things like Yoga or Alexander Technique can bring slight but notable increase in height.
posted by weston at 11:33 AM on April 29, 2007
posted by weston at 11:33 AM on April 29, 2007
you don't need something as stylistically particular as cowboy boots to get a heel, either - skechers boots often have an inch-plus of height but they aren't the kind of footwear you feel like you have to "be able to pull off". There are plenty of men's shoes that aren't platform but still give a lift - just be on the lookout when you're buying & consider height one of your concerns / criteria.
posted by mdn at 2:01 PM on April 29, 2007
posted by mdn at 2:01 PM on April 29, 2007
Depending on your style, "cuban heel" is a search term that may come in handy.
posted by -harlequin- at 6:09 PM on April 29, 2007
posted by -harlequin- at 6:09 PM on April 29, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ShooBoo at 8:39 AM on April 29, 2007