TallMenShoes.com can help you learn about platform height shoes and why elevator shoes are different.
This is a common question we get from people who have misconceptions about what elevator shoes are:
Question:
My 5-inch shoe is only elevated at the heel area, and I walk funny in them. The shoe is not flat! Why isn't it flat? Why should I keep wearing them?
Answer:
The confusion comes from the fact there are two types of height-increasing shoes for men: Platform shoes and elevator shoes. While the two terms are often used interchangeably, there are some major differences, and it's important to know what they are and why they matter.
For a "platform shoe," the entire shoe is flat and raised. Platform shoes are often considered bulky and some people call it a "clown shoe". During the late 1960s up through the 1970s, a platform shoe was an acceptable men's fashion choice. But as hippie culture fell by the wayside, the shoes did as well - at least for men. (Platform shoes are still a regular trend for women's shoes.)
Elevator shoes are a modern way to adopt this height-increasing feature in a less bulky and more stylish form. The big advantage is that the height-boosting features are tucked away in the natural features of a shoe, subtly hiding them using heel height, insoles and other tricks.
These lift shoes are, in fact, high-heeled, and they tend to be more comfortable than their female counterpart (women's high heels). The shoe is designed to discreetly increase height by building the lifting hardware into the heel and insole instead of putting it all beneath the outsole. The result is a lifting shoe that looks and feels more like a regular shoe, giving you the boost you're looking for with maximum comfort.
Of course, this type of shoe takes some getting used to. Because much of the booster is in the heel, your feet are positioned differently as you walk than if you were in regular shoes or barefoot. Essentially, the balls of your feet sit lower than your heel when standing in elevator shoes, creating a different foot motion.
Typically, we don't recommend a first-time elevator user go over three inches of increase so they can adjust. But it is possible to walk normally even in four to five-inch shoes after you gradually up the increase from two to three inches. We will continue to try our best to educate buyers that, while there is a "learning curve," it is achievable to be taller and look good.
