this is primarily a historical narrative running from WW2 to the present - using fashion, and stiletto heels in particular, as a structuring element.. the various, and often conflicting, power complexities embodied and represented by stiletto heels are well illustrated with frequent quotes and cultural references, but (surprisingly to me) these were not the focus of the book. this is not a book about cultural paradox

i really enjoyed it! being born in the 1975, i now have an expanded sense of the cultural liberation experienced after the survival-centric shadow of world war 2 - the new delight of living for the pleasure of life - glamorous hair, bright colors, vespas, espresso, butter.. and stiletto heels. from here, the narrative traces the various responses to, and co-option of, the technology-enabled spiked heel. metaphorical for the period overall.. maybe

there are lots of great pictures and illustrations - and the large format book is an aesthetic pleasure overall. just 4 years after publishing (2004 -> 2008), the "now" perspective is fairly dated, both fashion and culture-wise. i found this things-are-changing-quickly (!) discovery informing and exciting. and again, this is primarily a historical narrative - not an up-to-the-minute cultural dialogue

with more compelling analysis, more "aha" insights, etc - i would have given this book 5 stars. as it is, it's a light and interesting read - easily enjoyable in one or two sittings

Cursed by feminists, loved by the advertising industry, and casting a spell on men, the high-heel shoe that has been christened as the stiletto has to rank as the best invention in the history of humankind. As this book clearly is, and as a further testament to the genius of its designers and marketers, special museums should be built that not only contain the stiletto designs of the past, but also busts of the likenesses of Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Salvadore Ferragamo, Andre Preugia, and Charles Jourdan, among many others. These architects of the foot have brought women higher status, literally and figuratively. When women put them on, they are saying that they are in control of their poise, their confidence, and their future: that they make the choices for themselves. Stilettos can be worn either as a cloak, masking successfully the wearer's true intentions, or as a beacon, daring or challenging others to approach them. Those who take up the dare usually do so on their knees: such is the power of the stiletto. It is the perfume of the sole, with the length of heel a measure of its musk. And for those occasions when their wearers find themselves in a horizontal configuration rather than a vertical one, stilettos are the love handles of the feet. In this position there is no possibility of swollen ankles or equines, only the completion of something that the stiletto, with its exquisite and bewitching aesthetic initiated with subtlety and skill.

For anyone interested in sexual iconography or the history of fashion this book is a must-have for the library. Stiletto high-heeled shoes, much maligned and disdained by afficionados of banality and practicality and anxious medicos who specialize in feet, have outlived and survived all critical attacks meant to make them go away and have a continuing allure despite the fact that it takes practice and balance and mindfulness to walk gracefully in a pair of these lovely, sculptured shoes which are the sexiest footwear ever created. There is even a series of exercises designed for actresses and models to strengthen the feet and legs to make wearing stilleto heels more comfortable and, hence, more fun. And this fine book by Carolyn Cox explains what all the fuss and bother is about and why anyone in her right mind would want to wear a pair of stiletto heels. The large format allows for excellent photographic coverage as well as historic images from the 1950's and 1960's when stilleto high heels, first fashioned in embryonic form by Roger Vivier for Christian Dior, and then further elaborated into the thin, elegant spike we know today, came into their own as a staple of high fashion as enduring as Chanel's "Little Black Dress" which, like a pair of stiletto heels matched with a business suit or an evening dress or a blouse and skirt -- especially a pencil skirt -- is never not elegant. Stiletto heels are pre-eminently feminine and, once you've learned how to walk in them, pre-eminently exciting to wear. Their distinctive click-click on a hardwood or linoleum floor is music to a fashionista's ears. They elongate the legs like no other shoe on Earth, raise the wearer above her customary level of vision and, when worn by someone who truly loves them and is at home in them, radiate a sense of majesty and self-possession and power and sexual self-awareness and just a hint of danger which is elegant, crisp, business-like, decisive, distinctively powerful and the very opposite of obscene or tawdry or clownish or dull or wishy-washy. This is the best book I know of for the reader who wants to immerse herself (or himself) in the history, development, cultural and psychological significance, construction techniques and aesthetic principles of stiletto heels. Once you've read it you'll understand why this shoe design, which seems at first so counter-intuitive as something to walk in, has such a lasting appeal for millions of women world-wide. And you may also come to realize that a well-made pair of stiletto heels is a thing of beauty in itself, formal and geometrically pure in linear design, softly curved and bitingly sharp at the same time, still but poised by shape alone for motion, a delight for the sense of sight, which they can easily saturate. Perhaps the final reason for the lasting appeal and enduring love of stiletto high heels is the reason given by John Keats: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

I loved this, there was alot of great history and sayings associated with the Stiletto. Stiletto's are the ultimate in Feminity and this books shows it. Gorgious color plates, tons of great tidbits of facts, lovely photography. Perfect for the Stiletto Enthusiast. [...]. Stiletto's are the power of Feminity and dates back to a long rich history of the Shoe.

This is a beautiful, smart, and fun book. I have never been a shoe fanatic and was at first skeptical when I received this book as a present, but I was pleasantly surprised as soon as I opened the cover. I loved all the history, whimsy, and gorgeous illustrations found in this book. This is a great one to give as a gift and will add a stylish touch to every library. Anyone with even the slightest interest in fashion, cultural history, or designer footwear will go crazy for STILETTO.