Sleek stilettos, often considered the ultimate, or ‘queen’ heel, are all it takes to make a woman go weak in the knees. There’s nothing that lends a woman power and confidence than to be seen strutting down the street in a great pair of heels. The attraction that the perfect pair holds over a woman is normal, and quite understandable. But apparently now men want it too… According to The Times Of India, stilettos for men have recently been introduced in fashion circles around India. That is just weird!

I hope this is not men’s answer to women who have been borrowing from their wardrobe all these years. I mean, it’s nice to see a woman wearing pants or shorts, but a man in stilettos? But believe it or not, heels are indeed becoming the latest fad in men’s fashion. But we’re not talking about the common Indian man here. I can confidently say that if I went out on the streets of India and asked about a 100 men if they would like to be seen in a pair of stilettos, they would ‘flatly’ refuse. Some might even ask what stilettos are, others would just run away, but most would probably punch me right in the kisser. But that’s not how things stand with the men of India’s high society.

Photo: fsquarefashion.com

As all other fashion statements, the ‘heels for men’ are aimed at the elite class, going by the price range – anywhere between $500 to $5,000 a pair – way out of the regular man’s budget. Opinions among Indian designers and celebrities about the fad are pretty much divided. Some say it will never last, and others claim heels for men are here to stay. According to designers like Manish Malhotra and Ravi Bajaj, the use of men’s stilettos will be marginal because guys might find it more difficult to keep their balance in them than women. Bajaj says that rather than stilettos, a more tapered, chiseled heel could be appropriate for men who are interested in wearing them.

Photo: Wikipedia

Indian comedian Vir Das, who isn’t exactly known for his height, says he definitely won’t try them. “I’m happy with my feet,” he says. “As for the height issue, I’m a funny guy so having a sense of humor is far better than wearing a pair of heels.” Then there are those like popular VJ Cyrus who are all gung-ho about the fad. I do think he might have been joking though, when he said, “Why not do away with women’s heels and let men wear theirs, to even out their balance.” Well Mr. Cyrus, I sure would like to see you pry away a pair of heels from a woman and come out of the experience unharmed.

Big names of the fashion industry, like Gucci, Prada, Burberry, Yves St Laurent, Jimmy Choo, have long been offering men a wide range of heel shoes and boots, but so far stilettos have been off-limits to the stronger sex. Well, Indian men are ready to say “No more!”