Knowing how high your shoes are going to be is crucial to buying the right heels, particularly if you are shopping online.
A shoe is generally described as a “high heel” if it has a heel height of between 3.5 and 4.5 inches. But what about other heels?
Over time, heel height ranges have come to be generally agreed for heels that are described as kitten heels right up to very high and even extreme heels.
The heel height chart below gives the heel heights for each type of heel.
The heights are given as a range in the heel height chart because there are no “official” measurements about the heel height required to make a shoe qualify as a “high heel” or any other description.
Fortunately the ranges are quite well understood and applied as it would be quite a shock to receive a pair of “kitten heels” with 6 inch stilettos!
In the table below, I have set out the usual height range for each kind of heel.
In each case the description of the heel can give you some clue as to its height too (“mid height” heels are obviously less high than “very high” ones).
The measurements in my table are given in both inches and also millimetres. This is because many manufacturers give heights in this measurement instead (particularly European ones).
You can click on the links in the table or read on below for more information about each heel height.
High heel height table
| Name | Height (inches) | Height (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Kitten heels | 2″ or less | 52mm or less |
| Low heels | 2.1″ – 2.5″ | 53mm – 64mm |
| Mid height heels | 2.6″ – 3.4″ | 65mm – 89mm |
| High heels | 3.5″ – 4.5″ | 90mm – 115mm |
| Very high heels | 4.6″ – 5.5″ | 116m – 140mm |
| Extreme heels | 5.6″ or more | 141mm or more |
One thing that is important to understand is that what is considered a “high heel” can change slightly with fashions.
From the late 2010s, heel heights dropped. By 2024 many designers would consider even a 3 inch pump to be the top of their height range. That doesn’t necessarily make it a “high heel” but it would be their highest heel.
Finally please know that the links below to products may be affiliate links for which I receive a small commission.
Kitten heels – 2 inches or less
The term “kitten heels” refers to heels of below 2 inches in height.
Kitten heels are the babies of them all, tiny little stumpy things which are polished and professional yet can be run around in all day too.
A good example of a kitten heel is Calvin Klein’s Gabrianna Pump
pictured above (Zappos affiliate link). This pump is the perfect kitten, with a 1.5 inch heel measured on a size 7.5 shoe.
Kitten heels take their name from the fact that a kitten is the name for a baby cat – the idea is that the kitten is a baby heel compared to higher heels.
There’s a bit of an urban myth that the shoes were called “kittens” because they are training shoes for young girls who will eventually graduate to higher heels. However no source for this has been identified.
It is actually more likely that kittens were around long before they were named “kitten heels” or widely known as such. We know they took off in the 1950s and undoubtedly were both an object of fashion and practicality amongst high heel aficionados, not just beginners.
Best of all, the kitten heel allows you to channel your inner Audrey Hepburn (yes, it was Audrey who put the kitten firmly on the fashion map), maximising practicality as well as glamour.
Low heels – 2.1 inches to 2.5 inches
The first step above kitten heels are low heels. Low heels are generally in the 2.5 inches and below region.
That’s a narrow range just above the kittens, but there are no shortage of designers who are willing to make great low-heeled work pumps.
A great example of a low heel is Anne Klein’s Fabulist, which is available from Zappos (pictured, affiliate link). This pump has a 2.25 inch heel measured on a size 8 and has hundreds of positive reviews for its level of comfort.
Post pandemic there’s also a particular demand for these types of heels as many people have been working from home in flats and do not want to subject their feet to anything too high to begin again with!
As well as protecting the feet, low heels make a great work pump for women who are on their feet a lot.
They’re also great for those who are just starting out wearing heels on a daily basis.
As the image above shows, a low heel can still add quite a “pop”. The heel is clearly defined and easily seen. And if anyone mistakes your heels for kittens, you can now correct them!
Mid height heels – 2.6 inches to 3.4 inches
Mid height heels are the second most popular type of work pumps, just behind high heels. With the way heel heights are falling, mids are increasing with popularity every day.
One of the best things about mid-height heels is that they can be every bit as fashionable as high heels. Many pumps are available in both the mid and high heel options as consumers increasingly place a premium on practicality.
A good example of a mid-height pump is Mylah by Cole Haan (pictured above). This pump has exactly a 3 inch heel measured on a size 8.5. You can read more about Cole Haan’s Mylah Pump at Zappos (affiliate link).
Mid-height heels give you the best of both worlds. They give your body and confidence all the boost of a sky-high stiletto, but they are also way more practical than really high heels.
While high heels are great, every woman should have a pair of mid-heights in her collection for the days that need it.
High heels – 3.5 inches to 4.5 inches
Heels are generally considered to be “high heels” if they are in the region of 3.5 to 4.5 inches in height. Obviously heels down the 3.5 inch end of the range are easier to walk in than 4.5 inch heels.
The “classic” work pump is considered to be a 4 inch heel, which puts it squarely in the high heel range.
Calie by Jessica Simpson (pictured above) is typical of the perfect high heel pump (affiliate link). Calie has a 3.9 inch heel (measured on a size 8.5) and a distinctive rounded toe which does assist with comfort.
If you’re looking for a beautiful, high heeled work pump that looks glamorous as well as office-appropriate then you should aim to stay within the high heel height range. For heels that are taller than this, please read on below.
Very high heels – 4.6 to 5.5 inches
There’s no question that any heel approaching 5 inches in height is a very high heel.
These days it is actually quite difficult to find a 5 inch single sole pump in regular shoe stores. Heel heights have been decreasing for a few years and 4 inches is the new 5 inches.
For an example of a 5 inch heel, we went to Amazon: check out the stunning Leona pumps from Petit Cadeau pictured above over there (affiliate link).
5 inch heels may sometimes be work appropriate but most women do not go much higher than 4.5 inches in the workplace.
Many wearers struggle with the extra height on a daily basis and wearing 5 inch heels every day is probably not terribly good for your feet.
There’s another factor you have to consider here too: the higher the heel, the less robust it is going to be.
Very high heels are generally avoided on a daily basis unless you can afford to regularly replace snapped heels (the shoes’ heels, hopefully not yours).
One thing is for sure: if you’re going to debut a new pair of very high heels in the office, make sure that you have a pair of less high shoes (or flats) on standby. It could be a long day otherwise!
Extreme heels – 5.6 inches and above
Extreme heels are heels so unusually high that they are not found in mainstream footwear retail.
A good example of an extreme heel is this pair of 6.3 inch stilettos available online from AliExpress (affiliate link).
6 inch heels might be great for lying down but they are not appropriate for the office even if they look like they’re designed like office shoes. If you’re wearing these to the office then it’s unlikely that you’ve got a desk job.
The reason extreme heels are called extreme is that they push the high heel concept to the limit. That and they’re extremely hard to walk in!
Why do heel heights matter?
I created this page because I believe that it’s important to have an understanding of heel height as you will be spending long periods in your new work pumps.
Heels that are too high will make for a miserable day and much complaining. And heels that are not high enough can leave your mood slumping as low as your shoes.
Some people also have some strong views about what is and isn’t “work appropriate” in a shoe, but that is not the point of this post. Instead I have simply explained the typical heel heights for work pumps.
This is one of those topics on which not everyone in the high heel community will precisely agree. However my categorisation is based on my many years running a shoe blog, plus consultation with industry insiders.
Most importantly, my answers reflect the most common categorisations used in the footwear industry.
I hope that this information is helpful in your quest for your perfect heighted new work pumps.
Further information
I hope this helps answer your questions about heel heights. If there is something which you would like to add to my guide, I would love to hear from you via my contact page.