[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-post-title” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”Black Han Sans|700||on|||||” header_text_align=”center” header_font_size=”46px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” custom_margin=”25px||5px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”credit-name” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Black Han Sans|||on|||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_4_font=”|||on|||||” header_4_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Words by Renee Washington<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-641847176.jpg” alt=”Millennials and heels” title_text=”Girls, confetti, shoes and bottles on the floor after party” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”107px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n The rhythmic click-clack of stilettos on pavement used to be the soundtrack of Saturday night. They weren\u2019t heels. They were towering symbols of glamour and a non-negotiable part of the average millennial\u2019s nightlife uniform. Remember Carrie Bradshaw strutting down the street in stilettos, declared, \u2018I couldn\u2019t walk a block in flats, but darling, these shoes are magic\u2019? Fast forward to today, however, and dance floors are a lot quieter. Gone are spike-heeled peep-toes because Gen Z, more concerned with practicality and comfort, is decidedly anti-heel.<\/p>\n The shift in footwear preference is clear on TikTok. As Rae Christine highlights: \u2018I don\u2019t know what\u2019s happening to club culture, but the girlies are not wearing heels in the clubs anymore,\u2019 she notes. \u2018As a 34-year-old, do we need to come out of retirement and teach the girls how to wear heels?\u2019, she adds.<\/p>\n For millennials, high heels were more than just shoes\u2014they were a badge of honour, a rite of passage into adulthood, and a ticket to the sophisticated, cosmopolitan lifestyle epitomised by icons like Carrie Bradshaw. Those strappy sandals and thin heels weren\u2019t just accessories; they were an essential part of the identity. Heels were It, as well as a statement of intent: \u2018I have arrived, and I look fabulous.\u2019<\/p>\n Megan Watkins, head stylist at SilkFred said, \u2018During the late 90’s and noughties, glam was in and flat shoes were definitely not glam. For example, the trend of ‘business casual at the club’ which went viral on TikTok and (what was then) Twitter back in 2022, saw many millennials rock blazers, pencil skirts, shirts and of course, heels, to every big night out on the town.\u2019<\/p>\n She added that we can also look at the style casters of the noughties, such as Victoria Beckham, Paris Hilton, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who would rather be seen dead than in a flat shoe, (Victoria Beckham, she notes, has been quoted as saying she \u2018can\u2019t concentrate in a flat.\u2019)<\/p>\n Despite the inevitable discomfort, millennials seemingly embraced the mantra \u2018beauty is pain.\u2019 Watkins explains, \u2018Millennials also lived through the ‘heroin chic’ era and the suggestion that heels made your legs look longer and thinner was ingrained in many [a] millennial subconscious.\u2019<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n The allure of elongated legs, added height, and the boost of confidence (almost) made enduring a night of sore feet worth it. High heels were a symbol of the \u2018work hard, play hard\u2019 philosophy that almost defined millennial culture. First dates, job interviews, club nights \u2013 all seemed to demand a certain level of formality, and heels were the answer.<\/p>\n She added, \u2018Wearing flats to the office was a huge no-no. In the world of work, heels asserted your formality, professionalism and maturity and this is something that millennials can’t quite let go of.\u2019<\/p>\n On the flipside of things, Gen Z is more on the vibe that prioritises authenticity, inclusivity, and, most importantly, comfort. For them, the night-out experience is about dancing freely, exploring new places, and embracing spontaneity \u2014 activities that are infinitely more enjoyable without having to think about the blister about to erupt on your baby toe. And the stats are proving heels are on the out. The Lyst Index Q2 includes three pairs of trainers on its top 10 hottest products list – Loewe x On\u2019s Cloudtilt Loewe II, adidas\u2019s SL 72 OG shoes, and a pair from Dries Van Noten. Not a heel in sight.<\/p>\n Whitney Jones 24, Grazia\u2019s Editorial Assistant said, \u2018University night out culture does not work for heels. How can I be expected to have fun when people are crushing my toes in crowded spaces or dreading the long walk home with wobbling ankles. It’s that or have dirty black feet from walking barefoot on unclean pavements. Then it just continues from there into adulthood.\u2019<\/p>\n Social media, especially TikTok, has been instrumental in this cultural shift. Gen Z creators and everyday users alike showcase nights out in stylish sneakers, chic flats, and comfy boots. Showing you can look like you\u2019re going \u2018out out\u2019 minus the heel.<\/p>\n While millennials may reminisce about their stiletto-clad adventures, Gen Z is creating its own narrative \u2014 one that prioritises comfort. The clack of stilettos may have quieted, but parties and nightlife continue to thrive, just in more comfortable shoes.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#111111″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”2px” module_class=”custom-divider” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text module_class=”credit-texts” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|||on|||||” text_orientation=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n IMAGE: GETTY<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" High Heels vs trainers – how millennials and gen z are going to war over footwearWords by Renee WashingtonThe rhythmic click-clack of stilettos on pavement used to be the soundtrack of Saturday night. They weren\u2019t heels. They were towering symbols of glamour and a non-negotiable part of the average millennial\u2019s nightlife uniform. Remember Carrie Bradshaw […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":3685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"kschwarz","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3681"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3695,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3681\/revisions\/3695"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}‘Gen Z is more on the vibe that that prioritises authenticity, inclusivity, and, most importantly, comfort.’<\/span><\/h2>\n