History Main / CombatStilettos

** Amber's official outfit includes heeled boots, and she's one of the most powerful characters in Remnant.

* The later seasons of ''Franchise/PrettyCure'' (more notably ''[[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Fresh]]'' and ''[[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Heartcatch]]'') have their heroines wear high heels while transformed.

* Played with in ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}''. Your character has prosthetic knees (boots in the sequel) which allow her to fall indefinitely without dying. However, they make her feet contort in the same way that heels do.

* Not stiletto heels per se, but the Ukrainian Defence Ministry recently incurred mockery and opprobrium by making female cadets prepare for a parade by practising marching in heels. Members of the Ukrainian parliament berated the ministry for the decision and social media, as it often does, went to town with the memes. [[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/03/idiotic-fury-in-ukraine-after-female-soldiers-made-to-march-in-heels]]

* In ''Film/PowerRangers2017'', the Pink and Yellow Rangers are given wedge heels, despite being martial arts fighters.

* The action figure for comics lead Michiko Noguchi (a human [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Weyland-Yutani]] employee adopted into a Franchise/{{Predator}} clan) features ridiculous combat stilettos in Predator-armor fashion.

* In ''Fanfic/CommonSense'', [[Anime/PokemonTheSeries James]] fashioned [[DarkActionGirl Jessie]] a pair of steel heels that slip on over her boots to augment her kicks. Oddly enough, [[IWasJustJoking James had just made them as a joke]].* In ''[[http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-23790/HeatherSin+Dreaming+the+American+Dream.htm Dreaming the American Dream]]'', a crossover between the Marvel Universe and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xander (who was [[GenderBender gender swapped]]... don't ask) lampshades this when he notices that heroines wear high heels while running and fighting. At first, when he got offered some he thought they were joking [[SeriousBusiness ...they weren't]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'', Eda and Lilith wear heels 24/7, including during fights where they leap and FlashStep around. Lampshaded when Luz [[FreakyFridayFlip bodyswaps]] into Eda’s body and struggles to even walk in them.

** [[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-26997530.amp This]] story of a women who killed her lover with her blue 5.5 inch stiletto heels should tell you just how deadly these shoes can be in a fit of rage.

* In ''Manga/Brave10'', [[ActionGirl Ana ]]usually fights in heels, as do many of the villains, male and female. One opponent takes this to its logical extreme and just wears giant blades underneath his feet.

* The girls from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' usually dress pretty sensibly ([[NotWearingTights none of them have traditional superhero costumes]]), but not always. One issue showed [[Characters/{{Runaways}} Nico Minoru]] going into battle wearing stilettos and Karolina fighting alongside her in ''flip-flops'', which seems even more impractical. To be fair, they weren't attacking somebody, somebody attacked ''them'' when they weren't expecting it.

* The girls from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' usually dress pretty sensibly ([[NotWearingTights none of them have traditional superhero costumes]]), but not always. One issue showed ComicBook/{{Nico|Minoru}} going into battle wearing stilettos and Karolina fighting alongside her in ''flip-flops'', which seems even more impractical. To be fair, they weren't attacking somebody, somebody attacked ''them'' when they weren't expecting it.

* The Officer Jennys in ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', despite being police officers presumably trained for combat, wear stilettos (as well as [[DangerouslyShortSkirt miniskirts]]) in all the seasons from Kanto to Sinnoh. They lose the heels for flats in Unova (though they still wear miniskirts), and gain completely practical attire from Kalos onwards.

* In ''Fanfic/CommonSense'', [[Anime/{{Pokemon}} James]] fashioned [[DarkActionGirl Jessie]] a pair of steel heels that slip on over her boots to augment her kicks. Oddly enough, [[IWasJustJoking James had just made them as a joke]].* In ''[[http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-23790/HeatherSin+Dreaming+the+American+Dream.htm Dreaming the American Dream]]'', a crossover between the Marvel Universe and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xander (who was [[GenderBender gender swapped]]... don't ask) lampshades this when he notices that heroines wear high heels while running and fighting. At first, when he got offered some he thought they were joking [[SeriousBusiness ...they weren't]].

* Sometimes in ''Series/TheOriginals'' Rebekah wore heels when she fought, she often threaten to stab people in the neck with them.

* The [[https://www.smackjeeves.com/discover/detail?titleNo=141697&articleNo=92 Jane Gang]] from ''Webcomic/EverydayHeroes''; [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Jane Mighty (formerly Iron Jane) [[https://www.smackjeeves.com/discover/detail?titleNo=141697&articleNo=139 here]]. Somewhat subverted by [[https://www.smackjeeves.com/discover/detail?titleNo=141697&articleNo=34 Dolly Bird]], whose spike heels are actual steel spikes -- since she mostly flies, these are more of a weapon and less of a hindrance.

** During the Season 2 finale, [[spoiler: Satan gives Scarlet these alongside a PimpedOutDress. These heels don't hinder her fighting ability either.]]

* In the fanfiction ''[[https://web.archive.org/web/20110114072449/http://archiveofourown.org/works/81730 Fine Feathers]]'' Damian Wayne is in a situation where he must crossdress. He muses on how high heels would make more effective weapons than footwear and demands Barbara Gordon teach him how to fight in them.
* In ''[[http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-23790/HeatherSin+Dreaming+the+American+Dream.htm Dreaming the American Dream]]'', a crossover between the Marvel Universe and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xander (who was [[GenderBender gender swapped]]... don't ask) lampshades this when he notices that heroines wear high heels while running and fighting. At first, when he got offered some he thought they were joking [[SeriousBusiness ...they weren't]].
* ''[[FanFic/ErisGame Eri's Game]]'' has the titular character's case. Plus the scene where she beats up [[spoiler:Reaper Beat]] with it.
* Subverted (and possibly lampshaded) in ''[[FanFic/MyLittleMagesTheNightmaresReturn My Little Mages: The Nightmare's Return]]'', where at one point Rarity bemoans the fact that she chose to wear heels that day, as it's hard to run and fight in them.
* ''Fanfic/FrozenMoonlight'' has these pop up as, during their first date, Aoshi and Misao get attacked. She uses them more appropriately, taking them off and using them as an ImprovisedWeapon. Effective ones too.
* In ''FanFic/OffTheLine'', Rainstorm's shoes are these. They are literally so sharp that he accidentally killed a woman when he stepped on her. As the {{Fanservice}} [[JokeCharacter Joke Race]], high heels actually improve the balance and support of the Viera Race. [[spoiler: Rainstorm slices a bounty hunter's throat open when he swipe-kicked him in his heels.]]

* ''Sailor Moon: Legends of Lightstorm'':
** Jason notes that the footwear on the Sailor Scouts' Combat Modes is not ideal for mobility (According to him, the people of the Silver Millennium Moon Kingdom valued aesthetics over performance). However, he trains them to compensate for this. Notably, he trains Sailor Mars so well that she is able to rocket-run at super-high speeds without ill effect.
** At one point, Lita notes that her own footwear is not as mobility-oriented as she would like, and wonders just how much the people of the Silver Millennium Moon Kingdom really valued aesthetics.
* In ''Fanfic/CommonSense'', [[Anime/{{Pokemon}} James]] fashioned [[DarkActionGirl Jessie]] a pair of steel heels that slip on over her boots to augment her kicks. Oddly enough, [[IWasJustJoking James had just made them as a joke]].

* Averted in ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''. The female IMF member hears on the radio that the female assassin who killed her colleague has escaped the trap set up for her, tears off her high-heeled shoes, and races out of the room to inflict a major ass-kicking.

** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'': Arsene, the Protagonist's main GuardianEntity, has ''knives for stilts'', which reach way past its shoes' soles. They're not just for show either: he uses them in his physical attack animations. Ann Takamaki wears thigh-high boots with these as part of her default Phantom Thieves attire.

* Sometimes in ''Series/TheOriginals'' Rebekah wore heels when she fought, she often threaten to stab people in the neck with them

* Some mechs in ''Anime/DualParallelTroubleAdventure'' have feet designed along these lines. The Earth Defense Force units all have them, but the Rara Army tends to use non-humanoid designs.

* Irina Jelavic from ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'' wears high-heeled sandals almost all the time, which don't hinder her work or her skill as a professional assassin.

* [[ComicBook/{{Hawkman}} Hawkgirl]] used to, now she wears flat-soled boots.
* Franchise/GreenLantern villain Star Sapphire. Less of an issue for her since she mostly flies.
* ComicBook/MaryMarvel, when she [[EvilCostumeSwitch turned evil]] during ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''.

* The ComicBook/ScarletWitch.
* ComicBook/SheHulk, [[DoesNotLikeShoes when she wears shoes at all]], requires heels made out of [[{{Unobtainium}} special metal]].
* Elsa Bloodstone of ''ComicBook/{{Nextwave}}'' wears thigh-high stilettos.
* Silk Spectre I and II in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''.
* Everyone in ''ComicBook/TarotWitchOfTheBlackRose''. The comic exists entirely on {{fanservice}}, so it's to be expected.

** Nearly all the female supers play this straight. Sistah Spooky's 6-inch ''platform'' heels are impressive - she can fly though.
** Emp herself can't wear shoes in costume... But the ''imitation'' costume she wears as part of a group of licenced superhero impersonators (in which she plays herself) has them. [[LampshadeHanging She's still wondering why]].

* AnimalSuperheroes example: Alley-Kat-Abra from ''ComicBook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew''
* The girls from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' usually dress pretty sensibly ([[NotWearingTights none of them have traditional superhero costumes]]), but not always. One issue showed ComicBook/{{Nico|Minoru}} going into battle wearing stilettos and Karolina fighting alongside her in ''flip-flops'', which seems even more impractical. To be fair, they weren't attacking somebody, somebody attacked ''them'' when they weren't expecting it.
* For ''ComicBook/GothamCitySirens'', ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} has added heels to her formerly sensible costume.
* The aptly-named human villain Stiletto from the ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' comic series is a former kickboxer whose boot heels actually incorporate ''[[LaserBlade laser scalpels]]''.
* Franchise/WonderWoman [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 used to have this trope done straight]], but her ComicBook/PostCrisis [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1987 reboot]] onward usually has her wearing sensible flat-soled boots.
* Envy Adams of the ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'' series wears platform heeled boots in her fight with Ramona.

* ''{{ComicBook/Fables}}''. Cinderella wears high heels most of the time, even when flats would make more sense. (''Fables are Forever''.) But she also shows how she can kick tail anyway, and weaponize them as needed. Subverted with Dorothy, as she's wearing ''special'' high heels. [[note]][[spoiler:The Silver Shoes. Yes, ''that'' Dorothy.]][[/note]]
* Victorion from IDW's run of ''Franchise/TheTransformers'' is an [[HumongousMecha enormous]] [[CombiningMecha Combiner]]. As the only Combiner made entirely of female Transformers, she naturally has high heeled feet to set her apart from all the male Combiners. She may have fewer balance issues than most, considering that she's also a GravityMaster.
* ComicBook/LadyDeath wears black high-heeled boots as part of her standard DarkActionGirl combat [[{{Stripperiffic}} "outfit"]].

* Kitty, a slightly deranged former student of ComicBook/RichardDragon's who thinks his detached face would make a nice present and ends up a ComicBook/{{Batgirl|2000}} villain, wears high-heeled boots to fight in.

* ComicBook/{{Zatanna}} being a StageMagician and a HotWitch superhero, almost always fights in heels.

* This leads to a bit of FridgeLogic and HypocriticalHumor in ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', where Edna Mode berates capes for being impractical but still designs (and makes) high-heeled costumes for the heroines. Elastigirl is probably justified due to her powers but the rest of the female supers...

* Another Batman villainess who gets those in film is Harley Quinn for ''Film/SuicideSquad2016''. Creator/MargotRobbie [[http://www.imdb.com/imdbpicks/margot-robbie-suicide-squad-interview/ls063166429?pf_rd_m=A2FGELUUNOQJNL&pf_rd_p=2549061702&pf_rd_r=1419YQJ10H8DTE8N3A8Q&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=15061&pf_rd_i=homepage&ref_=hm_pks_mrs_sm highlighted]] how the stilettos are AwesomeButImpractical:
-->So, that's when the powers that be stepped in and voted on a pair of heels. Once I knew that it had to be a pair of heels, I wanted the most badass-looking ones. And when I saw the Adidas ones I was like, "They are sick." And it all happened quite quickly. Before I knew it, I was like, "OK. So, that's the costume." And I walked around in them for a day. That was the worst idea. Ever.
* Cherry Darling in ''Film/{{Grindhouse}}'', at least on the leg that hasn't been replaced with an assault rifle. Justified because she's a [[strike:stripper]] [[InsistentTerminology go-go dancer]] who never actually makes it home from her shift.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvionZFGBqA This scene]] from Creator/JackieChan's ''Film/ArmorOfGod'', which also demonstrates some of the problems with high heels in combat situations. On the other hand, it gave some extra punch to their multiple GroinAttack.

* ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' shows the impracticality of this, when Silk Spectre's boots slip out from under her, as she's trying to fight off the Comedian's rape attempt. On the other hand, her daughter seems to have no problem fighting in them during the prison breakout scene. Although in an interesting real-life subversion, if you pause the movie during various points in Silk Spectre II's prison fight scene, you can see that the actress is, in fact, wearing flat-soled boots as she walks. She's only in the high heels whenever she doesn't have to do anything action-oriented, or when she has to plant a heeled foot on a mook's chest.
* While filming ''Film/TromeoAndJuliet'', actress Creator/TiffanyShepis accidentally punctured co-star Stephen Blackehart's lower lip with her spiked heel.
* In ''Film/BarbWire'', Creator/PamelaAnderson does a great deal of fighting in stilettos, with a lot of kicking. In the first dance of the movie during a dance, a man cat-calling her annoys her, and she removes one heel and throws it at him. It stabs him in the forehead, and he's dragged out unconscious by the bouncers.
* The villain of ''Film/SingleWhiteFemale'' murders the protagonist's boyfriend with a stiletto shoe.

* ''Film/VanHelsing'': Creator/KateBeckinsale complained about the difficulty she had running about in high heels while filming action sequences.
* In ''Film/TickedOffTrannysWithKnives,'' one of the "girls" manages to gouge her attacker's eye out by stabbing it with the heel of her shoe.
* While Renate Richter wears high-heeled boots in the second half of ''Film/IronSky'', she's not much of an ActionGirl (she's just a schoolteacher, after all, with no combat training whatsoever). However, she does use her heels as impromptu weapons during her fight with the BigBad [[spoiler:Klaus Adler]], stabbing him in the forehead.
* Averted in ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''. The female IMF member hears on the radio that the female assassin who killed her colleague has escaped the trap set up for her, tears off her high-heeled shoes, and races out of the room to inflict a major ass-kicking.

* There's a scene in the Creator/StevenSeagal movie ''Belly of the Beast'' where our hero fights a ladyboy, and she doesn't even bother to take off her shoes, using them as weapons.
* In a mostly averted and [[JustifiedTrope justified]] example, ''Film/JurassicWorld'' has Claire wearing high heels through all that terrible day. [[spoiler:Including being chased by a ''Tyrannosaurus'' she's attracting to combat.]] While some noise was made about it in the reviews, it was ultimately the personal decision of actress Creator/BryceDallasHoward. She [[https://web.archive.org/web/20150610215845/http://entertainthis.usatoday.com/2015/06/10/bryce-howard-jurassic-heels/ stated in interviews]] that [[DyeingForYourArt it wasn't easy]], but Option B was running barefoot in a jungle. It inspired a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RZi6NCuLbQ few parodies]] along the way. Once the sequel was announced, one of the first things she said was that she wouldn't be wearing the heels.
* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': ComicBook/{{Psylocke}}'s thigh-high boots come with high heels, and ComicBook/{{Storm}} wears wedge heels with her Horseman [[spoiler:and X-Men attire]]. Storm at least can fly, making hers semi-justified by RuleOfCool.
* In ''Film/TheCobbler'', Max defends himself and accidentally kills a baddie with the heel of a stiletto.
* In ''Film/PowerRangers2017'', the Pink and Yellow Rangers are given wedge heels, despite being martial arts fighters.

* In ''Film/BringMeTheHeadOfTheMachineGunWoman'', the Machine Gun Woman conducts all of her bloody rampages while wearing six-inch stiletto boots.
* ''Film/AmazonWomenOnTheMoon'': The Amazons all dress in a MinidressOfPower and high heels. The movie shows how awkward this is when they try to run across uneven ground.

* In ''Film/{{Angel}}'', Angel chases The Killer along Hollywood Boulevard while wearing stiletto heels and has no trouble keeping up with him.

* Cat Crawford, the heroine of the ''Literature/NightHuntress'' books, has been known to use a pair of solid silver stiletto heels to sneak stakes into vampire gatherings.
* A similar tactic was used by Cathy Barrett to discourage a groper in a ''Literature/{{Nightside}}'' pub.
* Parodied in ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'', in which the FashionVictimVillain Esme Squalor uses [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin actual stilettos]] on her high heels to attempt to kill the Baudelaires. Naturally, Snicket did a LampshadeHanging about how impractical and violent the shoes were, and indeed she had huge problems with running, constantly getting her shoes stuck.
* ''[[Literature/TheActionHeroinesHandbook The Action Heroine's Handbook]]'' has a chapter on "How to Win a High-Speed chase in high heels and a bustier".
* Subverted in ''Literature/{{Medallion}}''. Villainess Kespa has a pair of heels she made from sap to wear around her fortress, but their purpose is solely to scare her servants and announce her arrival (her floors are made of stone and the shoes make noise). It's stated she has a pair of practical boots for when she goes out to do battle.

* In the book ''You Know You're Ghetto If...'', one of the jokes was "...if you can outrun a police officer while wearing high heels."
* In one of the ''Literature/{{Fearless}}'' novels, Gaia gets attacked by a bunch of thugs while dressed up for dinner with her dad. She reflects that one advantage of fighting in evening wear is that high heels can be used as a weapon. In her case, it [[JustifiedTrope makes sense]] that she would be able to fight in heels, as she's been extensively trained from childhood in every kind of martial art with a name. Even though she hates wearing heels, walking and fighting in them probably isn't much of a problem for her.

* 1930s pulp heroine Literature/DominoLady fought crime in an evening gown and high-heeled shoes. It never seemed to impede her ability to kick ass.

* ''{{Series/Charmed|1998}}'' occasionally lampshaded this. One episode has Prue buying both her sisters an emergency pair of sneakers to slip on in case demons attack, and another has a replacement whitelighter criticise their clothing choices for fighting demons. Billie adopts an outfit for fighting demons with these shoes - and is told to give it up by the sisters.

** Leela wore calf-length moccasins but judicious application of the pause button reveals that they were made with a wedge heel - [[ScullyBox because Louise Jameson is 5'6", and Tom Baker is 6'3"]].

* Brittany from ''Series/{{Glee}}'' does an ''amazing'' dance with Mike at Sectionals in heels. This is TruthInTelevision. Dancers - particularly ballroom and belly dancers - train bloody hard to do extremely complex and sometimes dangerous steps specifically in heels, and not necessarily sensible heels either. It's as much a skill as dancing ''en pointe'' in ballet, and is made somewhat easier by the fact that most dance forms require you to keep your weight over the balls of your feet rather than the heels.

* ''{{Series/Shadowhunters}}'' - Isabelle frequently does battle wearing heels and go-go boots. And Creator/EmeraudeToubia trained to be able to do all those stunts herself.

* ''Wrestling/WWEToughEnough'': Episode one of Season 5 has the contestants having to do janitor work behind the scenes at a WWE event. [[Wrestling/{{Cameron}} Ariane]] makes a point of giggling "I'm doing this in heels!"

* ''Armor Piercing'' is a +1/2 advantage in ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' to which the disadvantages ''Only When Kicking'' and ''Obvious, Inaccessible Focus: Stiletto Heeled Boots'' could be applied to make them quite affordable.
** In later editions (5th plus) one may simply purchase the ''Armor Piercing'' on a hypothetical ''Hand Attack'' equal to the character's best kick.

* Virtually all the female models in ''TabletopGame/{{Infinity}}'' have heels of some kind on their feet.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'': Lulu has been speculated to wear heels beneath her dress due to the sound her feet make on hard surfaces in the game. The official figurine solves this mystery -- yes she has feet, yes she is wearing high heels.

* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': ActionGirl Portica white high-heels as part of her ClothingSwitch in 'Store Story'.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Shortpacked}}'', Amber lampshades this when she describes what ''[[GenreSavvy she]]'' would [[https://www.shortpacked.com/comic/mammobombs wear]] if she became a superhero. Robin, on the other hand, demonstrates ContractualGenreBlindness. Doubly ironic considering Robin is a former [[ActionGirl government agent]] with actual superpowers.
* Alexa from ''Shape Quest''... well, they're high-heels, at least.

* Suryu in ''Webcomic/{{Sorcery 101}}'' wears these heels when fighting Seth.

* At a certain strip of ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'', Princess Sara kicks the Dark Warriors' asses and shoves a heel into the mouth of one. He complains it tastes horrible.
* [[WholesomeCrossdresser Tip]] from ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'' is a rare male example of this.
* In ''Webcomic/{{Endstone}}'', [[http://endstone.net/2010/03/15/issue-3-webpage-16/ Cole wears such shoes. Kyri comments on her error in wearing such bizarre clothing, and that the shoes were not made for combat.]]

* A realistic use in ''Webcomic/ButImACatPerson'': Camellia [[https://www.bicatperson.com/comic/chapter-four-page-21/ rams her narrow heel on a would-be mugger's toes to get him to release her]].
* ''Webcomic/{{Oglaf}}'' depicts a ''male'' army that uses platform stilettos in battle. Most of the enemy flees in terror, believing themselves to be fighting an army of giants.
* Several of the active-duty superheroes and sidekicks in ''Webcomic/HeroineChic'' employ this trope in their costume:
** Avalon's costume, designed by Dyna Cuff, features over-the-knee boots with chunky, 3-inch heels.
** Laren's original "Liberteen" sidekick costume included boots with a pointy heel. Zoe's redesign got rid of the pointy heels and replaced them with what looks like a slim army boot.
** Zoe's first "Gilded Lily" costume is a self-described hot mess, featuring some sort of stylized, outsized glass heel that projects a good inch off the back of her foot (like a kid playing dress-up with an adult's shoes). It takes a while before she can control her [[PowerCrystal Power Crystal's]] costume generating abilities and replace the heel with sensible flat shoes.
** Paragon II's costume by Heroine Chic features knee-high boots with a tall (3-4 inch), chunky heel.
** BadassNormal [[spoiler: Umbra]] annihilates the villainous Garmento's elite "Vowel" ninja squadron with her superior fighting ability, performing kicks and flips that would make an Olympic gymnast jealous -- and she does it all in heels.
* ''Webcomic/ImTheGrimReaper'': Bernadette's high heels make her even taller and don't seem to cause any problems during a fight.
** During the season two finale, [[spoiler: Satan gives Scarlet these alongside a PimpedOutDress. These heels don't hinder her fighting ability either.]]

* Quickly {{justified|Trope}} for Mindstar's four-inch heels in ''Literature/{{Brennus}}''. As a telekinetic, she can use her power to fly, float, or reduce her weight.

* A stiletto is a combat knife, often used for surprise attacks or assassination. Stiletto heels are named after a killing tool; there's a reason for that. Stilettos are ''lethal'' if used correctly, and especially if the heel is strong enough. (And a true stiletto heel is usually made of metal and only covered in fabric or leather.) Stilettos are basically wedges that concentrate a large amount of force into a very small area, and the great pressure under such a heel is actually ''greater than that under the feet of an elephant''. That stiletto SHOES could be used as a weapon of surprise should be obvious. Sure you can't run fast in stilettos, but that doesn't usually matter when your opponent needs reconstructive foot surgery and rehab to be able to walk again.