Kids make a style statement in heels

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Suri Cruise

Some time ago Tom Cruise’s daughter Suri attracted the paparazzi like no other celebrity child had before. Not because she is the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katy Holmes but because of the high heels she sported at the tender age of three. Suri insists on wearing high heels and her elevated charm has smitten many little girls.

“Two-inch high heels for girls as young as five are easily available at stores across the country. I recently saw a four-inch high heel for seven to eight-year-old girls,” says footwear designer Swati Modo.
The demand for high heels increases during the wedding season, says Surender Singh, a manager at a footwear store in South Delhi. “Usually about 20 per cent of customers ask for high heels but during the wedding season the demand goes up to 70-75 per cent,” he adds.
Parents want to turn their children into fashionistas — tiny would-be divas who show off their fancy dresses, use makeup, sport stylish hairdos and trendy handbags and also add the glamour quotient with high heels. But is it really glamorous? asks designer Sagrika Mittal Goyal.
While Cruise has shrugged off the criticism by saying that he doesn’t want to interfere with Suri’s creativity, Sagrika is gung-ho about many Indian parents who have not given into their children’s fancies as yet, “Indian parents are still very cautious about their kids’ health. Many continue to rely on comfortable flats.”
Paediatrician T.J. Antony wonders at the growing number of cases of children suffering from the consequences of wearing high heels. “Injuries in ankles, knee and back problems and shortened calf muscles are some common complaints apart from high heels affecting the spinal development and posture among kids,” he warns.
However, in spite of the health hazards many stores like Ritu Wears in Noida regularly receive queries about high heels. So, it looks like high heels for little girls are ready to go places.