The heel height is measured by Pleaser from where the heel touches the ground in a straight line upwards to where the heel touches the sole; as shown in the image below

The platform height is measured from the bottom of the sole where it touches the ground to the top of the platform -> the height where your foot is standing on; as shown in the image below

Walking height:

The walking height is the 'real' heel height you walk on. We calculate this with the next 'formula':

Heel height - Platform height = Walking height

For heels without a platform, the heel height is the same as the walking height because nothing is subtracted from the heel height
For heels with a platform, the 'real' heel height you walk on is less than the total heel height because your foot rests on a platform. That means the sole of the shoe has literally been raised and your foot is standing higher. You can therefore subtract the platform height from the heel height to calculate the walking height.

The following image shows an example:

Heel distance

The heel distance is the distance between the heel and the slope of the insole. A steeper heel has a shorter heel distance, a sharper slope angle and a 'lower' º-number (in degrees)
Read the explanation about the angle of inclination for more information about this

So: the shorter the heel distance, the higher the heel of the shoe feels/the steeper the shoe will bee.

Measuring the heel distance is actually best applied when you compare two different shoes in the same size and with the same walking/heel height.

So don't compare apples and oranges by comparing a size 36 with a size 40; a size 40 has a different heel distance than the same shoe in size 36 because a foot size 40 is bigger/longer, and the heel will therefore also be at a different distance/height than with size 36.

When comparing shoes, it is best to see whether the heel distance is the same or whether there is a difference. When using heel distance in an equation, the most important thing to keep in mind is the following rule::

The shorter the heel distance, the higher/steeper the heel of the shoe feels

It can sometimes be difficult to know where to measure this distance exactly. In this more detailed explanation of the heel distance we provide more information about how and where you can measure this.

The following image shows an example of the influence of the heel distance.
The triangle represents the 'space between' the heel and the slope.

Both heels have a 10 cm heel height

Below is an example of two shoes without a platform sole, both of which have a heel height of 12.7 cm:

The right shoe is steeper than the left shoe because the heel distance of the right shoe is smaller.

Summary:
If the heel distance is smaller, the slope is steeper and the angle of inclination is sharper. The heel of shoes with a smaller heel distance will therefore also feel higher.

The angle of inclination:

The angle of inclination is the angle created at the transition from the slope of the insole to the flat part of the insole. The steeper the heels are/the slope of the insole is, the sharper (smaller) that angle will be.

What we call the angle of inclination here is expressed in degreesº.

angle of inclination

The heel height, platform height, walking height and heel distance influence how steep the slope of the insole is, and therefore also influences the angle of inclination.
For shoes without heels, there is no angle of inclination* because your foot is laying flat in the shoes
(*unless the front of the shoe moves upwards, in which case you actually create an angle just like with a heel, but upwards)

The higher the walking height/heel height and the shorter the heel distance, the sharper the angle that your foot makes will be. An acute angle has a smaller º-number than an obtuse angle or straight angle (see the image below)

The heels we sell never have an inclination angle of less than 90º because the heel will then have to be placed diagonally, and we do not sell those types of shoes
(if they even exist at all, with the exception of these couture pieces)

The angle of inclination can be calculated by measuring from:

Point 1) where the slope of the insole goes in a straight line to point 2) the transition from the slope to the flat part of the insole, and from point 2) to point 3) the front of the flat part of the insole

Calculating the exact angle of inclination could be a bit more complicated to do at home, but by looking at how steep a slope is and how sharp the angle is at point 2) you can fairly well estimate how steep a shoe will be (best to compare it to another shoe).
Always view this together with the heel distance; a shorter heel distance also ensures a sharper angle of inclination.

In the image above, we have shown how the angle of inclination can be calculated, if you draw a line for the slope of the sole and for the flat part of the sole, for two different pumps with the same heel height, and for an ankle boot with a platform

These X-ray photos show what happens to the position of your feet in different types of shoes:	The next X-ray image an example of the increasing sharpness of the angle of inclination with different types of heels: As you can see, the angle becomes sharper as the heels become higher/steeper. The foot on the right is not on heels, but it is clearly visible how sharp the angle is at the foot.

Why is it that your feet can hurt so much when wearing (steep) heels?

Distribution of your weight when wearing heels:

Steep heels can eventually cause pain in your forefoot, this is because your weight is mainly carried by your forefoot. When you wear heels a lot and for a long time, your forefoot is put under excessive strain.

Fortunately, Pleaser takes our precious feet into account. Especially with the pole dancing/exotic shoes and the Bikini & Fitness Stage shoes, the heels are designed in such a way that the load on your (fore)foot is as minimal as possible (as far as this can be minimised), and you can wear very impressive heels for much longer! ❤︎

The next image clearly shows the distribution of weight when (not) wearing heels:

Weight Distribution

As you can see in the image, the weight distribution shifts forward (towards your toes) as the heel height increases.

Where your weight is evenly distributed in image A: 50% forefoot - 50% heel, the distribution in image C is completely the opposite: 90% forefoot - 10% heel.

So it is not surprising that wearing heels for a long time can cause pain in your forefoot; it carries almost all the weight on a small surface.

Want to try out how this works yourself?

Stand on your toes and see what happens if you stand a little further up (the heel height increases) and lean a but forwards (the heel distance decreases)
(do this safely and hold on if necessary so that you don't fall over...)

When doing this, you will see that the angle your foot makes becomes increasingly sharper as you stand on your toes. If you stand straight above your forefoot, your foot makes an angle of 90º

If you lean forwards even more (and your feet are flexible enough) your foot makes an angle that is even sharper (smaller) than 90º.
This is can be seen in this X-Ray photo of a ballet dancer standing on their toes:

So: the smaller the angle of inclination, the sharper it is and the steeper your feet are positioned.

Heel heights/Platform heights can be classified in the following categories:

Flat shoes: (this also includes Flatforms)
- Shoes with a heel height of less than 2 cm (1")
- Shoes with a platform where the walking height* is not higher than 2 cm (1")
Low heels: (Also known as Kitten Heels)
- Shoes with a heel height between 2 cm (1") and 6 cm (2⅓")
- Platform heels with a walking height* between 2 cm (1") and 6 cm (2⅓")
Mid-high heels:
- Shoes with a heel height between 6 cm (2⅓") and 8 cm (3⅕")
- Heels with a platform sole with a walking height* between 6 cm (2⅓") and 8 cm (3⅕")
High heels:
- Shoes with a heel height of 8 cm (3⅕") to 12 cm (4¾")
- Platform heels with a walking height* between 8 cm (3⅕") and 12 cm (4¾")
Very high heels:
- Shoes with a heel height of 12 cm (4¾") to 17 cm (6¾")
- Platform heels with a walking height* between 12 cm (4¾") and 17 cm (6¾")
Extremely high heels:
- Shoes with a heel height > 17 cm (6¾")

* For styles with a platform, it is therefore more important that you look at the walking height and not just the heel height.

General information

I import most items especially for you upon your order from the supplier. The average delivery time is 1 to 1½ weeks (within the Netherlands) but this can also be longer. This is an average delivery time, therefore it's not a promise or guarantee! Please keep that in mind!

Please note:

For returning (not exchanging) items that I imported from the supplier for you upon your order, I will deduct €25,- import/postage/duty costs from your refund amount per item*.

These are the minimum costs incurred for importing and are subject to a reasonable compensation for the losses incurred, The actual costs incurred are often even higher

I will convert €15,- from that €25,- into a shop credit.

Once your return has been received in good order, you will receive a return confirmation and your shop credit will be added to your account
Your shop credit can be redeemed in the webshop for a next order
Your shop credit cannot be exchanged for (cash) money
Your credit is valid for 12 months from the date of issue
If your return does not meet the return conditions and in addition to import/postage/import duty costs, a depreciation will also be applied, your right to this shop credit will lapse and all costs will be deducted from the amount to be refunded

* When returning multiple items that have been imported, I will always calculate the costs incurred per individual situation; the amount that will be deducted and the amount that will be converted into shop credit depends on the actual costs incurred and are subject to a reasonable compensation for the losses incurred.

More information about a reasonable compensation for the losses incurred can be found in this Dutch Law and can be read in this Dutch article here and here.

This applies to:
1) cancellation of the order before it is delivered to you, but has already been imported by me
2) returning (part of) the order you have already received.

I would prefer not to have to charge these costs, but in order to cover the costs (losses) I have incurred due to the increasing number of returns, this has unfortunately proven necessary. To limit the number of returns (please think about the environment too) I would like to ask you to think just a little longer about your purchase, to make a well-considered decision and, if you are unsure, to ask me for advice or help!

For a single exchange for a different size, these costs will not be charged. You can read more about this in the Terms and Conditions and Refund Policy.

Contact

Email:

info@party-shoes.nl

Visiting address:
On appointment Only (Monday - Friday)!

Kinky- & Party-shoes

Thomas J. Witteroosstraat 18

6827 AZ ARNHEM (NL)

KvK 743 520 16 | BTW-id NL 002 366 589 B32

Sizing and Dimensions

Converted sizing for Pleaser shoes:

Pleaser shoes come from the USA and have American sizing (1 inch = 2.54 cm). Pleaser lists both US sizes (American shoe sizes) and EU sizes (European shoe sizes) on the shoe boxes.

However, experience has shown that the listed, converted EU sizes are not always correct. In particular, the larger shoe sizes are often larger than stated on the shoe box. For this reason, I use my own converted EU size chart (see the Sizing page) and not the EU sizes stated on the boxes.

From US-size 12, the sizing for most shoes is slightly adjusted:

US-12 -> EU size 42/43;
US-13 -> EU size 44;
US-14 -> EU size 45 and so on.

Important:

Order the size you normally wear, I already take into account whether certain shoes have a smaller or larger fit. If you have already done that too, please let me know (at the comments section in your shopping cart or by e-mail stating your order number) so that your order won't be imported two sizes too big or too small.

What if I want to order a specific US size?

If you would like to order a specific US size because you know which Pleaser US size you have, this is of course possible. I always buy the US size that is indicated. For example, as shown in the image below, I buy US-16 if you buy size 47/48:

You can see in the image above that the sizing has been adjusted slightly from US size 12 and up. For example, US-12 is a European size 42/43; US-13 is a European size 44; US-14 is a European size 45 and so on. On the shoe box, US-13 size 43 is indicated, but this conversion is not correct. So don't panic if you see another EU-size on the shoebox! ;)

How do I calculate the right size for me?

See how to calculate your size using a conversion table on the information page: "How do I know what size I have, and which one to order?"

If you are between 2 sizes, I usually advise rounding up the size for a closed style such as a pump or boot with a closed toe. For an open shoe style such as a sandals, where the toes and/or heel are 'open', I advise rounding down the size.

Of course you can always ask me for advice about which size you need:
info@kinky-shoes.nl

I would kindly like to ask you not to order the same item in different sizes and then return the sizes that do not fit.

Please contact me so that I can help you determine the correct size. If the shoes do not fit after all, you can always exchange them for a different size!

It is a waste of time and money to order an item in multiple sizes if you know in advance that some of those items will be returned. The costs for the return shipment are for your own account and if items have been imported especially for you upon your order, the import/postage/customs costs will also be charged on to you. Please refer to section 6.2: Right of withdrawal in the Terms of Service

Boot Circumference and Shaft Height:

You can find all the specifications of the shoes in the specification table below the product; such as the shaft length, shaft circumference, calf circumference and the length of the inner sole of the shoes.

The (boot) specifications are size-related! So make sure you have selected the desired size to read the correct specifications.

Have you already taken into account how the size fits and ordered a different size than you normally wear?

Please let me know if you have already made a conversion yourself so that the ordered item is not imported two sizes too big or too small. This can be done in the comments section in your shopping cart:

Country/region

Language

The heel/platform height, walking height, heel distance and angle of inclination

What do these shoe-specifications actually mean?

Tip: You can click on the images to enlarge them.

The various types of shoes you can find with us are (roughly):

Read and learn more about the next specifications and topics here:

Heel height and platform height:

The heel height and platform height are the most important factors for many people when shopping for heels. When it comes to pole dancing/exotic dance/pole fitness on heels, we more often talk about the height in inches than the height in cm.

For your convenience, we mention the height in inches as well as in cm, so you don't have to convert this yourself :)

How we measure them:

Heel height (abbreviated "HH")

Platform height (abbreviated "PF")