by Jonte Rhodes

Created on: February 20, 2009

For many women choosing between heels and wedges can be a difficult decision when deciding what shoes to wear on any particular occasion. However despite the fact that they offer some of the same benefits, in actual fact heels and wedges are a lot different in terms of comfort, aesthetics and also what situations they are appropriate for.

Often the biggest differences between heels and wedges is the comfort level if you are going to be wearing them for any length of time. With heels, because the pressure is being concentrated on one small area of the foot, the shoes tend to become very uncomfortable after a short time of wearing them. Wedges on the other hand balance the pressure throughout the whole foot, and are generally fine to wear all day without discomfort.

Even though they tend to be worn for a lot longer than heels, wedges will also tend to last a lot longer before they need to be replaced or repaired. The main problem with heels is that the heel itself can tend to snap off, which also always happens at an inopportune moment. This problem is particularly prevalent with thinner and longer heels, but will also happen sometimes with wide heeled boots also. Wedges generally don't have this problem because usually the entire bulk of the shoe is all made from one piece.

Wedges tend to be a lot more stable to stand in for long periods of time compared to heels, which can often be difficult to balance on. Many women in fact cannot well in heels at all, and so wedges offer them all the benefits of heels without the drawbacks. Similarly heels are no good for walking over soft surfaces such as grass, as you will simply sink into the ground. Wedges on the other hand are much more balanced in their weight distribution, and so are fine for all surfaces as well as being easier to walk in.

There are certain types of outfits which heels don't tend to really go with, such as sweat pants and an old t-shirt for dong the grocery shopping. Wedges are more appropriate for a wider variety of different everyday situations, and work with any outfit. They might not have the same glamorous appearance of heels with a dress, however the fact that they work with everything means that you will get a lot more use out of them than you will by buying heels anyway.

The fact that wedges are a lot more stable to stand on will also mean that you can often afford to wear taller shoes without fear of falling down as much as with heels. For women who are particularly self conscious about their

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