What Your Heels Might Say About the Economy (Supposedly)
Would you believe me if I said your choice to wear flats could reflect the state of the economy? Well, there’s a fashion myth that claims exactly that. It’s called the High Heel Index—the idea that when the economy is booming, women gravitate toward lower, more practical footwear (think ballet flats or kitten heels). But when the economy takes a hit, heels rise—literally. Trevor Davis, a former consumer products expert at IBM, coined the term more than a decade ago. “Usually, in an economic downturn, heels go up and stay up—as consumers turn to a more flamboyant fashion as a means of fantasy and escape,” he explained.
Today, we’re in a bit of a gray area. While the economy has steered clear of full-blown recession, it’s still facing a slowdown. Inflation is stubbornly high, the job market is shaky, and global tariffs have stirred public anxiety. “You’ve got this economic concern from how tariffs are going to affect the economy and markets that people are really struggling with,” Nathan Sheets, global chief economist at Citigroup, told CNN.
If the High Heel Index holds any weight, then the current runways may be revealing more than just trends. The Spring/Summer 2025 collections were filled with sky-high shoes. At Tamara Ralph, Georges Hobeika, and Chanel, models strutted in towering stilettos and bold platforms—seemingly proving the theory right. But as with most fashion myths, the story isn’t so cut and dry. Some designers—like Christian Dior and Miu Miu—leaned into comfort, sending low block heels and flat sandals down the runway.
To dig deeper, I asked someone who knows style inside and out.
Celebrity wardrobe stylist KJ Moody—whose clients include Beyoncé, Kali Uchis, and Cristiano Ronaldo—doesn’t buy into the heel-height-as-economy barometer. To him, this moment isn’t about escapism or economics. It’s about autonomy.
“I think we have a wave of women not wanting to be fetishized or gawked at,” he says. “They’re the new generation of Rosie the Riveter—opting to be more covered, wearing lower hemlines, suits, and flats. They’re taking back their independence and redefining what sexy is.”
Still, when it comes to styling his clients, Moody has a clear stance: “I will always choose the heel. I’m a heel-only stylist. Unless you have an injury, I’m all about a heel only. The higher the heel, the longer your legs appear and the slimmer you look.”
As for his holy grail? “The sexiest shoe that will be forever timeless is the Christian Louboutin So Kate 120 Pump. I think every woman needs it in her wardrobe.”
