Ana Veciana-Suarez

I'm a fan of sensible shoes -- the low-heeled, wide-toed variety that allows me to walk without limping or tripping.

I save those shin-torturing, bunion-producing pumps for special occasions.

So I don't understand the latest trend in little-girl fashion: kindergartners in high heels.

We're not talking dress-up heels, the glittery plastic kind that little girls stash in their toy trunks or borrow from mommy's closet. Such pretend play is cute, innocent and entirely age-appropriate.

We're talking about honest-to-goodness high heels. According to the Associated Press, Internet images of Tom Cruise's not-yet-4-year-old daughter in "blingy" heels is feeding a footwear craze. A California woman told the wire service she lets her 6-year-old wear a pair of sparkly, peekaboo shoes with 2-inch heels to church every Sunday.

Those of us who believe in preserving childhood and avoiding podiatrist's bills wonder: What are these parents thinking?

I suppose that, at one time or another, we all get caught up in collective admiration when we spot a celebrity wearing a certain look. (Remember the run on Sarah Palin eyewear after the 2008 Republican convention?) Manufacturers, no fools, capitalize on this kind of fascination by producing knockoffs, and stores display them prominently.

That's fine for grown-ups if it's what floats their boats. For tykes, though, wearing heels is an invitation to trouble.

A spokesman for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons says kids in heels are more susceptible to ankle sprains and broken bones. After all, it's difficult to keep them from running. Heel wearers also run the risk of tightening in the heel cord and changes in the foot's growth plate.

And for what -- to look like a mini-adult?

My opposition to heels for little girls goes beyond the obvious health concerns. It's really about the way raunch has trickled down to our youngest set, how provocative dress has made its way into elementary schools. Heels are simply the latest sexy fashion being foisted on children.

Trying to imitate their older sisters, little girls are wearing suggestive outfits that have no business in their closets. "Juicy," for instance, is not an appropriate slogan for a 6-year-old to wear on her backside.

Parents may think such outfits are perfectly harmless and look adorable on their pig-tailed daughters. They're not and they don't. What we allow our little girls to wear sends a message to the world -- and to them -- about what we value. Sex appeal shouldn't be on that list.

They'll have plenty of time to vamp it up when they're older. For now, let's allow our children to be children.

 

©, Ana Veciana-Suarez

 

Little Girls Really Don't Need to Walk in Our Shoes