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Wedges - Shoes with Wedge Heels

By Desiree Stimpert, About.com

CARLOS by Carlos Santana "Escape" - The shoes above have a wedge heel.

CARLOS by Carlos Santana "Escape" - The shoes above are wedges, due to the wedge-shaped heel.

Image courtesy of Zappos.com
Definition: On most shoes, the "heel" sits under only the heel of the foot, but a wedge heel runs under the foot, from the back of the shoe to the middle or front. As you've probably guessed, it has a somewhat triangular, wedge shape, but not all wedges are high heels. In fact, wedge heels range from low to high, it's the shape and the length of the heel that classify it as a wedge.

Many people confuse platforms and wedges. While shoes with wedge heels may have platform soles, the two features do not always appear together. When they do, they're considered "platform wedges."

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Also Known As: wedges, wedge heels, wedge shoes, wedge-heeled shoes

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