FASHION TRAVEL HEALTH STYLISTAS TAKE THE NO HEELS CHALLENGE

You don’t need a six-incher to boost your confidence; you can look equally glamorous in flats and that’s what these Delhi celebs proved

Hollywood actor Julia Roberts made jaws drop when she walked the red carpet at Cannes this year. It wasn’t just her off-shoulder Armani Privé gown, but her rebellious barefoot stint under her floorgrazing ensemble. She proudly defied the red carpet rule, where it is mandatory for women to wear heels. At Golden Globes two years back, Emma Thompson ditched her Christian Louboutin red-soled heels and made her point saying, “I’ve taken my heels off as a feminist statement really, because why do we wear them? They’re so painful. And pointless, really. You know, I really would like to urge everyone to stop it.”

Nicola Thorp recently launched a petition against the tradition of compelling women in the UK to wear high heels at work, after she was told that she must wear two to four inches heels to work when she turned up in flat shoes. It has pulled in more than 100,000 signatures. “They (consultancy firm Price Waterhouse Coopers) explained that flat shoes are not part of their dress code for women. I refused and was sent home, without pay. When I pointed out that my male colleague was allowed to work in flat shoes, and that I felt that I was being discriminated against, I was laughed at. My supervisor said ‘men aren’t used to wearing heels’ — well I’m afraid I’m not, either,” Thorp, also an actor, was quoted as saying.

Taking the spirit forward, we asked six self-confessed heel addicts to swap their heels with stylish flats for a day. You don’t need a six-incher to enhance your confidence; you can look equally glam in flats (shoes with 2-4 cm heels are best for your feet) and that’s what these celebs proved! Let’s cheer for their spirit.

PHOTO: YVES HERMAN/REUTERS Julia Roberts slid out of her heels as she walked up the stairs at Cannes red carpet this year