10 Craziest Head-Turning Heels

1

Pigeon Heels

A simple pun often inspires many great ideas in Japan. Such was the case for designer Keiko Otsuhata, who was thinking about pigeons when the word “hato-heel” jumped into her head. Hato is Japanese for pigeon, and, while acknowledging that it's rather weak as a pun, she began imagining what hato-heels might look like. She then wore them to Tokyo's Ueno Park, which is known for its abundant—and sometimes overly-friendly—pigeons. At first, the birds were a bit standoffish, but they soon accepted Otsuhata's hato-heels as one (well, two) of their own.

A simple pun often inspires many great ideas in Japan. Such was the case for designer Keiko Otsuhata, who was thinking about pigeons when the word “hato-heel” jumped into her head. Hato is Japanese for pigeon, and, while acknowledging that it's rather weak as a pun, she began imagining what hato-heels might look like. She then wore them to Tokyo's Ueno Park, which is known for its abundant—and sometimes overly-friendly—pigeons. At first, the birds were a bit standoffish, but they soon accepted Otsuhata's hato-heels as one (well, two) of their own.

2

Minnie Mouse Heels

Minnie Mouse stiletto heels are here, and they might be the most elegant way possible to wear your love of Disney. Italian designer Oscar Tiye is responsible for the creation, which boasts a sleek one-strap sandal design, complete with a pair of round Minnie Mouse ears at the back of the ankle. (That detail only appears on closer inspection— from afar they can easily be mistaken for a bow-like accent.)

Aptly named the “Minnie,” you can pick them up for a cool $450 to $700, depending on the style. The heel varies, in terms of chunkiness, as does the fabric—some are made of satin, glitter, or, even a denim weave. They all have the same whimsical draw, though: Minnie Mouse ears.

3

Dolce & Gabbana Siciliano Heels

If you $4,995 to spare, Dolce & Gabbana offers up colorful Sicilian flair through the image of a bella donna. The multicolored cotton and leather Carretto Siciliano print pumps from feature an almond toe, a brand embossed insole, an ankle strap with side buckle fastening, rhinestone embellishments, a platform sole, a sculpted Sicilian lady high heel, and a signature Carretto Siciliano (Sicilian cart) print. 

4

Changeable Heels

Many women know the burden of wearing heels all day, so this shoe might be a solution for those who don't want to change their outfit, but wants to slow down (or speed up) by the end of the day. Mime et moi created shoes that can have low heels for the morning and high heels for the evening. They vary not only in height, but in shape, and color as well. The sandals can be adjusted to any situation and style in an instant. They are an optimal combination of luxury and comfort, and perfect for daily use.

5

Slide Heels

Israeli footwear designer Kobi Levi uses his imagination to create some of the most unusual high heels you'll ever see. While his wearable sculptures are cool to look at, I doubt that I'd have the courage to wear some of them in public. These slide heels, for instance, don't look like a walk in the park to me!

6

Star Wars Heels

These sweet Star Wars shoes might not match, but they go together perfectly. That's because they were designed and assembled by one-of-a-kind Etsy seller Orion's Originals.

Their footwear isn't all inspired by Star Wars, nor is it all heels. Check their webpage on Etsy for more awesome designs.

7

Cock Inspired Heels

If you thought the pigeon shoes above were weird, wait until you see these cock inspired stilettos by Masaya Kushino. The Japanese designer, known for his extravagant creations that straddle the line between footwear and sculpture, created a line of shoes inspired by poultry. “Bird-Witched” actually takes its cue from Jakuchu Ito, “a legendary painter who flourished during the Edo period in the 18th century,” says Kushino.

For his latest collection, Kushino decided to depict the process of a bird turning into a pair of luxurious, feather-clad shoes. He also reassures us that the shoes aren't just to look at—they are fundamentally wearable footwear which, in Kushino's mind, clearly separates them from standalone art objects. 

8

Carved Wooden Heels

No matter how many shoes you have in your wardrobe, chances are you don't own a pair like these. They're part of a range called Saigon Socialite, and they're made by a Vietnamese company called Fashion4Freedom. Each pair has a leather top and a wooden base that's carved using techniques taken from Vietnam's ancient pagoda wood art. The style is both a homage to the country's tradition as well as a contemporary re-imagining of it, and given that each pair takes up to three weeks to make, they're as much works of art as they are fashionable footwear.

Orphanages receive free shoe samples, and Fashion4Freedom donates unused materials to schools. The company also teaches local villagers manufacturing techniques to help them boost their income. So when you buy a pair, not only do you get an awesome addition to your footwear collection, you also get the piece of mind that your money has been well spent. You can buy them on Etsy. 

9

Tentacle High Heels

“Difficult” shoes like this squid-design have won Filipino designer Kermit Tesoro celebrity patronage. The 27-year-old drew the attention of Lady Gaga with his famous skull-heel shoes, which resulted in Tesoro's heel-less design being featured in Gaga's Gilt collection.

Kermit Tesoro studied at UP Diliman College of Fine Arts. He enjoys going to hardware stores, collects books, and is a Nina Simone fan. Tesoro's advice for aspiring designers: “Study, research, learn, identify the craft, and avoid subverting or revolting without a cause.” 

10

Rolling BB-8 Heels

If you wear high-heeled shoes often, then you know how hard it can be to traverse difficult terrain, such as the deserts of Jakku. That's why you need this modification by Instructables member Mike Warren. His BB-8 heels make good use of the droid's spherical locomotion to keep you on the move.

Warren first removed the heels and replaced them with long bolts. Then he shaped wood spheres into our newest favorite droid, making sure that they rotate freely. Warren also decorated the rest of the shoes in BB-8's colors and graphic patterns.