Row over stilettos for babies

By Sima Kotecha

Newsbeat US reporter

 

When you think babies, you think nappies, bibs and plastic bottles. Now think leopard skin stilettos.

 

Two mums in the States (what a surprise, the USofA...) have created high-heeled shoes for newly born babies. They're called Heelarious and come in six different styles - including hot pink, black and white stripes and leopard print.

 

One of the inventors, Britta Bacon, came up with the idea as she was on her way to a child's birthday. She began thinking it would be hilarious if she could bring her daughter to the party in high heels.

 

The shoes are made out of a soft fabric and have a satin finish. They come in sizes 0 to 6 months and cost around £18.

 

In the two weeks they have been on sale, the 31-year-old mums have sold more than 2,000 pairs to customers in London, Ireland, and Belgium. 50 stores across America are selling them and you can get them online too.

 

 

Do you agree with stilettos for babies?

Not everyone is as excited as the creator and her business partner, Hayden Porter.

 

Newsbeat showed a pair of the hot pink ones to some mums and dads in New York.

 

'Dangerous'

 

Patrice Barnard has a four-month-old girl. She was freaked out by the idea of putting her baby in stilettos.

 

She said: "They look soft but really dangerous. Children shouldn't be wearing shoes like that. She should be wearing hard and ugly shoes that their feet need at that age."

 

 

The shoes come in a range of styles from leopard print to stripey

 

Child protection group Love Our Children USA said: "We need to let our children be children.

 

"There is plenty of time for them to grow up and wear stilettos. Even though these shoes look very cute, it's not healthy for their development."

 

However, Ms Porter said the shoes shouldn't be taken too seriously.

 

She said: "It's supposed to be just a fun novelty and make people laugh product.

 

"They're safe and they're never going to hurt the children. We would never do anything like that."

 

Annette Milano got a pair for her unborn granddaughter. When she saw an advert for the stilettos in a magazine, she said she couldn't wait to get her hands on a pair.

 

She said: "The shoes are hysterical. I'm surprised no one came up with the idea sooner.

 

"So funny and so cute and they remind me of the shoes on Wizard Of Oz. We've got the pink ones but we're going for the leopard ones next."

 

The heels on the shoes are only supposed to be for show and collapse if any pressure is put on them.

 

The inventors are now working on their next project which is for baby boys. The product is top secret though.

 

"They're going to be called HE-larious and will be out in August so keep a look out," they said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Oh, yes, how HILARIOUS darling....... What fun to put babies who cant even crawl or walk into a pair of fukkin' stiletto heels.... Hey, why not put them in split crotch panties and boob tubes while you're at it.... YOU SICK, TWISTED FUKKS!!!!!!!! :angry: :angry:

 

I've honestly pretty much heard it all now... This would actually hysterically funny if it weren't so downright, disturbing and plain WRONG.... Apart from anything else, how on Earth can this be good for a child's feet??????

 

Only in America..... :rolleyes:

 

 

 

Row over stilettos for babies

By Sima Kotecha

Newsbeat US reporter

 

When you think babies, you think nappies, bibs and plastic bottles. Now think leopard skin stilettos.

 

Two mums in the States (what a surprise, the USofA...) have created high-heeled shoes for newly born babies. They're called Heelarious and come in six different styles - including hot pink, black and white stripes and leopard print.

 

One of the inventors, Britta Bacon, came up with the idea as she was on her way to a child's birthday. She began thinking it would be hilarious if she could bring her daughter to the party in high heels.

 

The shoes are made out of a soft fabric and have a satin finish. They come in sizes 0 to 6 months and cost around £18.

 

In the two weeks they have been on sale, the 31-year-old mums have sold more than 2,000 pairs to customers in London, Ireland, and Belgium. 50 stores across America are selling them and you can get them online too.

Do you agree with stilettos for babies?

Not everyone is as excited as the creator and her business partner, Hayden Porter.

 

Newsbeat showed a pair of the hot pink ones to some mums and dads in New York.

 

'Dangerous'

 

Patrice Barnard has a four-month-old girl. She was freaked out by the idea of putting her baby in stilettos.

 

She said: "They look soft but really dangerous. Children shouldn't be wearing shoes like that. She should be wearing hard and ugly shoes that their feet need at that age."

 

 

The shoes come in a range of styles from leopard print to stripey

 

Child protection group Love Our Children USA said: "We need to let our children be children.

 

"There is plenty of time for them to grow up and wear stilettos. Even though these shoes look very cute, it's not healthy for their development."

 

However, Ms Porter said the shoes shouldn't be taken too seriously.

 

She said: "It's supposed to be just a fun novelty and make people laugh product.

 

"They're safe and they're never going to hurt the children. We would never do anything like that."

 

Annette Milano got a pair for her unborn granddaughter. When she saw an advert for the stilettos in a magazine, she said she couldn't wait to get her hands on a pair.

 

She said: "The shoes are hysterical. I'm surprised no one came up with the idea sooner.

 

"So funny and so cute and they remind me of the shoes on Wizard Of Oz. We've got the pink ones but we're going for the leopard ones next."

 

The heels on the shoes are only supposed to be for show and collapse if any pressure is put on them.

 

The inventors are now working on their next project which is for baby boys. The product is top secret though.

 

"They're going to be called HE-larious and will be out in August so keep a look out," they said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Oh, yes, how HILARIOUS darling....... What fun to put babies who cant even crawl or walk into a pair of fukkin' stiletto heels.... Hey, why not put them in split crotch panties and boob tubes while you're at it.... YOU SICK, TWISTED FUKKS!!!!!!!! :angry: :angry:

 

I've honestly pretty much heard it all now... This would actually hysterically funny if it weren't so downright, disturbing and plain WRONG.... Apart from anything else, how on Earth can this be good for a child's feet??????

 

Only in America..... :rolleyes:

 

well at least on this we fully agree! but be warned, we follow where america leads <_<

 

 

and to think the bnp worry about the erosion of british culture from immigrants... tbh america has more to answer for, or our obsession with all things american

 

i blame thatcher......

Poor babies :( these Mums are basically encouraging peverts. What's the point? It's not like the babies can walk in them.

 

I'd be horrified if I saw any girls under the age of 8 wearing stiletto's.

Why do you have to talk $h!t about the whole country, when every country has their share of complete idiots.

 

It gets really annoying and it happens alot on this forum. It's equivalent to me making a thread about the McCanns and then making a comment about "ONLY IN THE UK", or when they say where the parents of from, "WHAT A SURPRISE".

 

Check yourself, dude.

Its the same inbred r*t**** that submit their daughters for "beauty pageants"

 

 

Ridiculous. The world gets crazier every day.

That's actually appalling. I don't understand what it is with parenting these days? Seriously, pretty much everyday I work in Cineworld, I see kids [they literally couldn't be over 11] tarted up in neon tutus [genuninely have seen that] and running about in heels like they're the next Kate Moss. It's atrocious...what goes through the parents' minds is beyond me. I sure as hell know that when/if I have a daughter, she'll be going out donning a burka, babbyy.

Why do you have to talk $h!t about the whole country, when every country has their share of complete idiots.

 

It gets really annoying and it happens alot on this forum. It's equivalent to me making a thread about the McCanns and then making a comment about "ONLY IN THE UK", or when they say where the parents of from, "WHAT A SURPRISE".

 

Check yourself, dude.

 

MMM HMM - Agreement.

The idea of these sort of shoes for children is ridiculous.

 

Not going to hurt them? Laughing at them might hurt them mentally and that will do no good at all.

Why do you have to talk $h!t about the whole country, when every country has their share of complete idiots.

 

It gets really annoying and it happens alot on this forum. It's equivalent to me making a thread about the McCanns and then making a comment about "ONLY IN THE UK", or when they say where the parents of from, "WHAT A SURPRISE".

 

Check yourself, dude.

 

Oh I do dude, all the time, you wont find anyone more critical of the UK than me on Buzzjack, ask around.... But come Ty, you have to admit most of the stupid ideas that you can think of seems to come out of the US, I mean COME ON even the French who are so into haute coteur would never dream of something so barmy as babies in High Heels, this is straight out of some "Sex and the City", Paris Hilton type of mentality, you know, it's the same as stupid little dogs in handbags and 7 year olds in Beauty Pageants.... If you want to know the reason why I have what appears to be a "downer" on the US, it's simple, because too many people (and a good few Politicians too...) in MY country just follow what America does like fukkin' sheep with no sense of critical faculty whatsoever.....

 

Your example of the McCanns is an incredibly silly one tbh mate..... Obviously kids dont just go missing in the UK do they....? :rolleyes:

Oh I do dude, all the time, you wont find anyone more critical of the UK than me on Buzzjack, ask around.... But come Ty, you have to admit most of the stupid ideas that you can think of seems to come out of the US, I mean COME ON even the French who are so into haute coteur would never dream of something so barmy as babies in High Heels, this is straight out of some "Sex and the City", Paris Hilton type of mentality, you know, it's the same as stupid little dogs in handbags and 7 year olds in Beauty Pageants.... If you want to know the reason why I have what appears to be a "downer" on the US, it's simple, because too many people (and a good few Politicians too...) in MY country just follow what America does like fukkin' sheep with no sense of critical faculty whatsoever.....

 

Your example of the McCanns is an incredibly silly one tbh mate..... Obviously kids dont just go missing in the UK do they....? :rolleyes:

 

agreed ..... yes we have our share of idiots, but unfortunately we seem to follow america in its daft notions and worshiping 'celebs'...

That's actually appalling. I don't understand what it is with parenting these days? Seriously, pretty much everyday I work in Cineworld, I see kids [they literally couldn't be over 11] tarted up in neon tutus [genuninely have seen that] and running about in heels like they're the next Kate Moss. It's atrocious...what goes through the parents' minds is beyond me. I sure as hell know that when/if I have a daughter, she'll be going out donning a burka, babbyy.

 

I'm afraid it's the American influence.... "Celeb Culture" and all this sort of crap has its genesis in the US (like it or not Tyler, it happens to be TRUE), and the idol-worship of idiots like Jade Goody, Paris Hilton and Jordan, which has a lot to answer for also... The Americanisation of our culture has totally dumbed it down, there can surely be no question of that... And, to me, this is just another example of what Rob has correctly identified as what may end up happening over here sooner or later... Where America "leads", the UK seems to follow like a puppy.... In the most extreme example, you only have to look at Iraq and Afghanistan to see where this eventually all takes us, into a situation in which we cant get out of..... I really do think that it's high time to end the "special relationship", which all seems to be VERY one-sided anyway....

 

 

Oh I do dude, all the time, you wont find anyone more critical of the UK than me on Buzzjack, ask around.... But come Ty, you have to admit most of the stupid ideas that you can think of seems to come out of the US, I mean COME ON even the French who are so into haute coteur would never dream of something so barmy as babies in High Heels, this is straight out of some "Sex and the City", Paris Hilton type of mentality, you know, it's the same as stupid little dogs in handbags and 7 year olds in Beauty Pageants.... If you want to know the reason why I have what appears to be a "downer" on the US, it's simple, because too many people (and a good few Politicians too...) in MY country just follow what America does like fukkin' sheep with no sense of critical faculty whatsoever.....

 

Your example of the McCanns is an incredibly silly one tbh mate..... Obviously kids dont just go missing in the UK do they....? :rolleyes:

 

 

Just like all Americans let their babies walk around in heels. I mean it's hot... so like, who cares! Totally.

 

You KNOW what I'm talking about man.

I'm afraid it's the American influence.... "Celeb Culture" and all this sort of crap has its genesis in the US (like it or not Tyler, it happens to be TRUE), and the idol-worship of idiots like Jade Goody, Paris Hilton and Jordan, which has a lot to answer for also... The Americanisation of our culture has totally dumbed it down, there can surely be no question of that... And, to me, this is just another example of what Rob has correctly identified as what may end up happening over here sooner or later... Where America "leads", the UK seems to follow like a puppy.... In the most extreme example, you only have to look at Iraq and Afghanistan to see where this eventually all takes us, into a situation in which we cant get out of..... I really do think that it's high time to end the "special relationship", which all seems to be VERY one-sided anyway....

 

You may have a point, but to be honest I see the connection dating further back to the European worship of the monarchy. Long before Hollywood stars were fawned over, the Queen strutted around the world to near frenzied adoration for no damned good reason. Hollywood stars and celeb worship is just an Americanized/modernized version since we don't have a monarchy or a class system.

 

And while I am not offended by the "only in America" commentary in the least bit, Tyler has a point because the article clearly states, "In the two weeks they have been on sale, the 31-year-old mums have sold more than 2,000 pairs to customers in London, Ireland, and Belgium."

Edited November 6, 200915 yr by Consie

You may have a point, but to be honest I see the connection dating further back to the European worship of the monarchy. Long before Hollywood stars were fawned over, the Queen strutted around the world to near frenzied adoration for no damned good reason. Hollywood stars and celeb worship is just an Americanized/modernized version since we don't have a monarchy or a class system.

 

And while I am not offended by the "only in America" commentary in the least bit, Tyler has a point because the article clearly states, "In the two weeks they have been on sale, the 31-year-old mums have sold more than 2,000 pairs to customers in London, Ireland, and Belgium."

 

i dont think historically any monarchy was fawned over half as much as todays 'celebs' either here or in america, and at least being a monarch was a 'proper' job...

Hey you guys, live and let live. If parents want to buy these for their babies then LET THEM. It's not as if it's harming you or me is it? Beats me why people on forums like this get so worked up about such things. Personally I wouldn't buy them for a baby but there you go. I don't think the parents are sick and twisted as Scott says but probably do have more money than sense. :wacko: No worse than the pics of cats with wigs in yesterday's Sun. :o

Edited November 6, 200915 yr by Crazy Chris

Hey you guys, live and let live. If parents want to buy these for their babies then LET THEM. It's not as if it's harming you or me is it? Beats me why people on forums like this get so worked up about such things. Personally I wouldn't buy them for a baby but there you go. I don't think the parents are sick and twisted as Scott says but probably do have more money than sense. :wacko: No worse than the pics of cats with wigs in yesterday's Sun. :o

 

You just don't get it do you Chris

 

If they are bought high heels as babies it will be hotpants and boob tubes at 6 or 7 and these kids will be like mini Paris Hilton's before they are even in double figures and an early xmas present for the Gary Glitter's of this world, while high heels themselves are not a major issue parents sexualising young girls is and this is just the first step in terms of those that have been bought these ghastly things

And while I am not offended by the "only in America" commentary in the least bit, Tyler has a point because the article clearly states, "In the two weeks they have been on sale, the 31-year-old mums have sold more than 2,000 pairs to customers in London, Ireland, and Belgium."

 

Which leads me back to mine and Rob's point, where America leads, we just follow like a bunch of bloody mindless sheep.... Which I have just as much of a problem with as the stupid people coming up with these ideas themselves....

 

But the fact still remains, the genesis of the stupid idea is on your side of the pond I'm afraid mate..... :rolleyes:

 

Hey you guys, live and let live. If parents want to buy these for their babies then LET THEM. It's not as if it's harming you or me is it? Beats me why people on forums like this get so worked up about such things. Personally I wouldn't buy them for a baby but there you go. I don't think the parents are sick and twisted as Scott says but probably do have more money than sense. :wacko: No worse than the pics of cats with wigs in yesterday's Sun. :o

 

I think that if you even find the thought of putting babies into high heels or dolling up young kids like adults or "mini whores" acceptable or "cute", then you ARE one sick puppy.... Did you ever see a thing in the 1980s called "Minipops"...? I suggest you go on Youtube and look at footage of this garbage.... A Green Light to perverts everywhere that show was..... Kids should BE kids, not mini-adults....

 

Which leads me back to mine and Rob's point, where America leads, we just follow like a bunch of bloody mindless sheep.... Which I have just as much of a problem with as the stupid people coming up with these ideas themselves....

 

But the fact still remains, the genesis of the stupid idea is on your side of the pond I'm afraid mate..... :rolleyes:

 

I dunno I'm just not convinced this concept is inherently American... I can see the connection to celebrity worship, I guess, also the whole weird child "pageant culture." But I can also see other connections, has anyone ever spent any time in Russia? They dress little girls there like hookers all the time, haha. Plus stiletto heels need not be slutty, and like almost ever fashion trend they were born on European runways (probably on the heels of a 18 year old anorexic girl who looks like she's 12, but with blackened makeup so she resembles a heroin addict skinny 12 year old girl, classy).