High heels — once a staple in many women’s wardrobes — have long been loved for how they add height, elongate the legs, and elevate an outfit. But today, it’s quite hard to spot anyone wearing them on the street. For many women in Generation Z, heels feel almost foreign, as they have never owned a single pair or seen their peers wearing them either.

To find out why high heels have lost their place in Gen Z women’s wardrobes lately, we spoke with four women in their twenties about why heels no longer fit into their lives.

“There’s something about high heels that still feels tied to the sexualization of women’s bodies,” says Kim, 23, a college student.

“Think about how much attention is paid to the shape of a woman’s legs. Wearing heels often feels more about looking good for others than about personal confidence or comfort,” Kim explains, drawing a clear distinction between wanting to look taller and wanting to make your legs look “prettier” in a way that feels performative.

Kim also recalls stories from her mother, who described a time when female employees were expected to be “the flower of the office” — wearing makeup and heels as if appearance was part of the job. To Kim, Gen Z’s shift away from those expectations isn’t just a fashion trend — it’s a sign of social progress.

“We’re becoming more aware of how we’re perceived,” Kim adds. “Many women don’t want to be sexualized anymore — that definitely influences why fewer of us are reaching for heels.”

“Heels used to symbolize womanhood — even a rite of passage into adulthood — but that doesn’t really hold true anymore,” says Shin, 24, a research assistant.

Growing up in a college town in Korea, Shin often looked up to the stylish university students around her. “Wearing heels as a kid was kind of a social taboo, so we tended to associate them with being grown-up,” she explains. The college students she admired wore elegant blouses, flared skirts and pumps — outfits that were out of bounds for middle and high schoolers, both socially and through school dress codes. Naturally, these clothes came to represent a more mature, feminine identity.

After graduating high school, Shin bought her first pair of heeled boots, thinking she was stepping into the adult world she had envisioned. But over time, her perspective shifted. She started questioning the narrow definition of femininity she had internalized. “I realized that being a woman — or being an adult — doesn’t have to mean dressing a certain way. You don’t need heels to feel like a grown woman,” she reflects.

Now, heels feel less like a symbol and more like just another fashion choice — often one that’s impractical. For Shin, womanhood no longer needs to be worn — it’s lived, in whatever shoes she chooses.

“Heels are no longer a workplace staple,” says Park, 27, an event manager at a media company.

Park recalls buying her first pair of heels and feeling like she had truly entered the professional world. “Wearing them made me feel confident, like I was finally part of the young professional crowd,” she explains. For a few years, Park considered heels essential for a polished, formal office look.

But times have changed. Today, sneakers and loafers have become the new standard — especially among Park and her mostly Gen Z colleagues. She describes the trend as the “yuppie look”: clean white sneakers or sleek flat loafers that are comfortable, practical, and still sharp. With this style widely accepted in Gen Z workplaces like hers, Park feels she no longer needs heels to appear professional — sneakers or loafers will do.

“Heels are just tacky,” says Jeong, 24, a college senior. “I’m pretty sure all my peers feel the same — I haven’t seen a single person wearing them in my four years of college.”

For Jeong, the issue isn’t just comfort — it’s the overall aesthetic. She finds heels ugly, awkward and old, citing their dull colors and pointy shapes as major turn-offs. More importantly, they don’t align with current trends, where casual, tomboyish and minimal styles dominate. In Jeong’s eyes, hyperfeminine looks — heels included — feel tacky and overdressed in today’s fashion landscape.

Even the appeal of added height doesn’t sway her. “I’m short, and I like looking taller,” she says. “But I wear platform sneakers or Mary Janes for that — not heels.”