There are many things that women can't do in high heels. But up until this point, they've mostly been able to stand up straight -- even if that does involve constantly shifting from foot to foot, to relieve the agony of squashed toes and overburdened calf muscles.
However, a new shoe design prevents even a seasoned model from walking tall.
According to Ecreativity, the heels are the product of a collaboration between René van den Berg (a Dutch shoe designer) and Leanie van der Vyver, a South African art graduate from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam.
Featured on the academy's website, the shoes are titled 'Scary Beautiful' and challenge current beauty ideals by "inflicting an unexpected new beauty standard".
"Humans are playing God by physically and metaphorically perfecting themselves. Beauty is currently at an all time climax and with this project I explore what lies beyond perfection."
As Ecreativity explain, the shoes sit backwards on the foot – "with the wearer feet pointing 90 degrees down as if wearing ballet shoes; her shins leaning forward almost 45 degrees, supported by the “front heels”.
Yes, these shoes might be designed for an art project, but as you watch the model heroically drag her feet across the floor, HuffPost UK Lifestyle are reminded of the reality of Posh Spice's heel-less boots.
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As Amanda Chatel comments for The Gloss: "Artistically, you can’t deny the the appeal of the shoes, but emotionally, you’re going to be a mess."
These shoes remind us that warped ideas of what's beautiful have encouraged women to break through the pain barrier to achieve perfection. Whether it's wearing six-inch heels, undergoing the cosmetic knife or enduring semi-starvation for the sake of remaining a size zero -- none of it's much more fun than putting your shoes on backwards and going for a limping walk.
Would you wear these heels? Comment below