I chose this shoe not only for its looks but because I thought the heel looked sturdy and I would be less likely to lose my balance/trip/etc. This turned out not to be the case. Its better than wearing stilettos but not by much. The platform does make the shoe have a 4 inch height but only a 2 in h difference between toe and heel which i find ideal. I bought them in black and would have liked it if the dye was darker. Maybe canvas is hard to dye? I like these shoes but I won't buy them again.