Flat out Fabulous: How Barbie’s foot posture and occupations have changed over the decades, and the lessons we can learn

Barbie's equinus foot posture is directly related to her high heel wearing. Barbie models her footwear choice based on task demands, being flat footed and wearing flat shoes when she needs to work on her feet, be physically active or more stable. Given Barbie is known to reflect societal norms, we contend this is most likely true for most high-heel wearers. While Barbie has moved with the times, it appears footwear health messaging about high heel wearing needs to catch up. Health professionals castigating high heels through public messaging, should remember that emphasising health benefits consistently drives positive behaviour change, over highlighting negative consequences. Barbie clearly makes sensible determinations regarding her body autonomy; high heel wearers should have that same ability.