High heels are BAD!

Let me put this right out front: women's legs look awesome when the woman is wearing high heels.

Having said that, I would be happy to never see another pair of awesome legs if all women would wear shoes that are good for their feet.  Or at least not horrible for their feet.

There are no end of stories and studies to show that wearing high heels are bad for feet and legs.

Why High Heels Hurt Even After You Take Them Off (NPR)
Women's High Heel Shoes Lead To Same Problems As Foot Binding In China (The Fun Times Guide)

But that doesn't mean that wearing flat shoes (flip flops and the like) are good for you: The Worst Shoes for Your Feet (Web MD)

Does it deter women when they hear wearing high heels is bad for them?  Are they second-guessing buying a pair of pumps when they know their feet will hurt?  Do smokers stop smoking when they hear how bad tobacco is for them?  "Some people care more about how a shoe makes them look than how it makes their body feel. In fact, 42% of women say they’d wear shoes that are uncomfortable in order to look more stylish, says an American Podiatric Medical Association study."  (Readers Digest)  The fact that this number is so high is depressing.  The only bright spot is that more than half of those polled said they would NOT wear uncomfortable shoes just to look good.  But that number is not high enough.

So what should women wear?  It depends upon the situation, but generally something with good arch support and well-padded.

Types of Shoes (Become.com)
Selecting Walking Shoes (The Walking Site)