The battle between good and evil is not regulated to the world of science fiction. In fact, a battle far more intense than any alien planet could ever comprehend, is alive and raging in today's society. That war is between the innocent Pointe shoe and the evil stiletto pump. However, the battle may not be as clear as black and white.

For decades the Pointe shoe has been associated with pureness and innocence. The grace and beauty that is associated with the dance is epitomized with the Pointe shoe itself.  Young girls yearn to grow up and fill those shoes. Ballerinas are perhaps one of the most admired and revered members of the artistic community. Moreover, their beauty is respected in all factions of society. Traditionally, immortalized in pink or white, the Pointe shoe is forever associated with all that is good.

On the other hand, the stiletto, most appealing in black, represents the darker side of women's footwear. Their beauty is carnal and sexy. The escalating spiky heel implies danger and adventure. The sheer ability to walk in such toe plummeting shoes indicates a woman living on the edge. Society views such women with caution.

Why are Pointe shoes and stilettos viewed at such opposite ends of the spectrum? Especially when both shoes allow the foot to be seen in its most beautiful position-high arched toe pointed perfection.
One could argue that ballet shoes and Pointe shoes are functional working shoes. Without them, the dancer would be at a loss and the dance would suffer. Stilettos are merely impractical decorative footwear. However, is it not necessary to have both performance shoes that allow the woman to do her work and also to have frivolous shoes that enable her foot to look its best off of the ballet stage?

The stiletto allows the woman to express herself as beautifully offstage as she does on stage, albeit in a more dangerous and adventurous way. After giving in to the traditional innocence of the ballet in her artistic life, does not the woman deserve to get in touch with her darker side? Stilettos allow her to do so while keeping her foot true to its Pointe shoe position. She should not have to wear the stigmatism that society has pinned onto the stiletto shoe like a scarlet letter upon her foot.
 

In a perfect world, the Pointe shoe and the stiletto would cease their trivial feud, mend their differences, and join together in their common goal to glorify the woman's foot. However, the battle between good and evil is not an easy compromise. When will these two titans of women's footwear realize that they are opposite sides of the same coin? By working together they could accomplish so much more. In fact, they would be unstoppable in their aspiration to keep the woman's foot looking its pointed best. The day that Pointe shoes and stilettos unite, finally will be a peaceful day in the universe.