STREETS are like catwalks for many, especially females, therefore the trendier the shoe the better. But how far will a female go in order to achieve that fashionable look? Does comfortable shoes play a part in choosing footwear in today's fashion world?

At Sunday's American Music Awards in Los Angeles, rap star Nicki Minaj struggled to reach centrestage even though she was being assisted by male ushers. Thanks to her sky high, 12-inch Oscar de la Rentas, she proved that those shoes were not made for walking.

 International superstar Lady Gaga never ceases to amaze with her footwear which include a pair with the heels in the shape of a 10-inch penis. The singer was even nicknamed 'mother monster' after rocking some quirky designer shoes.

Of course, what happens on the international stages and runways make it to the Jamaican shores and is fuelled by our dancehall culture.

According to Jamaican deejay Macka Diamond, she has been living the 'high life' for decades, with her favourites being six-inch and over platform stilettos. Platform stilettos come with the thick sole from a platform, but add a stiletto heel. Heights can go up to 10 inches.

"Wearing stilettos has a flattering effect on my figure and although they may look extremely uncomfortable because of the height of the heel to me its like wearing a pair of slippers," she explained.

Macka's fondness for the height was echoed by dancehall follower Trudy-Ann Cobourne. "Super high-heeled shoes have always been a good friend of mine especially in the dancehall. That is where BET, MTV and E! come into play, as we get a chance to see what the stars are wearing and copy their look," she says.

Former model turned artiste D'Angel says her footwear plays a very important part in her physical attire. "My outfit can be really simple but my shoes has to stand out as I really believe they add elegance to a lady," she says.

Also a model, D'Angel says the height of her stilettos isn't of much significance to her mobility on and off stage. "Wearing extremely high heels has a lot of do with posture. I can perform for hours in a pair of six-inch stilettos and my feet don't hurt" she says.

The entertainer, who sports a nine-inch pair of monster shoes in the music video for her single Na Get Lef A Bus Stop, says those shoes were worn for display purposes. "There are some shoes that were not designed for everyday wear. I would never wear a pair of shoes like the one in the video as it limits movement and furthermore those are 'back-breakers,'" a laughing D'Angel told Splash.

The singjay, who sometimes copies style tips from pop star Beyoncé, says the sale and demand of stilettos at her store Angel's Boutique, are extremely high at this time.

Another deejay, Spice is also known for her love of climbing to dizzying heights thanks to her shoes. At this year's staging of Reggae Sumfest, Spice took a little tumble on making her entrance thanks to the towering monsters, which were her choice of footwear for the night. For the rest of her performance the shoes had to be content to rest atop a speaker box.