In our archive, falls are the most common hazard named in recalls of women’s shoes. Of the 19 recalls in our archive of 103 footwear recalls that involve women’s sizes, 14 name a fall hazard. Strip out the ski boots and what is left is a short list of very ordinary failures: a heel that comes off, a heel that wobbles, a metal strip that pushes through the sole, a lace hook that grabs the other boot.
We read each official CPSC notice (the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is the agency that announces these recalls) on October 20, 2026. Everything below is what those notices say, with numbers from the same records.
Three parts that matter in a heeled shoe
A few plain definitions make the notices easier to follow.
- Heel block. The raised part under the back of your foot. On a pump or a sandal, it is the piece the notices describe as detaching or leaning.
- Top piece. The small cap on the bottom of the heel that touches the ground, usually rubber or plastic.
- Shank. A stiff strip inside the sole that runs between the heel and the ball of the foot and gives the middle of the sole its stiffness. In some shoes it is metal.
None of the heel notices below say exactly how the heel was attached or which part gave way first. They describe the result, and that is all we repeat here.
The seven heel recalls
These seven women’s shoes and boots were recalled because the heel itself could fail.
| Recall date | Shoe | Units (U.S.) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 18, 2005 | Target Merona Sidezip “ENA” boots | About 135,000 | About $25 |
| April 9, 2009 | Wal-Mart George sling-back shoes | About 200,000 pairs | About $13 |
| July 7, 2009 | Charles David sample shoes | About 3,200 pairs | $22 to $80 |
| December 20, 2011 | Naturalizer “Dare” dress shoes | About 6,100 pairs | $25 to $50 |
| March 12, 2013 | White House | Black Market Versailles and Lourdes | About 13,500 | About $120 |
| July 31, 2013 | JP Boden Kensington Court pumps | About 190 | About $170 |
| November 16, 2023 | Khaite Linden, Louisa and Seigel sandals | About 1,860 | $920 to $1,080 |
Heels that came off
Four notices use the word “detach.” The Wal-Mart notice says, “Heels on the shoes can easily detach, posing a fall hazard to consumers.” Those were pointed-toe, sling-back shoes sold under the George brand in black, gray and purple. At about 200,000 pairs, it is the largest heel recall in our archive, and the notice lists no incidents. The Khaite notice uses nearly the same words for sandals that cost roughly 70 to 80 times as much: “The heels on the shoes can detach, posing a fall hazard.”
The Target Merona boot notice is the one with a real incident count. The boots had a three-inch heel, and “Target has received 19 complaints of the heels breaking off, including one report of a sprained ankle.” The Charles David notice reported one heel detaching, “resulting in minor bruising.” Those shoes were samples sold in women’s sizes 7 and 9 at Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack, and the item number could be found only on the original receipt.
Heels that leaned or loosened
Three notices describe a heel that stayed on but became unstable. The Naturalizer “Dare,” a three-inch open-toe heel with a faux patent bow, had heels that “can lean to either side.” The firm reported one consumer in Canada who received a minor leg injury in a fall. The White House | Black Market Versailles and Lourdes had four-inch heels that “can become unstable.” The JP Boden Kensington Court, a 3 1/2 inch patent pump, had a heel that “can loosen with wear,” a phrase that points to a problem showing up over time rather than on the first day.
What the seven have in common
- Price says little. The range runs from about $13 to $1,080. The cheapest and the most expensive pair carried almost the same hazard sentence.
- They sold for months, not years. Sale windows ran from three months (Charles David, White House | Black Market) to ten months (Khaite).
- Recalls came fast. The Wal-Mart and Khaite recalls each came about four months after the last sale.
- Few reports. Only the Merona boots had more than one complaint on record. Four of the seven notices report no injuries at all.
That last point matters if you own a heeled pair from one of these brands. A recall with no injuries on record is still a recall. Every one of these seven notices offered the purchase price back, as a full refund or, for some buyers, a merchandise card or store credit.
The Madewell shank that broke through the sole
On August 20, 2015, Madewell recalled all of its Sightseer sandals from the spring 2015 collection, ten style numbers in all sizes, about 50,600 pairs sold from February to July 2015 for $60 to $80. The hazard: “The metal shank can dislodge and break through bottom of the outsole, posing a fall hazard.” The firm had eight reports of exactly that and no injuries. About six weeks later, on September 29, 2015, Madewell expanded the recall to its Katya sandal, about 570 more pairs at about $100, after one more report. Both notices say the style number sits on a sticker on the outsole.
This is the clearest example in our archive of a shank failure, and it shows why a part you cannot see still counts. The shank is buried inside the sole, so the first sign was the metal coming out underneath.
A hook that caught the other boot
The North Face Shellista V Mid Waterproof boot recall of April 17, 2025, is a different kind of fall. Nothing broke. “The hook of one boot can catch on the lace of the other boot, posing a fall hazard to the consumer.” The firm had 28 reports of the top hook catching on the other boot’s lace, including 15 reports of minor injuries in the United States. That is the highest injury count among the women’s fall recalls in our archive. About 15,200 pairs sold in the U.S. from September 2024 through January 2025 for about $165, plus about 5,900 in Canada. The Shellista recall page lists the four style numbers.
A sole that turned slippery
The biggest fall recall in our archive is not a heel at all. On December 2, 2004, Target recalled 1.2 million Mossimo beaded thong sandals in beige or brown suede, sold from January through August 2004 for about $10. “The sole of the sandal can become slippery, causing the consumer to fall and receive bodily injury.” Target had 15 reports of falls and nine injuries, including injuries to the back, head and wrist, and reports of broken bones. The notice offered a Target gift card for the full purchase price plus applicable state tax.
Where the rest of the fall recalls come from
Our archive lists 27 footwear recalls with a fall hazard. Ten of them are ski or snowboard boots, where the notices describe a cracked shell, a loose pin or a boot releasing from its binding, not a heel. Those are grouped on our ski and snowboard boot recalls page. The full set, across all audiences and decades, is on the fall hazards page.
If you have a pair that resembles any shoe above, compare the label inside with the notice before deciding anything. Where style numbers usually hide inside a shoe is covered in checking a pair against a recall. You can open the Wal-Mart record directly on its recall page.