High heels are a fashion essential, and they seem to be getting higher by the day. Gone are the days when the highest heels and stilettos were limited to 4-5 inches; today these are considered standard, with women moving up to 6, 7, 8 and even 18 ½ inches in some rare cases. If you thought you weren’t ready to go above 3 inches yet, then it is about time that you checked these famous designers and celebrities out who have taken high heels to a whole new level, and have the recognition of wearing the highest heels ever.

LADY GAGA

Lady Gaga is very close to becoming the ambassador for extreme high heels shoes. A complete look not only consists of wearing the right dress, the right hair and makeup but also wearing the perfect shoes... and in Lady Gaga’s case, the latter takes on epic proportions. There are numerous high heels to Lady Gaga’s credit, including the crystallized heels she wore to the 2010 Grammy awards, the 10-inch Alexander Mcqueen snake skin ankle breakers she wore to the MTV VMA’s 2010 and not to forget the sky-high heel-less heels. But the highest heels that she has worn so far have been the 24-inch heels she wore to the CFDA Fashion Awards.

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NAOMI CAMPBELL

It is another story altogether when a super model falls-that even on the runway. But that is exactly what happened when Naomi Campbell dared to don 10 inch mock croc platforms on the runway in 1999. Well, who knew times would change so much that the 10 inch platforms will become the norm, but have to give her brownie points for trying it back in the day.

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HEIDI KLUM

The Mcqueen house has become one of the most daringly practical names in the fashion industry. Whether it was the man himself, or Sarah Burton now, their collections are whacky, practical and always in demand. And that has, over the years, only encouraged them to express their creativity. And the 12-inch high heels that Heidi Klum wore on the Mcqueen Fall 2009 runway showcasing the extreme high heel shoes are yet another evidence of their objective to offer wearable extreme fashion.

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TAYLOR MOMSEN

Taylor Momsen is known for a lot of things. From gaining worldwide popularity due to her twisted character in Gossip Girl to becoming a teenage icon, she has been evolving in more ways than one. And she obviously has no intentions of slowing down. She wore platform heels that had a small opening and title "tips", and a dollar bill on the inside. Where other celebrities were pulling fashion off, she went ahead and pretty much made these impractical heels practical!

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THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD HOLDERS

You cannot talk about the highest heels without mentioning the ones that made it to the Guinness book of World Records. The highest heeled shoes commercially available, according to the famed recordkeeping establishment, are the 20 inch platform boots created by the Indian designer James Syiemiong.

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These are some of the highest heels ever created, and with stars like Lady Gaga and Taylor Momsen expressing their individuality in every way they can, the sky is the limit. While these feats of the human foot are more than likely to be attention-grabbing schemes, there is no doubt that as the heel grows, the comfort level shrinks and the price tag goes up. Be sure to use some form of high heel cover to keep your fashion investments looking as good as the day you bought them.