A shoe having a sole with a toe portion, a heel portion, an arch portion located between said heel and toe portions (14,16) and a stowable heel comprising: a low heel block attached to the heel portion of said shoe sole, said low heel block having a slot formed therein that is open adjacent the bottom of said low heel block and continues through the forward part of said low heel block adjacent said arch portion of said shoe; a high heel extension piece attached to said low heel block, said high heel extension piece having a support beam affixed therein and protruding upwardly from the top of said high heel extension piece, said support beam having a substantially rectangular cross-section and defining a substantially central axis of said high heel extension piece, said support beam being capable of limited axial and pivotal movement within said slot; the dimensions of said support beam and said slot preventing rotational movement of said high heel extension piece about its central axis relative to said low heel block; means for allowing pivotal motion of said high heel extension piece relative to said sole so that said high heel extension piece can be moved between a first position wherein it underlies and is in substantial alignment with said low heel block creating a high heel and a second position wherein it lies substantially beneath said arch portion of said sole resulting in a low heel, characterized by said stowable heel further including a sturdy force plate secured to the top of said low heel block, and wherein said support beam includes an upper free end that is adapted to engage the lower surface (70, 72) of said sturdy force plate in either of its two positions and is prevented from further rotation by engagement with said force plate. a low heel block attached to the heel portion of said shoe sole, said low heel block having a slot formed therein that is open adjacent the bottom of said low heel block and continues through the forward part of said low heel block adjacent said arch portion of said shoe; a high heel extension piece attached to said low heel block, said high heel extension piece having a support beam affixed therein and protruding upwardly from the top of said high heel extension piece, said support beam having a substantially rectangular cross-section and defining a substantially central axis of said high heel extension piece, said support beam being capable of limited axial and pivotal movement within said slot; the dimensions of said support beam and said slot preventing rotational movement of said high heel extension piece about its central axis relative to said low heel block; means for allowing pivotal motion of said high heel extension piece relative to said sole so that said high heel extension piece can be moved between a first position wherein it underlies and is in substantial alignment with said low heel block creating a high heel and a second position wherein it lies substantially beneath said arch portion of said sole resulting in a low heel, characterized by said stowable heel further including a sturdy force plate secured to the top of said low heel block, and wherein said support beam includes an upper free end that is adapted to engage the lower surface (70, 72) of said sturdy force plate in either of its two positions and is prevented from further rotation by engagement with said force plate.