Elevator shoes
are shoes that have thickened sections of the insoles (known as lifts) under the heels to make the wearer appear taller. An elevator shoe, like the platform shoe's heel can be made from different soles like plastic, wood, or rubber. The name suggests not only that such a shoe elevates a wearer, but has even been taken to suggest[citation needed][original research?] that it can elevate a wearer over some others. There are some elevator shoes that increase the height of a wearer from 2,6" to 3,2" and even up to 4".
Unlike high-heeled shoes, the component of elevator shoes that increases the wearer's height is inside the shoe, hiding it from observers. Shoes with thickened soles are also used in cases of orthopaedic problems, although the term elevator shoe is not usually used for these.
source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_shoes