The footwear traditionally given to the quinceañera in the changing-of-the-shoes ritual is high heels.
The ceremony commonly begins with the honoree wearing flat shoes. A parent, often her father, then replaces them with high-heeled shoes. The change symbolizes a movement away from childhood and toward the social identity of a young woman.
This ritual is especially recognizable because it turns an ordinary object into a visible symbol. The shoes can be formal and coordinated with the dress, but their color and design are not fixed worldwide. Some families use a different relative or omit the ceremony entirely.
The changing of the shoes should not be confused with the waltz itself. The shoe presentation is a separate symbolic ritual that may happen before or during the reception. A quinceañera can include the traditional dance without the shoe change, or include the shoe change in a celebration with no formal dance.