At the 2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Bel Powley brought a playful approach to red-carpet dressing in a light pink Mary Katrantzou “Balas” dress and colorful Nicholas Kirkwood “Maya” Pac-Man platform sandals.
The British actress, best known for The Diary of a Teenage Girl and Equals, stands about 5ft 1½ (156.2 cm) tall and wears a US shoe size 8.5. She has also described herself as 5’2″. Platform shoes have been a recurring part of her red-carpet wardrobe: she later paired a Simone Rocha gown with towering Laurence Dacade platform pumps at The Morning Show premiere. At the Spirit Awards, Kirkwood’s substantial platforms similarly added height while remaining fully visible beneath her short dress.
Powley attended the February 27, 2016, awards as a Best Female Lead nominee for The Diary of a Teenage Girl. She lost the category to Brie Larson, but her combination of Mary Katrantzou’s embellished Pre-Fall 2016 design and Kirkwood’s graphic arcade-inspired footwear gave the look its distinctive contrast.
Her Spirit Awards appearance followed a breakout period for the actress. The Diary of a Teenage Girl, adapted from Phoebe Gloeckner’s hybrid novel that you can buy on Amazon, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and earned Powley the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Actress as well as the Trophée Chopard at the Cannes Film Festival.
Bel Powley looks radiant in a studded pink dress at the 2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards on February 27, 2016, in Santa Monica (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / WENN)
For the ceremony, Powley chose the sleeveless light pink “Balas” dress from Mary Katrantzou’s Pre-Fall 2016 collection. The short dress featured a deep V-neckline and a vertical series of diamond-shaped cutouts embellished through the center of the bodice.
Its above-the-knee length also left her statement footwear completely visible, allowing the colorful Nicholas Kirkwood platforms to become an important part of the look rather than simply a finishing accessory.
Bel Powley stuns in a pink studded Mary Katrantzou dress paired with playful platform sandals at the 2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards (Credit: WENN / Apega / Adriana M. Barraza)
Powley finished the look with Nicholas Kirkwood “Maya” ankle-strap platform sandals in the colorful Pac-Man print. The graphic arcade-inspired pattern contrasted with the pale pink Mary Katrantzou dress, while the substantial platform and heel gave the petite actress a noticeable height boost.
The proportions are particularly effective on her petite frame. Rather than pairing the short dress with a neutral pump, Powley exposed the entire platform sandal, from the ankle strap to the thick sole, making Kirkwood’s unusual design one of the outfit’s focal points.
Bel Powley’s feet stood out in these eye-catching Pac-Man patterned platform sandals (Credit: WENN / Adriana M. Barraza)
The Nicholas Kirkwood Maya was produced in numerous colors, materials, and prints, with versions originally priced from approximately $548 to $1,390. Powley’s colorful Pac-Man version is an archival design from the same era and is no longer sold as a current-season style.
As of July 2026, however, Nicholas Kirkwood’s sculptural platforms remain available on the secondary market. Farfetch lists a pre-owned 135mm Maya lace-embellished platform sandal for $487, alongside other archival Kirkwood platform styles. While it is not the Pac-Man pair worn by Powley, the listing gives shoppers a current resale reference for the Maya silhouette.
Farfetch’s Nicholas Kirkwood selection also shows how much of the designer’s footwear now circulates through resale. Pre-owned platform styles include marble-print platform sandals for $245, faux-pearl platform sandals for $315, printed platform pumps for $316, and 140mm platform stiletto pumps for $256. Current or discounted styles appear alongside them, including Lexi 75mm knotted sandals and Monstera mules and pumps.
Bel Powley’s Nicholas Kirkwood “Maya” platform sandals feature a colorful Pac-Man maze print, chunky heels, thick platforms, and wide ankle straps (Credit: WENN / Apega)
For shoppers specifically interested in Powley’s shoes, the key distinction is that the Pac-Man-print Nicholas Kirkwood Maya platform sandals remain an archival style. Availability and resale prices can change, so finding the exact print, size, and condition will depend on the secondary market.
The product images below show the Maya in black, champagne beige, electric blue, metallic champagne leather, navy-and-cream, Pac-Man print, and sunset-hued versions, illustrating the variety of finishes produced for Kirkwood’s statement platform silhouette.
Why Platform Heels Work So Well on Petite Frames
For petite women, platform heels can deliver a substantial height boost without requiring the same steep foot angle as a traditional high heel. The raised sole beneath the forefoot offsets part of the heel height, which can make a towering platform feel more stable and manageable while still creating a longer leg line.
That combination helps explain why platforms are such a recurring red-carpet choice on shorter stars. A four- or five-inch platform can add dramatic height, work beneath longer hems, and balance the proportions of wide-leg trousers or full-length gowns. With shorter dresses like Bel Powley’s Mary Katrantzou mini, leaving the entire shoe visible can make the added height even more apparent.
👠 Petite Stars Who Use Platforms and Heels to Add Height:
- 📏 See how celebrities 5’2″ and under use platform heels, pointed-toe pumps, nude shoes, and elongated silhouettes to create the appearance of extra height while keeping their proportions balanced.
- 👠 At 5’0″ (152.4 cm), Paula Abdul regularly relies on towering platform heels, using the added lift to complement everything from fitted stage looks to full-length red-carpet gowns.
- ✨ Nicole Richie, who stands 5’1″ (154.9 cm), has long used dramatic platforms and high heels to lengthen her petite frame, including statement styles from Christian Louboutin and other luxury designers.
- 🖤 Vanessa Hudgens shows how towering platforms can work on a 5’1″ frame, pairing substantial heels with shorter hemlines and sleek red-carpet silhouettes that keep the leg line visible.
- 🎀 At about 5’0½” (153.7 cm), Ariana Grande frequently turns to platform boots and sky-high heels, using exaggerated footwear as part of the long-legged proportions associated with her stage and red-carpet style.
- 🌟 Jenna Ortega, at roughly 4’11½” (151.1 cm), often uses platform heels to add several inches without losing the darker, more sculptural character of her outfits.
- 👗 Reese Witherspoon’s 5’1½” (156.2 cm) wardrobe offers another polished take on height-boosting footwear, with designer heels helping extend the line of tailored dresses, suits, and red-carpet gowns.
Proportion still matters. Very heavy platforms can overwhelm a small frame, while slimmer ankle straps, cleaner uppers, and more refined heels keep the foot and lower leg from looking weighed down. Powley’s Nicholas Kirkwood Maya sandals sit firmly on the statement-making end of the spectrum, but the open-toe design and exposed foot help offset their substantial platform.
Bel is hardly alone in making extra height part of the footwear statement. From sleek platform sandals to towering pumps and boots, these petite celebrities show just how differently the silhouette can be worn.