hootyhoo I disagree with your kitten heel advice. In general the term kitten heel isn't well defined or understood, and is frequently used incorrectly. Originally it was the description for heels shorter than a stiletto, higher than a flat, and for young women. Look at these 94 items from Nordstrom that were a result of searching "kitten heel" and I see plenty of things that are neither outdated or matronly, and are appropriate for women 17-22.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/sr?keyword...edictiveSearch Heels under four inches and kitten heels will look matronly when worn with an outfit that doesn't complement the shoe. Women need to figure out what the look or theme of their dress/outfit is to find shoes that make the look congruent. The bigger problem is that most of the dresses out there and women this age choose, don't even come to their knee and are too short or too club trend to carry off a lower or kitten heel.
I don't think any PNM, regardless of being under 5'10"
should consider high heels a must for preference or any other situation. High heels are often defined at 3.5" inches and above, and those aren't for every woman. Women need to find shoes that are comfortable, walkable, appropriate for the occasion, safe, and if that is not a high heel then so be it.
I don't personally adhere to trends from fashion week(s), but kitten heels (Stella McCartney, Valentino) were popular at Paris Fashion Week last October, with the collections shown at that time for spring and summer 2011. Anything that was haute couture has well made it into ready to wear lines and would be fine for a place like Mizzou. More have been seen this summer in Britain, & with the Duchess of Cambridge rocking them I can imagine many 17-22 year old sorority women seeing her as a fashion and style icon to look to and emulate. Christian Louboutin, Oscar De Renta, Jimmy Choo, Tory Burch, Miu Miu, DKNY, Pedro Garcia, Badgley Mischka, Kate Spade, Stuart Weitzman and more all have low or kitten heel shoes available.