Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you know that high heels which are considered a female domain these days have an interesting history? These iconic high heel shoes were not simply a fashion choice in the past but they have been around longer and were popular among both genders. Heels were not considered just an item of fashion in the past but they had an important part in representing a person’s dominating and powerful nature. Yet, heels not only accentuate height but also show the vitality of the wearer that he is able enough to crush the enemy down. In this regard, men are attracted to high heels because they give them the feeling of being masculine, dominant, and strong.
High heels were first designed for the Persian army so that they could stand on stirrups when on horseback on the battlefield. After crushing the enemy down Kings in Europe adopted them as a symbol of robustness. Heels’ popularity was at its peak when King Louis XIV passed a verdict that red heels were essential for courtmen. You can have a look at King Louis XIV’s pictures where he was wearing red heels. There was a huge difference between rich and poor and you could tell it by seeing his high heels, especially the red ones. Yet, after the French Revolution, the men’s high heels era came to an end when women adopted high heels which continued until then. Styles change, and shapes trimmed but high heels are still with us, but mostly for ladies. Yet, we are not sure that men’s high heels will not return as many top brands are working on it.
Exciting to read the story further? Let’s dive deep into the high-heel shoe history in a detailed way. We have gathered a timeline that will help you to understand it better than in which era in which heels were popular. So, let’s get started.
10th Century: Persian Army
It is known that high heels come from Iran previously known as Persia in the 10th century, and the Persian army had the honor of wearing them. At that time Persian army was the largest in the world and under the rule of Shah Abbas I when the country was in a chaotic position its army defeated Uzbeks. Thus, Persia took full control over the Persian Gulf and it is said that they gained success by using a different item on their feet.
Show your masculinity
On the battlefield, soldiers would have to stand on stirrups to shoot the bow and arrow to kill the enemy. So, with the flat boots, the chances were that their shoes might slip, and eventually, they missed the target. That’s why high heels were invented. Thus, by wearing heels they could secure their feet in the stirrups while standing on the saddle and accurately target the subject. As owning horses was considered a symbol of wealth, so these Persian cavalry shoes were considered a symbol of power and stability. You can show your masculinity to the enemy by telling them that you are strong and you can crush them.
17th Century: Kings in the United Kingdom
It was at the end of the 17th century when the Persian Shah sent a delegation of soldiers (which is also called Persia-mania) to Russia, Spain, and Germany to ally. Soon, the European upper class was attracted by the heeled shoes as they indicated virility and robustness. So, they became a much-admired style all over Europe especially in the elite class because high heels prevent dirt from getting on their shoes so they feel more sophisticated clean, and dominant over the lower class.
King Louis XIV
In this regard, high-heeled shoes filter the upper class from the lower one, the richer you are the higher heel you would wear. King Louis XIV was the most famous for wearing heels as he was 4.5 inches in height so he loved to wear heels as they give him extra height. He also banned his courts’ men unless they wore red heels. In this case, in 1670 he passed the edict in which he describes that only the nobility would wear red heels of 2 ½ inches. So, red heels become symbolic which shows that the wearer is powerful and he can crush the enemy down.
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18th Century: Egypt Butchers
Egypt is known for its leather production, especially in the 18th century. So, they need more animals to get slaughtered to make leather from their skin. In this regard, a few steps were taken such as providing different footwear to the butchers so that they work efficiently. As after slaughtering animals, the area becomes quite slippery because of the blood and dead bodies of the animals. So, butchers find it quite difficult to speed up the job. That’s why high heels were invented by butchers.
Platform high heels
In this regard, butchers were allowed to wear platform high heels so that they could perform their tasks in an easy way, such as walking over the blood or the meat in a comfortable way. It also allowed them to keep their feet clean from the blood while slaughtering animals and they could safely walk over the corpses of animals.
19th Century: Invention of high heels (stiletto)
In 1533 the first woman who wore high heels was Catherine de Medici (a royal figure), whose husband-to-be was taller than her and she needed extra height to appear taller. So, she wore two inches high heels and confidently appeared on her big day. Later on, shoe designers made high heels that went up to 8 inches high. In the 1930s Moshe (Morris) Kimel was the one who invented platform shoes for Marlene Dietrich.
Women adopted the style
By the end of the 17th century, high heels had become so famous that women started wearing them too as they gave them the feeling of being strong and different. So, they started smoking pipes or cutting their hair to wear heels and look taller among the lower class. It was the time when high heels became feminine. But after the French Revolution in 1789, people’s perspective on heels especially the males changed and there was an end to aristocratic male heels.
In the 19th century once again heels were being introduced in the fashion industry but this time they were only for ladies. It is because when women start wearing heels they look more slender and their figures look more alluring to men. So in the 1950s, higher and thinner heels were introduced by Roger Vivier which are named “stilettos”.
When stilettoes were invented, then afterward for its publicity two renowned figures Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, who were famous fashion icons wore stilettos and thus these heels got famous all over the world. Thus, it was considered a golden age of high heels, when women wanted to carry them instead of flat or platforms as high heels not only make them look taller but also build confidence in their gait and overall appearance.
Stiletto heels weren’t feminine
When Giacomo Pirandello, Baron of Styletto, invented high heels, he already had a shoe with a stiletto sole. But the design he had in mind and marketed was not intended to satisfy feminine needs for sophistication. Nor to create fashion trends. Pirandello invented stilettos specifically for riders.
He wanted, with them, to improve the performance of the riders. They weren’t designed to be ladies’ wardrobe accessories. The stilettos invented in the eighteenth century had a purpose.
It was for those who ride a horse to have an implement that would improve the speed and performance of these animals.
On that occasion, the designer conceived the stiletto heels as a complement or support for the spurs. From there, it began an evolution until it became the stilettos that are known today.
Future of High Heels
In the 1970s women stopped wearing heels but in the 80s celebrities started putting them on once again. One of the famous figures was Madonna who bought heels back in fashion. Then Freddie Mercury from Queen also appears in chunky heel boots, platforms, or stilettos. Since then, heels continued to be with us as one of the most important parts of our overall appearance.
What would be the future of heels in reality?
If we talk about the future of heels then we see that people are experimenting with dressing outside the gender norms nowadays. So, there is a possibility that the evolution of high heels will again become a fashion for both the genders in future. We see that there is a lot of variety in heels available in the market whether it is the classic feminine look you want or the androgynous one you can see that there are lots of heel styles available to suit your taste.
More comfortable and easy-to-carry
Mostly high-heeled shoes are considered as an uncomfortable item that pinches your feet and you can’t wear them easily for a longer period. However, research has been made to make high-heeled shoes as comfortable as possible so that the wearer may not find any health issues. There are many types of heels in the market such as platforms, stilettos, block heels, espadrilles, etc. and you can choose between which suits your taste. But the credit goes to Roger Vivier who invented high heels for ladies and made them look so beautiful and enhanced their curves.
Even then people may find it quite uneasy to wear high heels for a longer period because of their formation and the chances are that you may get serious health issues. But we hope that in future shoemakers will make them as comfortable as other shoes are. One thing is clear though, that high heels will be more famous in the future because women look more attractive and alluring in them and they feel quite attractive.
Did men’s heel style end?
It would be inappropriate to say that after the fall of men’s heels, there is an end to high heels at all. Some shoe designers took inspiration from the Persian cavalry heel and modified it, A famous example is cowboy boots which are considered masculine shoes that are fabricated quite strongly and give you a virile feeling. In the 1960s and 70s Beatles, boots were introduced which were a variant of Chelsea boots; tight-fitting and pointed-toe Cuban heels shoes. In this regard, in 1961 John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who were a public image wore Chelsea boots, and then Motley Crue rocked the stage with Cuban heels. Many brands such as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana Stefano Bemer, etc. also tried to revive men’s heels but still, there is a lot of change in the perspectives of men concerning heels.
FAQ
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