Practicality and Status Symbol
Shoes of this type are not a new invention. They were worn long ago by the Romans as a status symbol and also Turkish women of status used to wear shoes with such High Heels that they were impossible to walk on without sticks or with the help of their servants.
They also had a practical purpose in that they prevented the feet from getting wet and muddy when walking in un-made-up streets that used to become quagmires when it rained.The ancient cavalry men also used to have somewhat of a heel on their riding boots to stop the feet from slipping out of stirrups when riding their horses.
It is thought that ridiculous heels worn all over the world by women were encouraged by their husbands as it was thought that their women folk could not escape so easily when this type of footwear was worn.
In the sixteenth century the shoes were made popular by the diminutive Catherine de Medici to try and woo her future husband, the King of France. They became an overnight success in Court circles, both by men and women. Throughout the centuries since then the popularity of these shoes waxed and waned, until they became fashionable again in the Nineteen -hundred and twenties. Hemlines were raised and in order for the legs to be shown to their best advantage the heels of shoes were raised commensurately.
This gave the leg a more slim-lined and tone appearance. It also seemed that the dainty steps that could only be taken by wearing these shoes became sexy. No wonder that in ancient times the ladies of the night used to wear this type of footwear.
Although this type of shoe is typified by raising the heel higher than the toes, these days a heel is only termed high if it is more than eight centimetres high. The Nineteen-sixties saw the emergence of the stiletto heel. This was a very fine tapered heel with a steel support. It was named after an Italian dagger of the same name. These shoes were teamed with the mini skirt, again to accentuate legs that seemed endlessly long.
With the advent of the feminist movement, these heels went out of fashion, as it was thought that it was demeaning for women to be seen as sex objects for the titillation of men. Of course, it is ridiculous to think this now, as women do not only wear them to look sexually more attractive, but also to make them-selves feel good.
These days heels have again become popular and a popular addition to the endless variety of footwear has been the platform sole. This footwear raises both the heel and the toes, but the heel here is still higher than the toes. All these shoes are available to be seen on the internet if one is too busy to make a trip to the shoe shop. We are very lucky these days to have such an enormous choice of footwear in all colours and materials.
For any information and accessories to be worn with High Heels please have a look at the choice available on our website at http://www.highheelsshop.co.uk/.
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