Believe it or not, the high heels had its formal beginnings as a unisex shoe. King Louis the 14th of France was reputed to be only 4’11 ft and in order to give himself the royal stature that was required, he ensured all his shoes had a noticeable heel attached to their soles.
Continuing the regal fashion statement was: Marie Antoinette; who was known for her decadence. Her marriage to Louie the 16th was a loveless one and to compensate she did only what every woman on earth would do, she shopped. She had 500 pairs of shoes. Many of them being heels; there is an unconfirmed story that she actually walked to the guillotine in 2 ½ inch heels!
Heels in America began with prostitution. Madame Kathy who ran a well known brothel in New Orleans insisted that all her working girls wear this elevating device, after witnessing its effect first handed. (She saw how it made every man’s head turn when they saw a French lady-of-the-evening strutting down the street in them.) Soon enough the country’s first high heels manufacturing company is formed in 1880.
1940’s the heel begins to receive mix feeling with the US entering world war two. While the men were at the front lines, the women began to get join the work force. Approximately 7 million women joined. And they preferred to be comfortable while engaging in menial labour. The heel was beginning to show signs of invisibility.
However opposing the ‘Rosie the Riveter’ task force was the pin up girl. The pin up girl executing her sultry outfit with heels was as essential to fight the good fight as Rosie was. She was there to boost the morale of the soldiers. And their favourite pin up was Betty Grable who enthralled them with her million dollar legs in heels.
High heels still weren’t hot risky business as they are now. In 1953 Salvatore Ferragamo patents a high heel innovention- the stiletto. It meant dagger in Italian. Being tall, spikey and dangerous it certainly was a weapon. What Ferragamo created was sported by many well known figures such as Imelda Marcos and the world’s favourite sex symbol Marilyn Monroe.
Monroe most famous shot was in the ‘7 year itch’ where her dress is flared up, showing just enough for the viewing pleasure; including her white Ferragamo sandals. Every woman wanted a pair of those. But making it the sign for provocative was Hugh Hefner who dressed all his women in heels. The heeled pump was fundamental to the playboy bunny uniform. And it had to match.
With the ladies climbing the corporate ladder during the 80’s, heels began to be screaming respectability than fashion. The 9 – 5 gal preferred to be taken seriously. However by the 90’s heels began to take a revolutionary turn. In 1997 Tom Ford encourages women to embrace their sexuality by designing the 5 inch stiletto for Gucci. It was the steel heel.
Shows such as Sex and the City began to emphasise on the importance of shoes more than ever. Putting Manolo Blahnik in the spotlight; giving attention to his detailing and exquisite craftsmanship. Making his sole a trademark and assembling every red carpet queens power shoe, was Christian Louboutin. And even during economic crisis making the heel a fantasy that was an essential commodity was Alexander McQueen with the Armadillo heels.
Today despite the discomfort and possible bone damage, it has become popular with both men and women. Why men love high heels? “It raises a woman so the gravity centre goes in the front. So it projects the breasts in the front and the ass in the back...” explains Louboutin.
Customarily the high heel provides style and height to its wearer. But by making her look sexy-but-not-indecent these fascinating creations have become the ultimate weapon of mass seduction.
By Shazzana Hamid
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