Heels Were Invented For Men

Heels: Beauty, Power and Comfort – A Controversial History

Heels. A seemingly simple object that made history.
When we think of heels today, the first thought goes to femininity and elegance.

Yet, as often happens with the most common objects, behind these few centimeters of height lies a much longer and more complex story. A story that has spanned centuries, social classes and even genders.

Yes, because heels have not always been an exclusive symbol of female beauty, indeed, as often happens, they were originally something very different.

The Origins: When Heels Were For Men

In the 2nd century AD, Persian soldiers began wearing high-heeled shoes for a very practical reason: to stabilize themselves in their horses' stirrups.

In fact, heels began as an aid for war, not for an elegant evening. These early prototypes were not about seduction, but about functionality. A detail that many forget considering that today heels have become almost exclusively a symbol of aesthetics.

When these boots arrived in Europe, they became part of the noble culture. The heel became a sign of power and status.

The famous Louis XIV of France, the Sun King, made heels a symbol of exclusivity with a law that established that only nobles could wear them. And we are not talking about fashion week heels, but high shoes that denoted a sign of social distinction. Heels became a symbol of class. Once you put on a heel, you could never go back.

Caterina de' Medici and the Passage to Womanhood

We arrive in the 16th century and we find the first real transition of the heel from a symbol of male power to a symbol of femininity. It was Catherine de' Medici, the Queen of France, who asked for high heels to appear taller on her wedding day.

From the French court, heels begin to enter women's wardrobes. Be careful, not just for elegance, but also for a subtle game of social power.

Heels thus became the symbol of a femininity tied to social position. High-class women began to wear them as a sign of distinction, but also of submission to fashion and the canons imposed by the time. It was a question of belonging. Here begins the game between desire and conformism.

The Heel and the Rise of Seduction

The next step in the history of the heel is the one that transforms it into a symbol of seduction. Since the 20s and 30s, with the advent of cinema and Hollywood divas, the high heel has become the symbol of ideal beauty.

Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly, among others, were not just beautiful, they were also seductive and heels were the means to enhance this perfect femininity.

In the 1950s, heels became a weapon to be unleashed on red carpets and stages. Shoes were often chosen to emphasize posture and gait. And so, without us realizing it, heels became inextricably linked to the idea of ​​seduction and glamour.

The Heel in the 80s: Power and Success

The 80s arrive and with them a new evolution of the heel. In the decade of women's professional success, the high heel also becomes a symbol of power. In offices and companies, women wear heels to assert themselves and stand out.

High heels and tailored suits become the look of “women in power” who challenge conventions and the heel itself becomes a sort of declaration of independence.

Today: Heels between Elegance and Comfort

Today, the heel is still a symbol of elegance, but also of freedom of choice. In recent years, fashion has seen a renaissance of flat shoes, with the rise of sneakers that have taken hold even in the most formal occasions.

The pandemic has accentuated the desire for comfort, pushing many to re-evaluate the heel and choose it more consciously, as a style choice rather than a social necessity.

After all, heels are like any other convention: they can be whatever we want them to be. A symbol of elegance and glamour, if we want it, or a reminder of times gone by if we prefer comfort.

What do heels represent today? A symbol of power, elegance or a tradition that we are trying to reinvent? The real question is: do we still wear them for our pleasure or have they become yet another convention that must be respected in order to be accepted?
Or maybe the right answer is that we are free to choose them as we wish.