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The basic way in which the shoe has been designed, hasn’t actually altered a great deal throughout history. Proof of this can be seen in a 5,500 year old Armenian moccasin uncovered in America, which was constructed from tanned cowhide, and held together with laced seams, front and back. Designed to aid those walking a long way over rough terrain, it is thought to be the oldest known shoe in the world.
But, one thing that has changed over the centuries, and which can clearly be seen among the popular shoe brands of today, is that shoemakers no longer prioritize function over fashion; the high heeled shoe is the perfect example of this.
Making it more difficult for women to walk while wearing them, the Persians first invented this type of shoe way back in the 10th century, and in fact, they were designed for men to wear, not women.
High heels for men
Originally worn by the rich in Persia to give them extra height when riding a horse, when brought to the French courts in the 17th century, European men soon began wearing them too. The shoes quickly became a symbol of status, proving as they did, that the person wearing them wasn’t required to walk anywhere, or partake of hard labor.
High heels for women
Soon after, rich women of the courts started wearing shoes with heels to reflect their social benefits, but they were made with heels that were a lot thinner and taller; probably to make them look more feminine. It’s when this change in the shoe took place, that high heels became associated with sexuality and allure, and soon after, men stopped wearing them altogether.
Come the 1800s, and high heels were being worn by women of all social persuasions, including those who performed manual labor or who were housemaids, despite the fact that they were considerably uncomfortable.
The persistence of the high heel
In spite of their obvious and often crippling lack of comfort, high heeled shoes are still being worn by women today, with celebrated shoe designers such as Jimmy Choo, Alexander McQueen and Louis Vuitton, all specializing in the high heel, and often very high at that!
But while high heels are now deemed items of fashion, they were once considered everyday shoes by women of the 20th century, despite the fact that doctors were issuing warnings about the permanent damage they can cause to feet, and were worn to both social events and work, much as they were in the 18th and 19th century.
Perhaps somewhat controversially, one company in 2017 even forced their female employees to wear high heels.
Nowadays, more and more men and women seek comfort from a shoe, and in the top 10 shoes brands in the world, sneakers feature heavily. Able to be worn for all manner of activities, sneakers come in a dazzling array of styles, colors, shapes and sizes, and won’t cause harm to your feet in the same way that high heels do. That said, the heel still has a certain power over women, and for as long as men find women attractive while wearing them, they’ll likely always be popular!
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