Heels are the epitome of the fashionable, hip and cool woman. But did you know that they debuted for purely functional purposes and that too for exclusive male use?
In the 10th century, Persian soldiers who rode horses discovered that heeled shoes helped their feet stay in their stirrups and gave them the stability they needed to shoot their arrows from the horse. By the 17th century, one-inch heels had become the norm for Persian riders both on and off their horses. Owning horses was a symbol of wealth and power and heeled shoes were also a statement.
Towards the end of the 17th century, the Persian Shah sent a delegation of soldiers to forge relations with European rulers. This triggered a craze for everything Persian in Europe and the heels didn’t go unnoticed. Soon they became the European male’s fashion statement. European aristocrats adopted heels as a symbol of virility and military prowess. In 1670, the French emperor Louis XIV passed an edict that stated that only nobility could wear heels. The higher and redder the heel, the more powerful the wearer. The red heel showed that its wearer was rich enough not to dirty his shoes and that he was powerful enough to crush his enemies underfoot. Only those in the king’s favour could wear red heels; the rest had to use other colours. Initially heels were exclusively men’s wear, but soon women too started wearing them. The French Revolution in 1789 struck a death knell to the aristocratic usage of heels. Everything associated with royalty, including high heels, were discarded.
Making a comeback
Heels made a comeback in the 19th century. Women’s shoes became narrower, more ornamental, and the heels higher. It is said that, in this phase, heels for men declined as they did not fit into the Enlightenment concept of ‘male rationality’. Soon heels became the exclusive domain of women.
High heels became the exclusive domain of women in the 19th century | Photo Credit: Freepik
Did male heels completely die out? Not really, the male Flamenco dancer’s shoes with its angled and rounded heel continued to thrive on the dance floor and became quite a symbol amongst the rock and roll stars in the 1990s. The cowboy boot, made immortal by Hollywood westerns, is just a modern version of the 10th century Persian cavalry heel. Horse stirrups still need their heels, irrespective of whether the rider is male or female. So, as far as riding boots are concerned, the heel continues to thrive in a gender neutral space.
From highly practical riding boots to purely impractical royalty and then fashion statements, exclusive for men, then women, going in and out of fashion but never quite disappearing... heels have had quite a journey. They may hurt our feet, but are here to stay!
