The History of High Heels

Do you want to learn the history of high heels? High heels have a long history with both sexes but are typically associated with women nowadays. These lengthening footwear have been around for far longer than you might imagine. To put our best foot forward, let’s explore the evolution of the high heel.

Who started wearing high heels first?

The history of high heels is great. It wasn’t until the 10th century that people started wearing shoes with high heels. At the time, the Persian cavalry needed a way to keep their shoes from falling out of their stirrups.

The original of high heels

High heels date back to ancient Iran, specifically in the 10th century CE. Iran was referred to as Persia before then. Of course, the first women to wear high heels were members of the Persian army.

The Persian cavalry was renowned for its superior riders and maneuverability. They would charge the adversary while standing up in the saddle and firing a bow.

Casting a bow while riding a galloping horse is no easy task. With a little assistance from ingenious footwear, it required the extraordinary ability to accomplish.

Sure enough, those scary mounted Persian archers wore heels! They weren’t sporting stilettos, but that’s fine. However, they wore the ancestors of modern stilettos.

When the Persian archers rose to fire their bows, they had fairly ingeniously figured out that having a longer heel helped their feet stay in the stirrups. This allowed them to aim more accurately.

Even though a millennium has passed, the same basic idea is still followed today. This is why riding boots and cowboy boots have block heels.

It wasn’t until the 12th century CE that high heels arrived in India. Within the Ramappa Temple is a carving of a female dancer. The woman is seen wearing shoes with a heel that is elevated.

It’s possible they’re more analogous to platforms than to pencil heels. However, an intriguing aspect of this tale is that it is the oldest known record of women wearing heels.

How did high heels get to Europe?

The trading connections between the European countries and empires and the Persian Empire were fairly robust. The idea of wearing shoes with high heels likely originated through commercial channels.

You must understand that trade routes are more than just channels for exchanging goods. There is also a significant amount of cultural interchange within them.

In any case, during the 1400s, ladies in Europe, particularly in Spain and Venice, wore a type of platform shoe known as chopines. These shoes are high-heel and had a platform.

Initially, they were a form of clog worn over the conventional shoe to lift the wearer up and away from the mud and muck that filled the streets of medieval times.

Despite this, they finally began to view as a fashionable statement, particularly in Venice. Courtesans and noblewomen began to walk unsteadily due to their habit of wearing chopines of progressively higher heights.

After some time, the government of Venice established a regulation capping the height of chopines at 3 inches, but this was largely disregarded. Perhaps the first regulation of heels ever.

The revolution of high heels

The arrival of the 18th century brought about a period of transition. Regular ladies, first and foremost, started wearing the fashion.

After women began wearing heels, there needed to be a way to tell them apart from the heels worn by males. There was a need to safeguard noblemen’s delicate egos then, as there is now.

The smaller heels of women’s heels made them more awkward and unpleasant to walk in.

During the Age of Enlightenment, when the Renaissance was in full swing, men ceased using high heels. The Enlightenment gave males the confidence to believe they were rational, unlike illogical women.

Irrational was women’s heels, which more often wear for show than practicality. This is why women have traditionally been the ones who wear high heels.

Although significant, this gender shift wasn’t the most momentous event in the development of high heels during this period.

The pivotal shift occurred at the close of the 18th century. Roughly during the year 1780, the French Revolution began to generate widespread chaos.

Though aristocrats and commoners wore high heels, the fashion statement related to the upper classes.

After the revolution started, no one dared to appear with the royal family for fear of decapitation.

High heels and other cosmetics have a similarly licentious reputation in other countries, such as Great Britain and the United States. If a woman were caught wearing heels, she would be burned at stake like a witch.

High heels experienced a renaissance in the second half of the 19th century.

At first, they resurfaced at the height of roughly 2 inches. Heels quickly became a hallmark of high-end women’s fashion and were the subject of numerous patents throughout the century. During this time, the Pinet heel and the Cromwell heel were developed and found widespread success in the marketplace.

High heels today

The history of high heels keeps being updated regularly. The origins, justifications, and cultural significance of high heels in the modern day are all murky.

Some women wear them for health and beauty reasons, while others do them just for fashion.

Although the concept of making women wear heels as part of a uniform is generally met with widespread outrage, there are situations in which heels are required.

Women are not the only ones who can wear shoes with heels. Heels are again acceptable for males because of the popularity of the androgynous style. However, they have yet to achieve parity in male popularity.

These days, consumers can choose from a dizzying array of shoe brands, sizes, colors, and designs. High-heeled shoes’ rising appeal is partly attributed to the available styles. Every event calls for a different pair of heeled shoes.

What are the benefits of high heels?

• Additional height
• Enhancing your confidence
• Displaying toned physique
• Attracting attention during an event
• Slimming effects

The original of high heels FAQs

1. What is the origin of high heels?

High heels originated in the 10th century when Persian horse riders wore them to help them stay secure in their stirrups.

2. When did women start wearing high heels?

As fashion trends evolved, high heels began to wear by European women in the 1600s as part of their formal attire.

3. What is the modern history of high heels?

High heels received a resurgence in popularity during the 1950s as a symbol of female empowerment.

4. How have high heels changed over time?

It have evolved in height, shape, materials, and colors over the centuries.

5. What is the significance of wearing high heels?

High heels are an important symbol of femininity and are often in connection with female empowerment.

The original of high heels conclusion

Do you want to understand the history of high heels? There have been wars, legislation, cultural, social, and political upheavals stifled by high heels. They may experience discomfort at times. Under certain conditions, it is impossible to walk in. One thing, however, you cannot deny. Surely, they are highly resilient!

Learn more shoe tips in Sizzey!