High-heeled shoes are one of the established symbols of elegance and style, but they are the Greeks, Romans, and even Chinese who used them in reality centuries before our time. It might seem incredible that high heels have come so far from their early beginnings to the point where they are now the most generally favored article in many ladies’ closets. Today, high heels are part of our everyday look, footwear, or shoes. So let’s unravel the interesting history of high heels and understand how they have made their way around the world throughout time.
Early Origins
The wearing of high heels can be traced to the ancient civilizations where a person would wear high heels as a part of the tribe’s practical needs instead of a fashion statement. In ancient Egypt, murals exhibited a pair of genders with shoes lifting the feet, whether male or female, above the heat source which was ground. In a like manner, in classical Greece, the actors in the Greek tragedy had boots with raised platforms added on to them to help their tallness and visibility on the stage.
Renaissance Era
During the Renaissance period, a new symbol was created too as high heels stood for a person’s status and power. The European nobility, crowns, and queens of them, assumed high heels. They wore them to show off their nobility status. The heel of shoes was particular at that time, and the taller the heel was, the higher its status.
18th and 19th Centuries
The high heels came into the fashion world first as the equipment of men and later became a fashion pin for women from 1800 to 1900. The upper part began to take up the role of emphasizing a woman’s form that had shortened, causing high heels to be greatly welcomed by women to make them stand straighter and to give them a better figure. However, men used high heels as riding shoes too; especially in fights or countryside.
20th Century
In the early years of the 20th century, heels came to dominate the fashion scene until Salvatore Ferragamo and Roger Vivier began the design of the iconic heels and shoe designs that have remained in style till today. Along with the tall waists, the short skirts, and the new curves in Western women, heels took on a new classical form which was also used for the new Hollywood glamour. Whether on the screen or off, actresses like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn wore high heels frequently.
Modern Era
To this day, high heels, among the myriad of choices, continue to be the fashion statements of women’s clothing, with very different styles and designs. On the one hand, tall heels can ensure the success of their wearer on the social web, but on the other hand, they are reported for their side effects on foot and back health. Nevertheless, this product also has its flip sides, anxiety, lack of sparkle, and finally confidence.
Conclusion
In the end, the story of high heels shows us, that they are able to stay in fashion forever, and from the history of fashion view – they are a very important component. Until they started as a simple footwear fashion and changed on their way to become a style staple today, high heels evolved into the most iconic shoes in the world. Whichever the reason for wearing high heels is, whether practical or fashion purposes, they remain most inspiring and fascinating making them a lasting fashion.
