Growing up I would see all the women around me walking on high heels. My mum is exceptionally proud with her thin, tall high heels. The sounds of clicking as they walked passed me emitted the aura of empowering.
Unsurprisingly I grew up wanting to wear high heels. Eventually I reached the age when most girls begin to explore high heels. However, my experiences is anything but exciting. Due to my feet issues, I find them uncomfortable, and even downright painful. Eventually I decided to give up wearing them.
As years go by, I begin to learn that most women had never been comfortable on high heels some even downright told me they had been enduring the pain for the sake of fashion. This is when I realised all the troubles I’ve been having with high heels were not solely due to my feet issues, but they're an issue themselves.
This troubles me a lot. If they’re uncomfortable and even painful, why do we still wearing them? Why do we felt empowered by wearing them? Were we conditioned to feel that way? But by who? By ourselves? By society? By the shoe designers?
Initially I ignore these issues, yes I do feel troubled, but I do believe everyone have the right to enjoy what they like, regardless of their comfortability as long they did not bring harms to others (I'm looking at you smokers). Then something happened. I was exploring alternative jobs e.i. office jobs when I was told I am required to wear high heels and flat shoes are not acceptable. Easy to say I declined the job.
While I do respect and understand the importance of dress code in certain job sectors, but I did not see any benefits with high heels apart of vanity. I strongly believe you should be wearing the fashion, not vise versa. I viewed high heels as something wearing you instead.
The Early History of High Heels
Interestingly high heels were originally designed for practicality. Dated all the way back to pre-1700, the Persian cavalry, for example, wore a kind of boots with heels in order to ensure their feet stayed in the stirrups . Furthermore, research indicates that heels kept arrow-shooting riders, who stood up on galloping horses, safely on the horse.
Starting 17th century, modern high heels were wore by men to imply their upper-class status; only someone who did not have to work could afford, both financially and practically, to wear such extravagant shoes. Elites ordered heels to be made even higher to distinguish themselves from lower classes.
After the French Revolution in the late 1780s, heels, femininity, and superficiality all became intertwined. In this way, heels became much more associated with a woman's supposed sense of impracticality and extravagance.
Heels went out of fashion starting around 1810, and then in 1860 they returned at about two and a half inches.
By the 1900s high heels strongly associate with women. Alternatively, World War II led to the popularization of pin-up girls posters, which men would often hang in their bunks while at war. Almost all of these girls were pictured wearing high heels, leading to an increase in the relationship between high heels and female sexuality. The tall, skinny stiletto heel was invented in 1950, strengthening the relationship between women, sexuality, and appearance.
Manolo Blahnik, a Spanish fashion designer and the founder of eponymous high-end shoe brands often credited as the one started the modern concept of femininity associated with high heels.
Conditioned?
From here I begin to view modern high heels were designed by men for woman for men to gaze upon. Interestingly, most of modern high heels designers are men. This enforce my belief further; women wouldn’t design uncomfortable or impractical wear. If I were a fashion designer, I would design something beautiful but also both practical and comfortable, especially for women. So the question is, were we (women), conditioned to wear high heels despite there’s no benefits behind it?
Health Issues
Most high heels are uncomfortable. Even your best, most luxurious pair will leave your feet aching after a couple of hours of walking on them. Wearing high heels all day every day can actually cause some serious problems with your feet.
High heels can cause all sorts of cosmetic problems for your feet. The pressure your toes experience being pressed forward can lead to hammer toes (when the toe becomes bent downward permanently), bunions (a swollen, bony bump that forms on the side of the big toe), and ingrown toenails.
Similarly to how overusing muscles can lead to permanent injuries. Straining your ankles and other tendons surrounding the foot can lead to tendonitis. Because your foot is elevated and the weight goes forward, a lot of tensions gets taken off the Achilles’ tendon and it shorten over time. Extra weight and pressure on the front of the foot can even cause a stress fracture. It occurs on the ball of the foot, usually between the third and fourth toe.
Another issues arise from high heels is spine and back problems. The shock waves sent up legs to the pelvis and lower back when high heels strike hard surface can damage vertebra as well as strain lower back muscles. The trouble begins at the ankle. Whenever you're on a sloped foundation, that’s going to throw your ankle joints off which will then transfer pressure to the knees, then up to the hips, through the lower back and mid-back, all the way to the neck. The entire skeleton is angled forward, causing the torso to tilt forward.
Final Thoughts?
As I'm watching Drag Race, the (drag) queens keep praising the women for their tenacity and capability to endure high heels. That made me think, is it worth it for us (women) to endure pain for the sake on beauty? And at the cost of lifelong health issues?
With Nike recent high heels released, I could only shrug my head. Nike, a sport's brand that focusing on making comfortable shoes for sports just introduced high heels version for vanity purposes. Sadly at this point I will see high heels agenda will continue to be pushed into our society. And people will do anything in the name of beauty and fashion.
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