Today, women stack their closets with heels of all heights. But, did you know men were high on heels well before women? In the 15th century soldiers stayed mounted on horseback by locking their heels into the stirrups. Later, the trend was adapted by wealthy European men who wanted to impress others by appearing taller. The height of the heel was a symbol of wealth.
The trend carried over to European women who also viewed height as a symbol of wealth. In the 15th century women of Venice hid their towering pedestal-like shoes under long flowing gowns. The higher the pedestal the longer the dress, both indicating wealth in society.
For women today, one of the most popular choices is not so much about the height of the heel, but rather the color of the red sole from Louboutin. However, King Louis XIV started his own trend of red soles shoes for his royal court way back in 1673. Our modern day King of high heels, Louboutin, adopted his red sole trend after first trading the boring black sole for pink. But, later changed it to his signature color, as he witnessed his assistant painting her nails a deep red. It stands today as his way of making women feel confident and beautiful.
BRINGING IT FORWARD
A few points to remember when choosing the right heel. First, choose for comfort because a high heel with an awkward or painful walk doesn’t look good on anyone. To give yourself height don’t just think about the heel. The front of the shoe matters too. Pointed toes make petits look taller and rounded toes can be a better choice for taller women. Finally, remember, a high heel pump can add a spark or pop of color to any outfit…
red sole or not!
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