High heels, between passion and madness
The high-heeled shoe fascinates both women and men in different ways, for women it is a symbol of desire and a weapon of seduction while for men they are a sort of erotic object.
The heels of women's shoes have an aesthetic purpose, namely that of giving the effect of lengthening the leg, streamlining the ankle and giving elegance to the foot and above all looking taller.
The origins of high heels
See also
Pullover, what a passion! Discover the ways to combine the most fashionable sweaters
The first evidence of the heel used as a symbol of vanity can be traced back to the time of Caterina de'Medici who chose a pair of high-heeled shoes on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Orleans. From that moment it seems that it became fashionable in the French courts and not only for women, in fact the "Louis heel" was born at the court of Louis XIV, wide at the base and receding towards the top.
It was precisely the Sun King who during the Ancien Régime loved to have shoes made with richly decorated heels. In these times the heel was a sign of recognition for the nobility and from here it became a symbol of power, wealth and prestige, attributes that still partly accompany high heels.
In Italy, the arrival of the heel, as a fashion item for ladies, dates back to the sixteenth century just as in Japan the geishas wore their shoes with very high wedges during tea ceremonies.
The high heel and foot health
These include the cost and age of the shoe, the appreciation of men looking at the shoe being worn and even the glasses of wine that are expected to drink during the evening, and alcohol is known to increase the possibility of losing balance. !
Certainly the high heel is not very suitable for the foot, it is an accessory that gives sensuality and elegance but can be harmful to the sole of the foot and to the posture. When a difference in height is created between the heel and the forefoot, a forward inclination of the body is determined and this varies according to the height of the heel. The weight of the body should be evenly distributed throughout the foot, therefore both very high and very low heels are the cause of this poor weight distribution.
The best height to wear does not exceed 5cm, since very high heels concentrate the weight of the body in a very small part, such as the initial part of the sole of the foot, and this strains the knees and back.
For fashion victims it will certainly not be good news but it all decides whether the game is worth the candle and for many women today the heel is indispensable.
Curiosities about high heels
- The most expensive high-heeled shoe in the world is on sale in London's most important shopping center, Harrod's. These are the shoes of designer René Caovilla. On the tip of the sandal there is a cobra studded with diamonds, brilliants and sapphires, while the eyes are rubies, all for a total of 20 carats and for the price of 91 thousand euros. The sandals are displayed in a glass case protected by a real cobra.
- A few years ago an Indian craftsman made a pair of shoes with a heel of over 50 centimeters. The shoemaker broke the record for shoes with the highest heels but still complains that no one buys them.
- There are footwear museums around the world, one of the most important is in Manila and was inaugurated by a true high heels enthusiast. Ms. Imelda Marcos collected shoes for pure personal pleasure and, after reaching around 3,000 pairs of shoes, she decided to inaugurate the Manila Shoe Museum, a true paradise for women who love shoes. But we don't have to go to the Philippines to visit a museum, in fact the other two most important museums in the world are located in Italy. The one in Vigevano, Salvatore Ferragamo Museum dedicated to the designer, contains about 10,000 shoes, including those that belonged to the diva Marilyn Monroe.
"I don't know who invented high-heeled shoes, but all men owe him a lot" (Marilyn Monroe)
