“High Heels are a paradox, ” wrote Rona Berg in Vogue. “They can make a woman appear more — or less — powerful”. When worn over long periods of time, they can be a prescription for pain, responsible for hammertoes and fallen arches. But when worn for the look they can work magic and seduce the right male.
Women may wear slippers, put on sneakers and slip into loafers, but they dress in high heels. Psychologically, high heels give permission to lead than to follow. A woman might become a towering seductress or she can choose to become the subject of the object of a male.
It is impossible for women to cover high heels. She is forced to take a stand and to strike a pose. Because her center of gravity becomes displaced forward when wearing high heel shoes. Her lower back arches, her spine and legs lengthen and her chest thrust out. Her calves and ankles seem to have more shape.
Design critic Stephen Bayley referred to the effect as one of “twanging sinew, of tension needing to be released. 'High heels face a woman's foot into the vertical posture described by sex researcher Alfred Kinsey as typical during female sexual arousal, when “the whole foot may be extended until it falls in line with the rest of the leg.” So says Fashion brokers.
“The origin of the high heel goes back many centuries in history. The first precursors of stiletto heels were discovered in a tomb of Tebas in Old Egypt, and date from 1000 BC. These heels possibly provided a high social status to those who wore them.
The idea prevailed in Old Greece, where Esquilo, the first great Greek theatrical author mounted his actors on platform shoes of differing heights to indicate each character's social status. The same idea existed in the East. The Japanese emperor Hirohito was crowned in 1926 on platform shoes with a height of 30 cm.
High heels are also associated with sex. Japanese courtiers had clogs of 15 to 30 cm, Chinese concubines and Turkish odalisques had high sandals possibly to prevent them from escaping from the harem, and prostitutes of Old Rome were identified by their high heels.”
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So high heels mean status and sex. How do you know when they mean what? Am I saying I have status when I wear them to church or that I enjoy good sex? Or am I saying that I want good sex in church?
I've been wearing high heels four days a week for the last month, because of my new teaching schedule. I managed to hurt my knee and foot. I am attributing the heel and leg problems to the heels. So for a while at least I am going to back off wearing them.