High Heels and their Beauty

I have to confess - I can't imagine my life without high heel shoes. I have high heel shoes that are comfortable and some who definitely aren't. Red high heel shoes and silver ones. In any case high heel shoes make me feel much more feminine and wearing them I always want to hold my head a little bit higher.  

So that's why I decided to search up what is the history of high heel shoes, why we love them so much and if there are some interesting facts about shoes. 

1. High heel shoes - more masculine look?

As the shoe history teaches us, at the beginning high heel shoes were worn only by men. And the beginning dates back to the 10th century when the high heel shoes were specially designed for Persian warriors. 

As Persians moved into Europe, so did the shoes and wearing high heel shoes become more popular amongst aristocratic European men, for example, King Louis XIV, as a status symbol.

First time shoes were worn by women was only in the mid 15th century and the women was Catherine de Medici. She wore high heels because she was only 1,5m long and wanted to look taller. Previous to this, women had only worn platform shoes.

But still until 17th century northern Europe, only men wore high heels, and so the first women to try them out were actually going for a masculine look.

2. Heels as a protection

High heel shoes was an expression of power and was restricted to nobility. That changed in 18th century - shoes got a more functional approach. European streets before the irrigation were full of rubbish and working class adopted high heels to protect themselves from getting dirty. 

At that time high-heeled shoes become largely considered as a women's footwear. They slowly began to take the shape we know now, with a thinner heel and pointed toe. 

3. How high is high?

According to high-fashion shoe labels such as Jimmy Choo and Gucci, a low heel is anything less than 6 cm ( 2.5 in ), while mid heels are anything between 6 and 9 cm ( 2.5 and 3.5 in ), and anything higher than that is considered a high heel. However, the clothing industry takes a simpler approach, whereby high heels are anything that ranging from two to five inches.

Despite of designer thoughts on high heels and how high is high enough, physicians insists that you shouldn't wear heels higher than 12cm (5in) or it could badly affect your body and most probably they won't be that much comfortable either. Let's consider our health and wear only those heels in which we feel perfectly comfortable so we don't end up in situations like ladies below. 

The perfect, pointy pair of 5-inch heels can make any outfit, but with this style comes much suffering. High heels have the stigma of being bad for health and comfort, but this barely stops women from wearing them occasionally and often daily. Studies have shown that these towering shoes can be costly in more ways than one, taking their toll on your spine, hips, knees, ankles and feet, while altering your posture and gait. 

4. Most expensive heels

Believe it or not, the most expensive heels are worth 17 million dollars. The Passion Diamond Shoes are stilettos made from real gold, leather, silk, and encrusted with hundreds of diamonds. 

But most interesting thing is that the shoes doesn't exist. Once there will be a buyer the shoes will be made specifically to fit the wearer's feet. Only one pair will be made.

With these shoes being bought will be beaten current most expensive shoe record. Previously, the title of world's most expensive shoes was held by a pair of similarly gold and diamond-covered stiletto heels, created by UK designer Debbie Wingham. She sold the shoes for 15 million dollars which is for 2 million less than price of The Passion Diamond Shoes. 

But if you are looking for list of the most expensive shoe brands of 2019, unsurprisingly many are from the leading luxury brands in the world like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen and others. 

5. Most popular high heel shoe brands

Of course, every women has a different taste and adores different shoe brands. And that could be for many reasons. Some of us like the design, some of us - the price and some of us - the comfort. And not always all can be fit into one. But when we speak about the most popular high heel shoe brands most probably we will think of some of these. 

When speaking of the most popular high heel shoe brand, the first place doesn't surprise. It's Christian Louboutin red sole shoes. There are so much versions on how Louboutin decided to paint shoe soles red. One talks about his assistant who used red nail polish and that was an inspiration to Louboutin. Second version is that he got the idea from King Louis XIV because this French king was wearing high heel shoes with red sole only. 

Second most popular high heel shoe brand is Manolo Blahnik, the British shoe designer who first came up with the idea of creating shoes in 1972 before trying to become a fashion designer.

The third brand is Jimmy Choo a brand co-founded by Chinese designer Yangjie (Jimmy) Choo and British fashion editor Tamara Yeardye Mellon. 

So there's no surprise that all of these designers an brands have been mentioned and showed in one of the most popular tv series of all times - 'Sex and The City'. Coincidence? I think no. 

All in all, I hope that this article was useful or at least entertaining and gave you some new information. If yes, then tell us what was the most surprising thing for you? Was there anything you already knew?

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