BUS 449 Post 2

Short history of  high heels as a sexual accessory 

You may probably be very surprised when you learn that the precursors of the high heels- the chopines platform shoes served to protect women from the dirt and mud on the streets of Turkey and around Europe in the Middle Ages. 

Chopines, source: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1973.114.4a,b

During that time in Europe appeared the pattens- an important attachment to expensive shoes worn by the most affluent ladies. The pattens were a platform type of shoes, with heels sometimes as high as 7-20 inches made by wood, silk or leather. Even though very inconvenient- often times women wearing pattens were required to be accompanied by someone who can hold them while walking, those shoes were very practical because their main purpose was not only to show a higher social status from the butchers and beggars, but also to keep them clean from the debris on the stinking and muddy streets. In ancient Rome, where prostitution was not illegal back then, only prostitutes wore high heels. During the 16th century, extremely high heels-as high as 20 inches were believed to be worn exclusively by courtesans. Some attribute the formal invention of high heels to Catherine de Medici, part of the noble Medici family. At the age of 14, Catherine was engaged to the powerful Duke of Orleans, later the King of France. Since she was quite short in height, less than 5 feet tall (less than 150cm), she was quite insecure in her appearance compared to the luscious mistress from the French court, she assumed that wearing a 2-3 inches heels will make her look taller and give her an elegant sway while walking. 
Later, the influence of Victorian art in fashion reshaped the perception of female shoes a bit and brought a more sophisticated and dangerous side of high heels- the seductive one. Critics proclaimed high heels as a tool female used to trap an unruly man. With the layering of ornaments and finest fabrics and silk, shoes became an expensive accessory much like jewels. 

During that time, the instep curve was seen as something quite womanly and extremely seductive- strange passion, right? But the most extreme legacy of the Victorian era are ads of high heel shoes, which advertised not only to be harmless but also to alleviate backache problems.