Patel 1 Neelam Patel CAT 3 Hankins: Dont look now Paper 1 The Heel: Just for Men Introduction:

High heels1 are associated with sexuality and are primarily a symbol of femininity. From actresses to professional women, heels are have become part of the job. For todays modern women, high heels are integrated into her wardrobe. Its a little known fact, however that the heel was originally created and exclusively worn by men. Shoes with elevation exhibited class, social status, and masculinity. In addition, there have been recent trends that indicate that mens heels may make a comeback into the fashion industry. History of the Heel Abbas I of Persia (27 January 1571 19 January 1629) was the shah of Persia (modern day Iran) and due to his accomplishments as a ruler he was considered one of the greatest rulers of the Safavid dynasty. He reformed the empire, reconquering lands that were lost from the Ottomans and Uzbeks. His main accomplishment was modernizing the Persian army. The Persians had the largest cavalry in the world and thus applied a lot of focus on redeveloping it. The earliest forms of high heels were found in Persia on a 9thcentury ceramic bowl. The high heel was worn for centuries throughout the near east as a High-heeled shoes are shoes, which raise the heel of the wearer's foot significantly higher than the toes. When both the heel and the toes are raised, as in a platform shoe it is generally not considered to be a "high-heel." High-heels come in a wide variety of styles, and the heels are found in many different shapes, including stiletto, block, tapered, blade, and wedge. ("Definition of High Heels)
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Patel 2 form of riding footwear. When the soldier stood up in his stirrups, the heel helped him to secure his stance so that he could shoot his bow and arrow more effectively, says Elizabeth Semmelhack. (Kremer) Abbas I sent his first diplomatic mission in 1599 in Europe, which went through Spain, Germany and Russia sharing ideas and diplomatic thoughts. Most importantly he wanted to forge ambassadorial relationships with the aristocracy and rulers of Western Europe to help him defeat the Ottoman Empire. Europeans soon became infatuated with exotic nature of Persian goods The impracticality of the high-heeled shoes appealed to the aristocracy. The streets in 17th century Europe were unpaved and muddy. Obviously high-heeled shoes wouldnt be suited for this type of environment, but it was just another way that the upper class wanted to further distinguish them from the lower class. The most prominent high heel wearer was King Louis XIV of France (5 September 1638 1 September 1715). With a height of 5 4, he was rather short in comparison to the average at that time, but he decided to supplement his short stature by adding a considerably tall heel to his shoes (four inches). His heels were decorated elaborately with depictions and painting from battle scenes. In addition, he distinctly made his soles and heels a bright red color. He did this because the dye was expensive making it available only to upper class individuals. This flamboyant fashion statement spread across Europe. Even though the red soled/heeled shoes were already too expensive for the lower classes, to ensure that none of the non wealthy populus wore them, in the 1670s Louis XIV issued a decree that restricted the red soled/heeled shoes for only members of the aristocracy specifically only members of his court. "An obvious link with Louis XIV and the red sole and heel is Christian Louboutin's red sole, which is today one of

Patel 3 the most immediate and recognizable status symbols," says Helen Persson from the Victoria and Albert Museum. (Kremer) Woman adaptation, Sex Appeal and Functionality The heel went from a development in the Persian cavalry to a fashion statement in Western Europe, but only men still wore the heel. Women didnt begin to adopt mens fashion till the 1630s. There was a movement in which women began to embrace a more masculine fashion by cutting their hair, adding epaulettes to their clothing, smoking pipes, wearing masculine hats, and ultimately adding the heel to their day-to-day clothing. At the end of the 18th century, a movement hit Europe called the Great Male Renunciation. This movement called for a more sober trend in comparison to the ostentatious fashion seen before with the bright colors and over-the-top appearances. Mens clothing became more sober. They replaced pretentious jewelry, fabric, and color for a more homogenous look with dark somber colors. The distinction between classes was losing its distinction, however the distinction between sexes grew more apparent. The original purpose of the high heel as a horseback riding essential was lost. The high heel became more and more impractical. Shortly after the French Revolution, both men and women stopped wearing the heel all together. However, the heel was brought back around the mid 1800s when photography was developed. Interestingly enough, pornographers were the first to revolutionize the high heel as a sex symbol. Although there has been a slight return of the heel for men in cowboy boots in the mid 20th century, there has been no significant change after the Great Male Renunciation. Essentially, the heel puts women on display, would the same occur for men if they adopted the heel once more?

Patel 4 Observations Upon deciding to write an ethnography on high heels for men, I recalled my trip to Miami a month ago. Walking down South Beach I witnessed something Ive never been exposed to before. It was a gay parade, celebrating gay rights and the gay movement. I noticed that almost all the homosexual men there were wearing high heels. The heels they were wearing were bright colors some even having bright shoes covered in glitter. Also, most of them were wearing heels about 3 inches. I found this very interesting because they were blatantly showing off their appearance and purposely drawing attention to their shoes. Does this indicate that heels for men have become a symbol of gay rights? In addition, I realized that at this moment those high heels for men might make a comeback into the fashion industry. Another observation of men in heels was just this past week. I went to a social gathering at the University of California, Irvine and saw another man wearing heels. These werent as flashy as the type of shoes the men were wearing in Miami but they were the equivalent of the high heel shoes that women wear in a professional setting. I thought this was even more bizarre than the gay parade I witnessed in Miami because this is probably something this person wears everyday. Whereas the men at the gay parade probably dont and if they did, there is no observational evidence to prove it. Current day with stu: There is much debate on whether the heel for me will make its way back to into male fashion. Some speculate that heel is permanently dead while others think the opposite. Fashion is a dynamic industry that is always changing and fluxuating, which leaves room for the possibility of the return of high heels for men. Based off my observations the majority of men who wear heels are homosexuals. There has been a rise

Patel 5 in homosexuality acceptance in recent years directly affecting the behavior these individuals display. Stu is a good example of this current trend. Stu is a transgender who lives in a small town in Oregon. He embodies and visualizes the changes we are experiencing as a society. Stu started off as a box office clerk in the local theatre in his small town. He said it started with the nails, and the slow progression of adopting typically female characteristics such as painting nails. Now hes the entire package putting on a wig, fake boobs, heels, and all things feminine. The gradual change in his appearance allowed for the townsfolk to progressively accept him. The townsfolk even defended Stu when the Westboro Baptist Church protested his campaign for major. This illustrates the acceptance that we as a people are beginning to develop which allows for individuals to express themselves in ways that arent considered the norm, such as through high heels. Conclusion The introduction of high heels was initiated by men and singularly worn by men starting from 16th century Persia, but today men wearing heels defies social norms. However, based off my observations and the similarities of Stu with countless others across the nation, the heel is making its comeback. This is largely due to a new openness and modern way of thinking particularly among the youth, which leads to an overall acceptance of all things strange. This doesnt acutely indicate that men are sex symbols like women by wearing the heel or are they put on display because of the heel, but they are adopting the ideas and symbolism associated with the heel.

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Patel 6 Works Cited Kremer, William. "Why did men stop wearing high heels?." BBC News Magazine. 24 01 2013: n. page. Web. 6 May. 2013. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine21151350>. Rasmussen, Stu, perf. "New Normal?." Dir. John Horgon. Radio Lab: Listen Read Watch: . Radio. <http://www.radiolab.org/2009/oct/19/>. "Definition of High Heels." Apparel Search-The Fashion Industry Directory. 1993. <http://www.apparelsearch.com/definitions/footwear/high_heeled_shoes.htm>.