TORONTO – The epitome of femininity and glamour is a pair of high-heeled shoes, but originally, they were actually designed for men.
According to a recent BBC report, high heels were worn as a form of riding footwear, with the heel allowing a soldier to stand up in his stirrups securely so he could shoot his bow and arrow more effectively, says Elizabeth Semmelhack of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto.
As with everything, the wearing of heels became so popular that the aristocracy increased the height of the heel to be different again.
The Imelda Marcos of the 1600s was the Roi Soleil himself, King Louis XIV of France. Standing at 163 centimeters, he wore heels to add a reported extra 10 centimeters to his height. The heels and soles of the shoes were always red (now associated with Christian Louboutin) and all anyone in French society had to do to check whether someone was in favor with the King was to glance downwards.
By 1740 men had stopped wearing heels altogether and now the era of men walking around on their toes seems to be behind us. Yet, there are still some famous men who need a boost…
John Travolta, Tumblr
Nicolas Sarkozy, Tumblr
Robert Downey Jr, Tumblr
Obama & Berlusconi, Katabology
Whilst Barack Obama does not wear heels to enhance his stature, we think he would rock them.
