Ain't no high heels high enough
Would you wear “armadillos” on your feet? Apparently not the three professional models who refused to wear them on the runway of Alexander McQueen’s fall 2010 show, his last before he passed away. But Lady Gaga did for her music video Bad Romance and so did a few brave singer/celebrities like Katy Perry, who are known for their attention-grabbing taste in fashion. Although Lady Gaga managed to walk only a few steps with those style- and heel-defying shoes in the video, the outrageous footwear made raves with fashionistas the world over.
What makes this particular pair of shoes “controversial” is not just its very unusual shape but also its sky-high heels, all 12 inches of them! That’s a foot of heel! No wonder those three models refused to wear them on the runway; they were shoes waiting for a leg fracture to happen. Being a former model and high-heel devotee, I cannot begin to fathom the idea of buying them, much less wearing them. I’d probably be glued to one spot in a perpetual motionless state, afraid to move lest I invite embarrassment by falling flat on my face and managing to break a bone or two! I clearly do not understand the perverse attraction of some diehard fashion movers and shakers to the shoes but one thing is for sure, they must now be worth a lot — a coveted collector’s item after the tragic death of its designer, Alexander McQueen.
While this pair of shoes represents the height of frivolity or for some the ultimate ingenuity, the high heels of late have definitely raised the bar in design and heel height; they’ve got women scurrying to the nearest retail stores and malls to get their hands — I mean, feet — on them! Never mind that the dizzying height of the heels may cause severe pain and damage to the feet and legs, they’ve got women hooked the world over. And why, a sane person might ask, would women risk discomfort and sometimes irreversible damage to their feet, all for the sake of wearing high heels? Simple. They make women feel ultra-sexy and confident. The extra arching of a woman’s feet in high heels looks absolutely feminine and attractive because it forces a woman to arch her back more, pushing the chest out and the buttocks back, accentuating the female curves. A woman feels an immediate rush when she slips on a pair of high heels because standing taller than usual gives her an extra physical and emotional boost; it makes her feel more sophisticated, softer and more sensual than usual.
High heels were not originally created with these purposes in mind, though; they were invented some time in the 15th century as a convenient way for male and female riders to mount horses. Whereas two-inch shoes might not fall into the category of “high” these days, back then two inches were considered the standard for high heels.
While women from every social class can buy and wear high heels in the 20th century, high heels during those times served as a symbol of one’s social stature, reserved only for the elite and the aristocrats. But during the French Revolution in the 1700s, the use of high heels was discouraged and practically disappeared; they reemerged in the 1800s, this time solely as women’s footwear.
Blame It On The Recession
While many of us think that the recent rise in high heels might have something to do with the creative genius of designers, experts explain otherwise. It turns out the trend is inspired by the recession, not fashion. According to Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Shoe, “heel heights noticeably grew during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the oil crisis in the 1970s, and when the dotcom bubble burst in the 2000s.”
The most recent “spike” was sparked by the 2008 financial crisis, a disaster that brought the US and European economies to their knees, creating havoc with financial systems all over the world. Unbelievable as it may seem, experts attribute the “high-heel phenomenon” to the dismal economy; it is a tool used to escape the harsh realities of tough economic times. Two years onwards major economies are still trying to recover and heels just keep getting higher and higher. Even podiatrists in America support the presumption; a New York practitioner said, “There is never a shortage of high-heeled women in pain in my midtown Manhattan office, but yes, there is an increase lately.”
Coping mechanism or not, mile-high stilettos, over-the-top platforms and towering wedges were seen all over the runways of the fall 2010 collections, celebrities have embraced the look on the red carpet, glossy magazines can’t seem to get enough of them and women are snatching up the look with much hunger and gusto. The Sex and the City stars glamorized their impracticality by walking the streets of NY in their Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks! Almost every known woman on the planet wanted to emulate and be like them. Today, every footwear brand, from the ultra-expensive and luxurious to the fast-fashion kind, has inundated the markets with every version possible of high heels for insatiable consumers.
To High Heel Or Not To High Heel, That Is The Question
Whatever reason women may have for sliding into those high heels, the fact is high heels are here to stay and they will remain a staple of every woman’s wardrobe. But high-heel aficionados need to be reminded that wearing them comes with consequences, painful and chronic ones. Long-term use may result in tendonitis, severe ankle sprains, torn ligaments and tendons, knee and lower back pain. Worse case scenario, constant pressure on the feet can lead to the thickening of tissues around the nerves of the toes or so-called Morton’s neuroma; this causes pain, stinging or numbness in the toes. More common complaints associated with wearing high heels are tendon and muscle strain, hammertoes, bunions and stress fractures. Sometimes just a clumsy misstep on the street or tripping on a long dress can cause swelling or an ankle sprain.
But women need not be discouraged and completely surrender their fashion sense to these health issues. Hal Rubenstein, In Style magazine’s fashion director, believes there is a wide range of styles women can select from these days. It’s not like “Oh, my God, if I don’t wear six-inch platforms, everyone’s going to make fun of me,” he adds. He tells women that the days when a certain type of heel is in are over and advises that today’s fashion is all about balance and proportion. “If a pair of heels makes a woman feel sexy and confident, she should wear them.” But then Rubenstein suggests, “If the shoes torture her to the point she says to herself, ‘I wish this day was over,’” then she shouldn’t wear them.
“Pain is the price you pay for fashion, for looking good” is a favorite mantra of women and it is no different for high heels. I may not be a diehard fashion fool, but I do find myself mouthing the same mantra every now and then when I wear my five-inch Casadei shoes or my six-inch Swarovski-embellished Giuseppe Zanotti open-toed sandals. Alas, I too cannot live without high heels!
So what do we do with the “can’t live without them” situation and the love-hate relationship we have with high heels? Find the best compromise possible to achieve the delicate balance between comfort and style. Here are some sensible tips I have practiced over the years that still enable me to boogie-woogie in my killer high heels at 45!
• Find the right fit. It is challenging enough traveling in high heels; it is worse if they don’t fit right. Buy the right shoe size and make sure your toes have enough room so they are not on top of each other. Also, if the shoes are too snug at the back of your feet, forget about purchasing them. Bunions and raw calluses are excruciating and you don’t want to deal with them, especially when you’re out on a special occasion, important function or a very hot date. Limping and grimacing in pain are totally unsexy!
• Wear high heels with prudence. Avoid wearing high heels for an extended period of time or when it is not absolutely necessary. While some high heels like wedges may be comfortable to wear on a normal outing with family and friends (I’ve got several pairs!), it is best to reserve them for when you know you will be riding a car to and from a venue, when it does not entail more than a few meters of walking, or the occasion requires it. I alternate wearing flats, mid-heel shoes and high heels at work because I find myself invariably working in the office, inside our stores standing and talking to guests and at meetings with our business partners. If you like the idea of walking to and from work for exercise, wear comfortable flats and change once you get to the workplace.
• Invest in good-quality shoes. Find the best material that will feel good against the skin of your feet and will last you a long time. Keep in mind that shoes directly affect your physical well being, so buy ones that might be slightly more expensive but will spare you from excruciating pain, constant medication and costly visits to the podiatrist. I have shoes as old as my daughter Riana, who is turning 15 this August; they cost me a decent amount back then but their style and quality have proven worthwhile and I still wear them to this day. If you can afford it, have a few pairs of shoes you can wear alternately so the wear-and-tear factor is diminished and you can enjoy them for a number of years.
• Be kind to your feet. Massage your feet, roll them on a bottle or put them up for a couple of minutes right after wearing high heels to help relieve discomfort/pain from overstressed foot muscles. There are several foot spa products you can use at home to relax your feet, so try them on your days off. If you can, treat yourself to foot reflexology for added pampering, care and maintenance.
• Exercise your legs and your feet. Strong, toned muscles help alleviate the stress the feet are subjected to when wearing high heels. One exercise you can do at home is gripping a towel and holding your foot up one at a time for 15 seconds, three times a day. This will strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the feet. If you go to the gym, try doing calf raises for stronger legs that can help you withstand being on your feet for long stretches.
We in the Philippines may be far from having a “high-heel recovery course” like the one they offer to women in New York that trains them to walk in heels, but following these tips will definitely help give you a more pleasurable high-heel experience.
