High heels gained full-fledged acceptance in the latter part
of the 19th century. This was replaced by the demand for comfortable
flat shoes in the earlier 20th century. In the mid 20th
century, fashions changed, and as hemlines grew higher, the demand for stylish
high heeled shoes went up. Again, in the 1930s, heels became shorter in length,
a trend that was soon replaced by the demand for elegant high heels in a
variety of patterns, ranging from glittery to colourful ones. This trend was
popularized by the new varieties of heels sported by Hollywood celebrities. In
the 1940s, due to the Second World War, the availability of luxury items went
down, and heels became thick, simple and unadorned.
The world of heels underwent a revolution with the invention
of the stiletto in the 1950s by Christian Dior. The stiletto had a low vamp and
a narrow heel. However, they were not very well accepted, and some public
buildings banned the use of stilettos as they were believed to damage the
floors.
With the rising popularity of the miniskirt in the beginning
of the 1960s, shoes with stiletto heels also became popular. Again, with the
upsurge of the feminist movement, stilettos began to be opposed by feminists because
they were believed to restrict the movement of women and slow them down when
escaping from male violence. As a result, low-heeled shoes with square toes were
developed. Later, in the 1960s, the platform shoe was developed, which became
hugely popular in the 1970s.
High heels came back in fashion in the 1980s, a trend that continued
into the early 1990s as well. In the late 19th century, factories producing high heeled shoes began to open in Italy and other parts of the world. This was
followed by America, which opened its first heel factory in the year 1888. Manolo
Blahnik's high heels began making a large-scale appearance in the fashion
circuits, reviving the fad. With the passage of time, high heels began to be
considered as signs of designer and fashion wear for special occasions, while
flat shoes became the norm for the corporate world. Designers like Jimmy Choo
and Emma Hope designed extra-tall heels in the 1990s. Again, in the later part
of the 1990s, the fashion of the high heels started declining.
With the onset of the 21st century, heels again
got a lift, with the introduction of the 'heel-less' high heeled shoe by Manolo
Blahnik, as well as several varieties of heels being developed by many other
designers. Women began to have a wide choice of heels to wear for different
occasions.
The fashion of high heels still continues to be evergreen. High
heels are very commonly found at parties, special occasions as well as on the
ramp. Heels, even after such a long period of time, remain symbolic of fashion,
style, and class. It is now a must-have in the wardrobe for fashionistas.
That is the long story of the journey of the high heeled
shoe. So, the next time you shop for a pair of shoes, don't forget to add a pair
of heels to your shopping list!
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