Articles tagged with "King Louis XIV"

Style magazine Luxuo sizes up heels for men and how the fashion industry is adapting to more inclusive, genderless fashion.

From the article:

“People who are buying status footwear want to be recognisable,” said Bruce Pask, men’s fashion director at Neiman Marcus. “We’ve been moving in that direction of having more statement-making footwear. That means making bigger, higher and thicker shoes.”

“When I strut down the street in my heels, every part of my being feels right.” Shaobo Han, co-founder of Syro stated. “Wearing heels allows me to connect and embrace my femininity and explore the limits of fashion. I don’t believe that heels should have a gender, it belongs to everyone.”

"Similar to apparel, the declassification of heels as a “woman’s” shoe continues to unfold as clothing become less tied to one’s gender identity and sexuality. As men hit red carpets and magazine covers in gowns, there’s no reason they shouldn’t have a nice pair of heels to accompany them."

Original URL: https://www.luxuo.com/style/inch-up-your-footwear.html

It's not easy to get a complete timeline for the history of heels in a single article because many writers selectively pick only the points in history that suit their narrative or headline. We're reliant therefore on reading multiple articles and joining the dots ourselves. That said, key elements like the fact that they were used by Egyptian butchers, so they could keep their feet clean of any blood while slaughtering animals often get missed. This is one such article from "the tab" which does include that fact, though it's not clear from the article whether it was them or Persian soldiers that first used heels.

Written in 2017, the article concludes that in the 20th Century, men’s heels have largely fallen out of fashion. It's a fact easily missed through poor research that men never stopped wearing heels. In 2023 heels for men are on the rise once again, though this time, not so much as a fashion trend, but more of a movement.

Original URL: https://thetab.com/uk/2017/05/02/know-high-heels-originally-invented-men-kinda-wish-theyd-kept-39250

Fashion retail spin-off of The Fact Site gives us another historical perspective on the origin of high heels.

From the article:

"The high heel did not originate to be worn by women as they are now, but rather as a man’s shoe.

They were most popular with kings and other noble and wealthy men long before they were ever adorned on women’s feet."

"Women did not begin wearing heels until the mid-1500’s. The first recorded high heel on a woman was worn by Catherine de Medici."

"King Louis XIV re-popularized the high heel during his reign in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s."

"The 1940’s and 1950’s saw the increased stability of the heel.

Wartime technology helped popularize the modern day stiletto heel during this time by allowing fabricators to utilize their metal in heels. The use of steel allowed the shapes of heels to change."

"With fashion trends changing from season to season, the high heel is a closet staple that has truly stood the test of time."

Original URL: https://www.thefactshop.com/fashion-facts/history-of-high-heels/

Collective Culture features this article on how the high heel is being re-imagined by men as a new symbol of empowerment, breaking down cultural norms in the process.

From the article:

"17th-century noblemen used to wear heels as a sign of power and virility. Little by little, these accessories are regaining that power!"

"We are talking about dresses and skirts embroidered with gold, details everywhere, exuberant wigs; nothing could be left empty. At this time, women also began to wear heels because the trend was to imitate men's fashion."

"Nowadays this is changing. Today clothes are getting a new branding, and that is that they have no gender. Under this ideal, fashion stigmas carried over from the last century are being broken one day at a time."

"In this genderless fashion initiative, heels have become more and more gender-neutral elements of empowerment."

Original URL: https://culturacolectiva.com/fashion/heels-history-masculinity-men-accessories/

Lillian Stone (@originalspinstr) writes for Mel Magazine on the rise of men in heels on social media and how some women are falling in love with the growing trend.

From the article:

"Mesmerized by their confidence and how their heeled shoes make their ass look like marble, women are falling head over heels for guys who dare to don a pair of pumps"

"Wearers are posting their videos to Instagram and, increasingly, TikTok, where videos with the hashtag #meninheels currently have more than 82 million views. Someone’s grandfather even went viral for pairing masculine silhouettes with a tasteful pump.".

"Seeing a man wear heels without a hint of irony confirms what we’ve always known, if only subconsciously — that heeled footwear is sexy, no matter the wearer’s gender. It speaks to a simple truth: If you find a pair of shoes that make your ass look like it’s made of steel, you should wear those shoes."

Men appearing to have more confidence comes across as one of the key attractions to women. Having greater confidence is often a reason stated by women as to why they wear high heels, but it's still interesting to see this coming across when the roles are reversed.

Original URL: https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/men-wearing-high-heels

This article from the Catawiki website, reminds us of the history of men and high heels.

Heels have long been a symbol of status, style and femininity but once upon a time they were synonymous with masculinity too. Dating back to ancient Egypt, walking in raised shoes was at first a practical choice for working men that was quickly adopted by the men and women of upper classes as a sign of nobility and status. Since then, high heels have continued to feature in men's fashion throughout the ages from King Louis XIV to the late David Bowie. Fashion experts Fleur Feijen and Stefania Jesi help unpack the long history of men and high heels and why heels are still a statement shoe for men today.

You will see many articles on Men's Heels Revolution about the history of heels. It's important to know where heels came from and how changes in our society have affected the way people wear them. We are once again in a societal shift where people are re-evaluating gender norms. Heels, skirts, dresses, make-up and more are all returning as options for men to wear. Similar societal reactions can be observed, we're not doing anything new here, just doing what we used to do.

Original URL: https://www.catawiki.com/en/stories/753-the-forgotten-history-of-men-and-high-heels

Zoom brings us another write-up of the history of men in heels.

"When one thinks of heels, all one can imagine is glamour, style, and elegance. However, even though this kind of footwear is now mainly associated with women and femininity, it was once the go-to footwear option for men."

"not many know that heels originally found their place on the feet of male soldiers, aristocrats, and even royals in different parts of the world, including Persia. Persian men in the 10th century wore heels not just as a style statement but mainly because of the 'practicality' factor"

Original URL: https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/lifestyle/fashion/did-you-know-high-heels-were-first-worn-by-men-in-persia-during-the-10th-century-article-90588269

GenZ Social Media sensation, Noah Beck caused a stir when he appeared on the front of VMan magazine in Fishnet Tights and Stiletto Heels. As with many features of men in heels, this one also comes with the usual brief, but important history of men in heels.

Also checkout the post of the cover on @NoahBeck's Instagram profile... https://www.instagram.com/p/CL-CCUiHGHR/

Original URL: https://footwearnews.com/2021/fashion/mens/noah-beck-heels-fishnet-tights-jeans-makeup-vman-magazine-1203114717/

Our founder, Rob Taylor, had the pleasure of being interviewed by Hayley Lind (@hayleyclind) for this feature in Input Magazine (@input).

"Hayley was motivated to approach me by the amount of media coverage which I had referenced on heels for men for this piece." said Rob, "She certainly agreed with my findings that there was a definite trend happening in the fashion world for men to wear heels again".

Anchored with commentary from Rob throughout, the article explores the "genderless heels" trend with insights from independent designers who have changed their manufacturing and marketing methods to accommodate an inclusive approach where shoes are for all, regardless of gender. The article also uncovers why inclusive sizing is not quite as simple as to achieve you might think it could be, though not a problem that can't be solved.

We're delighted to get this great coverage and hope it will be the first of many!

Original URL: https://www.inputmag.com/style/harry-styles-lil-nas-x-mens-high-heels-genderless-kira-godey-lidia-talavera

CNN reports on the rise in platform heel wearing and explores some of the ideas why this is an emerging trend for both women and men.

Original URL: https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/platform-shoes-fashion-trend/index.html

L’Officiel delves into the history of high heels for men. From Persia to Pop-culture and the current trend of men wearing heels they present a brief explaination of the origins of the Man Heel.

Original URL: https://www.lofficielmalaysia.com/hommes/men-in-heels-is-a-trend-from-the-past-until-now

This article from The Irish Examiner (@irish_examiner) reflects on the Spring/Summer 2022 runway shows at Paris Fashion Week and the rise of heels for men. It's not a new concept, just reinvented somewhat, as Jimmy Choo puts it "High-heeled shoes for men are unlike stilettos. The heel shape is adapted from the basic Cuban heel into a special shape that will bring out the best in the masculinity of the man wearing it.".

This is a great read for getting yourself up-to-speed with what's current on the catwalk.

Original URL: https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/fashionandbeauty/arid-40343159.html

Dapper Confidential (@dapperconfidential) looks at the current trend for Men’s heels, contrasting against previous times when heels for men were popular and offers some great tips for what and how to wear higher heels today.

Original URL: https://www.dapperconfidential.com/feelin-high-mens-heels-are-back/

Google Arts and Culture gives us a virtual tour around the many of the exhibits from the 2015 exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada. Produced in 2017 the slide-show ends with a hint about the forthcoming trend that we are now seeing for men’s heels with a shot of the Rad Hourani unisex boots made in 2015.

Original URL: https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/BQJSZR_j5AhtLA

The BBC Radio 4 series on history - You’re Dead To Me brings us The History of High Heels. Elizabeth Semmelhack, Curator & Creative Director of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada, along with Comedian Lauren Pattison discuss high-heeled shoes and their many uses through history with their host Greg Jenner. An entertaining an amusing trip through history, with some notable high points for men in heels.

Original URL: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-history-of-high-heels/id1479973402?i=1000535612931

Vogue Czechoslovakia interviews Mark Bryan (@MarkBryan911), 62 year old cis family man with a passion for Porsches, American Football and... high heels. If you’ve been looking for profiles of men in high heels and not yet encountered Mark’s profile, you soon will. Having amassed a huge following, his matter-of-fact talking about men wearing high heels and skirts is inspiring. In particular, Mark relays a thought on “Fashion Apartheid”.

Original URL: https://www.vogue.cz/clanek/vogue-cs-in-english/martin-vasa/the-higher-the-heels-the-closer-to-god

DailyArt magazine looks back in time to explore the origins of High Heels. Often a surprise for many people, heels originated in Persia in the 10th Century and were worn by men until the 18th Century. Enlightenment put and end to that 800 year reign, but started making a comeback in the latter half of the 20th Century. The article ends on a positive note for all.

Original URL: https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/men-in-heels/

Vice magazine reports on how men expressing themselves by wearing items normally regarded for women is nothing new. "It's a bit of a middle finger to societal norms" says Alex Ringler, who interviewed for the piece. Another interviewee, Marcus Territory says "The primary purpose of the heels is to be just another piece of an unambiguously masculine outfit... a way to explore new aesthetics and styles." a view shared by many.

Original URL: https://www.vice.com/en/article/4av9km/men-high-heels-non-binary-fashion

This short article from Footwear News covers the appearance earlier in the month of Jared Leto wearing high heeled boots at the LACMA Art + Film Gala.

Original URL: https://footwearnews.com/2021/fashion/red-carpet/jared-leto-gucci-white-suit-heels-lacma-gala-2021-1203206969/

Footwear News reports on how the fashion world a is now starting accept that men's heels are actually a thing (though for many they have never not been a thing!). Led by the major fashion houses of Paris and Milan other designers will in course follow suit.

Original URL: https://footwearnews.com/2020/fashion/designers/mens-heels-fashion-weeks-fall-2020-jimmy-choo-louboutin-1202903728/

This article from Medium goes looks back at the way we used to dress and how societal norms have changed around the association of certain items of clothing and colour with specific genders. What was normal only 150 years ago is now considered by conservatives to undermine masculinity in today's society. The article concludes that today's genderless and gender-neutral fashion is starting to change the way we think about the clothes we wear and what they mean.

Original URL: https://historyofyesterday.com/yes-men-used-to-wear-dresses-high-heels-and-colour-pink-280dd5fa03bc

This article from Teen Vogue, published in 2017, highlights an exhibition on shoes at Savannah College of Art and Design and delves into the origin of the high heeled shoe. By now, many of us know the origin of high heels, but for the uninitiated, take a look at this interesting article on where they came from.

Original URL: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/heels-history-men

The Wall Street Journal looks at why shoes and boots for men with higher heels are on the rise. Acknowledging that men were the first to wear high heels and re-affirming that they are the ultimate statement of confidence.

Original URL: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-2020-should-be-the-year-of-the-man-heel-11601546429