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27th Mar 2014

The Evolution Of Style – History Of The High Heel

Where it all began.

Cathy Donohue

“Following this week’s worldwide launch of HTC’s most beautifully designed phone yet, the HTC One (m8), we continue our evolution of  style series looking at the History of the High Heel”

It is commonly thought that Catherine de’ Medici was the first to wear high heels at her marriage to the Duke of Orleans.

She wore heels made in Florence for her wedding, and as a result, high heels were worn by ladies of the Duke’s court in France.

wedding-of-catherine-de-medici-with-henri,-duke-of-orleans

Catherine de Medici’s wedding

Men also wore high heels, during the 1600s European aristocracy wore high heels as a sign of status.

The logic behind this was that people who didn’t work could afford to wear impractical high heels.

While high heels are favoured today, it wasn’t always this way.

Lower heels were preferred during the late 1960s and early 1970s, but higher heels made a comeback in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The shape of high heels changed too from block heels in the 1970s, tapered during the 1990s and stilettos during the 1950s, 1980s and of course they are also popular in today’s fashion.

Manolo-Blahnik-rex_1978361a

Shoe designer Manolo Blahnik

Court heels are relatively comfortable and are worn to work, kitten heels are often worn for dressy occasions as are stilettos, and wedges are great for a dressy casual look.

High heels are a source of happiness for many women, which is why luxury shoe designers run successful empires including Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin.

Wearing high heels can improve confidence and change your whole look.

Marilyn Monroe my queen

Marilyn Monroe loved her high heels

As Marilyn Monroe once said, “give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.”

“This article was brought to you in association with HTC, designers of the HTC One m8, with beautiful design inside and outside, the HTC One m8 is an evolution of  the HTC One, the world’s most awarded phone in 2013”

HTCOneM8_ new logo

Topics:

Celeb Style