< High Heels: Achingly Sexy?
by M A R Y P E A C O C K
Remember the fashions of fall ‘97? The shoe of the season was the highest stiletto Gucci and Manolo Blahnik could engineer. And fall ’98’s must-have shoe? The flattest skimmer they could press out of shoe leather. Oh, those fashionistas!
Stilettos have always had their place in the pantheon of sexy dressing, but they popped up with shoulder-padded suits for an ’80s revival that lasted just until the fall ‘98 collections threw out jackets altogether in favor of sweaters and softened skirts that were lowered below midcalf. A hemline that, stylewise, calls for flats. Not that anyone’s complaining. The percentage of American women who regularly wear heels has been declining steadily for at least 10 years.
But heel height is about much more than what’s in fashion, or what goes with what. Some short women would wear high heels on a surfboard if they could. Comfort freaks would wear sneakers with an evening gown — if they were as confident as Cybill Shepherd, who’s done it.
In fact, shoes used to be the most telling element of one’s dress. Everyone wore the best she could afford. The axiom “You can tell a lady by her shoes” was perfectly true.
These days, although fashion followers could certainly agree on the status footwear of any given season, shoes are assumed to be changeable, disposable and fun, rather than a fundamental statement of socioeconomic status.
But just because flats rule the runways one season does not mean that garbage cans across America will be filled with high heels. Shoes are more personal than that. Women can fall in love with and spend the rent on a pair of red shoes. They will save old favorites they know they’ll never wear again. Certain pairs seem to guarantee a good time, as if they had magic powers.
And, speaking of the supernatural, high heels embody a paradox about power that defies earthly logic. For many a woman, the essential finishing touch to feeling as powerful as possible is … a pair of killer heels.
But who are they killing? You don’t need a podiatrist to tell you all the medical problems that can stem from too many hours in high heels (the latest addition to the list of bunions, hammer toes, nerve damage, etc., is arthritis of the knees).
OK, if medical researchers were able to influence behavior, tobacco companies would be out of business. Let’s just mention more immediate issues — such as, say, running from a mugger or a burning building. Or walking comfortably for more than two blocks.
Does it matter that you can’t walk very far in star-quality stilettos? If you have a car and driver, you don’t have to. No limo? Well, guess you better take as your own the motto of the Kilgore Rangerettes, Texas’s most famous baton-twirling team: Beauty knows no pain.
Beauty is, of course, at the bottom of the high-heel conundrum. When a power-suit outfit features a short tight skirt and spike heels, it raises interesting questions. Some women argue that you have to use everything you’ve got to get ahead in a man’s world. Others point out that flaunting your physical assets undercuts complaints about sexually suggestive behavior by men in the office. The truth is, a hint of sexiness is a door opener, but when it comes to serious promotions, the bosses are looking at your competence, not your ankles.
Stilettos are more relevant to the dating game. Men love ‘em for the way they make legs look and for putting a wiggle in your walk. One could take the symbolism of shoes further (see Freud), and some do. But for most of us, it’s an interesting balancing act. So to speak. You can look at wearing high heels as a painful concession to male fantasies or as some heavy sexual artillery of which you are in command. (Q: What’s the one thing strippers leave on? A: Their stilettos.)
But when the real thing comes along — true love or a great business opportunity — is anyone looking at your feet? How do you think high heels affect workplace or romantic interactions? Talk about it on our Beauty & Fashion message board.