History of the Heel.

Alright. Brace yourself. This entry could potentially be mind altering or mind numbing so here it goes. Heels. Heels have been around for centuries, the elite wore them in ancient Egypt to signify their power and prestige. European countries later caught onto the look in the 16th and 17th century primarily for equestrians and for the diminutive woman. The original European heels were called chopines and from the look of them I can be sure they were rawther uncomfortable. Fast forward to the early 1900s. The evolution of the heel even over the past century is startling. If you observe the heel shape and look at the features of each shoe, typically you can identify what time period it is from. Knowing when and where a shoe is from can help shape purchases in vintage stores and also shape current purchases so you can evaluate which style of shoe will really stand the test of time. Personally, I go with a flat because they are simple and are much less likely to look severely outdated. Nonetheless, here is a timeline of the heel. Hope you have learned something.

The chopines, circa 1590

The edwardian shoes, 1910

The cork "wedgy" (center), 1940s

The kitten heel, early 1960s

The platform, 1970s

The pump, mid 1980s

The strappy sandal, late 1990s

The mary jane peep toe, 2000s

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5