Stilettos’ Powerful Past

Written by Quintynn Vaughn, Fashion Staff Writer Photographed by Elliot Dunnwald, Contributing Photographer | Modeled by Kaitlyn Tran and Megan Wu

Shoes carry us through life. The leather, suede or rubber that you put on your feet every day doesn’t just represent where you’re going or what you’re doing — it is a demonstration of who you are to the world. Maybe an Olympian wears a custom pair of Nike running shoes. Maybe a student wears a comfortable sneaker to class. Or maybe, a powerful woman wears a stiletto.

While the modern stiletto is an everyday staple of feminine power, its sleek design was once limited to a select few. The fi rst heels emerged in the 10th century when soldiers began to sport a hook-like heel to remain secure in their stirrups.1 Heels became a fashionable walking shoe when Parisian royalty in the 15th century took inspiration from French soldiers.2 For centuries to follow, European royal courts would use exceptionally high heels to display their status; the tallest were nearly 21 inches.3

The royal court wore heels to demonstrate power over those “below” them. In the 17th century, King Louis XIV of France introduced the red-soled heel. To establish his sovereignty, these were permitted only to and required of his royal court. Since the birth of heels,

1 Elizabeth Segran, “The long history of heels: from a symbol of men’s power to women’s burden,” FastCompany, Aug. 4, 2022. 2 Ibid. 3 Ariana Marsh, “High Heeled Shoes Were Originally Created For Men,” TeenVogue, July 12, 2017. MODA | 26

their purpose has almost always been to establish power. Even the name stiletto has powerful origins, as it originates from a type of slender, Italian dagger.4 Because heels were limited to men to demonstrate dominance and wealth, the fi rst women to wear heels in the 17th century were trying to achieve a masculine look.5 Women who wore heels during this time were considered androgynous and daring for challenging current trends and proudly wearing something intended for powerful men.

At the turn of the 18th century, enlightenment philosophy, a set of ideas that celebrated logic and reason as a means to understand and improve the human condition, encouraged men to demonstrate rationality and take a practical approach to life.6 Practicality did not, and probably will never, include stilettos. As men adopted enlightenment ideas, they deemed heels frivolous and impractical, leaving them to be worn only by women for the fi rst time. This drastic shift prompted the rise of heels in women’s fashion, which over time led to the expectation of heels in “proper” women’s attire.

The pressure on women in the 18th and 19th century to wear heels as a demon-

4 Camill Paglia, “The Stiletto Heel,” MOMA, Oct. 25, 2013. 5 Olivia Goldhill, “It’s enlightenment philosophy’s fault that women wear high heels instead of men,” Quartz, July 1, 2018. 6 Ibid. stration of formality is still felt today. However, as women have begun to take back former tools of oppression, stilettos have transitioned from being an impractical design for frivolous individuals to a symbol of strength despite their uncomfortability. Balancing on a tiny piece of plastic fi ve inches above ground is an incredible attestation to one’s physical strength and mental power, making the stiletto a contemporary fashion statement.

Modern day stilettos may be designed for women, but they heavily mirror royal male looks of the 16th and 17th centuries. Chrisian Louboutin, a French fashion designer, took inspiration from King Louis XIV with his red-soled stilettos released in 1993.7 His signature red-sole is now considered one of the most iconic stiletto designs ever and is the ultimate status symbol.

The styles of stilettos on runways in the past decades highly refl ect various trends; strappy kitten heel stilettos of the early ‘00s were short heels whereas modern day stiletto boots are simpler and elongated. While stilettos change over time, they will always be a timeless refl ection of simplicity, elegance and strength. The tiny heel you balance on carries great power with each step regardless of where you’re going or what you’re doing. ■

7 Alice, Cary, and Maude, Bass-Kruger, “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Stiletto,” Vogue, March 24, 2020