subject: The development of high heeled footwear [print this page] When both the heel and the toes are raised equal amounts, as in a platform shoe, it is technically not considered to be a "high-heel"; however, there are also high-heeled platform shoes. The high-heeled shoe, or a shoe whose heel is higher than the toe, is a matter of contentious and heated discussion. The higher and more unstable the heel, the more clearly these contradictions are expressed (Kunzle 2004)[where?]. Doctors and scholars alike have argued about the physical and cultural effect, both positive and negative, that heels have had not only on women, but on society as a whole.
Shoes were beginning to be made in two pieces during the 16th century, with a flexible upper attached to a heavier, stiffer sole (Swann 1984)[where?]. This new two-part shoe led to the heel as an actual part of the shoe rather than just an attachable overshoeMost of the lower class in ancient Egypt walked barefoot, but figures on murals dating from 3500 B.C. depict an early version of shoes worn mostly by the higher classes. These were leather pieces held together with lacing that was often arranged to look like the symbol of "ankh," which represents life. In the 15th century, chopines, a type of platform shoes, were created in Turkey and were popular throughout Europe until the mid-17th century. Chopines could be seven to eight or even 30 inches high, requiring women to use canes or servants to help them walk.The Venetians made the chopine into a status symbol revealing wealth and social standing for women, and tourists to Venice often remarked humorously on the outrageously high chopines. in the late 18th century, the practice of wearing heels fell into decline in France due to its associations with wealth and aristocracy. Throughout most of the 19th century, flat shoes and sandals were usual for both sexes, but the heel resurfaced in fashion during the late 19th century, almost exclusively among women.
