It's enlightenment philosophy's fault that women wear high heels instead of men

The first time a woman put on high heels, she wasn't trying to be uber feminine. Quite the opposite. In 17th century northern Europe, only men wore high heels, and so the first women to try them out were actually going for a masculine look.

Elizabeth Semmelhack, senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada, uncovered the history of the high heel after she organized an exhibition around Chinese foot binding and realized that many visitors were fascinated by this unfamiliar practice, but incurious about how women came to wear high-heeled shoes. Semmelhack traced the heel to 10th century Persian men, soldiers who wore them while riding on horseback; heels helped them stay in their stirrups. Men in England and Holland would have become acquainted with this look by the mid-16th century, when they traded textiles in what by then had become the Iranian empire and would have encountered the empire's large mountain military. By the 17th century, aristocrat European men were also wearing heels.

"There was a fashion trend at the time for some women, those willing to take sartorial risks, to borrow from the male wardrobe," says Semmelhack. Some European women started to wear hats with large plumes, stomachers (decorative triangle panels on the front of women's gowns) that looked like doublets and, around 1620, a few were even accused of carrying weapons in a bid to look more masculine. "It was seen as both fashionable and daring," says Semmelhack—though, of course, they faced ridicule from some corners. "There's been no time in history when women haven't been criticized for what they wear and this is no exception," she adds.

The first time a woman put on high heels, she wasn't trying to be uber feminine. Quite the opposite. In 17th century northern Europe, only men wore high heels, and so the first women to try them out were actually going for a masculine look.

Elizabeth Semmelhack, senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada, uncovered the history of the high heel after she organized an exhibition around Chinese foot binding and realized that many visitors were fascinated by this unfamiliar practice, but incurious about how women came to wear high-heeled shoes. Semmelhack traced the heel to 10th century Persian men, soldiers who wore them while riding on horseback; heels helped them stay in their stirrups. Men in England and Holland would have become acquainted with this look by the mid-16th century, when they traded textiles in what by then had become the Iranian empire and would have encountered the empire's large mountain military. By the 17th century, aristocrat European men were also wearing heels.

"There was a fashion trend at the time for some women, those willing to take sartorial risks, to borrow from the male wardrobe," says Semmelhack. Some European women started to wear hats with large plumes, stomachers (decorative triangle panels on the front of women's gowns) that looked like doublets and, around 1620, a few were even accused of carrying weapons in a bid to look more masculine. "It was seen as both fashionable and daring," says Semmelhack—though, of course, they faced ridicule from some corners. "There's been no time in history when women haven't been criticized for what they wear and this is no exception," she adds.

High heels—less practical than flat-heeled shoes for anyone not on horseback—soon became associated with supposedly female traits of frivolity and irrationality. By the 19th century, in Europe, the heel was "unassailably feminine," notes Semmelhack. Then European imperialism spread this idea around the world. "Once European men abandoned the heel in the early 18th century, the meaning becomes so hyper feminized that as imperialism goes global, those are the meanings that are brought with the high heel."

But though high heels today have an unquestionably feminine association, Semmelhack says the meaning is far from intrinsic. "Heels are just things. They can be given any meaning we decide they have," she says. So could men start wearing heels once more? "Anything's possible."

Footloose: high heels should not be a part of the work uniform

Back in my youthful days, I could wear heels all day and night without thinking twice about it. But now, my bones are older, my feet have put down too many steps, and my knees just can't handle the stilettos for extended periods of time. There is no way I could work in a job that requires employees to wear high heels all day, every day. I would require constant pain medication and an on-call physio.

Yet it is common in Ireland for companies to introduce dress codes for a number of reasons, including to promote professionalism or to stay on brand with its corporate image and some workplaces still force women to wear heels, despite how old-fashioned that seems.

Being forced to wear high heels in work hit the headlines a couple of years ago when a temp in accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, Nicola Thorp, was sent home from work because she was not wearing high heels. Thorp had argued that she would not be able to do her work effectively while wearing high heels and the 27-year-old refused to adhere to the high heel stipulation of between two inches and four inches requested by the temp agency Portico.

Thorp launched an online petition to make it illegal for a company to require women to wear high heels at work. It received over 150,000 signatures and was debated in parliament in the UK. However, calls to introduce a new law banning companies from telling women to wear high heels at work were rejected by the British government, with the Equalities Office saying existing legislation was "adequate".

Thorp did succeed in starting a conversation. Her story caused a media frenzy, and as a response Portico changed its policy to allow female workers to wear plain flat shoes or plain court shoes as they prefer.

Following the attention Thorp received, researchers at the University of Aberdeen looked into the issue of wearing high heels at work. They examined the physical damage and injury that can be caused, as well as the social and cultural aspects surrounding the wearing of high heels. It found large amounts of studies showed a link between wearing high heels and an increased risk of bunions, pain and injury. The researchers concluded that more needs to be done to stop women being forced to wear high heels at work.

Some people love wearing heels in the office. But that does not mean anyone should be forced to wear them. If you are an employer that insists on high heels, it is time to revisit that policy. A smart flat shoe can look just as professional as a high heel, and an employee will be much more productive if they are not in pain. When it comes to heels, employers need to stop being bossy boots and employees need to put the foot down. You can look well-heeled without high heels.

High heels can have health effects far beyond the feet

DULUTH — Serina Popoe never wears high heels.

"They hurt, and I'll trip," said the South Range woman.

During a walk around sunny downtown Duluth, Popoe, 42, wore flats, and Dana Bourdage wore 2-inch heels. Bourdage, 47, said she used to wear heels every day for work, but today, she's usually in flats because wearing them hurts her hips.

While there are claims that heels can improve posture and balance, local experts say that's not necessarily true.

"If you're talking about the aesthetics of posture, by being higher off the ground, it can actually improve your posture," said Dr. Curt Kristensen of Northern Foot & Ankle Associates. "In terms of biomechanical posture … that is not enhanced with heels. … From a functional standpoint, you're more at risk with injuries," he added.

There aren't really benefits to wearing heels, said Ryan Reinking, board-certified foot and ankle surgeon of Orthopaedic Associates of Duluth.

"Our feet have adapted, they were not built to pound the pavement and concrete surfaces, which is what we're on most of the day," he said. That's why a supportive shoe yields more benefits in general.

Many consider anything above an inch and a half a high heel, but any raise off the ground counts. A high heel is a shoe with an arch over 2-2½ inches, Reinking said.

And the shorter the shoe, the better, he said.

That's because high heels put the heel of the foot above the shelf of the toes. Short-term effects are increased pressure; rubbing; ingrown toenails; calluses; or neuroma, an enlarged nerve. More outcomes can be the development of hammertoes or bunions.

Prolonged wear can cause a shortening of the tendon or calf muscle. It can leave the wearer more prone to ankle sprains due to lack of support or Achilles tendonitis.

Wearing heels also affects areas outside the feet and ankles.

The paraspinal muscles in the neck, and girdles around your trunk and hips are working harder when the wearer is in heels on a regular basis, Kristensen said.

This also puts pressure on the kneecaps, which can lead, over time, to the early onset of osteoarthritis, according to Time magazine.

Longer-term effects may appear after long-term wear — five days a week for six months or longer, Reinking said.

Issues affect male clients through the use of western or steel-toe boots or Cuban heels. These tends to be supportive, Kristensen said, but there's often friction with a narrower toe box.

Heels come in child sizes today, but Kristensen said he tries to discourage children from wearing shoes that don't have a lot of support. Reinking recommends kids not wear heels until at least after the 11-15 age range.

Kristensen has recommended to some clients to retire their heels, and there has been reluctance. It's a habit for many, he said.

If heels are worn, he recommends a wider and deeper toe box. Lean against a wall, take your heels off at your desk, stretch. Consider metatarsal gel pads, girthier heels or taping the third and fourth toes together. Cleaning the inside of the heel can help reduce slips or injury, and using petroleum jelly on the feet to keep the skin supple and smooth can help, he said.

Avoid barefoot walking or flip-flops; some soreness can be avoided by avoiding flimsy shoes, Kristensen added. Also, loose summer shoes may cause you to grip the sole with your toes, which shortens your gait, leading to other foot and ankle issues, according to Time.

Get the right size heels, or it's going to hurt worse, said Popoe.

Added Bourdage: "Take them off as soon as possible."

"Avoid them as much as you can, and wear them in special occasions," Reinking said.

That's what Shawna Charles of Duluth does.

The 27-year-old has a go-to pair of 4-inch heeled booties reserved only for nights out. "I'm not that graceful," she said.

She has been wearing high heels for only two years, and she's more comfortable walking in them than she used to be.

Most people wearing heels have been doing it for a long time, she said, but: "Heels aren't for everybody, and that's OK. I don't think they're supposed to be."