The real reason men find high heels attractive?

It might make women think twice before putting on high heels for a date.

Men find the shoes attractive not because they are glamorous or give the illusion of longer legs but because they make a woman arch her back – which is a signal that she is ready for sex, a study suggests.

It seems to be not the stilettos or kitten heels which are important, but the angle of a woman's back to her bottom.

The theory was tested by showing men photographs of women wearing heels or flats, but with the picture cropped at their ankles.

The closer their back arched to an optimum angle of 45 degrees, the more likely men were to find them attractive.

The authors, led by Dr David Lewis at Murdoch University in Australia, state that this arched back in high heels may communicate information about a woman's 'openness to mating advances'.

In many animals, arching of the lower back is a signal of sexual proceptivity – the tendency to engage in behaviour which instigates or 'promotes' sex.

The study states: 'Because no high-heeled shoes were present in any of the Study 2 stimuli, the current findings cannot be explained by an association between high-heeled footwear and perceptions of women's sexuality, a media-constructed preference for high-heeled shoes, or any other reason that men might have a preference for the shoes themselves.

For the same reason, hypotheses suggesting that high heels influence men's judgments of women because of the appearance or colour of the shoes cannot account for the current findings.'

The researchers recruited 56 women in tight clothing to be photographed in flat shoes, before providing five-inch heels for them to wear.

The photographs, cropping out the women's faces as well as their shoes, were shown to 82 men to be rated for attractiveness.

Two years ago the theory was first proposed that men were most attracted to women with a back curving exactly 45 degrees above the top of her bottom.

The findings provided an explanation for the sex symbol status of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez, as 'buttock mass' was found to increase the angle.

The latest study supports this theory, with men finding women in heels most attractive when they were closest to the 45-degree angle.

The researchers also found men were more attracted to female celebrities when they were wearing heels, and that the shoes changed the arch of women's backs by approximately two degrees.
Explaining why this 'lumbar curvature' angle of 45 degrees is so important, the study states: 'Lumbar curvature may also communicate information about a woman's openness to matign advances – in other mammalian species, lordosis behaviour (i.e. arching of the lower back) is a sign of sexual proceptivity.'

The authors say celebrities, dressed up to enhance their appearance, may arch their back even more to look more beautiful in heels.

An arched back may also be attractive to men, as an evolutionary signal that women are fit for bearing their children, the researchers suggest.

During pregnancy, too much curvature of the spine would have been associated with risks like herniated discs, and not enough curvature would have been associated with muscle fatigue and injury.

The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

Men fancy women in heels even when they cannot see the shoes, researchers found.

Rekindling My Love For High Heels

Ever since temp worker Nicola Thorp, a receptionist at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, was sent home from work for not wearing heels I've had a tumultuous relationship with the shoe myself. Even though Thorp has gone on to bag a part in Coronation Street and successfully draw attention to the sexism that's rife in the City, the concept of heels has left a bad taste in my mouth. Coupled with the fact that over the last few years fashion has shifted dramatically towards athletism and comfort, this style of footwear has been easy to ignore.

However, slowly but surely ludicrously impractical footwear has found its way back. The ugly shoe trend that rose the ranks to haute couture standing, courtesy of Céline, Prada and Chanel, is having its watershed moment. Birkenstocks and Crocs are no more uncomfortable than kitten heels; just nobody talks about it. The excessive expenditure of sneakers for purely fashion's sake is no less vain than investing in a wedge. Quelle surp, like all trends, when the pendulum of fashion swings away it will almost certainly swing back at some point. And, that point is this winter.

This season, footwear isn't an afterthought. The trends that came out of the autumn/winter 17 shows started foot first. Saint Laurent's epic eighties disco boots, Off-White's tulle-wrapped pumps and Gucci's raised cowboy boots were a visual validation of the heel's return.

More idiosyncratic than before, the humble heel now comes tilted, bent or in a geometric shape. Designers have let their creativity loose and reconfigured them into surreal and distinctive new shapes. Soft spandex sock shoes with knife-point heels were debuted at Vetements and Yeezy. Thick rubber soles held chunky boots aloft at Louis Vuitton and Coach. Go-go boots with tiny princess heels were the order of the day at Miu Miu, Chanel and Gucci. Translucent crystals and perspex cages elevated Dries Van Noten and Marni's pumps. With enough pomp to rival Marie Antoinette's dressing room, Mary Katrantzou and Céline showcased the little-known ‘fluevog' heel for winter. Initially, its sumptuous curved silhouette looks preposterous, but the reality is it's sturdy and every inch a scene-stealer.

But really, the heels comeback moment came at the hands of Cardi B who shot to number one while spitting about her love of Louboutins. ‘It's a status symbol that the masses can relate to', the rapper's stylist Kollin Carter explained in an interview with Billboard. But, it's more than just a status symbol. Type the word shoe into your phone, what comes up? A red stiletto. If this isn't a vertiginous sign that it's a design classic, I'm not sure what will convince you.

I understand the argument for abandoning this style of footwear. They aren't practical. They cause blisters. They are designed by and to please men. But, I feel elegant and put-together in them. At just 5ft 2inches my stature isn't what anyone would deem mighty. But, with a pair of heels on my feet I suddenly enter the world at eye-level. The groceries I can never normally reach are within grasp. My stature changes. Renee Engeln, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University told the New York Times that they are designed ‘to lengthen your legs and change the way your shape looks from behind. That's not accidental.' Echoing this, Valerie Steele, the director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, explained, ‘High heels are the number-one sartorial symbol of erotic femininity, and that's not changing anytime soon'. They are the final flourish that adds interest and excitement to even the dullest of ensembles.

Attire is commonly mistaken for self-expression, which means it's something that can then be wielded as a chalice of judgement. Wearing flats or the ‘ugly' shoe trend makes me no less a feminist, in fact, it's got nothing to do with it. My principals are not related to my footwear. Those that perceive my feminist credentials to be weakened by the decision to wear heels need to have a stern look at the reason they are appraising women in the first place. My love for heels is back, and I won't let anyone judge me for it.

Are killer high heels killing your feet and damaging your health?

A beautiful pair of Louboutin or Jimmy Choo shoes with high heels might make you feel a million dollars but they come at a price to your health.

Naturally, there's the issue of toppling over after a few gin and tonics but experts are worried that killer heels are causing health problems for women.

And perhaps a few men as well.

The general rule of thumb is that the higher the heel, the greater the damage.

How high is too high?

This depends. Understandably, high heels cause problems for feet. They put pressure on the front of your foot.

A two-inch heel increases pressure on the ball of your foot by about 52% with each step. Wearing a three-inch heel will increase that pressure to 79%.

This extra strain on the forefoot can lead to hammer-toe deformities, bunions, callouses and Morton's neuroma, a thickening of the nerves between the toes which can cause pain and numbness.

Jan Vickery, lead physiotherapist at AXA PPP healthcare , said: "If you wear high heels daily you may also find that your Achilles tendon at the back of your ankle changes, becoming tight, thickened and shortened.

 Body and sole

High heels tend to push your body weight forward and so you need to work harder to counteract this and prevent yourself from toppling over.

This can place extra strain on your knees and can even alter the natural curvature of your back. This can lead to knee and back pain. If you already have problems in these areas, wearing heels for extended periods could make them worse.

"High heels can be a great fashion accessory but, from the point of view of the foot, wearing high heels habitually isn’t a good idea. The joints of the feet can be damaged by wearing high heels, and this can cause deformities and some forms of arthritis," said Jan.

 A time to heel

Keeping your high heels for special occasions will save you some of the problems that come from wearing them on a daily basis. For everyday wear, try to keep to heels no more than about 1¼ high.

Jan recommends moderation.

"Wear your heels for as short a period as possible, taking them off when you need to walk longer distances or when you’re sitting, and carry some flat, supportive shoes to change into."

Designer Vivienne Westwood would probably not agree.

She said: "Shoes must have very high heels and platforms to put women's beauty on a pedestal."

Listen to your body

Taking care of your feet doesn’t mean a lifetime in flats. These tips should help you reduce the impact that wearing high heels has on your feet and body.

"Try some shock absorbing pads and callous protectors for the parts of your feet that hurt the most. You should find these in most chemists," said Jan.

"When you take your high heels off, move your foot in a circular motion. Stretch your Achilles tendon by stretching your legs out in front of you and pushing your heels down and your toes up or stand with your front foot on a step, keeping your knee straight drop your heel below the stair level.

"Keep fit and work on your overall body posture and muscle tone. Pilates-type exercises are excellent for building good postural control.

"Wear shoes with varying heel heights. This will give your tendons and joints a rest from holding the same position.

"Most of all, listen to your body. You’ll know when high heels are placing too much strain on your body."