High Heels

3484 Words7 Pages

High Heels

"To be carried by shoes, winged by them. To wear dreams on one's feet is to begin to give reality to one's dreams."

-Roger Vivier

Shoes of every make and style are loved by women across the globe but it is the heel, whether stiletto or platform that is coveted, adored, desired in such abundance simply in and of the shoe itself. They're everywhere. They run rampant in books, calendars, photographs, album and movie covers, dangling in miniature precious metal versions from earlobes and chains, women's closets and even their living rooms, and let's not forget their most important place of residence- women's feet. They're a constant obsession in pop culture, endlessly talked about and fetishized in television, movies, song lyrics, and seem to be worn without fail by glamorous celebrities no matter the occasion. The most notorious of the shoe loving pop culture media is of the smash HBO series Sex and the City, in which shoes are one of its main themes.

Cast of Sex and the City at

http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/0,1518,grossbild-233666-286899,00.html

What's in a shoe? Perhaps it was originally intended to protect one's feet from the elements but today the shoe has evolved from its practical origins to grandiose heights, and at the highest level is of course, the high heel. Heels are not something one simply wears on their feet, but a passion, hobby, personal expression, source of authority, sexual independence, staple of gendered feminine culture, mark of flaunted femininity, psychologically empowering, and joy. Women choose to wear high heels for many reasons; the key is that they indeed are the ones who proactively choose to endorse the high heel, often at the expense of their own physical com...

... middle of paper ...

...t the decision to wear high heels is one way to rebel within a system. Women who wear these tall heel it because they like to, for their own pleasure. Whether they like the erotic connotations, excitement, height, delicate structures, dangerous points, phallic penetrative qualities, royal history, haughty independence, aesthetic beauty or a confusing combination of all of that and more, women who love high heels do so of their own volition and desire.

Manolo Blahnik, the "high priest of high heels" (Benstock & Ferriss) sums up the patronizing idea that women should be pitied for their chose and love of high heels. He was once asked if he, "ever felt sorry for all those women teetering through their lives on the spikiest of high-heeled shoes," to which he responded, "Oh, my God, how could I feel sorry for them? Sorry. Sorry for who? They love it." (Specter, 388)

Show More
Related

  • Ha Songnan's Short Story 'Waxen Wings'

    215 Words  | 1 Pages

    “If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender, and rise up against the odds.”- Jesse Jackson. Jesse Jackson quote and Ha Songnan short story “Waxen Wings” both promote the lesson. In “Waxen Wings”, Songnan’s protagonist, “Birdie”, aspires to fly but faces many obstacle that shoot her dreams and yet she continues to fly.Jesse Jackson quote relates to Ha Songnan short story because even though, “Birdie”, gets hit with laborious obstacles, she never gives up. Songnan’s use of fractured narrative , Imagery and Symbolism, and 2nd person point of view demonstrates Birdie’s superfluous tribulation to never give up on dreams.

    Read More

  • The Onion: Mock Press Release

    436 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the mock press release create by “The Onion”, the new shoe insert Magnasoles are described as being set apart from all other shoe inserts by the pseudoscience that the sole imploys. The new soles are being marketed as having magical powers are curing peoples injuries and changing the ways that people are walking. The writers of the press release use falsified ethos and claims in order to show the public how gullible consumers are becoming.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Fashion Industry: Free To Be An Individual

    1411 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the article, “The Fashion Industry: Free to Be an Individual” by Hanna Berry, Berry discusses how for decades women have been told to use certain products and that if they used those products they would be beautiful. Women over the years have believed this idea and would purchase items that promised to make them prettier, thinner, smarter and even more loved. However, in reality it was never what they wore on their bodies that helped them be any of those things; but what it did help with was to empower women to become fearless and bold by what they chose to wear on their bodies as a form of expression.

    Read More

  • Understanding the 1999 Columbine High School Shooting

    1401 Words  | 3 Pages

    April 20th, 1999, Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, experienced a mass shooting. Thirteen people were injured and more than twenty were injured. Twelve were students and one was a teacher. Two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold opened fire on their high school for forty one minutes before turning their guns on themselves and committing suicide. School shootings are notorious for making headline news but in 1999, school shooting were not as prevalent as they are in the present day. The media blew up on the catastrophe that was Columbine and many questions were raised, who were these kids and why did they do this? Speculation arose about why they did it. Maybe they were bullied for being goth and social outcasts or maybe they

    Read More

  • Exploring the Meaning of Women’s Fashion during the 1920’s and 1930’s

    1295 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the conventional Victorian dresses of the 1800’s to the rock-and-roll tee shirts of the 1980’s, American culture has experienced incredibly diverse trends in clothing. This ever changing timeline of fashion provokes the question: what is the cause of such differing styles? By considering the state of society throughout the eras, it can be seen that clothing directly correlates with the current way of life. Specifically, American women’s fashion of the 1920’s and 1930’s proves to not simply be a meaningless trend – rather an accurate reflection of the specific era.

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: Barefoot Week

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    For the first time in a long time, I was jealous of someone else’s shoes. Not just envious of their style or fit, but deep down I wanted to strip her of her shoes and socks and take them for my own. It was a fall day, not particularly chilly for most people walking to class. I felt very conspicuous, because I had been walking around for the past two days without wearing socks or shoes.

    Read More

  • Genetically Modified Crops

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Civilization rests on people’s ability to modify plants to make them more suitable as food, feed and fiber plants and all of these modifications are genetic” (American Association 1). This quote from the article “Statement by the AAAS Board of Directors On Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods” expresses that fact that humans have used the favorable genes of plants since the days of Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics. When plants exhibited a desirable trait, they were bred together so that more of the offspring would have that trait. Genetic Modification is manipulating the genome of the plant, but humans have been doing that for years. Modifying the genes is a more precise way to do this. Genetic Modification improves food and is safe.

    Read More

  • Influence Of Genders In Clothing

    1824 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sigismund Schlomo Freud, an Austrian neurologist and the father of psychoanalysis, once stated “When you meet a human being, the first distinction you make is ‘male or female?’ and you are accustomed to make the distinction with unhesitating certainty.” Had Sigismund Freud lived through the 21th century instead of the 19th, he might have had a good reason for hesitation. Now we live in an era when gender norms- and many other standards- must perhaps be questioned and dismantled. Over the last several years, the broader cultural shift in how people perceive gender has picked up speed in almost all spheres of society- politics, education, art, literature, and of course in the fashion industry. Clothing has become one of

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk

    728 Words  | 2 Pages

    These are the scenarios that become part of our lives due to biased perceptions. Furthermore, this story shows how presumptions shape the way we are expected to behave. Most of us do not think about these preconceived stereotypes, how they affect people, or that we even have them. Therefore, those of us whom these notions are applied to must live within the restrictions of them until the ignorance is broken. However, we are all subject to the perception of others, not just a black man, or an Indian woman, all of us. Cameron Russell, a professional lingerie model, states

    Read More

  • Langston Hughes And Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

    802 Words  | 2 Pages

    “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” This quote from Walt Disney addressing the concept of achieving dreams is very accurate, and can be seen throughout literature today and in the past. Dreams can give people power or take away hope, and influence how people live their lives based upon whether they have the determination to attack their dreams or not; as seen through characters like the speaker in Harlem by Langston Hughes and Lena and Walter Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in The Sun.

    Read More

  • Fashion and Women?s Movements in the Past Century

    1669 Words  | 4 Pages

    The future of women’s fashion is uncertain—in that shock value is harder to come by with each passing year. There is a concept in fashion that nothing is new, everything has been done before. This theory is coming closer to obvious reality, as fashion shows of recent years have visual throwbacks as late as the Victorian era. Although the direction is not yet decided, it is almost definite that women will use fashion as an important tool for expression and freedom in the future.

    Read More

  • Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan and John Locke's Second Treatise of Government

    3013 Words  | 7 Pages

    Hobbes’ Leviathan and Locke’s Second Treatise of Government comprise critical works in the lexicon of political science theory. Both works expound on the origins and purpose of civil society and government. Hobbes’ and Locke’s writings center on the definition of the “state of nature” and the best means by which a society develops a systemic format from this beginning. The authors hold opposing views as to how man fits into the state of nature and the means by which a government should be formed and what type of government constitutes the best. This difference arises from different conceptions about human nature and “the state of nature”, a condition in which the human race finds itself prior to uniting into civil society. Hobbes’ Leviathan goes on to propose a system of power that rests with an absolute or omnipotent sovereign, while Locke, in his Treatise, provides for a government responsible to its citizenry with limitations on the ruler’s powers.

    Read More

  • Mill’s Liberty vs. Hobbes’ Authority

    1344 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thomas Hobbes and John Stuart Mill have completely differing views on affairs consisting of liberty and authority. Hobbes believing that man is inherently unable to govern themselves and emphasizes that all people are selfish and evil; the lack of governmental structure is what results in a state of chaos, only to be resolved by an authority figure, leading him to be in favor of authority. Throughout “On Liberty” Mill believes that authority, used to subvert one’s liberty, is only acceptable in protecting one from harm. In Leviathan Hobbes uses the Leviathan as a metaphor for the state, made up of its inhabitants, with the head of the Leviathan being the sovereign and having sovereignty as the soul of the Leviathan. Hobbes’ believes that man needs the absolute direction of the sovereign for society to properly function, deeming liberty practically irrelevant due to authority, as the government’s power is the only thing that allows society to go anywhere. The views that Mill has on liberty are not simply more applicable in modern and ancient society, but the outcome of his views are far more beneficial on society as a whole compared to Hobbes’ who’s views are far too black and white to be applied in outside of a theoretical situation and would not truly work in real world scenarios.

    Read More

  • Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan and the Fundamental Principle of a Society

    2500 Words  | 5 Pages

    At the core of Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan rests one fundamental value of a society, from which

    Read More

  • Thomas Hobbes: Moral And Political Philosophy

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    To an extent government is in place to protect the people. In reality, the government are people with the same self-centered body with unlimited powers. The government can also be influenced by its own selfishness. The United States is a fine example that democracy is effective. Also, Hobbes work in Leviathan doesn’t offer a state of physiology and phycology during his time period. All of Hobbes’ views are limited and biased based on his own perspective. His works are centered on solving the problems of political

    Read More

More about High Heels

Open Document