Standing Above the Rest
“Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” - Marilyn Monroe.
Women in high-heeled shoes can be traced back to the 1600’s, when women began to dress as men did in order to achieve a sense of equality. Today, heels are seen as a classy and polished form of everyday fashion. Why save heels for after 5 o’clock? The stiletto should be a requirement for women who want to be successful in the workplace. It adds to your posture, to your confidence, and to the level of respect you receive from others.
High-heeled shoes date back to the 9th century Persians horseback soldiers. Their shoes were given an extended heel, so that their feet would not slip out of the stirrups. The European aristocrats found a fancy for this style, and the heeled-shoe became a symbol of wealth. Being short in stature has never been great for a man’s confidence. King Louis XIV of France even wore four-inch heels in red, to boost his ego. In the 16th century, when women began to dress and act like men did, they started wearing heels. Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of Heights of Fashion, a History of the Elevated Shoe, wrote, “You had women cutting their hair, adding epaulettes to their outfits. They would smoke pipes, they would wear hats that were very masculine. And this is why women adopted the heel — it was in an effort to masculinise their outfits”(78).
As women began to wear the high-heeled shoe, the trend became popular among the lower classes. Men abandoned the heel, and by the 18th century it became solely a feminine accessory. Since the 19th century, high-heels have constantly been in and out of the fashion trend. The 20th century gave heels the reputation of “sexualizing” a woman. The 1990’s brought a new mea...
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...an prude. A woman who wakes up early to put a little extra effort into her appearances will put that much more effort into her work. A smart woman understands what it takes to be successful in today’s society. She understands that she will be automatically judged based on the wrinkles in her shirt and color of her shoe. She knows that by wearing heels to the office, she will be more respected by her boss and colleagues.
The shoes we wear on our feet set us apart from others. A classy (not trashy) stiletto has the power to raise a woman up not only in height, but also in ranks among her peers. There is no question on whether or not they should be acceptable in the workplace- they should be required. Professional dress spreads from head to toe. A woman in high heels will be more successful, earn more money and will be revered as a woman with confidence and respect.
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.
... However, it stands to reason that while the existence of such weighty components has reduced greatly, their concepts have set an indisputable model that remains relevant and continues to influence today’s fashion. In conclusion, it is significant to recognize the revolution of the female silhouette throughout history along with women’s roles in today’s society and also, the physical restrictions imposed on them. The silhouette of women’s fashion has changed as the idea of the perfect female figure has reformed. Nevertheless, in the early twentieth century the concept of women leading more active and lively life meant that fashion also needed to become more cooperative to physical action and less limiting.
RYKA knows that women's feet are completely different from men's feet. While most companies will shrink a style in size and change the color to sell as women's shoes, this company knows that the structure of the foot is more delicate
When hemlines rose in the 1920s, this meant that shoes were more visible. Women therefore started to choose their shoes with more consideration. T-bar shoes, decorated with bows and buckles, and Mary Jane ankle strap button shoes were the most common shoes of the 1920s. Heels also became taller, some being over two inches tall.
In the early 1900’s the ideal woman would be dressed with long dresses and would normally have long hair. Several events such as World War I, in July of 1914, changed women’s role in society. They were not only taking care of the children and the household but they were also taking the role of a man. As men went to war, women replaced them in factories. This caused woman to be more independent. Women realized that having a job was something that could be done; their sex didn’t restrict them from taking this action. This was extremely important as it lead to women being more confident and capable. In the 1920s young women began to change. They went from having long dresses and long hair, to a short haircut and wearing dresses that were above the knee. Women developed a greater interest in looking attractive. According to Russell L. Johnson, the beauty industry grew rapidly as cosmetic expenses sky rocketed from 750 million to 2 billion dollars (Johnson 3). This was one of the causes of the sexual revolution. Women became “ less formal but more expressive (Mag...
Women used to dress very conservatively and strict before the turn of the decade. Clothing consisted of fitted dresses, long skirts, and corsets in lady like manners. Since the 1920’s brought women’s rights along, young women decided that they were not willing to waste away their young lives anymore being held down to the rules; they were going to enjoy life. The younger generations of women were breaking away from their old habits and their fashion statements changed their roles in society completely. Women were modeling their lives after popular icons...
Pointe shoes are special shoes the women wear to dance on their toes. The tip of the shoe, called the box is made out of tightly packed layers of paper mache, fabric, or cardboard. This needs to be very sturdy, because the dancer will be putting all of her weight on it. The sole of the shoe, or the shank, is made out of leather board or red board, it is important for this to be sturdy, because it supports your ankles. In some professional companies pointe shoes are custom made to fit the dancer’s foot perfec...
Women are always searching for the right shoe. There are so many different styles, types, colors, and even heights. To me the two most common types are high heels and flats. Well, at least in today’s fashion those are the two most common. Both, if paired with the correct outfit are simply stunning. High heels offer a sexier look that’s nearly impossible to get from a flat shoe. Nevertheless, I feel very strongly about women in high heels. They make your legs look longer, butt look better, and they are sexier than flats. On the other hand, if you’re running around and being busy all day, nothing feels better than a cute pair of flats. Its time we hit the ground running as we explore the real similarities and differences of the two common types of shoes, in which I mean comfort, styles, and versatility.
...me very stylish once again (DeJean, 89). Although, the biggest change in shoes of the century was that for the first time in over two hundred years, designers were making shoes that would distinguish between the left and right feet creating a shape that would flow better with the form of the food making shoes more comfortable. In the 1840s, mules became very popular and were generally feminine and frilly (DeJean, 95- 98). Shoes in nineteenth century France were designed for function, comfort, and ultimately style.
“For as long as men and women have been wearing clothing, there has been a hierarchy based on garments. The clearest example arose when the sexes were segregated into skirts and pants: women would only wear dresses (a symbol of submission) and men would only wear trousers (proof of domination). Women’s clothing was created to impede and hamper movement (through tight or many layered skirts), while men enjoyed the ease and comfort of pant legs.” (Meza, Echazarreta) Women’s fashion throughout the ages can be used to trace the history of equality between men and women. As women achieved greater independence, they claimed the right to choose what they wore, and that included women being able to wear pants. There are three things that were instrumental in making it socially acceptable for women to wear pants, they include: the invention of the bicycle, WWII, and influential women.
In addressing the subject of footbinding, one primary difficulty becomes apparent - that much remains within the realm of the unknowable. Any factual knowledge about the practice may only be drawn from 19th- and 20th-century writings, drawings or photographs. In addition, many of these documents represent a distinctly Western point of view, as they are primarily composed of missionary accounts and the literature of the various anti -footbinding societies.[1] The historical origins of footbinding are frustratingly vague, although brief textual references suggest that small feet for women were preferred as early as the Han dynasty. The first documented reference to the actual binding of a foot is from the court of the Southern Tang dynasty in Nanjing, which celebrates the fame of its dancing girls renowned for their tiny feet and beautiful bow shoes.[2] The practice apparently became the standard for feminine beauty in the imperial court, spreading downward socially and geographically as the lower classes strove to imitate the style of the elite. [3]
Heels have a long history and change their image very frequently. Heels are the type of shoes that make shorter people look and feel tall. Heels come in many styles such as wedges, stilettos, chunky heels, and regular skinny heels. Heels are very popular among women because they give them a sense of confidence. Wearing heels make women stand up tall and straight and strut on to their destination. This year the most popular heels are thigh high heels. Thigh high heels are heels that can either be chunky or skinny with fabric that reaches the thigh. These types of heels come in many different colors, textures, and styles such as suede, denim, and lace-ups. These shoes are very sexy and can be worn with almost any outfit, they are very daring and make a big
When it comes to style though in all honesty being you is the best choice of all. No matter how slamming those thousand dollar shoes are if you aren’t comfortable and true to one self then what are you doing. No two people are alike and creativity is key in this small place we call the world. I promise you’ll stick out more when you’re wearing what you are because the glow of confidence will radiate out like a leprechauns gold pot. My style isn’t always translated by others but it is respected for being unique.
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...
My career that I have chosen is a bank manager at a First National Bank branch in Durban North. A bank manager is involved in the daily running’s of the bank. They are in charge of all operations inside the bank. They ensure that the branch that they are running is up to standard. The work I will be doing is, I will be involved in corporate meetings with the board, to help make financial solutions. I will be interacting with clients throughout the day who have problems with their accounts. I think this outfit would be perfect for being a bank manager because it is professional and neat. The heels used are closed which shows elegance and are formal, this will be easy to walk in and are block heels which will give support and will be comfortable to wear for the whole day. The skirt is a pencil