■ Wen 丨 Datang Lei Yin Temple Kong Ruye
Like the sexy synonymous stockings, high heels in the creator's God perspective, did not think that one day after men put on, even on the street to wrap themselves tightly with masks, afraid that others would know that the owner of this pair of shoes is a big old man.
After all, high heels seem to damage their masculinity, making men who wear high heels look like "gay gay gas", which is easy to provoke criticism.
Interestingly, most of the criticisms of men wearing high heels today are also men, and if these people were allowed to travel back hundreds of years, they would definitely punch themselves in the face, and then they can't wait to prepare a pair of "hate sky high" for themselves.
Can you imagine a time when every man of status and status tucked his furry feet into shiny high-heeled shoes?
High heels = men's boots
At the end of the 16th century, a world-class cavalry team was invincible, and the cavalry sitting on horseback was more accurate than the arrows fired by ordinary cavalry. Many people wonder why their horse kung fu is so fierce.
In 1599, Persia sent its first diplomatic mission to Europe, unraveling the mystery. The Europeans found that the Persian mission was inherently "tall", and the shoes under their feet seemed to be deliberately divided into two parts, and the heel part was like a pedal.
In the life of the Persians at that time, every cavalry had to have a pair of boots that could be worn on horseback, and their riding and archery skills were better played. In the 16th century, these boots were designed, and the Persian soles were undulated, the heels were lifted, and the recessed part of the sole was just enough to jam the stirrups. This pair of shoes effectively solves the problem of the knight's foot sliding forward in the stirrup when riding, the knight is more stable when riding, the archery is more stable, and the combat effectiveness is naturally prominent.
Persian men in the 17th century used high heels, the upper green leather is made of mustard seed pressed dyed horse leather
This pair of shoes has also become the exclusive "equestrian equipment" of the Persian good boys. Therefore, at that time, high heels were designed for men to be able to better compete in the world. Unfortunately, this pair of shoes did not take pains to increase the height of the shoe in consideration of a better practical role, and "hate the sky high" regrettably did not show its face.
From boots to discarded shoes, the emergence of symbolism and the disappearance of pragmatism
Persian men, with high-heeled shoes, conquered Europe.
For Europeans, another role of such a pair of shoes was more favored - it made the Persians look as if they were more "tall" and expensive than the average person, and high-heeled shoes began to become popular in Europe, and every man flocked to them.
In the eyes of the European nobility at that time, especially the military strength of the Persian cavalry, it was more masculine. The Persians are undoubtedly synonymous with "man", since such a man's men wear high-heeled shoes, they also began to learn from it, "adding material" to their soles, and this heel took a big step in a more extreme direction - thinner and higher, until this kind of shoe refreshed people's imagination and evolved into a horse is laborious, the real sense of high heels is produced, there are two disadvantages, not very comfortable, and walking is a little difficult.
However, European designers do not have the slightest awareness of walking with high heels, just like we wear high heels today, it is neither suitable for long-distance travel nor driving, and when going up and down stairs and walking on grass and cobblestone ground, they must be careful everywhere, beware of not leaving a good scenery that exposes the bottom of the skirt.
Today, even the most loyal fans of high heels do not know what the actual role of this shoe is, but the Europeans at that time have long understood all this, and it is this discomfort and pragmatism that can highlight the identity of the person who wears high heels - I don't even have to walk, let alone work in the field, you can imagine what I am.
The Persians who brought high heels to Europe could not have imagined in any way that the leisurely and well-bred European aristocrats had completely abandoned the pragmatism of high heels and turned them into a symbol of aristocratic status.
High heels on horseback, pawns.
Today, the high heels that were painstakingly created to be more practical have disappeared with history.
Louis XIV is the most beautiful boy
High heels are a symbol of high-society fashion, and the use of high heels to embody masculinity and privilege has lasted in Europe for nearly a century and a half.
In this century and a half, supermodel Louis XIV is the most beautiful boy at the forefront of fashion. In one of our previous articles about stockings, we mentioned a documentary about Louis XIV, The Palace of Versailles: The King's Dream, in which Louis XIV wore stockings and showed off. Underneath the stockings are a pair of high heels that make Louis XIV look even more "tall".
Stills from The Palace of Versailles: The King's Dream
Louis XIV, known as the "Sun King", did not match his height, but as an example of Absolute Monarchy in Europe, image shaping was very important.
This can be busy with the craftsmen of Louis XIV, who according to the preferences of Louis XIV, specially created a pair of the most beautiful pairs of high heels for Louis XIV, making Louis XIV a beautiful boy who was unique in the moment - the soles of his high heels were very expensive red, and the white stockings and red-soeled high heels became the classic image of Louis XIV.
French Sun King Louis XIV's white stockings and high heels on a red background
The red-soled high-heeled shoes became popular along with the image propaganda painting depicting the Sun King participating in some battles (in the painting, Louis XIV would wear a pair of 10cm high-heeled red-soeled high-heeled shoes), and the red-soled high-heeled shoes were included in the "decorations" necessary for the nobility.
Mid-17th century high heels, "French red" on the heel
Like the explicit restrictions on the color of clothes in ancient China, Louis XIV quickly halted the trend of red-soled heels. In the 1670s, Louis XIV decreed that only members of the court were entitled to wear high heels on a red background, and red was a well-deserved aristocratic color.
At that time, walking down the street to determine whether a person was "the king's darling" or not, you only had to bow your head and look at his shoes. Whoever is red is a red person. This is the easiest way to identify as an aristocrat.
Except, of course, for those who wear fake magenta-soled heels and walk down the street. Although it is explicitly prohibited, in fact, French folk can still buy high imitation versions of "court exclusive" high heels from some special channels.
After all, which one doesn't want to be a pretty boy?
The nobles of the British royal palace also imitated the French nobility of Louis XIV and wore high heels with red soles. In 1661, in the portrait of King Charles II of England, the classic image of Louis XIV was cut by hand, which was also a pair of louis XIV's red-soled high heels, although this guy was two heads taller than Louis XIV.
Portrait of the tall King Charles II of England ascending the throne in 1661
It was the most beautiful battle fought by the great Louis XIV, where his army could not reach, but his high heels could conquer it effortlessly.
Who says only female friends can conquer the world with high heels?