Feminists were flat against them. Flappers were out to shake them. While Dior made them a household name. This International Women’s Day we trace the twentieth century woman’s stride to freedom and the shoes she wore along the way.
Who knew the well-trodden path to
women’s liberation would follow the rise and fall of the high heel?
Stepping out
Comfortable, practical, and
ready-for-duty heels stepped out on the very first International Women’s Day on
March 19th, 1911. Over 30,000 women gathered at the largest street
demonstration in Europe, joining thousands across the globe.
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| 1925 Sears Catalogue (Source: flickr) |
Following this chorus of confidence, the
heel rose in stature to enhance the glamour of the Roaring ’20s.
The high heel gave the illusion of longer and more slender legs. And a racy frock demanded a statement shoe.
Heels at war
However, it couldn’t last. The captivating allure of the 1920s faded against the harsh realities of two World Wars and
the Great Depression.
The high heel trend plummeted
along with spirits to a more practical, low and wide heel.
The heel revival
Post-war in the 1950s, good times
were breaking through. The high heel
revival began again. Fashion designers like Christian Dior were going even
higher with their first 5-inch stiletto heel.
It was a shaken, but battle-strong woman who stepped in to this new free world.
She’d gained her confidence and independence while the men were off to war. She had demanded her right to vote, fiercely fought by The Suffrage movement in most Western nations, and her traditional role in society was dramatically changing.
It was a shaken, but battle-strong woman who stepped in to this new free world.
She’d gained her confidence and independence while the men were off to war. She had demanded her right to vote, fiercely fought by The Suffrage movement in most Western nations, and her traditional role in society was dramatically changing.
The stomping 60s
Heel fashion, like the political
and social state of the time, shifted significantly in the 60s and 70s. It was
no longer about height and style, but about statement and freedom. And with
that came the chunky platform shoe.
At the time, her role of mother
and housewife was shrugged off for that of career woman. The introduction of
the pill brought freedom to plan pregnancies and gain ‘control’ over her body
and future. So women flooded universities and the workforce – in industries not
previously broached – in fields of medicine, politics and business.
The rising trend
 |
| Manolo Blahnki Stilettos (Source: Vogue.com) |
Designers like Manolo Blahnik
brought back the sky-high stiletto in the 1980s and 90s.
The modern woman found stature
and authority in her lofty heel. She fought for equality in the workforce, and challenged
the traditional perceptions of her role and value across all levels of society.
The heel had earned its entitlement
on catwalks, department store shelves, and then the wardrobe of every
woman. She was confident. She was on her way.
The Heel Debate
Now I know what you’re thinking. It’s
sexist to equate high heels and women’s liberation, right?
And you would be right, according
to the views of the feminists of the 1960s and many still today.
Feminist groups were flat against
it. Overly erotic or a form of ‘self-harm’, they saw heels as a male-invented
shackle aimed to slow the progress towards women’s freedom, both literally and
figuratively.
In the last 20 years, feminist
views have receded – or indeed popular view has demonstrated acceptance – that
the wearer of the heels does so for themselves, and not simply to appeal to the
opposite sex.
So why is that one person’s view
of the oppression from a patriarchal society, so vehemently opposed to someone
else’s pursuit of personal expression?
I guess it’s because the feminist
movement, or path to women’s liberation, is all about freedom of choice.
And women aren’t just women,
they’re individuals. Individuals who have the freedom to walk-it-out in whatever they
choose –stilettos, flip flops, sneakers – you name it, girlfriend.
Celebrating freedom
So, whether you’re liberating the
flats or the heels from your wardrobe today, there’s much to celebrate as we
approach International Women’s Day.
Since that first march for
freedom in 1913, we’ve benefited from the patient tread of courage and
determination by ordinary women that saw extraordinary progress, change and
transformation.
While the debate continues about
women in leadership and on boards, and the need to turn our efforts to ending
poverty for the global poor wages on. I’m grateful to follow in the footsteps
of those who’ve gone before me… and consider my swagger for those who’ll follow
behind.
But it seems for now, the high
heel – like women’s liberation – is here to stay.
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