Why do we love wearing high heels?

Dating back to Roman times, women have been on a fashionable quest to quite literally stand out from the crowd by tottering around in vertiginous heels.

During the 16th century, European royalty took to wearing high-heeled shoes to make them look taller or larger than life. As such a person with authority or wealth was often referred to as “well-heeled”.

Despite there being a firm place in history for heels there is a long list of reasons why we shouldn’t wear towering footwear, from both a physical standpoint as well as a feminist one (can women really be taken seriously in 4-inch stilettos?)

However, this negativity does not stop billions of pounds being spent by shoeaholics around the world, passionate for the must-have heels of the season.

The case for wearing high heels is based almost exclusively on aesthetic reasons, with the perception that it positively changes the appearance of women.  High heels can:

-accentuate the appearance of calves

-change the wearer’s posture, emphasizing bottom and breasts

-make the wearer taller

-make the legs appear longer and slimmer

-make the foot appear smaller

-make the toes appear shorter

-make the arches of the feet higher and better defined

These physical changes in our body have clear psychological benefits. Armed with the knowledge that you look taller, slimmer and sexier can be a great confidence booster, especially when you’re looking to draw attention to yourself.

There is evidence to suggest that taller people are more successful. In a pair of high heels, women can feel they are on a level playing field with their male work colleagues in height as well as capability.

Style icon Victoria Beckham once famously said ‘I can’t concentrate in flats’.  This is despite the fact her Louboutins must cause considerable pain when she has bunions the size of small golf balls.

In fact, it seems a lot of women will endure unnecessary pain to look fabulous in heels, a survey conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association showed some 42% of women admitted that they would wear a shoe they liked even if it gave them discomfort.

There’s no doubt a beautiful pair of heels can elevate your look and your mood and can be as important to completing an outfit as a perfect shade of lipstick or a chic up do.

Whatever the reason you choose to wear them, there’s one thing you know for certain – there’s always going to be that point in the day or the night when you just want to go home and put on your favourite pair of comfy slippers!