The History of the Stiletto Shoe

What do you picture when you read or hear the word "stiletto?" Is it a black boot with a spiky silver heel and laces up to the knee? Or maybe some fire-engine red shoes perfect for your short, black dress? Stilettos come in many styles and colors, but in order to be called a stiletto, a shoe must have a very, very thin heel, although the height can vary from 1 inch to as much as 12 inches. Stilettos have been around for many years; there are even drawings dating from the 1800s.

Stilettos were popular in the 1950s and 60s and were originally an Italian style. Early on, only the heel of the shoe was called a stiletto, but later, when the toes of the shoes were made in a similarly pointed way, they entire shoe was referred to as a stiletto. Today the word can refer to either the heel or the entire shoe, but is most commonly used to talk about the whole shoe.

Prior to the late 50s, stilettos were mainly considered a fetish item, and the drawings from the 1800s show them as such. As the style gained popularity, they were worn with jeans, suits, evening gowns...with almost anything. Changes in the way shoes are manufactured made true stilettos difficult to find throughout the late 1980s and 90s, but now they have again become commonplace.

Of course, stilettos cannot really be "comfortable" in any usual sense of the word. The term "comfortable high heels" is a misnomer.  The tiny end of the heel exerts a great deal of pressure, and the feet suffer from being placed in positions that are not natural to the foot. Wearing stilettos too often can cause damage. So, how has such an uncomfortable and possibly dangerous shoe remained popular for decades? The image, of course!

Stilettos give the appearance of height, they cause the wearer to flex her calf muscles, changes her posture and changes the way she walks. Wearing stilettos makes the legs look longer and slimmer and who wouldn't want that? High heeled shoes in general are feminine but stilettos represent the ultimate in femininity. When they first became popular in the 1950s, designers recognized that women were tired of the drab war time fashions of the 40s, and stilettos filled a particular need. Later, in the 1980s stilettos softened the masculine cut of the "power suits" so common at that time.

For the last century and still today, high heels are an element of feminine fashion, but this was not always the case. In the 1500s it was men who wore the high heeled shoes. There are even some reports that high heels were invented by da Vinci! Whether there is truth to those reports or not, for a while, both sexes wore shoes with high heels.

Stilettos, the "killer shoes," have a long and interesting history. If you choose to wear them, be aware of the damage they can do to your feet, and wear them sparingly, but also be aware of the feminine power you will exude and wear them with confidence and style!