Women From the Ankle Down

From the Wall Street Journal:

Rachelle Bergstein's "Women From the Ankle Down" traces this quest through the lives of American women over the past 100 years. Ms. Bergstein, a first-time author and self-described shoe obsessive, claims that if you look at the shoes women wore—or aspired to wear—you'll understand who they were. In an effort to prove this, she takes us on a zigzagging tour through well-trodden history.

The start of the 20th century, Ms. Bergstein tells us, was a sad time for both women and their footwear. Most shoes were still stitched by hand, so there were just a few styles, mostly in black, brown and white. Cobblers had only recently started using different patterns for left and right feet. Only the very rich owned more than a few pair. A poor woman could expect to wear the same two shoes all of her adult life.

The First Stiletto

From The New York Times:

The ancient Greeks depicted Aphrodite in elevator shoes. Centuries later, Venetian courtesans clopped around in towering chopines, while during the reign of Louis XIV, red heels were a mark of nobility. But it was after World War II that the stiletto took hold. Soldiers who spent years abroad dreaming of high-heeled pinups, one historian wrote, came home to wives whose wartime work required more sensible shoes. As women returned to domestic life, higher heels could, and did, become all the rage. From the 1950s’ froth of experimentation, the stiletto was born.

Killer Heels - Medieval Style

From the Telegraph:

Impractically high heels, known as chopines, were worn by upper-class women in Italy and Spain during the late Renaissance era.

The higher the heel, the longer - and therefore more expensive - the dress needed to cover them, and the more servants needed to support the wearer.

Men briefly embraced heels in the 17th century, but the fashion did not last long, she added. "Except for horseback riding and a blip in the 1970s, heels have been a woman's accessory."

Unions Put Foot Down on Footware

From Inga Ting @ The Age:

Women may no longer need servants and canes to help them walk in high heels, but the difficulties and dangers associated with this ancient practice have caused British unions to put their foot down – and Australian unions and health professionals are backing their cause.

The British move was officially supported this month at a Unions NSW meeting, though a spokesman said no similar motion requiring employers to carry out risk assessments on footwear would be tabled.

Nevertheless, Unions NSW Secretary Mark Lennon says if high heels are an issue for working women, the union would take it up.

Women and their Shoes

From BBC News:

Nearly four in 10 women buy shoes knowing they do not fit, a poll of 2,000 reveals.

The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists found 37% would wear uncomfortable shoes as long as they were fashionable. And 17% of men admit buying shoes in the wrong size. Although 80% of the women said they suffered foot problems like corns or ingrowing nails, only four in ten of the men and women surveyed sought help.

Although "killer" high-heels can cause problems, slip-on shoes are one of the worst culprits, as they cause the foot to slide forward and cramp the toes.

Worst of all are court shoes, as they are low-fronted, giving no support to the foot, and tend to be too narrow in the toe.

Ms Jones said many people are wearing the wrong sized shoes on a daily basis without even realising it.