Not everyone is aware of this, but males have worn heels in the past before women did. Originally intended for men, high heels have lost favour over the years. Surprisingly, heels appear to be making a comeback in men’s fashion as more and more celebrities are beginning to embrace their feminine side by donning their favourite pair of heels.
Here at Bright Side, we were astounded by the males who defied social norms and boldly demonstrated to us that heels are not just for women.
The background of guys in heels
High-heeled shoes have a long history that dates back to the ninth century. High heels were first worn by the Persian cavalry to hold their shoes in their stirrups while riding their horses, not as fashion items like they are now.
By the end of the seventeenth century, Europe as a whole adopted the “Persia-mania” fashion style. Men’s dress in the seventeenth century was centred on highlighting their athletic thighs and calves. Men, however, ceased wearing shoes around 1730 due to their perception of them as being feminised when shoes were gendered over the eighteenth century.
Why men choose to wear heels
Despite the fact that heels fell out of favour in the eighteenth century, statistics suggest that since 2017, sales of men’s shoes with heels have increased. More and more men are embracing their femininity and proudly flaunting their adored heels.
The wearing of high heels is common among well-known fashion designers. Fashion design lecturer at the University of Westminster Andrew Groves said of Marc Jacobs: “I think there is something extremely refreshing about a man designer, such as Marc Jacobs, embracing wearing high heels.”
In addition, he added, “High heels have paradoxically become both a powerful emblem of authority and submission, as well as power and status.” However, many people still find it weird when guys wear heels. In actuality, a lot of people are still outraged by this look.
the growth of models for heel of shoes
Even if more and more rock singers and pop icons are wearing high heels for guys, high heels are still primarily linked with women’s fashion today. Beyond stilettos, shops’ selection of heels for men has expanded.
Heeled shoes now exist in a wide range of styles. Designer labels like Gucci, Maison Margiela, and Saint Laurent took the chance to create new models in this category because they anticipated that heels would return to the men’s fashion scene.
Celebrities that display their favorite heels with pride
1. Prince
2. Troye Sivan
3. Cody Fern
4. Harry Styles
5. Shawn Mendes
6. Jared Leto
7. Adam Lambert
8. Lenny Kravitz
9. James Charles
10. Marc Jacobs
11. Jonathan Van Ness
What do you think of men wearing heels? What type of heeled shoes are your favorite from the men’s fashion category?
