Are high heels used to make women weaker?

[angell84]

I am in a cafe having a cup of tea with a friend.

A small woman stumbled in, in high heels that she could barely walk in. She was with a large domineering man - he was striding ahead, and she could barely keep up.

I looked at her, and I had a thought that I have had a few times.

Why do women wear high heels? And Why do the fashion industry keep pushing high heels at women?

They are uncomfortableto wear, they physically hurt us in the long run- I looked at a scientific study online before I wrote this. It said that wearing high heels weaken women's muscles.

And they make us incredibly weak and vulnerable - we are barely able to walk - let alone run, wearing them. I.e it suits men with bad intentions - for us to wear them.

Does anyone else think this?

Yes! He does.

I like wearing them and I find they make me feel more confident. I can walk and run in 5 inch heels and there is a particular brand and model that I find very comfortable to wear all day. In fact I was still wearing them to work up until I was 36 weeks pregnant.
However, when I see people who really struggle to walk in them, I do wonder why they bother as it can't be comfortable for them 🤷🏼‍♀️

The first time I thought this, was when I saw a video about the murder of Jill Meagher in Australia. Video captured her meeting her killer on the night on the street. She was wearing really, really high heels, and was walking slowly.

I remember feeling angry at the time, that these things are sold to women at all. That they are told to wear them to feel fashionable.

I don't like them, and when I talk about them - it is out of concern for women, but also of course, it is everybody's individual choice. I think that the discussion was really interesting on here

@MitziK my sisters knees lock out too far back so heels correct that as well as helping aliviate the pressure on her hips and back. Like anything else, hypermobility affects everyone in different ways :)

Given the actual evidence in the op, rather than the supposition, the preceding hours for the couple could have been the woman choosing to wear these heels, possibly for the first time despite the man not really giving a crap either way.
Them spending a few hours walking around town with her progressively complaining about said shoes rubbing/hurting etc.
Eventually deciding to go to a cafe for a rest by which time the man has had enough waking at half his normal speed.
Just a thought, play the ball not the man!

@Russellbrandshair claps

I don’t buy things to make me feel fashionable. I buy them for comfort.
As much as it’s sad when someone looses their lives, there is nothing saying the choice of footwear would have prevented it.

Linking footwear to a murder is like how opinions used to be rife when it came to how a woman dressed when sexually assaulted. And iirc it was other woman saying this the loudest rather than fighting against it for a long time.

People do nasty things because that’s their choice.

I don't like them, and when I talk about them - it is out of concern for women, but also of course, it is everybody's individual choice. I think that the discussion was really interesting on here

In my opinion, it is misplaced concern. You don't like them, you don't have to wear them. However, I feel empowered wearing them. I enjoy wearing them. I will continue to wear them.

Moon dance -, and I don't understand why female tV presenters mostly wear tight dresses

@Pollypocket89 Is that medically advised? I can see how it would work, bio mechanically.

Linking footwear to a murder is like how opinions used to be rife when it came to how a woman dressed when sexually assaulted. And iirc it was other woman saying this the loudest rather than fighting against it for a long time

I agree. Lots of women get drunk when on nights out, that also makes them vulnerable to attacks by men, but we dont deny that getting pissed is a choice people make of their own volition. Instead of blaming shoes, how about blaming the men who are murdering and raping women?! Women should be able to wear whatever they like on a night out. The problem isn’t their shoes. It’s the fact society teaches men they are entitled to women’s bodies.

“I don't understand why female tV presenters mostly wear tight dresses”

Well it’s quite hard to buy baggy dresses, to be fair. Also, would people want to look like they’re wearing a shapeless sack when there‘s no need to?

I think women wear trouser and blouse combos on tv too, but for many women (including me) it’s far easier to find a flattering dress style than a trouser style that’s the right, length and cut.

@Eckhart I don't think Dr's can strictly advise someone to wear heels but it's something my sister always enjoyed and naturally gravitated to and Dr's agreed its helping her

Well it’s quite hard to buy baggy dresses, to be fair

It’s the easiest thing in the world. The shops are full of sacks at the moment.

I can run in heels, I don’t mind them but like them for me not for anyone else.

Why do they have to wear business attire to read the news or whatever anyway?

Nothing wrong with a decent pair of jeans, top and trainers. Lots more business are heading more towards the casual dress, or at least in the city of London.

But then read negative comments online about how presenters etc are dressed, and there’s a lot from other women, and these aren’t to tear the misogynistic attitude, but supporting these views.

We shouldn’t be stripping each other down. We should be supporting each other for not conforming to the norms.

If I wanted to go out in six inch heels, above knee bright pink skirt and a green fitted top I should be able to do so without the negative comments from other women, let alone men.

@Russellbrandshair. You said don't blame the shoes - blame the man. Of course the man is to blame.

It is not about who is to blame. What annoys me is women being told by fashion designers to wear things that make them incredibly unsafe.

In the London bridge terrorist attack - of course the men were to blame

But the woman fell over and couldn't get away because of her heels! And she was stabbed in the neck.

I think that fashion designers should be more responsible than telling women to wear things:

That make them unable to get away in an emergency,
And,
Are also proven to cause long term physical harm to women's bodies.

Where are these designers telling women what shoes to wear and also magically removing their free agency?

I don't understand the level of potentially unwitting arrogance from some women. Just don't wear things you don't want to wear

*I think that fashion designers should be more responsible than telling women to wear things:

That make them unable to get away in an emergency*

What about getting drunk? That’s far more dangerous on a night out in terms of being not able to run or defend yourself? Why don’t we focus on that?

I find your obsession with “safe shoes” a bit weird tbh. There are lots of things that put women at risk - shoes would be way down my list. Fashion is like art- it’s an expression. If you want fashion to only be utilitarian safety wear then that’s pretty bloody boring! I don’t dress daily with the assumption I’m going to be running from a terrorist - that’s a ridiculously extreme example to give. Plenty of people have been killed by terrorists when they were wearing trainers- sensible shoes aren’t going to save you from every catastrophe

I love wearing heels always have done and it’s nothing to do with men I just like them, I do think some women look ridiculous tottering about in ones they can’t walk in but everyone to their own

Of designers were really telling people what to wear. We would all be dressed the same.
Instead we have a choice in what we purchase and ultimately wear.

Obviously there are exceptions, inmates, work uniform etc. But other that, we have free choice as adults. And if you don’t then it’s still not the shoes that are the issue. It’s the person exerting some needless control.

Heels were originally made for men. Napoleon and Heratio Nelson wore them for height

Heels were originally made for men. Napoleon and Heratio Nelson wore them for height

They have been around a lot longer than Napoleon or Nelson.

Ancient Egypt c. 3500BC

When I put a pair of shoes on the last thing I think about is how well I can run in the unlikely event someone is trying to kill me.

If you really want to talk about the dangers of clothing or footwear.

Scarves. They are worn by both sexes. We are told why to wear them all the time. They are everywhere. They are more dangerous imo than a pair of heels.