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Proof Men wore 6in heels in the 18th Century


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Posted

I was looking on a site called archive.org which has all kinds of out of print books you can download, so i though i would see if i could find any shoe related ones on there. Anyway i found a book called Royal and Historic gloves and shoes from 1904. There was nothing all that exceptional until i came to this page (see pic), i couldn't believe it an almost 6in stiletto heel (not block) on a shoe specifically for a man and 18th century too...take a look!!!!!!! It looks incredibly unstable, apparently the Victoria and Albert Museum in London have a pair although i never saw them when i visited a year or so ago so presume they were in storage. So absolute proof that men wore true ultra high heels over 200 years ago!!!!!

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In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king!!!


Posted

Thanks barney 15c for taking the time and looking through historical documents and manuscripts. It is amazing how much about history we don't know or has been hidden for whatever reason. This bit of information helps to confirm the opinions that I have already understood about men and women wearing high heels. Had this and other accounts about men's heels been in the forefront of fashion, heeling would have stayed in fashion for men as well as women and men wouldn't have been looked upon as trying to be or trying to dress like women when we go out heeling. It is sickening to know the lengths society has veered from this knowledge which has lead to the discredit of many male reputations for desiring and wearing heels and other such choices.

Posted
yes, its strange how the overall concept of "fashion" has done a 360` for men in fact, its been known as "style" & not "fashion" for men, as if there ever was such a difference to begin with!:irked:
Posted

I had another look at the pages of that book and noticed that the shoes came from Whitby Museum. This is in North Yorkshire UK, and the museum still exists....I wonder if they still have them on show????

STOP PRESS!!!

Apparently they do.. i found a site that reviewed the museum and it said....

"Some incredibly uncomfortable-looking gentlemen's high heeled shoes for nights out about town."

It says it here...

http://www.yorkshire-east-coast-unofficial-guide.com/whitby-museum.html

STOP STOP PRESS!!!!

Even better i have found a better photo taken in recent times and in colour!!!!!!!!

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In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king!!!

Posted

If only this fashion had stayed with men my hubby would be so happy, the modern day equivalent would cause a few heads to turn if worn openly by a male unfortunately.

Posted

Barney15C,

Thank you for sharing this with us.

I got to thinking that I remember back in the 70's disco era when many men wore high-heeled platform shoes regulary, many men wore heels that were higher that what many women wore. But, sadly, those days are gone, but not forgotten.

Posted

Thank you for sharing. I also read the article on wikipedia long ago, telling that in history, horsemen started wearing heels to keep their feet in the stirups, and centuries after centuries, it became a fashion for men to wear heeled shoes as court shoes. But I was not able to find a good picture on the internet after hours of searching. The shoes are perfectly matching the garments they wore at the time (together with the powdered wids). Remember that at the time, they lived in castles without latrines, and mud was everywhere in the "streets"). These bizarre clothing were banned at the end of monarchy (in France), because it was too much associated with royalty. Not a "political" orientation you wanted to be labeled after the revolution. Regards

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I found more interesting things than the first wikipedia article on high heeled footwear by a more narrow search on the theme of baroque fashion in the beginning of the 17eme century (1600s).

A lot of sites are proposing pictures of high heeled men, a few are listed in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1600%E2%80%931650_in_fashion

http://www.cwu.edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Costume_History/cavalier.htm

http://www.marquise.de/en/1600/pics/1600b.shtml

At this time, men did not have to think of what outfit to wear with the heeled shoes, the shoes exactly matched the outfits !!

Regards

Posted

I found more interesting things than the first wikipedia article on high heeled footwear by a more narrow search on the theme of baroque fashion in the beginning of the 17eme century (1600s).

A lot of sites are proposing pictures of high heeled men, a few are listed in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1600%E2%80%931650_in_fashion

http://www.cwu.edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Costume_History/cavalier.htm

http://www.marquise.de/en/1600/pics/1600b.shtml

At this time, men did not have to think of what outfit to wear with the heeled shoes, the shoes exactly matched the outfits !!

Regards

Great links, thanks! I few years back I tussled with a real jerk (and moron) of a straight-laced, uptight, ultra-conservative Wiki mod who repeatedly trashed any and all updates to several sections of Wikipedia. The updates were from valid sources, complete with pictures, but he was attempting to re-mold Wikipedia's version of the world in his image, so he abused his powers left and right to do so.

I really like Wikipedia when the mods don't abuse their powers. (sigh) I suppose we have the same problem with politics in general, though.

Those who really care about us don't make a fuss about what we wear. Those who make a fuss about what we wear really don't care about us.

Posted

Thank you Barney for the information and the pictures! I wonder if I might show case those pictures in one of my new articles? It is amazing as others have pointed out that fashion (as well as everything else) seems to have performed a 180° turn. Everything is upside down, what was black is white, what was white is black. Makes you wonder!

Posted

Gound this on a site

Men’s High Heels

Men also went through their own vanity stages, and one such stage happened during the 17th Century in Europe. Stockings, tailored coat and breeches, and high heeled shoes with red soles became the fashion for all men back in the day. Men wore fanciful stockings and high heels to achieve shapelier legs. King Louis XIV himself wore these shoes (perhaps to add to his height), and everyone else caught on the trend. Boots became out of fashion (surprisingly) and men’s high heeled shoes with elaborate ribbons, buckles and rosettes became fashionable.

Could these have been early louboutins for men!!!!!:irked::silly::smile:

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In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king!!!

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