rainbow6562004 Posted May 23, 2005 Share Posted May 23, 2005 At one time, at least in Britain, it was OK for men to wear heels. Excerpt from The New York Times Book Review, reviewing a book about the American Revolution. One member of the British Parliament opposed going to war with the colonists: "Charles James Fox, a 26-year-old fop, who wore 'high-heeled shoes, each of a different color'..." From movies and paintings of this period and earlier, men wearing heels was perfectly acceptable. Does anyone have any ideas as to when and why wearing heels, as well as dressing colorfully, was assigned to women, but forbidden for "normal" men? Rainbow In 100 years no one will care that you wore high heels today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbow6562004 Posted May 30, 2005 Author Share Posted May 30, 2005 Well, guys, welcome back. Here we are again: though I'm afraid to post anything! Even my new avatar has vanished. Rainbow In 100 years no one will care that you wore high heels today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 Well, guys, welcome back. Here we are again: though I'm afraid to post anything! Even my new avatar has vanished. Rainbow Well, that's the price we pay for having all this technology in that sometimes it just goes haywire. Let's just enjoy having the board back. As for your topic, I've seen my fair share of pics of men wearing heeled shoes back in Revolutionary times. They certainly did look fancy to say the least! HA! I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genebujold Posted May 30, 2005 Share Posted May 30, 2005 Does anyone have any ideas as to when and why wearing heels, as well as dressing colorfully, was assigned to women, but forbidden for "normal" men? Rainbow Glad you asked! Although I've answered this in excruciating length elsewhere, here's the short of it: The French Revolution. Men were wearing progressively higher heels, to five inches and beyond, for about 200 years prior. Unfortunately, they were usually only worn by those who could afford it, the French nobility. During prior to and throughout the revolution, heels on men became a symbol of decadence, and fell out of vogue, another French word. If the French Nobility had maintained some sort of control on their spending and cared more about those beneath them, high heels for men might very well be the fashion norm today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbow6562004 Posted May 30, 2005 Author Share Posted May 30, 2005 Thanks, Gene, Inevitably privilege breeds excess; excess breeds revolution. In the case of the French nobles, "Off with their heads; off with their heels!" Rainbow In 100 years no one will care that you wore high heels today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genebujold Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Thanks, Gene, Inevitably privilege breeds excess; excess breeds revolution. In the case of the French nobles, "Off with their heads; off with their heels!" Rainbow I can do without their heads, but I do wish they'd kept the heels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skirted-UK Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 About the same time it was customary for young boys, (sons of Gentry) to wear the same kind of dress as their sisters. I'm not sure what period this was or at what age it was that boys were deemed old enough to wear trousers. "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave ! " The Eagles, "Hotel California" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-Nation Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 This practice carried on comparatively recently - I've seen photos from my grandparents' generation (all born around the turn of the last century) with the boys dressed in decidedly non-masculine clothes up to age 3 or 4. Emma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn HH Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Emma J Nation:-) Originally we didn't have pants for baby boys, so they wore dresses the same as the girl babies. I have old black and white pictures taken by my father when I was a baby and I'm wearing dresses. Cheers--- Dawn HH High Heeled Boots Forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted June 3, 2005 Share Posted June 3, 2005 Boys would be dressed the same as girls until they started school when they would wear a "sailor suit" or a morning suit at more formal occassions ie church. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainbow6562004 Posted June 3, 2005 Author Share Posted June 3, 2005 Thank you, all, for reminding me that boys and girls were dressed the same in early childhood, until fairly recently. I wonder how and when the cues to show early gender difference, like blue for boys and pink for girls, began. One of the wonderful consequences of the 60s upheavals was the blurring of these cues, allowing folks more opportunities to explore all of their humanity, rather than the rigid gender roles. I remember once walking down the street and seeing a good-looking woman in front of me: tight jeans, showing an appealing figure; beautiful shoulder-length hair. Of course this person turned out to be a man. Rainbow In 100 years no one will care that you wore high heels today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilettolover Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 Rainbow..... In Key West, FL. you can see some pretty good sights like that, also! He He He . Too bad most (but not all) are gay. Heels Are GRRREAT!!! S.L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts