Empowering Heels!

Greetings, wonderful readers! I hope you all had an incredible holiday season, and are ready for new and exciting experiences in 2020. As we step into this new year, I would like to discuss the expansive topic of High Heels.

For me personally, High Heels were one of the first feminine accessories that filled me with awe. Specifically, it was a pair of black leather knee-high boots with a 2" heel. At the time, I was used to shoes only serving their base function; utility. To see a shoe that had such an amazing visual appeal, filled me with a curiosity I didn't quite understand, and I was driven to try them on immediately.

Sliding my foot into the boot, and zipping it up to my knee filled me with such an intense euphoria. It was as if I was fulfilling my destiny, even though these desires had laid dormant in me for the first years of my life. All I knew was how much I enjoyed putting them on, wearing them, and seeing them on my feet/legs. The feeling of a heel underneath my foot was incredibly new at the time, but it filled me with confidence as I became taller, and my posture was straightened.

High Heels have been a symbol of femininity for so long, that the majority of the population doesn't realize that they were originally invented for men. At their genesis, they were invented for horseback riding, as the heel helped keep the riders foot secured in the stirrups. Not long after, they became an item worn by Nobles, as to convey their status. Women then took notice, appreciating their fashion appeal.

If you've read my blog on Hosiery, you'll notice a similar trend of such items being invented for men, women taking a liking to them, and men abandoning them for fear of being considered "less manly". One of my main goals in dressing femininely, as well as writing these blogs, is to break these stigmas. Sure, wearing makeup, heels and skirts make one appear feminine. However, both femininity and masculinity are not limited to clothing.

Bravery is a traditionally masculine trait, and what is braver than overcoming your own fears and wearing something that is so stigmatized? High heels are perhaps the boldest feminine accessory out there, and I wear them with confidence every day. I hope I can inspire you all to do the same, as the only way to break toxic stigmas is by normalizing things once considered taboo.

When I first began my journey, I purchased two pairs of heels. The first was a pair of satin thigh-highs with a 3" chunky heel. I've always adored the alluring sheen of satin, and I loved the look of such a material gracing my whole leg. The second pair were studded open-toed heels with two straps to hold them on. These had a very thin 4" heel, which was incredibly difficult to walk in. However, the difficulty is worth it to be able to wear such amazing shoes.

My feet are naturally arched, so I became accustomed to wearing heels relatively fast. At first, though, I would only wear them at home because I did not want to make a fool of myself publicly by stumbling around with horrible form. My mistake was going from wearing flat shoes for the first two decades of my life, to 4" heels. My advice: start slow. Get a 2" heel and upgrade when you feel comfortable in doing so. Walking in heels definitely takes practice and patience.

I have found that routinely exercising your legs is one of the best ways to make walking in heels easier, as it requires a decent amount of muscle in your calves to walk on the balls of your feet constantly. Walking in heels itself is an exercise, and if you are out of shape it will be much harder. I have been wearing heels daily for months, and I can confidently say it gets much easier with time. In fact, I find it more uncomfortable to wear flat shoes, and I often wear a 2" heeled leather bootie when I need to do a lot of walking.

Once you start wearing heels, so many more options will open up for your shoe collection, and you will never want to go back to the drab male options. XD has a decent amount of heels made specifically for men's naturally wider feet, my favorite being the "Silver Open Toe Pumps". In fact, XD is the best place you can buy heels as a male because they are suited to fit our feet perfectly. I've had to return plenty of shoes purchased online from other sites, as they were always too narrow for my feet. High Heels that don't fit correctly will make walking in them an absolute nightmare, so shop wisely.  

High Heels are my favorite feminine accessories, simply because they not only look and feel fabulous to wear but complete literally any outfit. And thus, my blog on High Heels comes to an end. What are your favorite types of heels? How high do you like the heel? What are your favorite styles? Let's get a great conversation going!

-Nathan