Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/655581
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 MARCH 2016 T hey pinch our feet, they leave our toes terribly sore, and wearers risk twisting their ankles whenever they wear them. Yet, high-heeled shoes remain a staple in most women's wardrobes and many continue to choose them no matter how much discomfort they cause. After all, many women decide to live by the phrase 'beauty is pain' . But having suffered quite a few injuries as a result of these pretty contraptions, I can't help but wonder: does it really have to be this way? Slews of celebrities have strut- ted on screens tottering on im- possibly high heels: the footwear is banned from St John's Co- Cathedral because of the damage they cause to the marble floor, but women were turned away from a red carpet event due to the absence of stilettos at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, which is symptomatic of a society that thinks that high heels really are the epitome of beauty and sophistication, regardless of the pain they might cause. MaltaToday spoke to fashion blogger trio The Clouded Revolu- tion about the connection between style and the contentious shoes, and whether they are indeed necessary to smarten up your outfit. "Heels have something of a sensual impact, and women tend to feel sex- ier and bolder in heels," Claire Galea said. "They are essentially a sex sym- bol to some, as much as they are an el- ement of power dressing to others." It's an opinion also echoed by gender studies academic Dr Marceline Naudi, who said that heels are often classed alongside stereotypi- cal symbols of power like black leather and whips. Women like English songwriter and performer Bats for Lashes view high- h e e l e d shoes as an a l m o s t " s u b m i s s i v e " fashion statement, fitting into society's ideas of femininity and empowerment, rather than actually representing them. As early as the 15th cen- tury, platform shoes known as 'chopines' were favoured by cour- tesans and the noble women in Venice, and high heels have histori- cally had something of a complicated link with wealth and superiority on the one hand, and prostitution, prom- iscuity and submission on the other. "Sensuality was instantly linked to the idea of added height and leaner sil- houettes," Galea explaines. "Given that throughout history, women only wore dresses, and rather large voluminous ones at that, high heels became almost necessary to create the appeal of a leaner silhouette." The feeling seems to have amplified over time, as heels continued to get higher and higher over historical peri- ods. "Noble groups, on the other hand, often used to wear high-heeled shoes to symbolize that their positions made it possible for them to do away with prac- ticality." However, beyond the historical signifi- cance (which many wearers arguably are totally una- ware of) many wom- en would not be caught dead at a formal occasion in flat shoes. "Given that added height gives some- thing of a leaner sil- h o u e t t e , heels can naturally create a more elegant touch," Galea said. The trio make an excellent point that however much more enticing a pair of heels can look, "there is nothing less sexy or less elegant than a woman barely balancing on uncomfortable, sky high heels". Flats are essential when you're running around from one meeting to an- other all day. And while that view is definitely en- couraging, for many looking smart in the office remains inseparable from wearing high heels. Abigail Psaila Mamo, head of Europe Direct Valletta – who in fact does spend many of her days running from one meeting to another – admits that looking smart everyday for work often includes heels. "My choice of shoes de- pends on my outfit, rather than just wearing heels for their own sake," she said. "I do not think that just because the heel is high, a pair of shoes is automati- cally suitable for work or even elegant. Personal taste and a person's height also come into play but a pair of smart shoes does not necessarily have to have high heels," she said. Alternately, Marcelline Naudi says that some women run m o r e e a s i l y and feel more comfortable in high- heeled shoes. "Some women a few injuries as a result of ement of power dressing to others." gender studies academic Dr Marceline Naudi, who said that heels are often classed alongside stereotypi- cal symbols of power like black leather and whips. Women like English songwriter and performer Bats for Lashes view high- h e e l e d shoes as an the idea of added height and leaner sil- added height gives some- thing of a leaner sil- h o u e t t e , heels can naturally Alternately, Marcelline Naudi says that some women run m o r e News THESE SHOES AREN'T MADE FOR WALKING... Celebrities like fashion gu- ru Victoria Beckham and Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker – the star who made Manolo Blahnik a house- hold name – have ultimately admitted that doctors have advised them to lay off the sky-high heels for better foot health. Not surprisingly, the Asso- ciation of Podiatrists of Malta (APM) doesn't advise women to wear high heels, even if for short periods of time, given the very unnatural position they place women's feet in. "When women wear high heels, their toes are all squeezed together, the arch looks more concaved and the foot is in an all in all 'awk- ward position'." Research has made it clear that high heels can also have some unsavoury long-term effects on women's feet. "A direct link has been es- tablished between the regu- lar wearing of high heels and foot deformities such No smoke without Fashion bloggers Sandro Rizzo, Claire Galea and Nicole Farrugia