In kindergarten, my friends and I
would rummage through a chest full of costumes to play “dress-up,” layering on
secondhand dresses, beads, flamboyant scarves, and high-heeled shoes. During
elementary school, my sister shared her poofy princess dresses and 2-inch
Barbie shoes with me. I can’t even remember the age I began illicitly trying on
my mother’s beautiful satin pumps while she was at work. And I know I was not
the only little girl interested in such frivolous accessories. High heels make girls
feel older and women feel sexier, adding to their height and complimenting
their outfit. So aside from the dangers of twisted ankles and scraped knees,
which are just as likely when running or riding a bike, why are parents so
hesitant about letting their daughters wear high heels?
To
properly answer this question, I had to do some research. It is not very
thoroughly taught as to why high heels were invented. High-heeled footwear has
existed as early as the 9th century in Persia, as a solution to
horseback riders’ feet slipping foreword on their stirrups. During the 16th
century in Europe, royalty (both men and women) wore them to appear taller and
larger than life. Yet the sexual implications of high heels today cannot be
ignored; in plain, it is not because of the health risks that parents
discourage such shoes. They do not want their little girls to be exposed to
unsavory glances. Unfortunately, this inference provokes more questions than it
answers. Why exactly is walking on one’s tiptoes considered overtly sexual?
Scientists have concluded it has to do with the evolution of human psychology
(aided perhaps by sex symbols in popular media). More importantly, since high
heels are still worn by millions of women and the majority of these women are
not hit on or assaulted (as parents would have their daughters believe), at
what age is wearing them finally appropriate?
A survey conducted by the
American Podiatric Medical Association showed some 42% of women admitted that
they would wear a shoe they liked even if it gave them discomfort. As revealed
by the APMA, many mothers preach hypocritical sermons to their little girls
when addressing provocative appearance. The age at which high heels, just as
with makeup, become appropriate to wear is for parents to decide. Celebrities
such as Katie Holmes allow their daughters to wear kitten heels (heels less
than 2 inches) as young as first grade. The choice is entirely up to the
individual, but depends on the fear-inducing ideas her parents brand into her mind.
Bibliography:
"High-heeled Footwear." Wikipedia. Wikimedia
Foundation, 22 Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.
Anne Marie,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this. I thought it was an interesting piece on a topic that society just accepts. However, I had trouble distinguishing what your opinion on the topic actually was. While you did provide many facts on different people’s opinions on the matter, it wasn’t clear what your outlook on wearing high heels was. I liked how you included the origins of wearing high heels, and thought it would have added to an argument either for or against high heels. I thought this post was good, and found it interesting that 42% of women admitted to wearing high heels even if they felt pain. I also liked how you started the post off with a personal account and worked your way to facts- it flowed very nicely. This post was really interesting and the only criticism I have is to develop your view more clearly!
Anne Marie, I agree with Shannon. This is fairly well written, and definitely addresses an interesting, unconventional topic. Unfortunately, though, I am left a bit confused about what your argument is. As I read through this, I kept hoping to learn something definitive. I thought I was going to learn about the history of high heels. I thought I was going to learn the health risks of wearing them. I thought I was going to learn why we consider them sexy - although I'm not sure that we really do. Finally, I thought you were going to offer advice to parents. Unfortunately, none of these questions were answered. You simply posed them yourself, offered a quick comment about them, and then concluded that parents can allow their daughters to wear high heels whenever they want.
ReplyDeletePlease be careful when you construct arguments that you make your thesis clear, and explain how your evidence supports your thesis. Also, review the difference between "compliment" and "complement."