What's in a name? Stiletto

A stiletto heel is a long, thin, high heel found on some boots and shoes, usually for women. It is named after the stiletto dagger, the phrase being first recorded in the early 1930s. Stiletto heels may vary in length from 2.5 cm (1 inch) to 25 cm (10 inches) or more if a platform sole is used, and are sometimes defined as having a diameter at the ground of less than 1 cm (slightly less than half an inch). Stiletto-style heels 5 cm or shorter are called kitten heels. Not all high slim heels merit the description stiletto. The extremely slender original Italian-style stiletto heels of the late 1950s and very early 1960s were no more than 5mm in diameter for much of their length, although the heel sometimes flared out a little at the top-piece (tip). After their demise in the mid-late 1960s, such slender heels were difficult to find until recently due to changes in the way heels were mass-produced.

A real stiletto heel has a stem of solid steel or alloy. The more usual method of mass-producing high shoe heels, i.e. moulded plastic with an internal metal tube for reinforcement, does not achieve the true stiletto shape.

 History

Relatively, thin high heels were certainly around in the late 19th century, as numerous fetish drawings attest. Firm photographic evidence exists in the form of photographs of Parisian singer Mistinguett from the 1940s. These shoes were designed by Andre Perugia, who began designing shoes in 1906. It seems unlikely that he invented the stiletto, but he is probably the first firmly documented designer of the high, slim heel. The word stiletto is derived from stylus, meaning a pin or stalk. Its usage in footwear first appeared in print in the New Statesman magazine in 1959: "She came ...forward, her walk made lopsided by the absence of one heel of the stilettos".



High heel shoes were worn by men and women courtiers. The design of the stiletto heel originally came from the late Kristin S. Wagner but would not become popular until the late 1950s. The stiletto heel came with the advent of technology using a supporting metal shaft or stem embedded into the heel, instead of wood or other, weaker materials that required a wide heel. This revival of the opulent heel style can be attributed to the designer, Roger Vivier and such designs became very popular in the 1950s.




As time went on, stiletto heels became known more for their erotic nature than for their ability to make height. Stiletto heels are a common fetish item. As a fashion item, their popularity was changing over time. After an initial wave of popularity in the 1950s, they reached their most refined shape in the early 1960s, when the toes of the shoes which bore them became as slender and elongated as the stiletto heels themselves. As a result of the overall sharpness of outline, it was customary for women to refer to the whole shoe as a "stiletto", not just the heel, via synecdoche (pars pro toto). Although they officially faded from the scene after the Beatle era began, their popularity continued at street level, and women stubbornly refused to give them up even after they could no longer readily find them in the mainstream shops. A version of the stiletto heel was reintroduced as soon as 1974 by Manolo Blahnik, who dubbed his "new" heel the Needle. Similar heels were stocked at the big Biba store in London, by Russell and Bromley and by smaller boutiques. Old, unsold stocks of pointed-toe stilettos, and contemporary efforts to replicate them (lacking the true stiletto heel because of changes in the way heels were by then being mass-produced) were sold in street fashion markets and became popular with punks, and with other fashion "tribes" of the late 1970s until supplies of the inspirational original styles dwindled in the early 1980s. Subsequently, round-toe shoes with slightly thicker (sometimes cone-shaped) semi-stiletto heels, often very high in an attempt to convey slenderness (the best example of this being the shoes sold in London by Derber), were frequently worn at the office with wide-shouldered power suits. The style survived through much of the 1980s but almost completely disappeared during the 1990s, when professional and college-age women took to wearing shoes with thick, block heels. However, the slender stiletto heel staged a major comeback after 2000, when young women adopted the style for dressing up office wear or adding a feminine touch to casual wear, like jeans.

Stiletto heels are particularly associated with the image of the femme fatale. They are often considered to be a seductive item of clothing, and often feature in popular culture.
 
Stilettos have a unique way of combining beauty with that sexy outlook. They will most definitely work wonders with you if you are a person who has style and taste. Men will always drool at a woman clad in stilettos, but do not blame them. Stilettos are sexy and it is no longer a secret that they arouse a man and play with his libido. A moderate heel worn with a stylish body hugging dress can make you look astonishingly beautiful. These shoes enhance your figure more and make it more pronounced and that is why stilettos are sexy. They are such unique shoes that dot every woman's wardrobe. Stilettos always bring out the best in a woman. They give a lady style and class.

Apart from the added beauty and elegance, stilettos add value to your sex life. They are able to tone the leg muscles and more importantly they exercise the pleasure muscles. The pelvic floor muscles which enhance sexual pleasure and a subsequent orgasm are thoroughly exercised while walking on stilettos. Stilettos are sexy shoes which can make your sex life turn around. Your sex life will surely and definitely take a turn around and become more fulfilling. Well toned pelvic floor muscles are an asset every woman would like to posses. The muscles respond very sharply during sex. They help you achieve unprecedented sexual pleasures by having powerful orgasms that leave you gasping and breathless. Stilettos worn regularly over a given period of time, will help you achieve the required benefits. Have faith that stilettos are sexy and start putting them on today.

For those who take daily exercises to work out the pelvic muscles, worry no more. Stilettos will do such fine exercises for you that you will never regret investing in them. While you might forget to follow your regime of a daily exercise of your pelvic muscles, you do not need to remember anything with stilettos. That is the reason why stilettos are sexy. They enhance your sexuality and go ahead to improve your sex life. Stilettos do not need a special time to be allocated in order not to miss the exercise. You just slip them on and continue with your normal activities as these magic shoes work wonders with your body.

Stilettos are sexy as well as exciting and fun. They make you look flamboyant in your gait while at the same time enabling you to have a walking style that makes heads turn. Stilettos give you that much sought after tightness during sex. They are a cure against vaginal laxity. It is that tightness that makes you so popular with your man when it comes to sex. Your ratings in bed receive top honors courtesy to stilettos. If you are a regular user of stilettos you might wonder what is this fuss all about. Vaginal laxity is as a result of the relaxation of the pelvic muscles which gets many women unawares. Vaginal tightness that offers a tight grip during sex offers more pleasure during sex for both partners.

Ladies go get yourselves a pair of stilettos or more....

Ronke Adeshina: History of Shoes

Ronke Adeshina: History of Shoes: "A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item ..."

History of Shoes

A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function. Additionally fashion has often dictated many design elements, such as whether shoes have very high heels or flat ones. Contemporary footwear varies widely in style, complexity and cost. Basic sandals may consist of only a thin sole and simple strap. High fashion shoes may be made of very expensive materials in complex construction and sell for thousands of dollars a pair. Other shoes are for very specific purposes, such as boots specially designed for mountaineering or skiing.

Shoes have traditionally been made from leather, wood or canvas, but are increasingly made from rubber, plastics, and other petrochemical-derived materials.
Until recent years, shoes were not worn by most of the world's population—largely because they could not afford them. Only with the advent of mass production, making shoes available very cheaply, has shoe-wearing become predominant.

The foot contains more bones than any other single part of the body. Though it has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in relation to vastly varied terrain and climate conditions, the foot is still vulnerable to environmental hazards such as sharp rocks and hot ground, which shoes can protect against.

In the Beginning

Shoes were one of the first items man learned to make.  When traversing rough, rocky terrain, humans quickly realized the importance of finding a way to protect their feet.  Historical records of Chinese, Egyptians and other early civilizations all show mention of shoes.  The Bible also has frequent references to footwear.  Even fables and fairy tales passed down over the centuries were often based on shoes, including 'Cinderella', 'Puss in Boots', 'Mercury's Winged Sandals', and many others.

The earliest people wore sock-like coverings on their feet.  The first shoes with a rigid sole, a sandal style, were created by early Egyptians.  Not unlike today, the quality of the shoes worn reflected the status of the wearer.  Royalty wore sandals with a toe that extended upward in a spiral while lesser beings wore plain-toed sandals.  Slaves, unfortunately, were not allowed to wear shoes at all and had to go barefoot.
It was the Greeks who made shoemaking more of an art form.  They also introduced the world to heeled shoes.

The next advance in shoemaking was what is known as turned shoes, that is shoes that had the sole and upper sewn together and were then turned inside out to hide the stitching.  During the Medieval era, pointed shoes became a fashion craze, but it soon got out of hand.  Many governments passed laws that restricted shoes from having toes that extended more than two inches from the end of a person's foot. 

Other shoe extremes followed, including square toed shoes and extremely wide shoes known as bear claws. 
Another outlandish foot fashion was elevated shoes that would raise women as far as two feet off the ground.  So many women fell and were injured, laws were again passed to restrict the impractical shoes.

Men's heels became popular for the elite in the 17th and 18th centuries until the French Revolution.  Heel heights returned to normal levels after that as a symbol of equality. 

In the 1800s North America saw the beginnings of a simple form of mechanical shoemaking.  This made it easier to make shoes to fit either the right or left foot.   In fact, it has now been nearly 1900 years since right and left shoes began to be differentiated, but it was difficult to produce them before the industrialized era began.

During the late 1800s, basketball became a popular sport and brought about the invention of one of the all-time favorite shoes ever produced - the sneaker.

Next time you look at the huge variety of styles of footwear available today, you might want to stop and think about what our ancestors wore on their feet.  It will make you grateful that you didn't have to walk a mile in their shoes.

While you were choosing which of your many shoes you will wear, have you ever stopped to wonder about the history of shoes?  When did people start wearing them?  What were they originally made from?  How did they become the all-important fashion accessory they are today?  Books could be written about this fascinating topic, but here is just a brief look at the history of shoes.

Brogue

As a shoe lover, I tend to buy shoes even when I don't need them. Recently I saw this shoe and I fell in love with it. Am not the usual "pink loving", "girly" lady; I dress to suit my mood; whether boyish, girly (which isnt all the time), rock-chic,......guess thats the reason why I love brogue.



It's called Brogue.

Brogues originally are men's shoes. These shoes originated in the country of Ireland and Scotland during the 19th century. Those days, these shoes were basically worn by the peasants and workers in damp bogs. Brogues typically have the criss cross lacing as well as the perforations on the shoe‘s top or the uppers. It is these perforations or holes that make the shoes unique and different from other kinds of footwear from men. These holes are designed in ‘w’ shape resembling the Oxford shoe. However, these perforations during those days were not meant for style, they had a function. Because of the presence of these holes water could seeping in the shoes could be drained out easily. Nowadays, too you will get these perforations in the uppers but they have no functional usage and are only meant for fashion.

Men’s Brogues have turned out to be the popular most dress shoes in the footwear industry. They are even popular for evening wear as well as corporate wear and complements any type of formal attire. These shoes have a very simple look when compared to the conventional formal shoes. It is the simplicity of these shoes that makes it distinguishable. Originally, the Brogues were made from untanned leather and were available only in brown shade but nowadays tanned leather being used in manufacturing the Brogues, there are many colours for shoe buffs to choose from. So, this means, Brogues being made of high quality leather are comfortable as well as durable and can even be found in different colours suiting your choice.
Because of the increasing demand for the men’s Brogues Shoes, there are several designs available. Some of the popular types of Brogues for men are Brogue Boots, leather Brogues, lace up Brogues, buckle Brogues, Country Brogues and many others. The perforations of these shoes differ from one shoe to the other. These shoes are mainly divided into quarter, half and full brogues depending on the number of perforations or holes available in the shoes. There are also many people who classify the Brogues according to the style like Gibson or Derby and Oxford. These shoes are believed to be a completely different kinds of shoe by many shoe buffs.
The two tone Brogues are in craze among fashionable men. Men love wearing these shoes. You will look daring and be surely be identified in the crowd with these leather shoes on.

So because of the beauty and uniquness of these shoes, women brogues are now being made. From flat shoes to heels which comes in different styles, designs and colours.Brogues now come in a array of heel heights and we celebrate the rustic colour palette from mossy green to burnt orange. Men must not be the only ones to enjoy these shoes.....

Imagine pairing these up with a your favorite boyfriend jeans. Could be very, very cute if played the right way.

Here we have got a great selection of brogue with a style for everyone; the only trouble is picking which one you want. Well if you find it too hard to choose why stick with the one pair go for two or three!!

Got to get myself some brogues...will make some for me cos I make shoes....am a shoefetish...,lol

Make sure you are a style icon this year with your brogues!

All About Shoes

If eyes are the window to the soul, shoes are the window to a man's/woman's personality.

Let's first check out the overall condition of the shoe. If the shoe is scuffed, worn out and just plain nasty, you can clearly believe that this man/woman does not have a closet full of shoes. If he/she does have more than two or three choices, the other two pairs being a pair of equally scruffy sneakers or a disgusting pair of shoes/sandals or worse yet flip flops; he/she never wears them.

What this tells you about this man/woman is that he's/she's probably very hard working and puts everyone's needs before his/her own. He/She puts comfort before fashion and doesn't really think about what others think about his/her appearance as long as everything is clean and is not on backward or inside out. It's much easier to keep putting on the same pair of black shoes because they match everything. He/She doesn't have time or the energy to worry about the latest style or eye-popping color. And the only thing he's/she's concerned about popping are the buttons of his/her shirt or the zipper on his/her pants. He/She hates shopping for himself/herself and it shows.

Now lets talk about just the lady. If you check out a woman's shoes and they look like they are brand new and in the latest color and style, you are dealing with a woman who loves shoes. She probably has a closet full of the most darling shoes you've ever seen in every color and style imaginable. Her outfit matches her shoes, and she is well put together. This woman enjoys being looked at and knows her brands and designers. She would rather starve for a week than pass up a great pair of shoes. This woman is high maintenance and isn't worrying about just getting through life. She's getting through life with a flare and having as much fun doing it as possible.

Next, the style of shoe a woman wears tells you volumes.

The athletic sneaker worn with everything, the sandal, the clog, and the flip flop are pretty common for the married mother.


Flats also scream comfort and lack of time, but with the cute ballet flats and other styles, you look more put together and modern.

Even those with fallen arches and weak ankles can find cute comfortable shoes that will not look like your granny willed them to you. They may cost more but your feet and legs will thank you.

High heels, my all time favourite,,also say confidence, sexy, and I don't have flat feet, or if I am in pain, I don't care, because I look hot.

Remember, when you reach for that pair of shoes tomorrow morning it's telling all your secrets.