5 Reasons High Heels Make Women Look More Attractive
High heels are an enduring fashion icon that have lasted for over a thousand years since their invention in Persia in the 10th century. Is there a biological or evolutionary reason why high heels have such incredible staying power, as opposed to other fashion trends like high-waisted jeans or bell bottoms? As it turns out, there are actually several powerful and undeniable ways that high heels instinctively make women look more attractive.
Whether it’s for a formal ball, a wedding, or out to the club, high heels are ubiquitous among beautiful women worldwide. Although they can be difficult for beginners to walk in and have a propensity to cause foot pain or embarrassing falls if not worn correctly, the elegant look and walk that a woman in high heels conveys is a powerful social stimulant and appearance enhancer. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways that high heels can make you look better, attract people more easily, and as a result cause your confidence and self-esteem to rise.
Hot in Heels
High heels can be pricey and not always worn that often, but they are an irreplaceable piece of any woman’s wardrobe if she truly wants to look her best. Let’s look at five reasons why:
1) Raising the Rear
High heels give your body “lift”. The higher the heel, the greater the effect - but these can also be more difficult to walk in. However, there’s a good reason so many women wear them, as perkiness is associated with youthful beauty and vigor, and drooping or sagging postures are associated with old age.
One of the most noticeable areas that obtain lift from wearing heels is a woman’s bottom - tastefully referred to as the “derriere” in fashion articles. High heels can lift this area by approximately 20-30%, giving a strong subconscious indicator for youth and health.
This also mimics the position known as “lordosis”, the position that female mammals assume immediately before engaging in mating. Yep - there’s more to it than just fashion, you’re working with biological instincts that are as old as our very species when you wear high heels.
2) Gorgeous Gait
Another powerful way that high heels make women more attractive is by affecting the way that they walk. Studies have shown that men perceive a woman walking in heels to be more elegant and feminine than when she is walking in regular shoes.
High heels adjust lumbar curvature, or the posture of your spine, increase pelvic tilt, and enhance the appearance of the chest and hips, all of which contribute to men perceiving a woman’s gait in heels as more erotic and beautiful.
3) Longer Legs
Studies on attractiveness have also shown that both men and women associate leg length with sexual attractiveness and compatibility. High heels do this in several ways, for one they can literally add an inch or two to your height, utilizing the illusion of lifted shoes to make your legs appear longer. More concretely, they force your feet to extend, which makes your calves lengthen and assume a posture where your legs are extended further than they would be in normal shoes.
4) Sex appeal
Rigorous scientific studies have found that high heels “serve to signal, subtly, women's interest in engaging in a sexual relationship, since sexual desire is linked with inclination to purchase high heel shoes”. This study went quite in-depth, utilizing a complex series of body-tracking lights, treadmills, and silhouettes to gauge people’s sexual attraction to a series of women walking on treadmills, with only the lights or silhouettes visible and no mention of heels.
The study found that men, indeed, do rank women wearing high heels as more attractive potential mates. There’s more to the story though - high heels are, when visible, deeply associated with sex in our subconscious. Wearing them broadcasts several subtle cues, demonstrating that the wearer is a high-status potential mate willing to undergo discomfort to rank higher in the social pecking order.
5) Going with Glamor
High heels go with almost any outfit and can take glamorous dresses to the next level. Besides all the biological, social, and psychological reasons that high heels enhance women’s appearances, they can simply spice up any outfit.
Because high heels can be somewhat pricey, always try to find a pair that will go with as many dresses as possible. While you may not wear them every day, they will become an indispensable part of your wardrobe that you will find yourself pulling out any time you have an event that is fancier than everyday life.
That’s the real magic of heels - they turn any woman into Cinderella for a night. The right shoes are magical, and they can take a nice outfit and turn up the heat until it’s something you would see on the red carpet. Don’t neglect your footwear and find a high heel retailer that will help you find the perfect pair today!