If you’ll excuse the pun, it’s a well-trodden line to say that wearing heels empowers women. But is it actually true that high heels are empowering?
The answer is yes, and is also no, depending on who you ask.
Let me explain.
To go back a step (sorry, another pun) we need to define what is actually meant by empowering in this context.
When women talk of heels being “empowering” they are not just talking about enabling something for the sake of it. For example, the physical attributes of heels empower us to see objects from a greater height.
And heels “dis-empower” us to run quickly or to push a drinks trolley around a bumpy aircraft.
But these are not what the question about the empowering value of heeled footwear is really addressed to.
Google’s dictionary defines “empower” as “make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.“
So a more simple way of asking the question might be to ask whether wearing high heels can increase a woman’s confidence or self esteem.
If high heels truly were empowering, reasoned one commentator, then men would be wearing them. Therefore the conclusion is that heels do not empower.
But this argument ignores that for centuries men did wear heels. It also assumes that just because an item increases confidence then men would want to wear it.
The truth is that there are many more factors involved in shoe and clothing choices than just confidence or comfort.
Most importantly: the question of empowerment cannot be considered from the perspective of the onlooker: it is the wearer that matters. It is how they feel that answers the question.
Many studies have noted that individuals use clothing to foster self-esteem and to assist in social encounters.
Hence a 1984 research article found that clothing was considered to enhance self-confidence in elderly men, which is about as far away from the topic of heels as we could get.
A study published in 2000 of employees at Las Vegas casino-resorts found that uniforms can increase employees’ self-confidence, independently of the level of contact between employees and guests.
And a 2007 research article found employees felt most authoritative, trustworthy, and competent when wearing formal business attire. Of course this may have changed since.
In short, what you wear can influence how you feel. Empowerment is a feeling and we shouldn’t be surprised if feeling it is influenced by shoes.
But does this mean that heels actually empower? The best conclusion is that they can do so: for the right woman in the right context, rocking a pair of heels can increase her self-esteem and confidence and, yes, empower her.
If she doesn’t like heels at all, or the context is wrong, or walking in heels causes her difficulty or pain, then of course she won’t feel empowered when she pulls a pair on. They’ll likely do quite the opposite.
For the rest of us, there are many reasons why high heels make women look good. That they might make us feel good too doesn’t seem such a stretch.