Emma Gleason: Why it took a pair of high heels to make me feel like an adult

Wearing heels makes me feel like an adult. Photo / Thinkstock

Opinion

Although we are more than the sum of our parts, let alone our wardrobes, sometimes an item of clothing can be emblematic of lifestyle shifts and achievements; for me, that item is the high heel.

In my early 20s, I always avoided them; they made me feel too tall (even though I'm only 5"8 barefooted) and too overdressed. In our laidback Antipodean culture, heels aren't the daily uniform they are in other parts of the world and when I was younger, they always seemed reserved for Going Out and Dressing Up.

However, their integration into my life coincided with a move to the workplace with my first fulltime job out of university. Being an "adult" finally, more or less. They are also representative of the luxury of a desk job; I'm privileged to not be on my feet all day and my shoes reflect that - I admittedly don't have to wear standard issue steel-cap boots or practical hospital-regulation footwear.

With beautiful high heels quite literally at arms reach, I took the plunge. For me, they instantly came to symbolise the maturity and responsibility of adult life - or at least my attempts thereof.

The shoes in question were a relatively wearable 3-inch stiletto of leopard ponyhair leather - somehow combining practicality with frivolity (two elements that I hinge my whole wardrobe around) and I wore them every day that first week. Admittedly a heel novice, I realised that the less you do something, the harder it is; heels are no exception, and it took consistent wear for me to (quite literally) find my stride. But the confidence boost was instant; I felt like an adult and a woman, no longer a girl or student or someone out of their depth.

There's an undeniable power in the stride created by a pair of heels; testing has proven the gate of a person in high heels is more attractive to both men and women.

Meanwhile other studies show that tall women are considered more confident, assertive and successful - a pair of heels can communicate this, regardless of how close to six-feet you actually are. We don't need research to tell us (although it does) that we link height to power, both physical dominance and social hierarchies. Conveying power through dress has a psychological affect on both yourself and others, and has been utilised throughout history from royal dress to military uniforms, the power suit and celebrities today. Communicating confidence, in turn, makes others drink the kool-aid of your own particular cult of personality.

There's also the undeniable effect high heels have on men, which, considering most industries are male dominated and social situations often find men in a similar role of power, can be used to one's advantage if that way inclined.

A French study by the Université de Bretagne-Sud found that 83 per cent of men stopped to speak a woman wearing 9cm heels, whilst just 46.7 per cent stopped when she was in flats. Whether that says more about men than women, it certainly shows the power a pair of high heels have, whether we realise it or not. Men are proven to change their attitude to women dependent on their footwear - that's not even including the rest of the outfit or what skin is, or isn't, on show.

Not without their critics, high heels have been derided for reinforcing misogynistic stereotypes, and the undeniable role the play in sexual politics - literally and symbolically weakening women whilst condoning the male gaze and societal standards of beauty and dress.

By reframing this and taking control of our image on our terms, the wearing of high heels becomes an active, informed decision as a female. Although there are also obvious health related implications caused by the continuous wearing of high heels, like many things, a balanced approach should be taken; enjoy the confidence, power and admitted indulgence of wearing high heels once or twice a week.

Whilst vertiginous heels obviously inhibit a woman's ability to walk properly and go about her daily life, a wearable block heel or 3inch stiletto feels like a more practical choice - allowing all the benefits of an elegant shoe, without crippling the wearer.

Admittedly, high heels aren't casual - but there's nothing wrong with that. New Zealanders tend to dress down, and we're an inherently laidback culture by nature and our formative history - free from class codes and dress codes in many respects. But life's far too short to not embrace some luxury or frivolity, or buy something that brings a smile to your face and makes you feel GOOD.

Heels act as a counterpoint to an outfit that's otherwise practical or conservative; a pair of stilettos paired with jeans and a sweater adds a dash of glamour and subversion to what is otherwise a sensible ensemble - not to mention it's a timeless and (in many ways) ageless look.

For me, high heels have come to represent a new life chapter where I embrace self-confidence and the power of being an independent adult woman. Whilst obviously our choice of dress is inherently personal and should be judgement free, for me there's something liberating about a pair of heels. We are lucky enough to have control over the type of femininity we wish to present to the world, both how and when; meanwhile style is a luxury - loaded with decisions, compromises and values. Our daily choices are a reflection on ourselves, and are on our terms. If a stiletto heel increases your confidence and sense of empowerment, then aim high.

- nzherald.co.nz