The original high heels were men's shoes — and they weren't meant for walking.
Eventually they were redesigned and adopted by wealthy aristocrats as a sign of privilege.
Shit got so out of hand in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries that women wore these "chopines" to really drive the point home.
When heels trickled down to the bourgeois, rich people made up new (aribitrary) signifiers of status.
Sound familiar?
Masculine-inspired pieces become very "trendy" for ladies around the 16th century.
Over time, women's heels grew more slender, while men's heels got chunkier like these.
By the 1800s, men had grown so sick of women biting their style that they quit the heel game.
And the whole world rejoiced.
Porn.
Some biologists speculate that men like women in heels because they naturally arch a woman's back and flare her buttocks.
Radical feminists claim that men encourage women to wear high heels because they make the wearer weak and unable to run away.
Today, many women say they wear heels to feel empowered.
Whatever the reason, heels have taken over women's footwear.
And people continue to design heels that are even less practical than stilettos.
But despite all the pain they cause, women have really fallen in love with heels.
And yet, only the bravest of men dare to try 'em on.
H/T: BBC