The real reason why women wear high-heeled shoes.

[Neo_Anderson]

This thread is to honor the 200th birthday of the great Charles Darwin coming up this February.

Anyway, back to the topic at-hand. I hypothesize that the reason why female humans wear high-heeled shoes ("pumps") is to gain a deceptive advantage in their physical height. This will make them more appealing to the taller males of our species; thus, if the female can sucessfully have offspring with the taller male by deceiving him thus, her offspring may have a higher chance of reproductive sucess. This fits well within the framework of the progress of human evolution, and that framework is that the human species is evolving into a taller species, not a more intelligent one (this framework fails on small landmasses, where the 'island dwarfing' phonomena takes place).
If you're a male and you see a female wearing pumps, it would serve you best if you try to visually remove about three inches off the female's apparent height before engaging in conversation.

 

[Moonbear]

I hypothesize that the reason why female humans wear high-heeled shoes ("pumps") is to gain a deceptive advantage in their physical height.

Really?! Are you sure? I mean, I thought they just liked sore toes and risking spraining their ankles.

Though, the funny thing is I work with some people who do wear heels to work, and they are actually taller than me or the same height, and everyone seems to assume I'm the taller one even though I don't wear heels. I really haven't quite figured it out. I could understand if they had bad posture making them seem shorter, but they don't. They must count my horns.

 

[Pinu7]

I know that this is going off on a tangent, but the title of the thread made me imagine a dog with red high heels.

 

[lisab]

If you're a male and you see a female wearing pumps, it would serve you best if you try to visually remove about three inches off the female's apparent height before engaging in conversation.

If a male is so shallow that he actually needs to be told to look beyond the physical, the relationship is doomed from the start.

 

[waht]

Classy high heeled shoes were invented in the 1600s by the French or Italians, and not that many women wear them. I doubt that most men look at shoes the same way women look at men's shoes.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I don't think it's just height. High heels make the leg look more shapely and toned by contracting the calf muscles. Light colored heels can also disguise thick ankles because the foot looks larger in contrast.

 

[rootX]

Few weeks ago my coworker was wearing high heels but didn't know how to walk in them .. she's an engineer

 

[Evo]

I have actually read a paper on why men find women in high heels attractive. Unfortunately, the main reason they found was that it made women vulnerable. When they are tetering on high heels, they have to take smaller, more careful steps. Supposedly this brings out the primal instinct in men to want to posses and/or protect them. This also ties into the Japanese Kimono thing where women are restricted to taking small steps and Chinese foot binding.

 

[SticksandStones]

I have a friend who wears heels probably 85% of the time. It's actually causing her damage but she refuses to wear normal shoes.

 

[GeorginaS]

I don't think it's just height. High heels make the leg look more shapely and toned by contracting the calf muscles.

They also push up the buttocks to make it look more, um, something. (And screw up the lower back in the process.)

 

[Evo]

A co-worker just had foot surgery for injuries caused by her trendy shoes.

 

[Neo_Anderson]

I have actually read a paper on why men find women in high heels attractive. Unfortunately, the main reason they found was that it made women vulnerable. When they are tetering on high heels, they have to take smaller, more careful steps. Supposedly this brings out the primal instinct in men to want to posses and/or protect them. This also ties into the Japanese Kimono thing where women are restricfted to taking small steps and Chinese foot binding.

If you want a man's take on it, this is mine: I think women who wear high-heeled shoes "at the office" come off as bossy and bitchy. They are power-driven and assertive. They don't have a vulnerable bone in their body, and tend to show off their legs to the CEO.
On the street, the trend continues, with pump-wearing prostitutes chewing and smacking gum loudly in your face, then walk away fearlessly down the dark New York alley where the crack is liberally supplied.
Even when pumps are worn by a sophisticated woman in an upscale setting they can come off as somewhat intimidating, with the woman stopping by to browse the offerings in the Victoria's Secret store, or the Hustler store; there is something anti-sophisticated about those shoes she's wearing!

I'd agree, OTOH, that Geisha's are feminine and gracile--quite the polar opposite of the pump-wearing female. Geisha's to me seem the vulnerable ones, and arouse the primal instincts to posess and protect that you mentioned earlier. My $2.

 

[Neo_Anderson]

They also push up the buttocks to make it look more, um, something. (And screw up the lower back in the process.)

So as we can see, the pump is indeed fulfilling its role as a means to gain the evolutionary advantage, if by deceptive means.
May you rest in peace, Sir Charles.

 

[mgb_phys]

Light colored heels can also disguise thick ankles because the foot looks larger in contrast.

Believe me - we aren't looking looking at your ankles

 

[Phrak]

To paraphrase mgb, light colored as well as dark colored heels accentuate the receding stroll.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Believe me - we aren't looking looking at your ankles

It may not always be men who do the inspecting and criticizing, but women do seek out plastic surgery for "cankles".

 

[Math Is Hard]

To paraphrase mgb, light colored as well as dark colored heels accentuate the receding stroll.

Light colored heels will accentuate the narrowness of the calf more than the dark ones.

 

[Evo]

It may not always be men who do the inspecting and criticizing, but women do seek out plastic surgery for "cankles".

Cankles, and women in California have calf implants. So sad.

Having perfect legs, I pity those fools.

I learned awhile back that cute high heels were a thing of the past for me. Flat, practical shoes are all I wear now. Luckily I still have the hottest legs in the universe, even in orthopedic shoes.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I am not deceived by high heels. I like thick shapely legs and not even a pair of pumps is going to make skinny little bird legs look sexy to me. And since shorter women tend to have thicker legs the hight change does not help matters any. Tall amazonians are sometimes attractive too though. They usually wear flats.

 

[dilletante]

Not sure what a woman's reason is for wearing heels but one result is that you can always hear them coming. Clip-clop. On second thought maybe that is one of the reasons, it attracts your attention.

 

[Phrak]

Having perfect legs, I pity those fools.

I learned awhile back that cute high heels were a thing of the past for me. Flat, practical shoes are all I wear now. Luckily I still have the hottest legs in the universe, even in orthopedic shoes.

Placing these legs at a 5.0 at some convenient scale,

how would you rate your own?

 

[mgb_phys]

Placing these legs at a 5.0 at some convenient scale,

Is the scale limited to humans or can we include other primates?
i'm just trying to fix an origin.

 

[Evo]

My legs (old pics)

 

[Phrak]

Well... A natural 10. But if you think I'm going to show you mine :shy:, forget about it.

 

[rootX]

I thought I should also show my beautiful legs :)

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2649/legs.png

 

[Moonbear]

I thought I should also show my beautiful legs :)

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2649/legs.png

[/URL]

Looks like you're due for a wax.

 

[Phrak]

Is the scale limited to humans or can we include other primates?
i'm just trying to fix an origin.

And I was looking for a slope to the curve. Unfortunately I couldn't come up with an internet image of stringy treadmill calves, so was unable to manufacture a second datum.

 

[turbo]

Looks like you're due for a wax.

Ahhhhhh! Noooooooooooo!

 

[rootX]

Looks like you're due for a wax.

Haircuts every 3-4 months and shaving every single day are painful enough that I don't need any third thing ..

 

[DanP]

I have actually read a paper on why men find women in high heels attractive. Unfortunately, the main reason they found was that it made women vulnerable. When they are tetering on high heels, they have to take smaller, more careful steps. .

How the heck did they determined this, Evo ?

 

[Hurkyl]

I don't think it's just height. High heels make the leg look more shapely and toned by contracting the calf muscles.

I've heard that too. But I think it just makes the leg look weird. I only remember one heel-wearing girl that I thought had nice legs -- and when I saw her without them they were even sexier.

 

[Sorry!]

My legs (old pics)

Evo, what's that thing on the desk in front of you?
hahahaha
When I first saw the pic I thought it was a microwave. nice legs though.

 

[DanP]

I believe that VHI (volume height index) is a one of the more important factors in female attractiveness, and this seems to be supported by some studies.

It appeared to me that the main effect of wearing high heels, comes from a game of proportions. High heels add height artificially, but this can drastically change perception of VHI.

An illusion if you want, but an effective one.

 

[Borek]

The longer the legs, the more they end with an a**.

Heels just add to the leg length...

 

[Vanadium 50]

My legs (old pics)

Wow!

An original Compaq computer! And a copy of Lotus 1-2-3 Release 1A!

Um...what were we talking about again?