Marc Terentiak has worn high heels while walking a dog.
Once, 26-year-old Terentiak even strutted down Yonge Street in heels, as he’d swapped his Adidas sneakers for a friend’s stilettos when her feet ached after a night of dancing.
“I walked a dog around a building of mine on Church Street. It’s a pretty safe area to walk in heels they see that all the time,” Terentiak said. “But I would never walk to work in heels because people have a sort of mentality.”
His 25-year-old roommate Carney Bourgeois prefers his six-inch snakeskins for cleaning around the house. The two downtown Toronto restaurant servers both agree they’d love to wear their sky-high shoes more often.
“If it was acceptable I’d love to [wear heels more]. I’d totally come to work and wear heels. But if you were to wear heels in downtown Toronto…” said Bourgeois.
“People think that women should wear pink and heels, and men should wear blue and sneakers” Terentiak said. “It’s what society has deemed acceptable over the past couple of decades.”
It seems odd society has appeared to take this perspective on men in heels, when the shoe was originally for men.
Elizabeth Semmelhack is the curator is the Bata Shoe Museum, and she has deeply explored the history of high heels. She’s written books on the topic, one of which is currently the focus of an exhibit. Standing Tall: The Curious History of Men in Heels runs until June 2016 at the Bata Shoe Museum and focuses on the high heel’s place historically in men’s fashion. One of her ideas is how society has placed power in the heel and fashion overall.
“When the heel was abandoned by men in fashion the heel becomes associated with femininity, irrationality, and every time that the heel tries to integrate itself back into men’s fashion there’s discomfort” Semmelhack said. “For me the high heel is simply an object that is given different meanings at different times, for a variety of reasons.”
But where did it all begin for the high heel?
According to Semmelhack, as far back as 10th the century.
In Ancient Persia, men donned the heel, for its functionality while riding horses. It was sported while playing polo and during military warfare, all very masculine activities of the time.
When Europe began trade and military relationships with Persia, the heel introduced itself into Western men’s fashion. Semmelhack believes this is when the heel was added to men’s boots in Europe.
“It comes into European fashion related to military might, as a military tool,” Semmelhack said, “And related to masculine equestrianism.”
The Age of Enlightenment came along, and with it the idea that being concerned with fashion was something only for women altogether, and just like that it becomes foolish, irrational and impractical for a man to sport heels.
“Men, in a desire to appear rational, dispense with the high heel” Semmelhack said. “They begin dispense with all manner of what we consider to be fashion… fashion as a muse of expressing individuality becomes feminine.”
Terentiak believes these ideas have survived to this day.
“I think men’s fashion and men’s shoes are very tame,” Terentiak said. ”I have many friends that aren’t into drag but can rock a women’s piece of clothing because why should this be just for men?”
Bourgeois however, feels that the idea of gender selective fashion is fading away.
“In the past few years men’s fashion has taken a turn” he said. “They’re exploring it more. You see a lot of guys now, straight, gay, whatever, breaking the norm of men’s fashion used to be.”
Even though they are admittedly just shoes, Terentiak and Bourgeois agree a heel can be a commanding fashion accessory, regardless of which gender wears it.
“When women wear one instantly it’s a very powerful thing… I think it’s a sign of confidence,” Terentiak said. “I think that’s why when I wear them I feel really good.”
Bourgeois finds the same to be true. “As soon as those heels go on you feel very confident, very powerful” he said. And along with the power rush and boost in confidence and height, according to Bourgeois “they make your legs look great!”
Bourgeois and Terentiak have a few tips for beginners who are looking to explore a new trend and elevate their look.
“When you put them on they’re instantly uncomfortable, but you need to let yourself go and just do it,” Terentiak said. “If you don’t commit that’s where you go wrong.”
“Keep your knees straight and pretend you’re holding a coin in your butt,” Bourgeois said. “Let the heels take you where they may.”
THE ROGUE 