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For the Love of History - world history, womens history, weird historywomen's history, world history, and weird history Author: Tehya N.
I'm TK, your guide to the past as we uncover the people, events, and little-known facts hidden in the shadows of your old history textbooks. From empress baddies like Hatshepsut and Wu Zetianto, activist profiles, Egyptian and Japanese gods and goddesses, and the history of the toothbrush, tattoos, Pompeii peepees, and everything in between, you can find it all here. No event is too small and no topic too big, because this is For The Love of History. ----------------------- For over 100 archived episodes and bonus content you can head over to Patreon! Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The History of Heels | The Military Tech That Became Women's Most Impractical Shoe
Friday, 1 May, 2026
Men invented high heels. Men made them a power symbol. Then men decided women should wear them instead. Classic. In this episode of For the Love of History, we're uncovering the surprisingly bloody, surprisingly spicy history of high heels — and it starts not in a shoe store, but on a Persian battlefield. From the cavalry soldiers of the Safavid Empire who used heels to stay mounted while firing arrows at full gallop, to the Sun King Louis XIV, who weaponized fashion to control the French nobility, to the Victorian photographers who turned heels into a symbol of femininity and desire — this is the story of how one piece of military technology completely changed its meaning over 1,000 years. We'll cover: 👠 How Persian cavalry invented the heel as a tool of war (and empire-building) 👠Why European men adopted heels as the ultimate masculine status symbol 👠The androgynous fashion movement of the 1630s — and why men were furious about it 👠How Victorian erotica transformed heels into something else entirely 👠The engineering problem that took centuries to solve: the stiletto 👠Why heels disappeared after the French Revolution — and what brought them roaring back Plus: why did men's fashion get so boring? And who is really to blame for uncomfortable shoes? Whether you're a fashion history lover, a weird history fan, or just someone who has ever cursed at a pair of stilettos, this one's for you. For the Love of History is a world history, women's history, and weird history podcast hosted by TK. New episodes every week. Leave a rating or review if you love the show, it helps more history besties find us! ✨ Want more untold stories like this? Support the podcast and unlock bonus content over on Patreon. Website (📕 Find resources here!!📕 ) Patreon Instagram Website TikTok Merch Store YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
