Looking For Shoes That Make A Statement? Try Platforms, They've Been Around For Centuries

Back when the words "cool" and "groovy" punctuated every sentence and peace symbols were the jewelry of choice, platform shoes were the envy of shoeless feet. These unusual high heeled shoes that were so prevalent in the 1970s are in fashion once again. If you're in the market for some eye-catching shoes, platforms, like those at Shopakira, might be for you. Below is a bit of history on this memorable type of footwear.   

The Chopine

The chopine was the forerunner of the platform, originally designed in the early 16th century. Venetian women in particular were fond of the thick-soled, raised shoe that added inches to their height and helped them avoid wet and muddy streets. Only women of means, generally of noble birth, could afford the shoes and the required attendant to help them balance as they walked about. Successful courtesans would also invest in chopines.  This irritated the noble women, especially since those same courtesans could afford rich clothing. The furor caused the passage of a law that forbade courtesans from wearing silk and most jewelry, but they did keep their chopines.

Platform Revival in the 1930s

Carmen Miranda was a tiny lady, roughly 5 feet tall, known best for wearing outlandish hats in movies and her larger-than-life personality. In 1938, Italian shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo created a pair of platforms for Carmen. That started a revival of the look. Some of the designs from that era were fairly sedate by today's standards. Others, like the ones Ferragamo made for Judy Garland, were high, thick and had every color of the rainbow. Queen Elizabeth II even wore a pair for her wedding in 1948, but with a much more sedate "footprint." This revival lasted until the 1950s.

The Out-of-this-World Platforms of the 1970s

Platforms reappeared during the 1970s, at the same time that vintage style clothing from the 1930s and 1940s was making a comeback. This time around, the designs of some were crazily extravagant. The high school and college crowds were the platform's biggest fans, followed by adults in their 20s and 30s. Men were also getting into the groove, spurred on by movies such as Saturday Night Fever where John Travolta danced his way to victory in his own platforms. Men's shoes were sometimes more sedate, but unisex shoe designs were common. Elton John, David Bowe and Kiss all embraced the platform and the more outrageous, the better.

Disco goldfish shoes were one trend that died out rather quickly. The clear platforms had a detachable heel that allowed you to put water and a live goldfish in the platform part of the shoe. Animal rights groups determined this was cruel to the goldfish. It was. The shoes were replaced with artificial goldfish disco shoes, complete with plastic fish and artificial water plants.

Platforms from the 1970s were considerably more comfortable than previous designs. The average front platform was roughly 2 inches high, combined with a heel usually 4 or 5 inches tall. Since the heels were thicker and chunkier than the stiletto heels from a decade earlier, they were easier to balance on. There were exceptions. Vivienne Westwood designed a bold blue pair for model Naomi Campbell that was so high that walking looked dangerous. The heel was moderately thick but had a slight curve, giving an illusion of movement even when standing still.

Platforms in the 21st Century

Platform shoes in the 21st century include those with thin stiletto heels, some even favoring the more lady-like shoe styles of the 1950s. But though the profile in these throwbacks is more sedate, the colors, not so much. According to Elle Magazine, Beyonce once wore a fuchsia and tomato-red pair that was loud and elegant. The star likes the stiletto look with a high front platform and has many variations in her collection. Heidi Klum, on the other hand, prefers leather boot platforms that are just as high and clunky as those from the 1970s, but in muted blacks and browns. As for Lady Gaga, almost anything goes.