Heels for men declared back in fashion

Heeled boots are made for walking, whatever your gender

(Twitter/mikiebarb)

There are various ways in which society deems it acceptable for women to enhance their looks but not men.

Want to make your eyes look bigger? Mascara. Need to cover a spot? Concealer. Want to make your legs look longer? Pop on some heels. (Of course these aren't the only reasons for wearing heels and makeup, but they are plus points.)

But times are a changing, and it appears heels for men are now actually in vogue. Literally, for fashion bible Vogue has decreed it.

“It takes a self-assured, kingly attitude to confidently clack against the grain,” they say. “You could even say these men are on the heels of something sexy.”

No longer the preserve of short men trying to sneakily improve their stature, some of the most stylish and influential males in the world right now are proudly sporting heels.

We’re not talking stilettos, but rather chunky heeled boots, for the most part.

Kanye West, Harry Styles and Justin Bieber have all been spotted sporting small heels. And where they lead, regular Joes will follow.

Harry Styles (Getty Images)

Of course, these famous men can pull off all sorts of trends better than the average guy, but their influence should not be underestimated.

“There’s a sort of regal confidence that comes with a man who can wear a heel,” says Vogue.

Men used to wear heels, but the trend died out around the 18th century.

When Kim Kardashian posted a picture of her family on Instagram in April this year, the internet erupted with chatter about Kanye’s modest heeled boots.

In his music video for Sign of the Times, we see Harry Styles soaring over Scotland in noticeable heels.

Russell Brand has worn heels for years.

And even Marco Rubio, the former Republican presidential candidate, was spotted wearing heeled boots - it was duly termed “Bootgate” by The New York Times.

Of course, not everyone is on board with this development in the world of male footwear - traditionalists argue that heels are for women and flat shoes are for men. But why should they be?

Gender lines are blurring and fashion is increasingly androgynous, and men wearing modest heels is just, well, a sign of the times, if you will.