Are you tired of being called short all the time, but you can’t commit enough time to learn how to walk in heels? The most recent trend in footwear has your back.
Starting just a few years ago, big shoe companies like Converse, Crocs, Vans and Doc Martens have begun putting out new shoe designs varying greatly from their current flagship platform soles. Just a decade ago, thin Uggs were the big thing, but jump to nowadays, even Uggs have a platform to them. Where did this trend come from? Who knows! But what is clear to see is the noticeable impact it has made on the heights of the youthful and trendy.
For generations, platform shoes have been a statement and are meant to be taken as such. They were made to draw attention and dazzle an audience. Think of the early ‘70s, when glam rock artists like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury took to the stage. That is what platforms used to be. Of course, platforms have popped up a few times since then, most noticeably in the early 2000s with platform sandals with a block heel.
This trend was built upon the notion of attracting attention, like alternative subcultures with black boots or the eye-striking proportions of Bratz dolls with their heel-to-shoe joints. Performance and clear fashion statements held those trends together, so what makes the modern version different?
These new Crocs, Vans and Converse don’t have an invisible platform, but a casual platform. While walking around campus, no one will notice every single time someone clomps by in a pair of new platforms because they blend in. It seamlessly adds a few inches to its wearer’s height without attracting the attention that comes with most other types of platforms. This is new territory for height differences.
Writers at CNN Style observed that platform shoes have tended to rise in popularity around times of economic unrest, like the 1930s, 1970s, and late 1990s. They theorize that since platform shoes are resilient and can give their wearer a flashy style, but still have the ability to be worn many times, they are perfect for times when a luxurious wardrobe isn’t a priority.
As to why platforms are becoming more prevalent in the 2020s, some obvious lines can be drawn with the economy, but writers have also connected it with the shoe choices of lockdown.
In 2020, everyone was dressed comfortably, so it made sense when lockdown rose, people wouldn’t jump back to wearing stilettos immediately. Platforms were an easy middle ground of dressing up, but not being uncomfortable.
Still, it’s fun to think that the trend is just a big prank on height-conscious men of the world as many women seem to be growing a few inches overnight.
