[SO WHAT ELSE ... ?]Can't be a lowlife in your high heels

I recently learned that high heels -- my personal fancy -- have a rather stinky origin. Though they were invented by the French, they were first made for practical instead of fashionable reasons.

In medieval times the streets of Paris were filthy; people routinely dumped rubbish and excrement out their windows. Pedestrians began using high platform shoes to avoid stepping in the muddy mess. French kings took to the idea to make themselves look taller, and aristocratic ladies began to use them to be fashionable.

Nowadays, high heels mean power. A woman elevated by heels gives a stronger impression. But more important, a woman in heels must be treated better: Don't expect her to walk on dirty or dangerous streets. That uneven surface can ruin or break her shoes. Slipping on mud can sprain her ankles. And walking up two floors of stairs? Elevator, please.

Feminists may disagree, and insist on an equal footing with men. But, hey, what's wrong with looking a little sexy if you already have intelligence, money and success?

Do high heels give you a lift? E-mail me at inescho@joongang.co.kr.