New study suggests men don't notice high heels

Fashion footwear enthusiasts, listen up. You might want to sit down for this and toss your ankle booties aside.

If you've been mistaking the sidewalk for the catwalk, strutting your sexy slingbacks with a gait that you think oozes seduction.....well, think again. It turns out that when it comes to flats vs heels, men couldn't care less! At least, that's what a study according to Northumbria University is telling us. A research project with the purpose of examining signals sent out through movement by women and their reception by men. The focus was women between 18 and 35 and what signals are sent out when the they walk with and without heels. According to the results, men are entirely indifferent to heels even though they are supposed to give the illusion of longer, more shapely legs, a protruding rear end, and tilted torso affected by the shift in body posture.

Evolutionary psychologist Nick Neave led the study and said: "Women are spending money on high heels, which can be dangerous, presumably to make themselves look good and add to what nature has given them."

"Everybody is attracted to somebody else and making relationships is very important to humans. Making key relationships and having children are some of the most important decisions people will make. But scientifically we know very little about this."

Hmm. I wouldn't be chucking those stilettos to the weeds just yet, ladies. The study offers no numbers or in-depth analysis of the findings so far. The conclusion may be that men don't notice the height or walking differences, but nothing here suggests to me that they prefer heels to flats as a sexiness factor. Besides, do we really need evolutionary psychology to determine that men don't notice things?

What do you think of this study? Do guys notice you more in heels or not?

Courtney Gilmour
		About the author:
		Courtney is a published writer, stand-up comic, and shameless Internet enthusiast. She holds a double bachelors degree in English Literature and Communication Media Studies, specializing in semiotic theory, however she doesn't get Shakespeare and has never won a game of Scrabble. Currently she lives in Toronto and works as a writer for WOMAN.CA.
	Read More >>