As photography emerged in the 19th century, high heels made a perfect beauty enhancement in pictures. This reached a fever pitch in the 1940s, when the famed pin-up girls posed in high heels in most of their photographs, drawings and posters. Though these pin-ups were popular during wartime in the men's barracks, it was after the Second World War ended when stilettos were invented; among those credited with popularising the innovation are Salvatore Ferragamo, Roger Vivier and André Perugia. The thin, long and often ultra-high heels also became an item commonly worshiped in fetish subcultures.

Today, high heels are a glamorous staple of every woman's wardrobe and, as designers continue to innovate, the future of heels is seemingly unlimited.