PubHawk
Front Psychol November 2017 PMID 29180972

Why Women Wear High Heels: Evolution, Lumbar Curvature, and Attractiveness.

David M G Lewis, Eric M Russell, Laith Al-Shawaf, Vivian Ta, Zeynep Senveli, William Ickes, David M Buss

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Mentions

74
Peak: 5 in Nov 2019
across 5 sources since Feb 2019

Extended reach

170,678
potential audience

Total likes

1,673

Video views

30,413

Mentions per month

Feb 2019 – Sep 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter34 posts
  • News32 articles
  • YouTube3 videos
  • Blogs3 articles
  • Facebook2 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Discussions collectively recognize that high heels can alter lumbar curvature to enhance attractiveness, citing studies and specific angles like 45.5°, using words like 'fascinating' and 'science' to emphasize curiosity. The tone indicates an appreciation for the biological and cultural significance of high heels, with examples illustrating how these discussions reference scientific explanations and potential implications for social behavior and fashion.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge the scientific findings about how high heels influence lumbar curvature and attractiveness, showing general support for the article’s conclusions.

InterestHigh interest

Many posts express curiosity and fascination with the evolutionary and cultural implications, indicating high engagement with the topic.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts frequently reference specific scientific concepts and studies, demonstrating moderate to deep engagement, such as mentions of lumbar angles and sexual signaling.

ImpactModerate impact

While the discussions show interest and engagement, the overall influence on cultural or scientific shifts appears limited; most reactions are analytical and exploratory rather than advocacy-driven.

Abstract in brief

  • The article explores why women wear high heels from an evolutionary perspective, proposing that heels enhance attractiveness by altering lumbar curvature to an optimal angle that aligns with evolved mate preferences.
  • Through various studies, the research shows that high heels increase lumbar curvature, making women appear more attractive by matching an evolutionarily favored body shape, thus supporting the idea that cultural practices like wearing heels are influenced by innate biological factors.
  • The findings highlight the connection between human evolved psychology and cultural behaviors, demonstrating that fashion choices such as wearing high heels are deeply linked to biological drives related to attractiveness and mate selection.]
Read the full abstract

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
SPERMIFEX
@spermifex · X

EFECTIVAMENTE. HIGH IQ CONTRIBUTION. PAPER: https://t.co/YYnw3EGMzA https://t.co/sPAGHle4UR

Apr 25, 2023 · 64 likes · 3 shares · 26,279 followers View post →
evo psych googling
@evopsychgoogle · X

8/ introducing the david m. buss signature edition patented robotically extending high heel designed to help shabby flat human female spines achieve the evolutionary optimal 45.5° spinal contortion clocking in at 800% torque https://t.co/A2Kol89e4n https://t.co/8n1ZTNcAk1

Nov 4, 2019 · 55 likes · 4 shares · 18,463 followers View post →
Jani Lehtinen
@JaniLehtinen · X

@NatasaHook Korot kääntävät selkärankaa kiinnostavampaan asentoon. Ihan jo ryhti ja kävelytapa muuttuu ja tällä on vaikutusta pariutumiseen. https://t.co/UKL7C3WDUP

Jan 20, 2023 · 50 likes · 1,605 followers View post →
Jeff Hoeyberghs
@HoeyberghsJeff · X

Het zijn niet de hoge hakken zelf maar wel het effect op de stand van het bekken en de holle rug die de aantrekkingskracht vertegenwoordigen. Het is een erfenis uit de tijd dat we nog horizontaal in de bomen leefden met achteruit-kijkend bekken. https://t.co/XR7LXnMnGs

Aug 8, 2022 · 16 likes · 2 shares · 25,118 followers View post →
Jeff Hoeyberghs
@HoeyberghsJeff · X

High-heeled footwear increased women's attractiveness only when wearing heels altered their lumbar curvature to be closer to an evolutionarily optimal angle. https://t.co/XR7LXnMnGs

Aug 8, 2022 · 6 likes · 25,118 followers View post →
Phil Kavanagh
@Dr_Phil_K · X

@clairlemon https://t.co/KJx2IRvvmN

Sep 1, 2019 · 4 likes · 272 followers View post →

All mentions

Piyush
@drpiyushENT · X

@HarshWTiwari1 @EM_RESUS @grok Why Women Wear High Heels: Evolution, Lumbar Curvature, and Attractiveness - PMC https://t.co/PUfgSElaRi

Sep 15, 2025 · 1 like · 1,379 followers View post →
Piyush
@drpiyushENT · X

@EM_RESUS I love citations Why Women Wear High Heels: Evolution, Lumbar Curvature, and Attractiveness - PMC https://t.co/PUfgSElaRi https://t.co/Odl8rNly5P

Sep 15, 2025 · 1 like · 1,379 followers View post →
Acyutendra
@Acyutendra · X

RT @evopsychgoogle: 8/ introducing the david m. buss signature edition patented robotically extending high heel designed to help shabby fla…

Aug 17, 2025 · 4 shares · 697 followers View post →
George
@George832165411 · X

@_nomadic_soul Worn to increase attractiveness to men. https://t.co/Tsq6Nbs79M

Mar 4, 2024 · 9 followers View post →
1a3orn
@1a3orn · X

@psychosort Something like this, probably. https://t.co/8CdB4cyTtJ

Sep 10, 2023 · 1 like · 3,770 followers View post →
DonJuanCharisma
@DonJuanCharisma · X

@tmcalvin High heels changes the shape of their ass & legs (arched back & posture). It’s science. https://t.co/F4r0rDOK7G https://t.co/noULnD55iZ

Aug 16, 2023 · 13,678 followers View post →
Am Yisrael Chai
@h7n33n · X

@Pinka84 "High-heeled footwear increased women’s attractiveness only when wearing heels altered their lumbar curvature" to "communicate information about a woman’s openness to mating advances." "Arching of the lower back is a signal of sexual proceptivity." https://t.co/boscg3EHTA

Jul 21, 2023 · 8,276 followers View post →
Stephan
@Sevens_2 · X

@AlisonBuki Breasts, not hips. https://t.co/dF6NlAVKrZ

Jun 30, 2023 · 483 followers View post →
Víctor San
@vitosantanar · X

RT @spermifex: EFECTIVAMENTE. HIGH IQ CONTRIBUTION. PAPER: https://t.co/YYnw3EGMzA

Apr 25, 2023 · 3 shares · 1,677 followers View post →
Ignatius K Dick
@ignatiuskdick · X

RT @spermifex: EFECTIVAMENTE. HIGH IQ CONTRIBUTION. PAPER: https://t.co/YYnw3EGMzA

Apr 25, 2023 · 3 shares · 1,001 followers View post →
SPERMIFEX
@spermifex · X

EFECTIVAMENTE. HIGH IQ CONTRIBUTION. PAPER: https://t.co/YYnw3EGMzA https://t.co/sPAGHle4UR

Apr 25, 2023 · 64 likes · 3 shares · 26,279 followers View post →
Kaitsu.
@UnclemanBoomer · X

@NatasaHook https://t.co/Fe1a9ADVH9

Jan 21, 2023 · 384 followers View post →
Jani Lehtinen
@JaniLehtinen · X

@NatasaHook Korot kääntävät selkärankaa kiinnostavampaan asentoon. Ihan jo ryhti ja kävelytapa muuttuu ja tällä on vaikutusta pariutumiseen. https://t.co/UKL7C3WDUP

Jan 20, 2023 · 50 likes · 1,605 followers View post →
Stephan
@Sevens_2 · X

@Alison_McGovern @Martha_Gill Here are high heels and lumbar curvature: https://t.co/dF6NlAVKrZ; see classic WHR of 0.7 too. What do you think led to women's breasts becoming so large naturally? Not necessary for breastfeeding. Very costly. https://t.co/zF0vvgwcYh 2/2

Jan 16, 2023 · 483 followers View post →
Roos Scheerens
@ScheerensRoos · X

RT @HoeyberghsJeff: Het zijn niet de hoge hakken zelf maar wel het effect op de stand van het bekken en de holle rug die de aantrekkingskra…

Aug 8, 2022 · 2 shares · 1,723 followers View post →
Jheronimus Bosch
@BelgianBehemoth · X

RT @HoeyberghsJeff: Het zijn niet de hoge hakken zelf maar wel het effect op de stand van het bekken en de holle rug die de aantrekkingskra…

Aug 8, 2022 · 2 shares · 61 followers View post →
Jeff Hoeyberghs
@HoeyberghsJeff · X

Het zijn niet de hoge hakken zelf maar wel het effect op de stand van het bekken en de holle rug die de aantrekkingskracht vertegenwoordigen. Het is een erfenis uit de tijd dat we nog horizontaal in de bomen leefden met achteruit-kijkend bekken. https://t.co/XR7LXnMnGs

Aug 8, 2022 · 16 likes · 2 shares · 25,118 followers View post →
Jeff Hoeyberghs
@HoeyberghsJeff · X

High-heeled footwear increased women's attractiveness only when wearing heels altered their lumbar curvature to be closer to an evolutionarily optimal angle. https://t.co/XR7LXnMnGs

Aug 8, 2022 · 6 likes · 25,118 followers View post →
DataDriven
@data_skeptic · X

https://t.co/SBLoQtuCUv

Apr 13, 2022 · 152 followers View post →
kovosk
@kovoskx · X

6.وجود این مزایای تناسب‌افزا در زنان موجب میشد که در مردان نیاکانی ترجیحاتی برای انتخاب چنین زنانی تکامل یابد.بر این اساس، تحقیقات لوئیس و همکارانش نشان داد که مردان ترجیح تکامل یافته‌ای برای زاویه کمر تقریباً 45.5 درجه در زنان دارند/پایان https://t.co/rcMD5igo55

Feb 7, 2022 · 2 likes · 167 followers View post →
Jason Callaghan
@J_Calli · X

@KaiKanuck @ArleneDickinson https://t.co/OZEseo5amH

Oct 14, 2021 · 1 like · 522 followers View post →
Stephan
@Sevens_2 · X

@yeppjane Should distinguish health and fertility. Hip-waist ratio (somewhat entertaining: https://t.co/wOg0BZI9qq) aside, take a look at the more recent lumbar curvature: https://t.co/dF6NlAVKrZ

Sep 26, 2021 · 483 followers View post →
pisagu2
@pisagu2 · X

@swathikasarah இத சொன்னா புரிஞ்சிக்க இங்க யாருமே இல்ல. அப்புறம், வெளிநாடுகள்ல இந்த ஹை ஹீல்ஸ், லேடீஸுக்கு ப்ரசவத்துல வலி கம்மியா இருக்கறதுக்காக போடணும் ங்கற ஒரு கான்செப்டும் இருக்கு... https://t.co/rrEfIi4IvY

Jan 12, 2021 · 1 like · 351 followers View post →
Yelnick McGwawa
@YelnickMcGwawa · X

I am curious why we are slaves to fashion, esp. makeup and stuff like the pain of high heels. THIS IS SO FASCINATING: Why Women Wear High Heels: Evolution, Lumbar Curvature, and Attractiveness https://t.co/UwnMJQlguM

Apr 29, 2020 · 509 followers View post →
Sim Magus
@MagusSim · X

Proximate level of understanding - "I like wearing high heels because I like how I feel, plus culture/stereotypal fashion, etc." Distal explanation: "Evolved sex differences, sexual selection, fitness, etc." https://t.co/U1mvsG6qnI

Dec 23, 2019 · 223 followers View post →
Arsemeister
@UnleashDaCheeks · X

"When women wore high heels their lumbar curvature increased and they were perceived as more attractive. "... [up to] a lumbar angle of 45.5°." "Men were more likely to [do] a survey from a woman [in] heels rather than flats." Why Women Wear High Heels—10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01875 https://t.co/EjbNBd8S2j

Nov 16, 2019 · 1,707 followers View post →
@jackie@toot.cat
@jackie_cs_ · X

RT @evopsychgoogle: 8/ introducing the david m. buss signature edition patented robotically extending high heel designed to help shabby fla…

Nov 4, 2019 · 4 shares · 676 followers View post →
v169u
@v169u · X

RT @evopsychgoogle: 8/ introducing the david m. buss signature edition patented robotically extending high heel designed to help shabby fla…

Nov 4, 2019 · 4 shares · 2,539 followers View post →
Eigenvector
@telescopicserie · X

RT @evopsychgoogle: 8/ introducing the david m. buss signature edition patented robotically extending high heel designed to help shabby fla…

Nov 4, 2019 · 4 shares · 423 followers View post →
evo psych googling
@evopsychgoogle · X

8/ introducing the david m. buss signature edition patented robotically extending high heel designed to help shabby flat human female spines achieve the evolutionary optimal 45.5° spinal contortion clocking in at 800% torque https://t.co/A2Kol89e4n https://t.co/8n1ZTNcAk1

Nov 4, 2019 · 55 likes · 4 shares · 18,463 followers View post →
ゆきこ@フォートナイト
@yukiko_Fort_PS4 · X

https://t.co/usgtfW2rwx ②

Oct 4, 2019 · 12 followers View post →
Phil Kavanagh
@Dr_Phil_K · X

@clairlemon https://t.co/KJx2IRvvmN

Sep 1, 2019 · 4 likes · 272 followers View post →
Jun
@jun_10_24 · X

ハイヒールを履くと女性の腰にカーブが生まれてより魅力的になる。ただし高ければいいというわけではなく、ハイヒールを履くことで最適な腰のカーブに近づくことが魅力度UPに重要。共著にD.Buss。https://t.co/zox8D3KTh5

Jun 19, 2019 · 4 likes · 94 followers View post →
Stephan
@Sevens_2 · X

@sentientist https://t.co/dF6NlAVKrZ (see the first one on lumbar curvature: https://t.co/vCHefQt7FC) It's nice that Insemination Social Psychology Professor wasn't far off.

Feb 1, 2019 · 483 followers View post →