“Amazons in stilettos”: Erotic capital and gender resources in media representations of female politicians in high heels

Résumé 0

Since the presidency of Sarkozy, a generational revival has taken place, leading to the promotion of a certain number of female politicians regularly seen in high heels (stilettos), turning this element of the female wardrobe into a distinctive political marker. As with any other garment, high heels are part of a complex system of communication and interactions, bringing the body into play, implying logics of conformity and distinction. The act of dressing refers, then, to an undeniable form of dramatization and staging in the form of a strategy concerning how one presents oneself. Finally, it is also a marker of gender, a notorious and ostentatious element of sexual dimorphism. In this context, wearing stilettos raises a certain number of challenges for those who wear them. It is an obvious challenge to the laws of biomechanics, as well as a challenge to the vestimentary and behavioral standards of the French political field. They are the perfect symbol of those women with ascending political trajectories who express themselves through a mixture of displayed ambition and determination. But the women who wear these stilettos also take the risk of being locked into an image of “superfluity” (Veblen).