Heels!
The shoe history is such a bizarre and extense one, the shoe elevation has been symbol of status since ancient times and heels have been desired objects for ones and a sinful items related to witchcraft for others.
Originally heels were men items, persian warriors wore them to maintain themselves on the horses and Shāh Abbās I of Persia introduced them in Europe during a visit (S XVI) but was a teen Caterina di Medici who made of them an item for women too in an attempt to seem more adult in her wedding to the King of France.
Louis XIV wore them as a symbol of status with restrictions in height and color, reserving red heels, only for himself and his favourites. This would last until the French Revolution, after this, heels wouldn’t be fashionable until the invention of the sewing machine in the Victorian era when they became a women thing, an item to display the feminity more through the curve of the shoe than the heel. 20th century events and fashions spread faster around the world and new technology developed for war allowed the birth of the Stilettos and with them the big controversy very related with the erotics and misoginy but related with empowerment and a sort of liberation too.
The best things are always the most controverted ones...