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Yes a friend of mine who is quite expert in heels says she’s never seen anybody who can walk gracefully in 12cm heels. In her words there’s always some little hitch, some kind of concession And with the point of heels being being grace and style and an easy imperiousness you can’t have it looking like the heel is wearing you instead of the other way around.

They look sturdy enough, and high enough!

I have thought about this for a couple of days, and I still don't know what I would wear for a race. Actually, I absolutely know what I would wear, but they don't meet the 10 cm required steepness. I don't feel like any of my boots which do meet the requirement have sturdy enough construction for a race. I suppose I would wear one of the pairs shown below. Even though they are mules, they fit quite snugly and are sturdy. In fact, the black pair has over 275 miles on it (them?), and counting!

I think my feet look ok, but I consider my hands to be unattractive. There is no way I would want to draw attention to them. I keep four right hand nails on the longer side (when I can) for the purpose of playing fingerstyle guitar.

Also, there are few enough people who can walk well in 12 cm, much less 15. I have never seen anybody in real life walk well in 12 cm. There are a few on the internet who do a amazing job.

My regular Mani/pedi is on Tuesday. Have few ideas today. Last time my nail tech choose a glitter dark blue, but I want a lighter color. Fingers - maybe she found more of the special gel color she has been using.

Yesterday, I went to my nail salon for a new mani. I got my clear/pink gel on my hands. On my right pinkie I got bright gold glitter and my left pinkie got a bright silver glitter. My regular nail tech was on vacation, so I had to settle for just color and not a design on my pinkies. Incidentally I wore a black skort with a silver sequined women's top with my new Kelly & Katie (DSW) double band, slide sandals in silver glitter with with 4" small block heels and a 1" platform. Got a nice compliment from the nail tech, " I love your shoes, they go perfect with your silver sequinned top and they show off your red pedi too!". Got another compliment from another woman getting her mani. Happy Heeling, bluejay

Yes. I think you’re right. The cutoff is 12 cm, with a few rare exceptions at 13cm. It’s fairly easy to see why in terms of aesthetics. A 12cm stiletto has very elegant and imperious lines - at 14 or 15cms it’s all about obsession with the heel and nothing else.

As far as I can tell, even the second and third tier manufacturers keep their heel heights at least somewhat proportional to the shoe size. I should have made it more clear--my personal collection of pumps, which are mostly Steve Madden, all measure between 11 and 12 cm. But this is on size 9, so I can't really say I've reached 12 cm in steepness on whatever they use as the standard measurement. I think it's size 7/38. This is a problem I've run into fairly consistently. Nobody much makes anything 13-14 cm (single sole). It's either 12 cm or below, or 15 cm or above, nothing in between. It's like there's a fetish line, and evidently that line is right at 12 cm. It's even hard to get a full 12 cm outside of the designer brands. I guess some designer brands, such and Christian Louboutin and Brian Atwood do make a number of specialty 13 cm, but nothing for us plebs.

I'd use my Jean Gaborit suede OTK boots...

Not much has happen, but this was something I hadn't happen in over 10 years. But first: I wore my Impo black small heels boots on Wednesday. 4.25 heels, .4 in platforms. Exiting a Safeway (grocery) store with a bag of food, a woman shouted "I love your boots" (nothing new) then shouted "Damn, you can real rock those boots." Then yesterday, I started the day out in my Jessica Simpson knee high stilettos (5", 1" platform). Then I had to changing into flat boots. I used my snow/ hiking boots from Eddie Bauer. Hadn't worn them since 2015 when I tore my calf. I was part of a tour of a new building still under construction so closed-toe boots with thick soles was required. The woman that organized the tour told me she was wondering (worried) what I would wear since she had only ever seen me in high heels. After the tour most of the people walked to the entrance area, I parked close by, so as we pass my car I pulled out my knee highs to confirm I still wear them. A good laugh by all, especially from the woman who organized the tour.

If I ran a high stiletto race I would use my Jessica Simpson suede boots. 5 inch heel, 1 inch platform.

I have never even tried on a pair of pumps but I can readily imagine stepping out of them!

Too high for me - visually and certainly physically. My calf muscles start cramping up pretty quickly in 12cm heels. The better shoe and boot makers scale up (or down) their stated heel heights according to size to keep the same proportions and lines throughout the range. So it’s no easier having big feet - or harder having small feet

I also really like the aesthetics of 12 cm, but there are certain shoes I like that are higher than that, particularly some of the 14 cm from Maison Ernest, which I can't afford. Or these days I should say I WON'T afford. I can do 10 cm all day, 11 cm for a good chunk of time, still workin' on 12 cm. Keep in mind that this measurement is on size 9 USW/ 40 EU, so my 12 cm is maybe the equivalent of 11.5 cm on size 7/38. Attached is a picture of my favorite 14 cm Maison Ernest mules which I will never own because of their ridiculous price, and I doubt I could ever walk in them anyhow. Look at that ankle flexibility!

I still don't understand how a person can just "step into" pumps and then walk normally. Getting my pumps on is kind of a production. I certainly would not pick them for a high heel race. Believe it or don't, I have certain mules that would be suitable for a high heel race. They are the kind that come a ways up your foot, not the flappy kind. The flappy kind would not be suitable for a race.

No pumps in my heels. Every pump I have tried cuts into the tendons on my toes.

Those booties are amazing, great for any occasion or terrain! Boy o boy, love all those boots and booties, excellent choices indeed. You look great in the tights as well, I'm so envious! I am totally in love with black tall heeled boots...

Not posted for a while. Here are some boots I’ve got recently

Yes indeed, logger boots can have some nice heels as well

Yes I’ve worn almost nothing but boots since I was a teenager - typically hiking boots, but in winter LL Bean Maine Guide boots or those heavy things with the dense felt linings we called snowmobile boots (although we had no snowmobiles) One of the things that attracted me to ladies boots instead of the ones I was supposed to wear was the sheer variety of styles, shapes etc they came in. And heels just added that extra bit of forbidden dash.

I personally find pumps to be much more difficult than sandals. It's probably due to the shape of my feet, and I am a little bit embarrassed to admit that as much time and effort as I have spent measuring and analysing my shoes, I really have no idea how my feet stack up against an average woman's foot, even there is even such a thing. I know I'm a size 9 U.S. women's, and that I'm halfway between a B and a C width, so most women's shoes work just fine for me. What seems to be the case for me is that my heels must be kind of narrow left to right because a lot of the time I walk right out of pumps without even trying. I have found that Steve Madden pumps tend to work for me, but I have to wear them pretty tight, and some might say uncomfortably tight. Sandals do not have this problem, as they are held on by straps which are usually adjustable. Or there is no back at all (my preference), and you don't care how the heel fits because it doesn't exist. You and my both my sons have something in common. None of y'all ever wear anything but boots. Of course, theirs do not have anything higher than a normal work boot heel. Although I my older son (26) has got a pair of loggers that have pretty decent heels on them. 2 inch, probably.

Yes I love my 9cm OTK boots I have to admit I would love to try 13cm heels for the experience - but not enough to buy a pair. I shall have to imagine the degree of difficulty

Yes they are definitely a challenge. My 13 cm heels took me quite some time to get used to, and I still only wear them when I don't have to walk too much. 9 cm really is a good height for wearing all day.

LOVE those red boots.