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It’s very unusual not to like music, that’s for sure - I mean if I understand you correctly in that you dislike all forms of it. I will readily agree though that it is being forced upon us by constant advertising and social media. You can’t look at an Instagram post any more - even one that is primarily text-based - without music being blared at you, or some pretentious chords being played. It’s a nuisance and insulting to have it assumed that this is necessary. I find myself muting even songs and music I would normally like because it’s distracting and annoying and being forced upon me.

I say the following with respect to all performing arts, because it is not that we don't see the value of music, but just as some people do not care for plays, or for reading, or whatever: my wife and I; we don't like music. I thought I was the only one until I met her. But get in our cars and the radios are off. In fact, it wouldn't bother us if they had no radios at all. And we go to church late just so we can miss the music and just catch the sermons. We started doing that after going one Sunday and the music team prayed specifically for my wife and I, "for those here who have hardened hearts." Nope, not hardened hearts at all, we just don't like music. But we don't like television either. We have no TV's in the house but instead have wide screen bookshelves!! The problem with music is that people just assume you need music 24/7 and I like to be alone with my thoughts. I do not need Walmart Radio when I am grocery shopping. Or have music when I fill up the gas tank of my car. Or have music as a background as I am placed on hold on a phone call. And the worst thing is, someone has chosen what they think I want to listen for music. In the area I live, they have a strong penchant for American Country music for some reason which I am not the biggest fan of shall we say... But I have respect for those with musical ability even if I do not like it. Just as I appreciate the talent of those who do sculptures although my taste for the visual arts is more for classical paintings, or the performing arts for live theatre. And to play multiple instruments means the person has immense musical talent.

Believe or not, @mlroseplant, some people can not carry a tune. I can't; my mind does not think in a linear manner.

Yep, even tried a barge, no luck....

I was not debating you on that in any way. I saw the placard (which is what I have been calling them as well) and thought I would post it for everyone's thoughts. I would think the continental, typical stiletto, and the boulevard type of heel, comfort level would depend upon your gait. If you slump forward and put most of your weight forward; or the reverse and tend to keep your weight back, etc would have more to do with how comfortable a pair of high heels are then just heel pitch. It's why I think my wife finds certain pairs more comfortable than others. Because of how she walks, how she carries herself and how the shoes are constructed; it just works for her. You could put on the same heels and they could be extremely painful, but that is just my opinion. I back it up with ZERO knowledge.

I see your dilemma perfectly! I’m muddling along in my own fashion trying to lift my abilities in 12cm stilettos but going for long walks - while it would no doubt lift my skill level - just doesn’t seem workable

That was a true snapshot--no planning, took all of 10 seconds. In fact, I think we set down the grocery bags right there in the garage in order to take this. Typically, I set the camera, which in my case is a phone, on a tripod and use a remote activator to do my "selfies." Since they are shoe-centric, I go even one more than @Shyheels suggests, and set it up about belt height or so. And I don't know, I often pose in a rather stilted manner, so that a person can better see the contour of various angle of the shoes. But then again, these photos are targeted at a very specific audience! So, back on point, I need to decide if I'm going to start breaking my own rule with this higher heels challenge. My rule is that I don't take walks in stilettos. The problem is, all my highest heels are stilettos. You see my dilemma?

Have you tried a dump truck, perchance? 😆

That is very interesting, in that this informational placard (I'm choosing to call it that, anyway) says the exact opposite of what I've heard others say in the past, and that is to say the setback heel is actually better and more comfortable. It seems everybody has got an opinion. I reiterate, I've worn both styles for years, and I cannot really tell any difference between the two, comfort-wise or walkability-wise. I do believe it seems easier to catch your heel on things unintentionally with setback heels, but maybe I just need to learn to pick up my feet when I walk!

Indeed, that type of high heel does have a name: a Continental high heel shape I believe. Incidentally, if the high heel bulges backward in a rounded shape, while rare to see, it is called a Boulevard type of high heel shape. I believe the technical name for this angle is called "Heel Pitch", but I am no high heel expert by any means, just a term I ran across once. Again… and huge disclaimer here, I just found this image on Pinterest and do not lay claim to what it depicts, nor do I know what it says in Russian, but found this depiction nonetheless. I present it her only to get people’s opinions on what it says. I am generally rather dismissive of ANY statement when they use absolute words like “you always”, or “you never”, or in this situation, “this shoe is not for you if…” Well, hold on. Human physique is incredibly varied so statements like that immediately make me question them.

I much prefer almond toes myself

I have a thick toe box, so pointed shoes need to be longer just to get them on. My JS stilettos (booties and knee highs) and Nine West leather knee highs are size 11. Almond and round are nicer on my toes.

I know exactly what you mean! I too have my own very particular aesthetic when it comes to boots. In a nutshell clean lines and classic styling. I know it when I see it

Same here. I really do like/enjoy many different styles of boots, but am extremely particular at the same time. So, I can appreciate classic pointed toe stiletto boots and go go boots as well. But, the slightest feature/design can turn off my interest instantly as well.

I couldn't "carry a tune in a bucket"...

Also the shoes are in a shadow, better lighting would go a long way too.

Giege, My boots are all solid colors, that's the way I like them, I wear mine with mini skirts and leggings this time of year, usually with tights if I'm wearing a mini skirt. In the spring I'll pair therm with skorts. I do not wear boors in the summer. Usually it's with heeled sandals, mostly slides but one in a while with a pair of pumps. Happy Heeling, bluejay

A trick to photographing interiors so your perspective looks right is to crouch down a bit and have the camera lens at what would be about mid-chest level instead of standing fully upright and holding the camera up to your face

I think I can say that I'm making progress toward getting to 12 cm. Although I am not there yet, I have decided to take a different tack towards getting there. Instead of going for long distance in lower shoes, I have found that wearing higher shoes for shorter distances has gotten me somewhere. I put on a pair of 10.5 cm pumps yesterday morning and walked a mere 1.6 km, same as I did last week. After about 400 m, I found that I got into a rhythm and they felt much more natural. After that, I put on these mauve patent 10.5 cm pumps for church, and I wound up wearing them the entire day with no problems. I didn't get a chance to snap my usual picture with the tripod and the remote, so I had my son take this photo in the garage after we came back from grocery shopping. Now I know why I keep the tripod about half a meter tall for taking these shoe photos. You can't really see my shoes when he's standing up full height, can you?

I’m impressed! That thing is huge! My musical talent is limited to playing the iPad, which I do rather well, even in 12cm stilettos!

I got the chance to play with the high school pep band at a basketball game Friday night. I elected to play tuba, because they didn't have any tuba players--I was the only one. So I had to drag out the tuba and play it a little bit every day all last week to regain my chops. Yes, I know the thing is huge--it's probably more of a three-ba than a tuba. At any rate, I elected to wear much flatter shoes than I would normally wear, just because I had visions of falling down the stairs at the high school gym while carrying that monster. My friend from church was at the game for some reason, and sneaked up behind me while I was carrying the tuba back to the band room just to tell me that she noticed I had lost a few inches of heel for this gig. You cannot actually see me in this band picture, but you can see my bell!

Go-go boots certainly evoke an era - one that was bright, colourful and optimistic. For those of us who love fashion boots they were also a major cultural stepping stone. When Andre Courreges came out with the go-go boots in 1964 he very neatly tapped into the mod Sixties zeitgeist - the space age was one of his influences - and his sassy white boots became one of the defining looks of the decade. Boots were also given a basic boost by Roger Vivier who reimagined a 17th century musketeers cuissardes as the modern thigh boot in 1963, and by Nancy Sinatra whose hit These Boots Were Made for Walking in 1965 boosted boot sales dramatically on both sides of the Atlantic. By the end of the decade boots were a fashion staple for empowered women and they've remained so ever since. And yes go-go boots typically had lower heels - about twi inches and some even lower. I think Correges original go-go boots had pretty much standard heels of an inch or so. My attraction to them is not for their heels but for their styling and their evocation of an era and because when I was a kid and saw them being worn I really, really wanted a pair. I've never bought myself any because I can't find nice ones, alas - I'd be happy to do so if I could, but the only ones I find are in costume shops. There is too, as you point out, a difficulty in figuring out what to pair them with. Back in the 60s it tended to be mini skirts but I wear jeans and have not figured how I can make that work with shiny white patent go go boots!

Yeah, we are guilty of dressing-up-our-infant thing. We dressed her up as a turtle and took her to the local lake and snapped a few pictures. She never turned her head towards the camera, but photographing infants can be like that. Sadly with her infant heels, we never got a picture of her wearing them and she outgrew them quickly. It is funny though because she is now twelve and still loves her blanket. She takes it everywhere, it always being in her backpack. But having lost an infant once, I don't care. I don't care if she lugs her blanket down the aisle as she is getting married. If it makes her feel secure, what do I care. There are a lot worse things in the world she could always want.

Thanks for the response! Even though we may disagree on go-go boots, I do appreciate when anyone does offer a differing opinion/view point as it reminds me that others have a great reason for doing so. Just to clarify my point, I have always viewed go-go boots as less than a 3" heel (maybe closer to 2"). Thus, we could probably have a new discussion as to what constitutes a pair of go-go boots! Also, are your boots all solid colors, or do you have some with a pattern design?

Giege, I have to disagree with you disapproval of go-go boots. I like them very much and I have them in a rainbow of colors. I do not consider them as go-go boots of the 60" and 70". I just like to wear them because they are very comfy to walk in with the 3-1/2" small block heels, which brings me to the point of agreeing with you on the small block heels of which most of my heels are, both boots and shoes. I do have a few pairs of stilettos which I wear very little of. Happy Heeling, bluejay