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Some time ago in another thread, the presumedly long discussed and possibly resolved issue of what constitutes a stiletto heel surfaced for yet another round of unnecessary debate and comment. I posted that although I love stilettos, I could not imagine that I would ever wear a pair of such heels out and about, let alone to work/the office. I believe that I had legitimate concerns regarding how appropriate they may be for a professional environment and the possibility of breaking a heel while simply walking from place "a" to place "b." Well, much to my surprise, all of that changed today as I wore a pair of 12cm stiletto ankle boots to the office for the first time. June 19th is a holiday here in the states and I expected that just about "everyone" would take off on the 20th for an extended weekend. Given that I still do not have a substantial amount accumulated time to take away from my job beyond holidays and weekends, taking a day off now would have a direct impact on travel plans for the remainder of the year. Thus, I decided not to do so and head in to the office for the day despite how much I just wanted to stay in bed this morning. As I recognized that very few other people were probably going to head to the building, I started to warm to the idea of wearing a pair of very high stiletto ankle boots to the office for the day. I saw this as a "test" to see how I enjoyed it and determine if there were going to be any "problems" if I did so. I decided to wear a pair of very long trousers as to cover almost all of the heel and a simple top for the day (and yet, is was still houte couture). In sum, the experience of wearing such heels was incredible. As 12cm is the very limit of what I can reasonably handle, it took me some time to get the mechanics of it down so that my cadence was smooth. I had to remember to stand up straight, bend the knees a bit, and walk at a much slower pace so as to take longer strides. Although, I more or less "had it down" by day's end, I think it I still need a bit of polishing/practice. An errand followed the end of the work day on the way home and once I got into my place, my knees were feeling it but everywhere else was fine. Needless to say, I immediately started planning the next time when I will be wearing a pair of similar heels to the office. In all the experience was utterly intoxicating! So yes @mlroseplant you were correct in your prediction that I would eventually be wearing stilettos to the office! A note on the photo - at lunch, I felt the need to get out of the office as reviewing dozens of pages of intricate financial documents can only be fun for so long. I walked over to the small park across the street and sat on a bench for a few minutes to clear my mind. The mere fact that I was out in a place were the world could see me wearing my stilettos is that to which I can find not adequate words to properly describe. For some reason, I continue to have issues of posting photo to the original post....

Hello everyone ! I've been a high-heeled shoe enthusiast for years. As a photographer who loves to showcase feminine beauty, I was sometimes disappointed by the shoes worn by the models who came to the studio. So I bought several pairs of 12cm heels in different sizes to give them something feminine to wear. Then I wondered why some women liked to wear heels and why some men, like me, liked women in heels. I started by watching documentaries on the subject, I read books, I informed myself and then, to share this knowledge, I created a blog. My ex-girlfriend was my photo model, posing in the heels I'd bought. I can't help but look at a woman when she's wearing heels, so I include them in every one of my photo shoots. Later on, I drew a few pairs, just for fun. And now I'm wondering whether I shouldn't embark on the adventure of having them made in Italy, just to see if my tastes are shared. I still have to create a brand, launch a crowdfunding page... I'm not here to promote myself, just to share discussions on that most feminine of accessories: the high-heeled shoe. I'm looking forward to sharing my ideas, thoughts and emotions on 12 cm of happiness !

Had to convert the 12cm to inches so I could get a better understanding of the heel height. Somewhere around 4.75". Usually, my limit is right around 4" for reasonable comfort and good walking ability in my stiletto boots. Sure, I can "walk" in higher heels, but not very well, or for very long, without discomfort. So much depends on the design/engineering of the heel/boot/sole. I am so thrilled to have found some nine west stiletto ankle boots with heels somewhere between the 4.75-5" range that are relatively comfortable. More importantly, I can walk in them fairly confidently with minimal discomfort. Your boots look great, and I surely understand how great it feels to be able to wear/walk confidently in them! Wearing them to work on a day when you would be alone in the office was a smart plan indeed. I find that much of my "timidness" in my various stiletto booties/boots is caused by being concerned about wrecking the heels prematurely while out and about. I have spoiled a few heels on my favorite pairs which was very upsetting. So, I think I tend to "walk gently" in my boots, without even thinking about it, in an attempt to avoid ruining them. I'm thinking this works against progress in the long run though. On a positive note, was wearing my 3.5" block heeled ankle boots in Home Depot yesterday, these boots are great for everyday chores, shopping, etc. Super easy to walk in, without the worry of damaging stiletto heels. Was trying to navigate the damn self check out, god forbid you try to pay with cash! A very nice younger attendant came by to help then complimented my boots. I spent a minute or so chatting with him and thanking him for taking the time to compliment me.

Cali and I agree very strongly that there isn't a reason to wear heels that don't feel good. Having said that, I have two different types of shoes in my collection these days. I have my walking shoes, and I have my church shoes. The walking shoes basically have no time limit. The church shoes, depending on several factors, might only be good for several hours, especially the 12 cm variety. But none of them actually hurt my feet.

Thanks for the shout-out! I also find that height to be challenging, so your story and experience has inspired me to get my act together, so to speak. In a perfect world, I would wear 12 cm stilettos everywhere, but as we are well aware, it is not a perfect world.

Wow! That must have been fun indeed. And very nice boots too. I love the aesthetics of 12cm stilettos. Especially in boots. They are the perfect height for stilettos. Any higher seems to ruins the lines - at least for me - but 12 is truly elegant. Well done for lasting the day. I can’t. My calf muscles seize up in knots when I wear my 12cm stiletto knee boots. I’m sure it’s a matter of practicing. It’s just that whenever I wear heels I always seem to reach for my 8cm block heel boots first. Well done on a day in stilettos! And 12cm to boot (so to speak!)

I decided to get myself a new pair of trainers and return to running as a means of getting/staying fit. And so I went shopping, checking out all the online sports shops and running-shoe shops with their vast ranges of styles. Every time I saw a shoe whose colour I liked - soft pastels or some interesting shade of colour - they were invariably women’s, with sizes running inky up to a UK8, far too small for me. I looked through hundreds of pairs. The mens were always black, dark blue, dark grey or else some hideous neon shade. Nothing subtle, nothing soft, no pastels, no pale blues or violets - not that such shoes were not made, only that they were not made in anything larger than size eight. Such colours or shades are perceived as feminine. It was infuriating. I’m sure I can’t be the only male who wants an expanded colour palette, just as I am sure there are plenty of women who have feet larger than size eight. And at least some of those must wish they could buy heels and/or trainers in nicer, more interesting colours. How nice it woukd be for manufacturers to show a bit of initiative and stir out of their ruts.

Yes, high heels aren't the most comfortable, but I wasn't talking about walking a marathon in them... I was talking about asserting yourself by wearing heels, even for a few minutes.

EdeeMe assertiveness is really CONFIDENCE. Don't waste your time on heels that are "not very comfortable". If every step is an "ouch" you will look like a clown. I have been standing (and walking) in heels for over 8 hours a day this summer, and my feet are not happy at about 7.5 hours in AND that's in my comfortable heels.

I just have received those beauty. So comfortable. I love.

Nothing was mention about a man wearing heels. Mostly about wearing heels, brands, types, ...

Still waiting for the heels show above. I only write in this space when I get new shoes or when some unusual thing happens. The last few days I have been at a statewide convention with 300+ people. I wore three different heels, by Steve Madden mules/wedges, Vince Camuto mules, JS knee highs. I must have had over 20 conversation with women about heels in the last 2.5 days And not the usual 'I can't wear heels" types. Although one woman told me use to wear high heels until she had a baby and her feet swelled. Last night at a 'party', one woman asked me if my feet were sore (she had seen me in heels for at least 14 hours) - "No." Many of these conversations were more than "I just love your shoes", some lasted 20+ minutes and continued during the following days. And I saw a lot of heels as well.

I haven't bought any new shoes in over three months. However, I have several pair purchased in 2024 which have not made it onto this thread. Up for your consideration today are my red Genshuo pumps in fake patent leather. I also have these in beige/tan/nude, whatever you want to call that neutral color. I originally bought the beige pair to replace my Steve Madden Klory pumps, which had developed a wonky heel. Because I have several pair that are similar, I suppose ebay's algorithm pushed inexpensive pumps to my feed. I bit. Not a week later, I saw the red pair and had to have them. This shade of red is just brilliant, and that in combination with the super slim heel got to me. Speaking of which, the heel is a full 4 3/4" tall, so I can say I have 120s, though I think a true 120 would actually be more like 125 mm in my size. The heel width is quite slim at around 7.5 mm. The problem with these shoes is that they are really too small for me. I usually take a 9, but I could probably use a 9 1/2 in these. I don't think they make half sizes, but at any rate, the shoe stretcher has allowed me to wear them in reasonable comfort. I wore them to church (red for Pentecost Sunday), and had them on for about 3 hours. I could have gone longer, but that was plenty, especially considering that I'm not really ready for heels that high. I can walk, but reviewing the livestream footage, it's not especially pleasant to watch. I'm not awkward enough to be embarrassing, but not graceful enough to meet my standards. Workin' on it. One last note. These are the quietest stilettos I've ever worn or heard. They are eerily silent, even on tile floors. That just seems wrong.