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Being as it's Saturday, I guess it's time for a more substantial statistics dump. I did try to do an estimate on how many of my heels are dressy vs. how many are casual. I have decided that this is too subjective and difficult a task to get an accurate number. I think it is clear that clogs can never be dressy, but how about wooden heeled sandals? I think usually not, but my Alaia sandals surely come close. Can a wedge sandal ever be dressy? Yes, but under what circumstances? Anyway, that's a fool's errand, so I all I can say is that roughly 40% of my shoes you might call "dressy," and the other 60% are more "casual." The more normal statistics are heel height and footbed steepness. For absolute heel height, as measured up the back of the heel, but perpendicular to the floor, we have the following: Less than 4": 14.2% 4" to including 4 1/2": 31.1% Over 4 1/2" to including 5": 28.3% Over 5": 26.4% Over the past several years, there has been a shift from the third category to the second. This is because a smaller percentage of my shoes are platforms than was the case before, so absolute heel height has shrunk in certain categories. However, in the next batch of numbers, you can see that this has caused the number to shift in the footbed steepness category even more dramatically. Steepness, for those of you who don't know, or who use a different definition, I measure steepness by subtracting out the height of the platform, if any. For example, my Nine West Plantera pumps have an impossibly tall 5 1/2" heel, but they also have a 1" platform, so the total steepness is a less impressive 4 1/2". I started at 3 1/2 inches because that is where to my mind that heels start feeling like heels. Less than 3 1/2": 15.1% 3 1/2" to including 4": 28.3% Over 4 to including 4 1/2": 46.2% Over 4 1/2": 10.4% As you can see, there is a big increase in the more than 4 to 4 1/2" category. If you included steepnesses that were right at 4" in that category, the number would be even more overwhelming. I guess this is where I like to be, but there is a variation even within this category. With 4 inch or less, I can just slide/pull them on and go. With 4 1/2 inch, that is highly inadvisable without preflight. As always, if I have a shoe which has no footbed liner or cushion, which is often the case with wooden heels, I "discount" the heel/platform height by 1/4" so that we are comparing heights more equally.

Over the past several weeks I’ve been receiving emails from a Website called “Temu.” I guess the IA feature built into the browser I usually use, has honed in on my interest in women’s shoe sites and automatically shunted this one to me. Now, this seller features casual clothing and shoes for both men and women. The selection of shoes available on the women’s side are a mixture of trainers, canvas slip on, and leather loafers. All low heels but very attractive. While I doubt not many of our members here would find this site interesting because it doesn’t feature “high heels,” it does present many interesting and different good looking styles that male wearers of girls shoes will might find attractive. At this moment I am not in the market for any more shoes. However, should the need (desire) arise over the next few months, I believe I will definitely take a second look.

Happy Easter to those who celebrate, but alas, I have no Easter picture to show. To tell the truth, my heath took another turn for the worse last week, and I'm still getting over it, to the point where I had to beg off my hymn leading duties to another person because my voice would not tolerate that much use. I put everything I had into the choir anthem, and that was all I had. When I got home, all I wanted to do was take a nap. Which I did. I wore a traditional men's suit in a sort of light gray/silvery fabric with a purple shirt and tie, then boring old black oxfords with 4 1/4" stiletto heels. They are some of my oldest shoes, and to think when I first got them over 10 years ago, I thought they were incredibly steep, almost to the point of not being able to walk in them normally at all. I had higher at the time, but nothing that high with no platform. Today, of course, they are a little bit of nothing. The only thing of interest that can be told with no pictures is a conversation I had with another church member whom I know somewhere between acquaintance and friend. She has a son who plays in the school band with my son. She is one of those people who often wears heels to church, but not by our definition. We're talking the 2 - 2 1/2" range block heels. On this Sunday, she approached me after the service while I was tearing down equipment and said, "I'll bet I have taller heels than you do today." Both of us were wearing flared pants that more or less completely covered our heels, so I said, "OK, let's see what you've got." We both pulled up our pant legs, and what she had on were black suede ankle boots with about a 4 inch slim but not stiletto heel, and about a 1 inch platform. She assessed my oxfords, and determined, "Nah, I guess I've fallen just a bit short of the mark. But I wanted to show you, because I don't wear these very often, and I'm not very good at walking in them." In actuality, she seemed to be doing just fine.