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Hello from Kentucky! I finally got the chance to meet TBG in person after at least 7 years of online/phone communication. We played a lot of music together. My son proved that he can largely keep up with us, even at only 16 years old. Sorry to be a little cryptic, but I want to protect the man’s privacy. Those who know, know. I know many wonder what happened to him.

Hi, my name is Isabell and I am from Germany. I love high heels since my teenage years when it all started with the first times of going to the clubs on weekends. Good times! Since then I'm wearing high heels, went through many different styles but settled down a bit over the last decade. Now I'd like to try something new again and that's how I got here. I remember I stumbled across this forum sometimes in the past already and thought, why not join the community 🙂 Other than high heels I really love hiking and city trips. Greetings, Isabell

For years, I've been on a mission: to find a truly extreme high heel that combines height with elegance. The kind of shoe that commands attention and still adheres to most dress codes. My search for anything above 80mm that was also a closed-toe design proved surprisingly difficult, until I discovered the custom design process at ExtremeHighHeels.net. This is where "Miss Arches" was born. My vision was clear: a sky-high stiletto with an incredible arch, but without a clunky platform. Platforms, while adding height, often detract from the sleek, classic lines I was after. I wanted that dramatic, almost gravity-defying curve that only a true no-platform heel can deliver. Crafting the Dream: Design & Engineering The team at ExtremeHighHeels.net helped bring my ambitious design to life. The goal was to maximize the arch, creating that stunning visual, while also ensuring as much wearability and durability as possible for such an extreme heel. We opted for premium leather for both the upper and the sole, ensuring a luxurious feel and classic aesthetic that meets most formal dress codes. Beneath the surface, these shoes are built to last. They're constructed on a lasting board with triple reinforcement and a steel shank, providing crucial stability and support for such a daring height. In principle, this makes them incredibly durable. The "V" and the Walls: Form Meets Function One of the key design elements we incorporated was the V-shaped opening and slightly higher side walls. My thinking here was all about support. With a heel this extreme, every bit of added stability helps. The V-shape offers a sophisticated aesthetic while gently cradling the foot, and the higher side walls aim to provide a more secure fit, reducing the chance of the foot slipping laterally. It's a subtle but significant detail that I believe enhances both the look and the wearability. "Miss Arches" isn't just a shoe; it's a statement. It's the culmination of a quest for the ultimate in height and class, a design that truly makes the arch pop and the wearer stand tall.

I too have been harassed by teenagers, though not for a long time. What I find it that when you engage them in a friendly way, they tend to melt pretty quickly. It's also nice to know that people actually pay attention to outfits you have gone to a great deal of trouble to create.

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....

At work, the women who wear heels all the time love their heels. When we randomly run into each other we always compare heels. Let's get off of this statement that heels are uncomfortable and start looking for heels that fit properly to begin with.

I also find it very interesting that there are many men here on hhplace. In my area I barely see any men wearing high heels, but at the same time I feel like there are also less women wearing them. In the pictures of the "high heel race" post there were also apparently more/only men. Maybe there's a shift going on and once there will be more men wearing heels than women, who knows. For me high heels lookswise are still a feminine thing and I like men more in any other type of shoes than heels. But taste is different, and if it's the men who appreciate heels more than the women, I'm totally fine with that! Somehow it really seems that women may not like high heels that much anymore. Over the last few years, if anybody found out that I'm wearing my high heels regularly, women mostly said that it would be too uncomfortable for them.

Hi! Haven't been here in ages. Been busy, and in general been pushing myself to wear heels more and more, but a lot of anxiety has gone away and have been enjoying a lot of my outings. My outings tend to be about once a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. Usually to a nearby caffee shop, restaurant, or mall. I try to wear heels whenever I possibly can, but family cannot know, so it takes planning. A few years ago I tried mini-skirts, and now have quite the collection of minis and (ladies)kilts, all of which I love. But it was minis only. One or the other, either a mini, or heels, not comfortable with both. Recently though, for whatever reason, I bought a maxi skirt, down to my ankles, a nice flowy-one, nothing tight. Went outside in it and just loved how the wind picked it up and fluttered it around my legs, and I didn't worry about it blowing up and showing something I didn't want shown. And it was cool, meaning in the hot weather! That outing, in a maxi flowy skirt made me realize I have been missing out and given the length, I would actually be comfortable wearing these with heels! So I did. The day in question, I ended up wearing an ankle-length maxi skirt, black, with some buttons on it. I also wore a 4" pair of leather pumps (oh so comfortable!) and a nice white t-shirt. It looked good! I loved it! So, I enter the mall, not anxious but a bit reserved as this is new territory for me. Went to a store, browsed around looking at skirts, trying on a few things. It was fun. Then I decided to go the other end of the mall, grab a coffee and do some work. As I'm walking along, I notice a loud group of teenage girls in a store, and as I walk beyond them, one yells out "Love the heels, girl!". I didn't know what to make of the "girl" part (as I have stubble on my face, and am clearly a guy). Smiled at them and kept walking, walked right into a washroom (nature called). Did my thing, and as I am starting to exit, I see the same teenage girl pop her head in (into the male washroom!), and go away giggling. Her friends were yelling at her that it's the male washroom. I didn't feel comfortable, so stalled a bit, and then exited, hearing that they went into the female washroom. Then I made my way to my destination, (on purpose) walking by some security guards, just in case. Did not feel comfortable at all, and was questioning my choices. It has never actually happened to me, and I have worn heels to these types of places now countless of times. So am somewhat at this point. I bought coffee, sat down in the food-court, pulled my laptop and went to work for an hour or so. People came and went, I'm pretty sure some people looked, intensely, but whatever. After I was done, I started to head back through the mall to my car, and popped into a store that I frequent, because I love the stuff they have (sort of gothy, a bit on the fringe of fashion). Was checking the sales, specifically hoping a skirt I have been eyeing has gone on sale (unfortunately not), when one of the sales-ladies walks up to me and starts talking: Her: "Excuse me, but every time you come into the store..." Me thinking: oh oh, what did I do to deserve scolding? Her: "the sales-people are always very curious what sort of heels you're wearing, and checking them out." Instead of talking about with the other sales-people, she told me. "You always seem to be gliding around the store in heels" I thanked her, took that as a massive compliment, especially while wearing a maxi skirt and heels for the first time. Before I could follow up, she was interrupted by another customer, and went away. I browsed around a bit more, and had to leave. So... Good and bad experience. I'll chalk up the bad experience to teenagers trying to show off to one another and sometimes behaving shamefully especially when in a group. On the other hand, seems like people do notice, and remember... Thanks for reading!

Out and about in York the other day. Despite our warm summer I was surprised by the number of heeled knee boots I saw. To be sure most wearing trainers but that there were anybody in boots was a surprise, and I saw a surprising number of women in block heeled knee boots - 3” heels. No stilettos though - although given York’s ancient streets I doubt stilettos were ever big there

I had another pleasant experience at Home Depot, just looking for a large rubber mat to fit under the sink. A delightful young woman went out of her way to approach me asking if I needed help finding something, which was a bit shocking in itself! After explaining what I was looking for, I thought I heard her say something about my boots, but almost under her breath. I thanked her for the percieved compliment, and she went on to say that she couldn't wait for the weather to cool down so she could wear her boots again.

Mirose, I have not heard from Steve in months. I know that his wife died about 2 years ago and that he sold his hosiery business several years ago. As far as him wearing skorts, I don't remember him wearing one when we met up over the years, but I did wear skorts many times when we got together. Today was a good day for me as I found t-shirt dresses on sale in Walmart. They were reduced from $9.98 to $7.00. I bought several in colors. One black, burgundy, khaki, royal blue, white and orange. I wish they had more colors as I love wearing t-shirt dresses. They go just above my knee and are very comfy to wear this time of year. They also go great with heels too! Happy Heeling, bluejay

Hi Prima, First welcome. Cookie Monster isn't here all the time, so there might be some time between you posting and him see's it. I happened to me in the beginning. I think I might have seen the photo, but I really don't remember for sure. Now back to boots. I love boots and wear them often. Just yesterday I wore my knee high suede Jessica Simpson's stilettos to work. Wore them for 10 hours straight. You wont like them because they have 1" platforms (5" heels), but I love them. I have knee highs both with and without platforms in stiletto, near stiletto, and block heel styles. Always on the look out for more. Like you, I want my boots to have a full zipper. I have a thick toe box, so the zipper is important for fit. I have a few pointed toe heels, but I can only last 8 hours in them so they are only a tiny portion of my heels. And I love wearing my ankle boots as well. You need variety in your wardrobe. Again, welcome.

Hello and welcome. I do not believe you have been unfairly treated. If memory serves, nobody is allowed to post pictures until they have been a member for a while and made a number of posts.

Went to get a mani/ pedi the other day for the 4th of July holiday. I got my usual clear/pink gel on my fingers with an American Flag on my right pinkie and a firecracker on my left. What I was wearing to the salon brought out some attention as I passed a neighboring boutique on my way out. I was wearing an American Flag skort, white women's top and my red sandals with double bands and 3-1/2" stacked heels. The owner of the boutique and a customer were standing in the doorway, when I walked by. Both of them nodded approval on what I was wearing. The customer said I looked fab. Which I replied, " thanks for the compliment". I know the owner of the boutique as I have made purchases from her shop before. I remember one in particular was a pair of leggings that was on a manequin in the window, that I liked. I bought them that day and I came back to show her how they looked on me, another time, so you can see that I am feminizing the male wardrobe! Happy Heeling, bluejay

I got these the other day in a thrift store for less than $20. The brand is Aldo. And the heel is 4.5". The colour is a fine, almost tweed like grey. It reminds me of the snow that you use to get on your TV. They are very roomy and comfortable, but not loose.

I agree with you. These things are cyclical. At the moment we’re between fashion cycles but I’m sure high heels will be back in vogue and probably sooner rather than later. Tastes are fickle - which is the whole point of fashion. At some point the present trend for dull comfort shoes will become boring and a desire for change will well up. Heels will become interesting again For people like us, who genuinely like heels, these down periods are dull, but they will pass and, change will come and the rank and file will follow

Yes, fit is something that is seldom mentioned in articles castigating high heels. Poor fit, lack of practice and the assumption that the heels women are expected to wear as a part of a dress code are invariably four- or five-inch stilettos colour virtually all narratives about high heels.

I am always highly skeptical of this business about what women are “required” to wear all day every day. While office dress codes may call for women to be in heels, as with coat and tie for men, we’re not talking about four-inch stilettos here - more typically two inch heels and rather thicker than stilettos. I don’t believe anybody should be forced to wear something they dislike or which is uncomfortable - you won’t find me wearing a tie, for example - but I think far too much is made of the “forced to wear heels” business. They aren’t in towering stilettos but in something much more demure and far easier to wear. Lets be real: two inch heels are no more uncomfortable than wearing a tie In my experience and observation women who actually do wear four inch heels are those who genuinely love wearing heels - and they wear them because they like them, and the emotional lift and sense of empowerment they get by wearing them, not because they want to please the men around them, or out if a sense of obligation, but because heels are a part of their identity.

Good for you on trying to stay fit! I can certainly relate, wanting to get in better shape but am struggling with quality shoes myself. I have not been on this site for awhile and part of that has been because I decided to be a little more proactive in my health myself.. It worked at first until it took a dark turn, but in three months I was able to lose forty pounds. Lost a lot off my waist and was two-thirds of my goal...Then all my walking caused the ligaments in my shins to detach from my tibia. Grrrrr. A lot of pain and a long recovery time. But I also hit a weight loss plateau and despite walking 5-7 miles per day, the weight loss was the exact same. I just stalled. But even before that I was struggling with good sneakers. I got some Sketch Slip-In's but their design rubbed a lot on the shoehorn part of the shoe causing the material to wear off and expose hard plastic that gave my archille tenon's blisters. I have switched to Kirik slip ins that use what they call a "cage" and they do not have the shoehorn issue, but they need help in their insole design as they are not comfortable to wear in extended walks like I do. I wish I could help you on your color choices but got nothing. If you can find quality white trainers/sneakers you might be able to dye them the color you like. My wife often does that matching dyed white Keds to specific outfits she wears. But I fully understand dying Keds is pretty easy.

My friends and I call it Home Despot. However, I can't say that I've had any bad experiences at Home Despot. I'd rather go to my locally owned lumber yard or hardware store, if I can. They don't mind my heels, either.

Yay! Another fellow girly-girl. Heaven knows we need more female representation in here ☺️ Hi Isabell. Willkommen 🙌 I haven't had the pleasure of meeting or have been greeted by any of the women in here yet, but the men are quite sweet including Mr. Shyheels (I think he may had been nominated as Chairman of the Welcoming Committee; For good reasons too). I'm from the Big City (nearly 50 years) and love the increasing cultural diversity and spirit it generates, so I totally get why you love visiting (Just beware of the haters and thugs in certain areas). Like you, I too came across this site many years ago, but joined only recently because I want to: 1) see if I am really suffering from a rare form of OCD for stiletto boots 🥰 2) discover the secrets as to how the guys are able to flaunt their extreme heels in public without receiving the types of harassment that us women face when we decide to wear anything higher than 5 inches 🙃 I look forward to sharing ideas and experiences with you and our other fellow members. Especially if we are going to discuss stiletto heeled boots. 'Sweet regards, Prima

That’s nice when you get positive feedback - and nice too when a sales assistant goes out of her way to be helpful. Definitely a boost for the day

Leviticus Boots are amazing and great to go out in.

HA! I got a private message on social media after church today saying, "I didn't see you after church to beg for your approval on my improved shoe choice." Accompanying this was a photo of her feet in red sandals with wedge heels. Pretty cute overall! I feel a little bit funny about sharing it here, so I'll just share what I wore. I was kind of ambitious this week, with Michael Kors almost vintage sandals (circa 2012) with 5 1/2" heels, 1" platform.

The stories I seem to remember predate the skorts. And they involved Steve. How is Steve these days? Haven't heard from him in an age! Here is what I wore to church today. Ankle breakers, is what my friend called them.

I had my regular mani/pedi on Sunday. Wore my new 3" shorts, size 8. I've been trying to get down to 163 lb/74 kg. Almost there.

Au contraire mon frère 🙃 Hi Shyheels. Thank you for the warm greeting. Sorry, I initially didn't have the time to elaborate on my very unique preferences concerning my love of stiletto heeled boots. But yes, unique unlike anyone else that I've ever encountered. I swear it has developed into an incurable self-imposed condition. But as Diana Ross sang, "If there's a cure for this, I don't want it' I don't need it." I prefer style over fashion, as style is timeless and can create expressions of unconventional individuality whereas fashion has an expiry date and is often dictated by marketing fashists ( <-- I coined this one) that capitalize solely on popularity. Listed below are just a few style preferences that I obsess over: Platforms with Stiletto heels: I never liked them. It's like attaching a block of concrete to a Ferrari. Why compromise the femininity and sleekness of the stiletto? But I get that not everyone can put in the effort of conditioning their feet and ankles and opt for shortcuts and illusions which are apparently fashionable 😜. Chunky heels are a better match for platforms which look great on Gene Simmons, Rick James, Elton John, and Ziggy Stardust. Actually because of his feminine features, Bowie would have been awesome in single-sole stilettos if Ziggy came out 10 years later; Just ask Gary ✌️ Long Pointed Toes: A designer friend of mine explained that long pointed toes make your legs appear longer. Agreed, if we were nothing more than a front facing fashion sketch. But sooo very Broomhilda for any person at a side angle. WannaBe High Heel Boots: lacking any visible toebox trim, lacking any visible heel counter trim, heel breast colour does not match the sole, salvaged high heel shoes with shafts so obviously stitched on to pass for a pair of boots, one shared knee-boot zipper length between OTK and thigh-boots, only 2 pieces of leather to make each boot, unimpressive arches, pencil heels, metal spike heels... 'Pretty much a combination of designer fails and cutting costs. Stiletto Ankle Boots: What is the point? Full Length Lace-Ups: I never liked them. Am I wearing ice-skates? How far back in ye olden tymes do we want to go? Give me the sound of a full length zip-up any day to complete the proper stiletto boot ASMR experience 👍 Accessories: Every lady (and a few effeminate males) knows that a gorgeous pair of stiletto boots are nothing without the correct accessories to compliment their boost in confidence and feminine appeal. Knee-boots paired with elbow length gloves / Thigh-boots paired with opera length gloves / Any high-waisted bottoms with a belt and choker ( <-- As a lady, I have an issue with this naming convention; count on me to coin another ♀️💪) that matches the colour of the boots. Like many OG lovers of high heels, I too spent many decades and $$$$ at the fotomat in adoring my high heels (specifically single-sole stiletto boots) but got bored of posing and strutting around doing the same things that are limited to the reality of physics and social norms. I also grew weary of all the negative stigmas from the short-sighted majority that cannot keep up with those that live on the bleeding edge of imagination when they see a pair of anything higher than 5 inch stilettos (Especially stiletto boots; Pretty Woman and Kinky Boots are partially to blame). It was terribly frustrating to have always been very selective with where and with whom I chose to wear my boots with. I was raised and still live in the large city = increased encounters with idiots, but fortunately I discovered a new revolutionary way to enjoy my stiletto booted outfits in private as I grow older; Mostly in bed on plain white sheets while critiquing action and horror movies. Mmmmm, nothing else can deliver me that ASMR nostalgic youthful tingly sensation behind my belly button like my own personalized bootiful escapes 🥰. I'm not sure where the fellas feel it, but hopefully you know what I mean. I'm glad to have shared my personal insight with you and hope to contribute a fresh perspective with this community which is in dire need of some defibrillation from the ladies. However, I don't think this forum's administrator is keen on separating himself from his biased assumptions which prompted him to delete my 1st photo posting of my boot collection showcasing my fully clothed accessorized styles. I found his actions to be downright judgmental, insulting, and offensive as a woman just wanting to be pretty; Like Dolly Parton or Marie Osmond. 'Heaven forbid they were championship figure skaters, right? Anyhow, part of me accepts the probability that this response to you may also be deleted by Cookie Monster, which will prove my theories correct. But if you get a chance to read my response before it is Reaganized again, you'll sense my appreciation to your warm welcome through my lengthy efforts to detail a response worth giving. Thank you again Shyheels. I'm glad that you also have a bootiful heart 💝 'Sweetest regards Prima

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 !

Mlroseplant Fascinating and I believe I have an idea what initiated his question after all these years. Faced with increased age, mid 50’s I believe based on your age, and his current health issues his curiosity about your heels got the better of him and he reached out albeit without customary greetings. I believe he has always wanted to wear them and is clinging to his distant connection to you. It could’ve been been far more personal and fun to meet in person. He could’ve met you for coffee and seen you in heels and his questions would’ve been answered. His approach doomed it to failure. Honestly I’m surprised it hasn’t happened more often given how visible you’ve been in your small Des Moines suburb. Btw that outfit of red jeans, pink shirt, and red pumps looked spectacular. HinH

Yeah, that's the thing, we're not pretenders here. When we wear heels, we actually wear heels. I cannot and will not claim to wear 12 cm "all the time," because that would be a lie. However, I do feel comfortable in 10 cm (4 inch) pretty much indefinitely. I haven't had the opportunity for a heeling marathon for quite a while, but I'm pretty confident in that assertion.

I like wearing skorts with my heels especially in the summer time.I like the short versions of the skorts that show off my legs and I've had compliments over the years from mostly women but an occasional one, from a guy. I don't like maxi or midi skirts. Just my opinion. Happy Heeling, bluejay

Sounds like an interesting outing to say the least. I was never interested in skirts in the least, but a woman I know who’s into heels, and knows I like them too, convinced me to give one a try, suggesting I go for a pencil skirt - her own particular favourite. I really don’t care for mini skirts so that was never going to be an option, but I have always liked the look of longer skirts. I bought a midi pencil skirt and loved it. I was really surprised at how natural and comfortable it felt. i wore it while doing some landscape photography very early one morning a few weeks ago and encountered a woman photographer. She came up and started chatting, very naturally, and never mention the skirt or gave any sort of double take. We chatted for about twenty minutes about photography and the light - it was a great morning to be out there - and she went on her way. Completely natural encounter. There’s no way she couldn’t have noticed I was wearing a skirt. She was clearly open minded about such things, while I felt comfortable wearing the midi skirt and knew - or felt - I didn’t look bad in it.

I'll note that this was inspired by the New Gottega Punta Mules (which is a kitten heel, google it).

Sorry, but you are projecting to much here. I don't wear heels to attract attention. I do get attention simply because I wear fabulous heels and boots all the time. But I get so much hip pain relief that I will wear them for the rest of my life. I was at a conference and walked in to a breakout session. A woman sitting in the back told me I walked like a man in my heels. So after putting some materials down in a chair, I walked back to where the two women were sitting and ask "Do you want me to walk this way?" and I walked back to my seat while over rotating my hips. "Damn" was their only comment.

Hello everyone, Here's the 3rd reason to wear high heels : a way of attracting attention Arching your feet makes you sway your buttocks back and your chest forward, all seductive arguments in your favor. The perceived length of your legs increases, helping you to stride through the world. Good men have always wanted to protect women. When they're balancing on 12cm of finesse, the risk of falling is not far away. This vulnerability is terribly attractive to protective men. Seduction isn't just about love, it's everywhere: at a job interview, when choosing a film at the cinema, when making a choice with friends, etc. So put more chances on your side by wearing pumps. Attracting someone to you means doing it discreetly but surely. Set your sights on success by choosing your pumps carefully and walking with the perfect gait. "High heels are the ultimate woman's accessory. They always have been. They're a highly evocative symbol of femininity, and they sweep most men off their feet. " - Dita Von Teese "To feel like a woman, wear heels, to feel like a goddess, wear 12 cm. " - Christian Louboutin

I wouldn't mind that either, but I'm trying to figure out how that might happen, given the current state of things. Just glancing at the last few subjects in the "Guys" and "Everybody" topics, what are the main subjects? "I am afraid to wear heels in public," "I gained the courage to wear heels in public," "I gained more courage to wear these outrageous heels in public," "I actually got compliments on my shoes and outfit by the general public." There is definitely some amount of material that women might be interested in, but it seems that largely we just talk about being accepted, and there is nothing wrong with that. How can we make ourselves more attractive to women? HA! Story of my life.

Something I'd really like to change if possible...

I have definitely eased up on my shoes over the years as far as the wear. I don't necessarily break fewer shoes than I did before, but the heel tips do not wear out nearly as fast as they used to. It's not that I walk timidly, I just walk more gently, as you suggest. Specifically, I don't do a hard heel strike anymore, and a lot of that has to do with ankle flexibility that I've developed over the last decade. Nevertheless, I basically have only one pair of stilettos that I wear for occasional walking, and I have posted a picture here. They actually measure 120 mm high, but are the most walkable shoes I have at that height. I use them as practice shoes to help me walk better in my higher shoes. I also wore them to church last week in deference to Pride Month. Unfortunately, the sanctuary was decorated weirdly for vacation bible school, and nobody could see my feet. Anyhow, I got 9 miles out of the stock heel tips, and over 16 out of the replacements. I'm on 30 miles total for those shoes. To put that in perspective, that's twice the mileage I used to get out of stiletto heel tips, and I don't think the quality of the product has changed significantly in the last 10 years. My non-stiletto heel caps have experienced the same relative increase in service life. I like the self checkout at the grocery store (because I can bag my groceries my way in my own cloth bags), but I hate self checkout anyplace else. Actually, if they'd do like they do in most of Minnesota, and have a regular checkout but self-bag, I'd prefer that. On edit: It occurred to me that in small file size, it may not be obvious that my mules, though predominately black, are rainbow colored.

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.

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 wouldn’t say you love of high heeled boots is unique - plenty of people like stiletto boots. I’m glad to hear you are giving them another shot and by the sounds of things, enjoying it. I am quite fond of high heeled boots myself, although my collection is fairly modest - about seven pair or so, but very nice ones. At any rate, welcome to the forum

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.

Ahhh, the price we pay for the green stuff.

For sure, there has to be a balance between fashion and comfort. 7.5hrs is heels is amazing, my feet would hurt after being in Nikes for 7.5hrs.....

Hello everyone! Looking for reasons to wear heels, I found 4, here's the first: assertiveness: A natural way to assert yourself You dominate the world around you when you're taller in stature, so cheating with a high heel is totally accepted. It can also help you in the professional world, even the master of the art, Christian Louboutin, says so in an article. You choose the height, the color, the shape and the brand, all for a different visual appearance, according to your own choice, to stand out from the ordinary and to show off your mood of the day. Even if it's not very comfortable or practical, it's terribly feminine and you've decided to wear it, so... you wear it! It's your choice, and you've made it. Some feminists cry “scandal” when they see only the uncomfortable aspect, but they should also realize this asset to assert themselves.

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.