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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.

Still no interaction between me and my high school classmate. I can't really blame him, he's got some major health issues going on right now, but it still seems strange to me that a guy I actually hung out with back in the day would boldly ask a question, and then not really react to the answer. On the other hand, the last time I actually saw the man, in my mid 20s, I was playing a gig at a bar with my band, and our drummer, 6 foot 4 and an imposing presence, had threatened to do harm to him. My last in-person mental image of him was his backside as he was running out the door. By the way, he deserved it. In other news, I'm still working overtime at the data center, and I have been getting up very early in the morning so that I can get my walks in. It's the only way. If I try to do it in the evenings, it ain't happening. I'm not good for anything after supper. I posted in the "New Shoes" thread, but I'll share some more photos of my Pentecost Sunday outfit. There's nothing really special about it, other than the red color, which is the liturgical color for that day. Now we're back to Ordinary Time until Advent, so everything will remain green for a long time. I've never felt comfortable taking pictures of myself, but I've tried some new poses that I picked up from social media. I hope I don't look like a complete idiot.

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.

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.

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! I have found and followed many pair of boots during years but this year I have found where to get them. I wanna show you those prettiest things. 😍 Just tell me if I have not correctly made this post. I wanna have all of them. I cannot resist!🥰 First boots I am trying hard to bring them back home since two months: Ann Klein Silence 10M The next one is coming towards me: Here are other boots.Putting them all here:

In a nutshell it's a high gloss coating applied to leather. There are different types like acrylic or polyurethane. It waterproofs but also reduces the natural stretch of the leather so it doesn't mold to the foot in the same way. Edit for details.

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!

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

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 !

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.

As a final followup to this thread, I have now worn the Elisabet Tang/GenShuo pumps out in public, and I can say that they're pretty decent for the money. I don't know if you pulled the trigger on that lot of them a month or so ago, but I think they would be well worth the money, provided that they actually fit. Both pairs I got had to spend some considerable time on the shoe stretcher. One thing that impresses me is that despite being fairly aggressive with the enbiggening device, nothing came loose, nothing broke, and the material didn't pucker permanently, as is often the case. They look and walk better than they have any right to at that price point.

Mirose, I also wore a pair of red pumps for Pentecost Sunday church. Mine were not stilettos but were a 3" small block heel. With my red suit coat and white pants I got several compliments on my ensemble, last Sunday. Happy Heeling, bluejay

I think I got my first heels when I was 16 and able to drive. I went to a Payless shoes, and the only memorable part of that trip was me awkwardly feeling I -had- to spew out my fake back story the clerk did not ask for. I kept those shoes and a stack of Mad magazines in a metal lock box in my closet. I think my parents were worried I was doing something illegal as when I returned from a trip to Michigan the magazines were in my closet, no box or heels. Sometime in my tween years I figured out something was up with my gender identity. I liked some girl things, and did not understand why your gender limited your life experiences. By 13 I was hitting a crisis point, and decided to just ‘be me’, and live on my own terms. Back around 1990 non-binary was not a thing. If it had I might have been far more comfortable mixing up my appearance in public.

I bought my first pair when I was in high school in the early 90's. It was a navy blue pair of pumps from Payless with a silver decorative piece on the front. The men's shoes were on the wall directly across from the larger women's sizes. I must've pretended to look at men's shoes for twenty minutes before I got the courage to go to the cashier with them.

My very first heel purchase,,,,,,,, and I still have them and wear them!!! Steve Madden Kyle patent leather hidden 1" platforms with 5" heel

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.

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.

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

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

Sounds like an interesting time. Was the talk purely about heels and the challenge of wearing them, or did they offer views on men wearing heels. They obviously were comfortable with talking to you and would seem to be supportive.

Well, they are beautiful for sure, and I'm sure you walked just fine in them. Three hours in those heels is something to feel good about indeed! Here is a question for everyone, what is "patent leather"? I'm assuming it is real leather, but never understood how it is produced. Needless to say, I love patent leather!

Very nice - a nice shade of red too. You’re miles ahead of me. I’ve not practiced nearly enough in my 120 stilettos to walk anywhere or last three hours in them.

Heyo. Decided to try a pair of Sneex. Kinda clunky to look at, but they are comfortable to walk around in.

After shattering my ankle nearly a year ago and finally finishing physical therapy, I've been making up for lost time. I've been shopping quite a bit on Mercari and Poshmark over the last couple of months. I've picked up some Lucky Brand sandals, Torrid mary janes, Nine West open toed pumps, Vince Camuto sandals, some Tom's wedges, and my favorites by far, Vince Camuto Frasper heeled sandals in black. I like them so much I got a second pair as backup. Wedges aren't normally my thing, but I still struggle to walk properly in heels. After trying them, I'm really starting have a change of heart.

Fake patent leather stretches even less, which is why I had to be fairly mean to these shoes with the shoe stretcher to even get my feet in there. I probably should stick to Steve Madden, because size 9 is actually size 9, at least for the moment.

Peeptoe, I like all styles of heels and I have them all. Happy Heeling, bluejay

Good luck to you in your recovery. It looks like you've got some pretty solid stuff there--nothing too crazy, but stylish and very nice looking. I don't love wedges either, but they do have their practical purposes!

I hope you keep up your incline ankle lifts. Practice on both side. They're great for wearing heels.

I too have wondered why I have heard that same comment over and over again, "Oh, I can't wear heels." Or, alternatively, "I can't wear heels anymore." I understand that there are some valid physical reasons why somebody can't wear heels, or at least not for very long. However, thinking back to my own experience, I think a lot of these obstacles can be overcome. It's just that overcoming the physical challenge of wearing heels requires a lot of work, and I don't think most women want to put in that kind of effort. Or perhaps it would never occur to them that it's a skill rather than just a fashion choice. In any case, it's generally a conversation that can't go well. This is why I tend to say very little in reply to such comments, and do much as you did, saying something like, "Ehhh, they're really not all that bad."

I have been wearing heels to work (and almost everywhere else) for over 10 years. I have heard the “How can you wear those? I can’t wear heels" statement hundreds of times. Here are some on the reasons I have heard and some I have reasoned myself. (1) Their feet got wider when they got pregnant and they can't get heels that fit, now. A very valid reason. (2) They ruin their feet when they were young by wear ill fitting heels. (3) They never learned how, they have weak ankles, never ran or played sports, so they never strengthen their ankle. (4) They wore running (trainers for the Brits) their whole life and never developed the balance needed to wear heels. I watched a college graduation 10 years ago and you could see those women have trouble walking in heels. (5) They buy heels solely on looks and not fit, so they look pretty but never fits right. Result: the heels hurt their feet when they walk. That leads to them to equating heels with pain.

The reason I don't see so many heels is because I spent the majority of my waking hours at a construction site. Having said that, I can remember back in the day when a building was nearly complete, the owner would give tours to groups of people (I always assumed that they were employees/bosses at the company). Invariably, there would be several women in high heels during tours through a building under construction. I can recall another job site I worked on where the female engineer would show up every week to check things out in 4 inch block heeled boots. That was the Barilla pasta plant, and the engineer was actually from Italy. That may have had something to do with not only her footwear, but her impeccable sense of style, despite being on a construction site. The concrete floors were in by that time. It's not like she was stepping over clods of dirt in heels.

Got a strange message on social media a couple of days ago. It was a friend from high school who asked in a private message, "Hey look--I am in no position to judge anyone, but I was wondering when you decided to wear women's shoes... Are they comfier, because my feet hurt." This really seems a little off to me for an initial contact message. No "Hey, how's it going? It's been years and years!" or anything like that. As I had accepted his contact request maybe a month ago, I can only assume that he picked up on one of the remarklably few photos of me that show my shoes, and none of those really feature the shoes. After I came home from work, I messaged him with some short answers, and he responded to them with similarly short answers. I'm quite sure he was otherwise occupied, because the conversation trailed off rather abruptly. I'm glad I did not invest a whole lot of time into an explanation. We'll see what happens in the days to come.

I just ordered these Freebird Detroit in Red Croc. I had hoped to get a size 11, BUT I waited too long, so hopefully a size 10 works. A 40% off Mother's Day sale was my incentive, $275 otherwise.

Hi all, After a long time of meaning to post but never executing, I thought I'd just start a new threat to document my adventures in heels. Nothing complicated, so dont expect wonders, but just sharing pictures and this and that. Our neighborhood is pretty progressive, and over the years, they've gotten to know me in heels. This past week, we had some cooler weather at first, so my wife and I were at the local brewery in booties: That said, boot season is pretty much over in this part of Texas, and towards the middle of the week it was already sandals weather again, so we wore these beauties from Jessica Simpson. Clearly, I need to work on a better angle, but I don't like making a scene taking pictures, so under the table / bar snapshots are mostly what happens... Case in point, this was yesterday's choice.