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I broke one of my own rules yesterday--don't wear dressy shoes with a casual outfit. However, I was going through my shoe collection, trying to get it under control. This involved some vetting, or re-vetting, if that's even a thing. As a result, I wound up wearing black patent pumps to the grocery store to purchase some comestibles. They are 11 cm, and definitely keepers. I felt the need to re-vet because I actually had to wipe the dust and cobwebs off of them, so it's possible that I haven't actually worn them since Christmas 2024, the last time I distinctly remember wearing them. But is it too much for a non-dressy outfit?

Almost nobody believes me that any heels can be comfortable, not even speaking of 4 inch heels...

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day who said, "R. doesn't believe me when I say that four inch heels are comfortable." My response: "Yeah, I'm the only one who believes you."

That’s a good age to stop. I’ve never seen a 111 year old who could convincingly carry off short shorts. They try, but there’s just something missing …

I only know them because of their height chart that we already discussed. Of the two I only know Fuss-Schuhe, I have a few heels from them. I can recommend them, they're good quality at a fair price.

I still like to wear short-shorts in the summer with my heels. I feel very comfortable wearing those ensembles. Happy Heeling, bluejay

Bikinis and weight do not correspond so well because women do not wear bikinis just because of what they reveal. Being guys, most of us have never tried to take off a wet, single piece bathing suit while in a rush to go to the bathroom, but watching any lady over 50, or with some weight issues try it, and it will quickly be ascertained why the bikini is so common to see. But drunk people, young children and leggings: those are the three things that always tell the truth! PS: I think my mom made me wear short-shorts during a summer in the late 70's-early 80's when she decided my sister and I should do track. Don't ask me about the year she decided my sister and I should do gymnastics. I am still traumatized by that.

Yes! I’ve noticed this! I come back from a long walk into town in my mid heel boots and put in my 12cm stilettos and they feel more manageable than when I just put them in at the start of the day.

That's also a good way of practice, to get higher throughout the day 😉

Joined in 2006. Don't visit as often as I should.

Not at all. The shoes are obviously classy but in an understated way that allows you to dress up a casual outfit - it’s a good look

I also went with mid-heel boots - warm suede OTK boots whose 8cm heels are easy to walk in. It was warmth more than heel height that was driving my choice. Our temperatures are not as cold as yours, but we have an insidious dampness that has a serious magnifier effect as far as discomfort goes. Once back in the boat with the fire going I was back into my 12cm boots - and yes, like you, I’m still not very good at them

Since I have the time on my hands at the moment, I finally dove in and attacked my shoe problem. As a result, I now have a little bit of shelf space where I had none before. I am prepared to do a new shoe inventory, the first in two years. There are significant changes since then. For now, I want to share with you a pair of sandals that I actually threw away. You would think I'd have noticed this defect before, and I guarantee they weren't always like this, but how did the heel of this shoe become so badly bent? I cranked on it pretty good trying to figure it out, and the heel is quite securely attached. The only thing I can think of is that the shank has become twisted somehow without actually breaking, which wouldn't surprise me a bit, because they are (or were) Michael Kors, a brand I've had long experience with, and they all have weak shanks. What do you think?

Although I started off the day yesterday with a whimper, I am happy to report that I ended with a bang! Yesterday morning, I decided I was too tired and too cold to bother with my "high" shoes, so I walked in my mid heeled boots instead (9 cm block heels). By mid morning, the sun had come out, and the temperature rose to almost -5º, so I put on 10 cm clogs and walked to take care of some business with our county government. Before I went to sleep last night, I got a notion to keep the momentum going and walk in my 12 cm oxfords. As of this writing, my calves are not screaming too badly, just feeling a little tired. I'm still not very good at the 12 cm.

I haven't run into this situation in quite some time, but it never feels good. I can certainly empathize, and as others have said, you must move on if you want to keep your sanity. This fellow was obviously somewhat less than sane.

I agree with you 4” heels are comfortable and great for wearing all day.

I read this as if "Person X" is generally a person who's out for confrontation. If he wouldn't have confronted you for your outfit or whatever he probably would have for something else. I can imagine that you get attention for dressing more feminine, but that shouldn't keep you from doing it if it's what you want. I also get attention for my outfits although they're actually normal in my view, but I guess it's the heels that drag the most attention - which is also my intention. I vary my outfits mostly by the shoes. But what seems different is that I don't get confronted. People like your "Person X" are the ones who discretely but noticabely roll their eyes and make comments about me behind my back. I learned to ignore them as I don't want to have anything to do with them anyway.

You're brave wearing pumps in these weather conditions! Right now we have temperatures above 0 again where pumps could work but I still rather go for boots 😉

And they are comfortable - as long as you buy decently made, decently fitting heels there is no reason to be uncomfortable. My 12cm heels may be a challenge for me to walk in gracefully, but they are not uncomfortable, at least not in a painful sort of way.

It’s too bad. I have a few pairs of pumps and a pair of boots from them. They seemed to be good quality, and even the 15cm boots are as comfortable as the height could be.

Yay! I did it! I definitely should have worn my balaclava, though. It is still not anything approaching warm out, especially with a 20 km/hr wind that has kicked up in the last 30 minutes. Part of my problem is that I do not own a pair of boots that exceed mid-height (to us, anyway), so I am forced to wear pumps if I want to go truly high. In this case, with an effective steepness of 10.7 cm. I can definitely tell that it's been over a week since I've really walked in anything actually high. Keep on keepin' on, my friends.

I know what you mean! I’m tottering in my 12cm boots this morning, feeling very unpracticed. Utterly vile weather outside - horizontal rain, 80kmh (50mph) gusts, a temperature of 1°C (34°F) and a windchill of -13°C (8°F). Just had to go out - not in heels! - for a half mile walk up the flooded towpath with a dolly to a boatyard where I could buy a couple bags of coal. I was getting low and this was no day to run out. Now back aboard by the fire and feeling much more civilised in my heels - even if I totter about the galley as I make my coffee …

The hand warmers were for @pebblesf standing outside at an outboard engines swap. I could see them also useful when ice fishing. Or skiing when it's -10 F, or after surfing in 50 F ocean water.

Awwwwww, don't be too hard on yourself. I have found EVERYTHING slows down in the winter. Yes, that might be in wearing high heels, but other things as well. It's not a bad thing. I learned that growing up on a farm. With no field work to do, we could slow down in the winter and enjoy other aspects of life more. Like playing pond hockey or going snowshoeing. I normally go for my walks daily, but with temps below zero and high winds, I have been putting it off. But that is okay, we are on the other side of the equinox and so the days are getting longer, the sun is higher in the sky, in another month things will be vastly different, and February is a very short month.

Well, for starters my pyjamas are basically warm track suit bottoms and a T-shirt and I’m just not going to wear those with stiletto boots. My stilettos are for dressing smartly. That’s just part of the deal. Indeed wearing heels has boosted my game in terms of dressing well for the home office. It’s just that one these chilly mornings, until I get the fire built, I’ve lingered in my already warm clothes and then get too focussed on work and forget. i don't need hand warmers. Once the stove gets going I’m plenty warm enough! I just need to take the time to go get dressed in my jeans and boots and return to work I'm somewhat relieved to hear that @mlroseplant has been slack in his heel wearing too, but I’m clearly losing ground big time to @higherheels whose now rocking her 13+ cm boots!

Oh, I’m not. I’ve done some nice writing actually. It’s been really chilly and damp in the mornings and my focus has been more in hot coffee and building a fire, and staying in my still-warm pyjamas instead of putting on cold jeans and my stiletto boots!

@mlroseplant I'm in my 70's and still can rock the short shorts. I think I'll stop at 111 years old.

I have been appallingly slack this past week and hardly practiced at all in my challenge heels - or indeed any heels at all. I’ve been getting up and building a fire and then plunging straight into my novel writing, not bothering to get dressed for work as I usually do. I keep telling myself I’ll just finish this section and put in my jeans and stiletto boots but somehow it just slips my mind. I really must get my focus back and out of these slovenly habits …

Admittedly, there is a fine line between self confidence/empowerment and self awareness. As I get older, I question myself more and more about my fashion choices, particularly shorts. Through a combination of dumb genetic luck, and a little hard work (diet/exercise), I do feel I can still pull it off. For how much longer, I do not know. However, there is a lady in my town whom I've known for decades, and recently got to know a little bit better through a book club we were both in. She wears shorts, though not as short as mine, and not with heels. I was putting two and two together, thinking about who her children are, and who her parents were, and come to find out this woman is 67 years old. 67, and still has very nice looking legs and cute feet. Admittedly, that is super rare, but maybe there is hope for me.

Yes, I know that he sold the business and that his wife died a couple of years ago. We used to get together and show off our new heel purchases and go shopping at my area stores when he visited me. We used to correspond regularly but I have not heard from him in over a year now. I even tried to call him on his cell phone with no luck. Happy Heeling, bluejay

I like both pull on boots and those with zippers. The zip boots have a neater snugger fit around the ankle and calves, and while pull ons are necessarily looser around the ankle, if well fitting they still look quite sharp

It is kind of sad how often that happens to innovators of society: they have a wild idea that is outside the mainstream and act on it, and then... it fizzles and dies. Typically right before it is picked up again and goes big by some entity that really had no early stakes in the game. A great example is the McDonald brothers who made meals fast, but it was Kroc who bought them out and took their idea internationally with the McDonald's we know today. I do too, and almost always do when I write on here. If I am home and lounging, I typically have my "soft pants" on, or leggings on, as in they are not jeans like when I work, or work in jeans around the house. In the winter, I am in leggings 100% of the time, as they are under my jeans for warmth, or I am in the house lounging.

He seemed like quite a nice guy. We corresponded a bit, but a long time ago now

Yes, I remember him. It’s been a long time since I heard from him

If you remember one of our members Steve, from Ohio sold men's panty hose as a business. I have several pairs of his panty hose. I really like them very much with the built in fly. I don't know whatever happened to him as I have not heard from him in over a year. Happy Heeling, bluejay

The only reason that I sort of care is because, well, I'm going to need some higher heels. As you know, I have quite a number of heels in the 11 cm range, but only one pair that is really wearable in public that is 12 cm, and I think that pair is kind of ugly, mainly because of the design of the toe. Also, if I wear anything but skinny jeans, it looks like I have no feet. At any rate, it looks like I have two remaining options: Fuss Schuhe and this outfit called the Highest Heels that keeps showing up on my Instagram feed. Or the designer route, but I don't really want to pay that kind of money. I'm willing to pay a couple hundred bucks for the right shoes, but not a thousand. For that kind of money, I'll buy another obscure musical instrument. Did I ever show you my early 20th century Conn cornet?

I think Go-Go Boots were just a product of their times. In the 1950’s you had McCarthyism here and a push to conform on everything. I mean if you need an example: the flat top haircut? With a bit of age, those in the late 1960’s and 1970’s railed against everything typical. From shag carpets to avocado-colored appliances to strings of beads to use as doors to miniskirts: EVERYTHING was a trial of sorts. A kind of throw everything out there and see what sticks. I see Go-Go Boots as part of that era… and overall effort. Some things that did stick are miniskirts and the bikini but only because they are also practical besides just fashionable. My wife wears a bikini but only because at 52 years old taking off a wet one-piece bathing suit requires human manipulation that borders on being a contortionist! I would never condemn anything of that time as I wish today we had some of that embolden fashion behavior. For many guys on here, you do. (Me, I am more demure unfortunately) The combat boots of the 1990’s were a variation of the Go-Go Boots I think, started about the same time that bellbottoms had a short resurgence. But then so did the resurgence with low budget horror movies that brought onto the screen people flailing in sinking sand. Talk about a cinematic trope straight out of the late 60’s! I think Go-Go Boots are well poised to return to mainstream fashion, just with a slight twist of some sort. What is old is new again after all. But I see them making a return…

Ive worn thin wool base layers for cycling for ages and they look absolutely no different then feminine leggings or heavier denier pantyhose - it’s just the name. They’re indispensable when you’re out cycling for hours in the cold. By the same token, since I started wearing knee and OTK boots I’ve really come to appreciate warm ankles and calves on cold winter days. guys really need to put aside all this nonsense and just wear what is comfortable and what they personally feel looks nice - and forget about these made up fashion rules

I think, but I am not sure, that after 13+ years, that just maybe I am finally beginning to get the hang of this whole high heel thing.

I have to laugh a little bit about that, I'm sure it's absolutely true, but by the time I came along, at the very tail end of go-go boot time, they were being worn by 8 year old girls. And not with a mini skirt. And yes, I got the chance to try on a pair of these boots--sort of. The neighbor girl, Julie M., had a white pair that were lace-up. No zipper. I do not remember the circumstances, but for some reason she allowed me to try on her boots. I'm guessing I was 8 years old, she was 9. Something like that. Her mother was very suspicious of what we were doing behind the closed door of her bedroom, so of course I never got to actually walk around in these boots, which couldn't have been more than an inch high. And yet, this rather thrilling experience (for an 8 year old, at least) never translated to a love of boots as an adult.

I have a problem that I didn't have before. On the weeks that I actually get a photo taken of my church outfit, I am wont to post it on my usual thread "Ruminations, etc." Now that we've got this higher heel challenge going, sometimes these subjects overlap. After warming up in my training shoes in the snow, I wore these effectively 11.3 cm pumps to church. I'll post the whole outfit (or at least what you can see with my winter coat) on my other thread. Like we keep saying, take a cm or two off the height of our "training" heels, and it's actually pretty easy! Nobody but you folks believes me, though. Brand of these shoes is GenShuo, and I really cannot complain about the quality, for what they are. They seems every bit as sturdy as my usual Steve Maddens, and they offer just a smidge more height. They obviously are not expensive shoes, but they aren't ridiculously cheap, either.