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In my usual walk routine, I have short days and long days. Yesterday was a short day, meaning my walk was but a single mile (1.6 km). I chose to wear "real" high heels, just to up my game a little bit. Not all the way up to 12 cm, but close. Maybe 10.5 or 11, once you discount a little bit for my size 40. There is a big difference between that and my typical 8 to 10 cm walking shoes. If I ever get to the point where the high ones feel completely natural to walk in, that will be something. They weren't bad at all, I just never felt super at ease with them. The entire mile felt like, "Yes, you are wearing high heels."

People get "use to" you looking a certain way. I get questioned at times why I'm not in heels on those rare instance when I'm not in heels. People notice.

Seems like a very nice encounter - the casualness of it is what is most pleasing.

I had an interesting encounter today. Now let me start by saying I was not on a planned outing today. And I was not dressed in any form of female attire, including heels. Today, we had some unseasonably warm weather for September. So I was dressed in shorts, T-shirt, and sandals, very casual. I was out just running a few errands and hitting some of my favorite stores for some window shopping. I was at one of my usual thrift stores that I hit. And that's where the encounter happened. I usually don't have much luck there. But today, I actually found something worth purchasing. As the lady was ringing up my purchase, she said, "i'm surprised you actually found something today. Usually, you come in here, and you don't buy anything." Then she said, "And I barely recognized you today. You're usually in tight jeans and heels. You're dressed so casual today." I told her the weather was really nice today. And she said, "Yeah, we need to enjoy it while we can." Then I finished paying for my purchase and left. Now I have seen her in the store before, and she may have even rang me up a time or two. But as far as I can remember, this is the first time we have had any meaningful interaction. So as much as we say on here that most people don't seem to care or take notice of us. In some cases, I guess the opposite is true. Food for thought.

I've been practicing out in the garage with my 11.5 cm stiletto mules. It sounds strange, but it's the only place I've got where I can walk more than 6 steps in a row, so I can try to perfect my walk the best I can before I take it to the streets.

I’m off to lead another tour, my 12cm stiletto boots packed in my suitcase for after hours practice. I’ve been very slack the past few days, sticking to my 8cm chunky heeled ankle boots. I’ll see how much I’ve regressed when I try them on in my hotel this evening.

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/erin-ton-colorado-fourteeners-high-heels I’m particularly impressed she is in sandals. Mink has created custom heels for her and I guess they hold up to the job!

I did manage to get a photo taken this week of my church outfit. I can tell you this: While I am caught up on the laundry, I am WAY behind on the ironing. I am to the point where I have to scroll through my camera and see whether I'm repeating an outfit from two weeks ago. I decided that it had been a while since I'd worn purple, and it had been a long while since I'd worn my Michael Kors black and tan sandals. One thing about doing this steep heel challenge, it makes shoes like these effectively 4 1/8" heels seem like a little bit of nothing (5 1/8" heel, 1" platform).

I have been looking pretty seriously at Italian Heels. I hear they are nice. @Jkrenzer says they tend to stretch out fast, but perhaps that is not a concern for me. My biggest concern is that a size 40 is a size 40. And should I elect to get sandals, as I am wont to do, do I go with 39? 39.5? One thing about buying cheap stuff on ebay is, if it doesn't work out, there is very little remorse.

Yes I’m fortunate in that regard in having a nice pair of Italian Heels knee boots (their Tina model) in 12cm stiletto heels, scaled up to my size. They fit well and are well made. I think it would be quite difficult to try to master 12cm stilettos that were poorly made. It’s hard enough to master these! Let alone imagine mastering @higherheels 13cm Hot Chicks - which are obviously also well made

That’s an interesting idea. My own efforts have been pretty tame this past week but I hope to do better next week. I’ve been really pleased though by how working with my 12cm heels has really made me comfortable in my 10cm ones. They feel more like extensions of my feet now instead of something I’m wearing. The 12cm stilettos are still a challenge

Yesterday, I did my longest loop, which involves some hills. I was wearing 10 cm heels (not stilettos). It occurred to me that instead of being slightly irritated at having to walk downhill in heels as I usually am, I should look at it as good training for steeper heels. It's a slightly different physical dynamic, but the effect is basically the same.

Yes a good interview with someone from HHP would be very illuminating. As you say, there are some aspects to this feat which would be worth knowing.

I am about to set some durability records, which I will write about elsewhere as soon as they actually happen. However, with one pair, it's going to be a nail-biter. I've owned four pairs of this particular type of shoe, and the same thing always happens at about 100 miles--the shank breaks, and they're done. On pair number 4, I've currently got 105 miles, 10 miles short of the record for this particular shoe model. However, I noticed yesterday that one of my top lifts (heel tips) has started to wear kind of funny. You know what THAT means--impending doom! We'll see if they last another 10 miles in the days to come.

It would be very interesting to interview Ms. Ton, HHP style. The news outlets who have interviewed her thus far have not been asking the right questions! I personally am the most interested in exactly how she wound up picking that particular style. I have many different types of sandals, and that would be almost the last choice I would have made, a single strap across the toes with a closed heel and a strap round the ankle. Evidently, it works for her! But why is nobody asking the question?

Snap! I’m doing the same in my hotel room! It’s so nice to have virtual company in this. I’m finding the hotel room a good place to practice - I can get seven or eight steps, enough to count and it’s a nice activity after a day of being on a tour bus!

Yes, I’m done with mid heels too. I’m in my hotel on the tour tonight with my 12cm heels - renewing my acquaintance!

@mlroseplant Absolutely understandable that you felt a big difference. 1,6 km is not that less and I would also feel the difference between a 8 cm and 11 cm heel. Good job! I'm done with my mid-heels week, my feet are recovered and I'll get the Hot Chicks out again this week 🙂

Back to the question of what does it really accomplish. I personally get it, but I also can see your point of view. I mean, I'm kind of guilty of the same thing on a much smaller level. Why do I keep track of how many miles I walk in heels? What does THAT really accomplish? My answer to that is that it's just fun for me, and if nobody else gets it, that's fine. Nobody except for you guys even knows about my record keeping, so I definitely don't do it for the fame! On the other hand, I wouldn't want to work my job in heels, even though it would be a bit of an accomplishment. I'm not sure what the qualitative difference is, but there is one to me personally.

Very well. I did not get a photo taken of my church Outfit Of The Week, but I did manage to fall asleep in the afternoon, so that I was forced to go out to dinner, being as I woke up too late to begin cooking supper. It was nice enough weather to eat outside, and I was forced to look at our reflection in the storefront windows the whole time. It's all I got. Oh, by the way, somebody I know walked past and said, "Beautiful shoes, as always!" I didn't get turned around in time to see who it was. That sort of comment drives my wife crazy, though she keeps it well hid these days.

Yes it’s encouraging. I think too that my recent efforts to try to learn to walk in 12cm heels has paid dividends in my being suddenly much more at home in 10cm heels

I have reached the "mile"stone last week of having walked 2,500 documented miles (around 4,000 km) in heels. To be clear, it's taken me over 12 years to do it, but needless to say, I've worn out and broken a lot of shoes in that time. Sometime within this month I will break some records concerning shoe durability. I may make it a special new topic to announce such, as no one seems to respond to this thread anymore. It may be getting a little bit long in the tooth.

Fair enough assessment. I am totally biased, since I live in a small town, and people either know me personally, or know me by reputation. I am not aware of any haters. I'm sure they exist, but I don't wanna know.

You look great, and I'm betting those tall heels were fairly comfortable

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