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It has been a long while since I've shared any outfits, and today is barely an exception. One of my friends sent me a screenshot of the church livestream, and I thought, "At least my posture is fairly decent." The photo is of course, super low-res, but then again, the livestream sound, to my ear, is super low-fi to match the picture.

I took the day off so I could take care of some things. While I was in the grocery store, I saw an older lady (by older, I mean at least as old as me) wearing OTK snakeskin boots with 3 1/2" block heels and a demin miniskirt. I have no idea who she is, but I have this feeling I've seen her before. I was in no mood for unnecessary interaction on that occasion, so I passed up the opportunity to learn more, despite the fact that I was wearing heels myself.

I don't know if this counts as a "practical use," but the other night when I was at choir rehearsal, we did a complete run-through of the piece we had been rehearsing piecemeal, and we stood to do so. It is a very uptempo, high energy piece, and the choir director instructed us to imagine that we were standing on the balls of our feet. Without hesitation I said, "I don't really have a choice." Those within earshot laughed more heartily than I would have guessed, and those who didn't hear me were wondering what was so funny.

I was browsing some online buy and sells, and I came across an ad for someone selling 4 pairs of this brand. They were all the same shoe, but just in diffent colors and patterns. I immediately fell in love with them. And this is exactly what I think of when someone says high heels.They have that "classic" stilleto look. And they are what I would call one sexy shoe! I did some research and realized they are sold on Amazon. They run around 60 to 80 dollars canadian money, which seems reasonable depending on the quality. They say they have a near 5 inch heel. And they come in a variety of colors and patterns. Here is a few pictures of the ones from the ad I saw. And also a link to them on Amazon. I especially like the purple snakeskin ones she was selling. So does anyone have experience with this brand? [url]https://www.amazon.ca/Elisabet-Tang-Women-Pointed-Stiletto/dp/B0BLMPLRYP/ref=sr_1_4?crid=136PDBFSAV037&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CrDKc-ZnmbZ6qS6dJqUSK_Ugc1REV3PiyFIXPWkv-a8u6Jop6UAKGFX6jKp2bqp1SRZ8SBe-cGZwd3mDkR7WQD4KeLyCkZH9uOqdLaKKbVU6JI5ydmQGGt77rNRwzhou3gk-l0qEBtLGYgRCmlfL5OhvHLQgwR5PruycTgQdke7U8x7r7cj1GsCg-BChqeGhE_HALrHZu7HIlhP4iXC-0AO3J3bMf-Ec9SWTjCqnCm61TQ9aB4s79EGtcuYaThbwHAwCi4cpaBD8q6dzORQGUAO1Nw_AcdOXACujcALQk60.Pzbwfo7ML4RFRzXPhluIFRCcAamZxyxPfaugtVz--rE&dib_tag=se&keywords=elisabet+tang+high+heels&qid=1746841257&sprefix=elizabet+tang+high+heels%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-4[/url]

As it so happens, I believe I can help you out on this. I too heard the siren song of Elisabet Tang, and they are not bad shoes for the money. Naturally, or un-naturally, as the case may be, in that price range they are plastic shoes. I also imagine that they are twice the price now for me (but not for you). I'll leave that right there. Here are two things to know: 1) Whoever makes/markets these also sell the same exact shoe under the name Gen Shuo. And I mean the same exact shoe, right down to the detailing on the sole. 2) They run slightly small, and it seems to be consistent with this particular model. 98% of the time, I take a USW size 9, and I can barely get these on in size 9. I bought the cheapest used pair I could find in size 10 just to check sizing, and I discovered that size 10 is not really a good fit, either. 9 1/2 might be the ticket, if I could find them in 9 1/2. When I looked before, they only came in whole sizes. I see in the link you sent that you can get 8 1/2 and 9 1/2, but no other half sizes. This makes me suspicious, because in the feedback section of some website I visited trying to figure out what was going on with the sizing, the company evidently knows about the problem, and said they would take steps to correct it. This seems just like Aldo from 15+ years ago. Remember how Aldos always ran really small, and then they "corrected" the problem? This has been a lot of words to say yes, Elisabet Tang/Gen Shuo are probably worth buying if you like that style, but be aware of the sizing issues if buying sight unseen. As an afterthought, yes the heels on size 9 are every bit of 120 mm, probably more like 122.

So, last week my wife and I spent a few days in France (5 full days in Tours in the Loire Valley, 1.5 days in Paris) before we departed ways to return to our places of residence. I was excited to see what the pulse of fashion was in France and wondered if I would see anyone dressed (in) Houte Couture that included towering heels or other gorgeous footwear. Much to my surprise, the answer was nope, nada, zilch, zero! Although I noticed a few individuals dressed in high style but when such was observed, sadly, it was at restaurants, cafes, or the like. I expected to see a cavalcade of over-the-top fashion, but such was not the case - not even close. In fact, I can only recall two instances of observing individuals with "outrageous" style. Although I did notice quite a few women wearing heels, for the most part, casual comfort was the norm. It was interesting to observe that even though there was a casual vibe about the aforementioned named places, most "everyone" seemed "put together." By this, I mean that it was evident that there was some effort in putting together an outfit and what was worn fit the individual rather well. As we did a great deal of walking or made use of public transportation during our journey (which we both enjoy) only once was I in heels (mid-heel knee boots) during our adventure. This was for a "fancy" dinner near Le Tour Eiffel and a stroll afterwards to a nearby park to catch the light show at 2200. Not all was bad/disappointing as I returned home with a long-awaited, custom pair of black, leather knee boots from Noe of Antwerp. I had ordered the boots in January and knew that I was going to have to wait for 10-11 weeks before they were shipped to me here in middle America. The problem was that shipping for such an item takes about three weeks and thus, it was quite possible they would arrive at my place when I was overseas. Given that, most of the time, I have to sign for packages that originated overseas upon delivery, it was quite possible that they would be returned to the sender if delivery could not be made within a few days after the first attempt to delivery them. That being the case, I had them rerouted to my wife in The Netherlands who brought them with her when we finally met each other at Gard du Nord. In all, I waited four months to finally put my feet in my new boots. Needless to say, the boots are beautiful beyond words and fit like a glove. I love Noe of Antwerp and in time, they will be sole supplier of heeled footwear! I wore these boots for the first time today and what bothered me the most about them was that I had to take them off at the end of my day. So worth the wait and cost to get them!

Well, I would like to think that I "finally came out OK". Unfortunately, I wasted so many of my younger years with self loathing/doubt/insecurity. One of the only advantages of advanced age is that I finally "don't give a crap" about what others think, for the most part. I think I look good in my boots, which is the most important thing....

From my perspective, you did it right. Get that stuff out of the way when it doesn't count for much. You see, I was a good kid. Not perfect, but never caused any trouble. As a result, I didn't start doing stupid stuff until I was in my 40s. Not a great way to do things.

I finally got around to taking some pictures this week. Because the leaves are back on the trees, I now have a built-in place where the sun won't wash out the pictures, so maybe this will happen more often. I have said before that I am not the type of person to walk through the neighborhood with my tripod (or a companion), looking for the perfect photo op. Having said that, I don't usually photo-bomb like I'm going to today, but somehow or other, I managed to take the perfect set. Usually when I do these things, I take at least half a dozen pictures to get one decent one. This time, I didn't delete any of them. They all came out pretty well. Therefore, y'all have to suffer as a result. Today's shoe selection marks the beginning of sandal season, and I took some new sandals for their first public outing, those being Nine West Wilia3. I have no idea what Wilia1 and 2 might be, but evidently, these are Wilia the third. It's not truly their first public outing, because I actually vetted these with a one mile walk a couple of weeks ago, just to see what category they might fit into in my shoe collection, but this is the first time that others could really see them. They were all right for a few hours, and they're all right to walk a mile. They are not uncomfortable, but neither are they a pleasure to wear. They're kind of just there. Nine West is slipping. These are disposable shoes at a disposable price. They are not leather, they are not supple, and they don't appear to be particularly durable. However, they look kind of cool. On edit: Yeah, posting five small photos instead of two medium sized ones is unsatisfactory. I will not do it again, except in special circumstances.

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.

Me either. I discovered this by accident. But now that I have, it is virtually impossible to go back to playing without heels.

Wearing a slight heel actually made standing for long periods more comfortable for me, especially during mic practice when I had to stay fixed in one spot. My weight would distribute better, and I didn’t get that annoying calf fatigue as quickly. Never thought about how the foot angle changes movement on something like drum pedals though — really makes sense. On a different note, I’ve been into styling more with classic pieces lately, especially for work events. I’ve been looking at Hermès pre-loved bags as an option since they mix well with both casual and formal outfits. Found some helpful info on them here: https://coach-bags.co.uk/8-best-new-hermes-handbags-for-2025-reviewed/ – good if you're curious about timeless accessories.

The French have plenty of style whether they are wearing heels or not! Id never heard of Noe of Antwerp. That looks like a very nice pair of boots! I love block heeled boots especially with rounded/almond toes.

Sounds like an interesting person! I like her sense of style

Just purchased these for an insanely low price, £1.75 brand new. Was such an amazing bargain, would have been crazy not to. Theyre the Stessy from Aldo. Im just not sure what to wear with them 🤔 🤣

For sure, you definitely get some extra height. I sometimes like to work standing up and if I am in high heels that can be awkward because then I’m too tall for working on the counter and it’s an awkward resch

What about changing light bulbs in your home? I have 9 foot ceilings in mine, and while I can reach up and just touch the lightbulb, I have to stand on my tippy-toes to do so. With high heels on it is possible the last part of that would be negated?

It doesn't take much in this day and age for someone to ask, "Why are you so dressed up?" We have always been headed toward the sloppy, but I think the pandemic accelerated the process. A button down shirt and pants that are not jeans will do the trick. The bar is pretty low. Of course, because I habitually wear heels, I'll always be singled out. I just feel like I can't wear heels, no matter how casual, and otherwise dress like I just got ripping down a plaster ceiling. So maybe the whole thing does keep me better than I really am. Pivoting back to the true original subject, I can't really come up with more things that are easier to do in heels, but I can come up with one thing that I thought should be way easier in heels, and it just isn't so. With the prevalence of online shopping, I'm sure most if not all of you have run into those plastic air pillows they often use to pack items for shipping. I think it's a great invention, WAY better than styrofoam packing peanuts, but you have to pop all of those bags in order to dispose of them in a reasonable volume of space. I figured stiletto heels would be the perfect tool for this. Uh, no. Does not work at all. If the pillows were blown up really hard, they might work, but blown up as intended, stilettos do not cover enough area to actually burst the bags. Perhaps if you put some sort of sharp object on the end of the heel it might just pierce the plastic, but then you'd lose the satisfying BAM! It's an idea that should work, but doesn't work all that well.

I think both @mlroseplant and @Shyheels bring up what probably is the most important aspect of wearing high heels, and that is, the importance and long-term positive effects of wearing high heels; its about how they make you feel. We live in such a negative downtrodden world where people dress how they feel. What so few people realize is that studies have shown numerous times that dressing up can help lift your mood and improve your self-assurance. My wife and I almost always dress well, whether going out to eat, going to church, or even to work. Surprisingly it is other women that give my wife a hard time; the hairy eyeball, snide comments said in the bathroom so she can just overhear it, and downright vile words spoken to her, all because she dresses well and takes care of herself. For me, I don't hear those same things from other men, but am sure a lot of people think we dress up so that we feel we are "better than them". We don't. We just like to dress well because of how it makes us feel about ourselves. But it is hard to quantify that. It is much easier to state that rolling dough in high heels is easier on my wife's back then to state how wearing high heels and making her feel more elegant produces a more self-esteem within her. But at times there can. Despite working as a blue collar worker in a powerplant, two days after deciding to dress well before going in and out of the plant and dressing into work clothes in the locker room, I was approached by management and asked to be the Safety Coordinator when the outgoing one retired. TWO DAYS! So if it makes you feel good, whether wearing heels is something almost nobody sees or everyone does, it is going to give you better self-esteem and that will transpire into better overall health and well-being.

In a similar vein I feel more creative in heels, my writing and editing flows better. I think because I’ve liberated myself from those restricting conformist views that prevented visual self expression. As well, the pleasurable feeling of wearing heels inspires me to get up at regular intervals and walk around - instead of sitting g blued to my desk and computer. It’s a healthy side benefit

I was trying to think of anything that I can do more easily in heels besides knead bread dough, which these days I rarely do anyhow. Do I sing better in heels? I think I do, but it's probably all illusion, and there's no real way to test it. I can't think of another thing that is actually easier to do in heels. I'm trying to think through my everyday routine, and if I'm honest, there's nothing that heels don't make harder, if only incrementally. Then it hit me. It's not something one would normally think of as being a practical use, but if I didn't have heels, I probably would not exercise nearly as much as I do. Y'all know that I like to pound the pavement in heels on the regular, and I have just thought to myself that I would probably be more tempted to sit here in front of this computer and talk about heels, rather than going out and walking in them. As an ancillary to that, I no doubt take way better care of my feet and ankles than I would if I didn't wear heels.

I can clean the top of my refrigerator and reach the items in the back of my tallest shelf in my kitchen.

My wife like to cook and when we redesigned our kitchen she wanted to put in a place to roll her dough that was a little lower than the rest of the counters so that she could get on top of it and really push down. It was a want and not a need and there really was no way to incorporate it into the kitchen. Instead, he keeps a pair of four inch heels in the cabinet underneath, puts them on and is just enough taller to make rolling out her dough easier. Its a very simple solution...

That’s an interesting result! Who would have guessed. I find wearing 3-4” heels can ease back problems - muscle spasms etc so I knew they had their practical uses, but that’s a new one