SleekHeels

I like how you've positioned some pairs with one shoe facing forwards and the other facing backwards.

The blazer is certainly a bolder choice than I'd go for, but if I saw you walking down the street I'd think "cool!". The black shirt under the blazer is a nice touch, the jeans are the perfect shade of blue, everything seems to fit well, and the shoes, of course, are fabulous! It's an attention-grabbing look but the overall effect makes a confident statement. A black shoulder-bag would be a nice addition and avoids putting things in pockets and spoiling the clean lines of the blazer and jeans.

On the one hand there's the burden of keeping a secret (or pretending to keep a secret that's already been found out), on the other hand there's the burden of someone knowing and disapproving. There is no right or wrong, it just comes down to circumstances.

Cat

First imagine how you'd feel if you were in your mom's position. Her head must be spinning with possibilities, which is maybe why she hasn't said anything about it.

Your sense of insecurity and vulnerability comes from the pressure of trying ot keep a secret. When I was "discovered" it was a huge relief that the secret was gone (even though my mom totally disapproves). If you feel the need to talk to her and clear the air then you should do that. I would recommend that you approach it as trying to support her in coming to terms with it. Ask her what her thoughts, feelings and concerns are and try to address those as honestly as you can, because her acceptance is dependent on resolving her confusion, not yours. There's no guarantee that she will accept it or even that she'll try to understand, but at least you will know that you did everything you could to support her and give her every chance of coming to terms with it.  Good luck.

If you're really stuck perhaps you could buy a necklace chain and have it shortened at a jewelry repair shop... an 18" necklace chain would give you two 9" anklets if they could attach the correct end-pieces. A shop that sells beads and other bits and pieces for making your own jewelry might be worth looking into.

Thinking about that, with one of the recent pairs of heels that I bought at a large shopping mall, I sat on a bench and changed ito the heels (first removing the labels of course) before walking to a cafe and sitting down to enjoy a celebratory coffee in my new heels. In general I like to buy heels first and then go and buy any other stuff. Even if I don't change into the new heels (usually because I'm already wearing heels) it's fun to carry the bag/box around knowing my new shoes are in there. The only time I can recall buying something before heels was a pair of knee-high tights so I could wear them to try on heels.

After buying new heels I also enjoy buying pampering products like shampoo, shower cream, body butter or foot lotion, although one time I seem to remember buying something from a hardware store. Recently I wore heels (though I hadn't just bought them) on a very rare visit to browse and buy trousers from the menswear department, which felt very odd indeed. I imagined other shoppers wondering if I was buying the trousers for me or someone else, which is much what they may have wondered when I used to buy heels without trying them on (a long time ago).

Fun heels and a very confident look with the skinny jeans, you wear them really well. If I was being picky it looks like those shoes have lovely ankle straps and it seems a shame to hide them under the jeans, they'd look amazing with a pair of 3/4-length skinny jeans

Of course the white version of the heels would look great too!

Your profile says you live in London.

 

Get out in those thigh boots and enjoy. If I could wear them every day (in boy mode) around Hackney, you can wear them anywhere!

Sure, it's not that I'm yearning to wear them and overcome with inhibition, I just tend to like knee-boot styles more. I have very chunky thighs so above-the-knee skirts tend to be more flattering than very short skirts, so if I did wear thigh boots I think I'd like the look with skinny jeans best for me. If I see some thigh-boots I like during the winter season I'll certainly give them a try in store and see how I feel about them. I'd expect to get some looks out-and-about, but perhaps no more so than painted toes and strappy sandals. One problem is the storage, I can barely find space for another pair of court heels, let alone very tall boots.

Practicing bad walking habits with very high heels may just dig you into a hole, I agree with the advice given so far. You should try lower heels and practice/develop good habits with those first, that will be a good foundation for building up to higher heels again. Maybe a wider heel (such as a wedge as Heelster suggests) would help to reduce that leaning out of your left foot, until you can build up your technique and strength to eventually make you more stable with a stiletto heel too. Good luck, you'll get there.

Having lived through the era, I do miss the smartness and elegance that were the norm in female fashion (and not just their footwear) but I don't deny women their right to choose their look rather than feel obliged to slavishly follow a trend, and maybe damage their health.   Many women wore sandals (notably wedge mules, but often flats) rather than stilettos for housework and shopping etc, and still do.   And have we really progressed when so many young girls wear clumpy platforms, short skirts and skimpy tops regardless of their build or activity because it is 'fashion' - I see little elegance or comfort in that?

I guess nostalgia does tend to stereotype previous decades and forget the diversity of those times. That's certainly true of the 70's and 80's that I did live through, and there's no reason it should be any different for the 50's and 60's that I didn't experience.

Lemon juice?

I've never worn thigh boots. There was (and maybe still is in some parts) a similar stigma with fishnets but whenever I've worn them it's been in the spirit of challenging the stigma to say "it's just fashion and fun", and I think if I do ever wear thigh boots it would be with the same attitude. It could be argued that diffusing the stigma diffuses the power too, but I wear my high heels without any sense of stigma but they still feel fun, sexy, confident and powerful. I wouldn't say that the stigma is "garbage" as such: sure the stigma is entirely disposable as far as I'm concerned, but for others it may be central to their enjoyment of wearing thigh boots or heels in general.

Truffles

For sure in my younger days the idea of doing mundane tasks like cleaning, ironing and cooking whilst wearing heels seemed kind of fun, and I agree it probably is good practice for learning to walk in heels. However, the novelty quickly wore off and these days I wouldn't put my feet through that unnecessary discomfort, I'd rather wear nice comfy flats and when I've finished my chores I can relax, change into my heels and really enjoy wearing them because my feet are in a far better state.

Personally I find it rather sexist to long for the days when women didn't enjoy the freedom to wear what they want. I doubt that many of those housewives of the 50's and 60's felt free to wear strappy sandals with all the foot deformities caused from being compelled to carry out their daily lives in heels. I think that being free to take good care of your feet, including wearing "sensible" shoes for walking long distances or standing for long periods, makes it a far greater pleasure both to see and wear heels.

I also didn't feel any joy at seeing that video clip. It seems so rare to see anyone wearing heels these days, so when I do see them it's a pleasure to see them worn well. Any high-heel mishap seems to vindicate all the flat-heeled people shaking their heads with disapproval at our "ridiculous" shoes.

I've never seen a high-heel moment quite like the one in the clip. My impression was that maybe all she'd eaten all week was a stick of celery and a cigarette to maintain the skinny figure that her career demands of her. It really looked like a wobble of physical weakness, and maybe if she got a little energy and nutrition in her diet she'd be very accomplished in her heels. I was pleasantly surprised by the compassion and support shown by the gentleman who came to her assistance and the applauding members of the audience.

It's interesting, somehow I'm sort of upset at the responses I've seen to my pictures.  I know many people usually have different views, which is good even when they disagree or conflict with the original ideas.  This leaves me wondering what it is that has irritated me.

It seems that the responses have been somewhat directed with the aim of helping me choose better options to co-ordinate my look.  I don't mind this.  Unfortunately, it seems that a sort of carbon-copy approach has been established, where somehow a certain look has prevailed here in the freestyle thread.  This is where some of the irritation is placed.

I had to go back and look at the pictures, I must have missed them first time round. I like the outfit as it is, and I could easily imagine a young woman wearing that to a party at a student bar where the mix of formal and casual would fit the context perfectly (and a more conventional coordinated look would be completely out of place).

As guys wearing heels we're always going to "jar" people having to deal with the contrast of masculine/feminine, just like older women have to face the "mutton dressed as lamb" prejudice because they dare to enjoy and have fun with fashion at their age.

Would it surprise you that women are looking for the same qualities in men's legs that we men look for in women's legs?

Yes it would indeed surprise me.... most pleasantly

At first glance before I clicked to see the full-size pictures, I thought you were riding a little scooter!

Much as I agree with you that wedges are cool, it's nice to know that Pennsylvania is echoing with the click of stiletto heels again And overall that's a very confident and fun outfit. I think the strong colour of the tshirt under the denim jacket balances the strong statement of the boots well. It's great to have the choice of blending in with everyday styles or being more bold and adventurous, and you seem comfortable and confident across the spectrum Jeff.

I know my legs will never look as fabulous as the ones on the box of my epilator, but I do try to look after them by doing plenty of walking and occasional moisturising with body butter. Fabulous legs come in all shapes and sizes, you should enjoy looking after yours and celebrating them.

I like the combination of the hot pink, the denim and the black boots. Earlier in the year I wore my hot pink court stilettos with white skinny jeans, a hot pink tshirt and a denim jacket. I sensed some disapproving glances, perhaps because pink is more playful colour compared to say the sensuality conveyed by red. So it was interesting to hear about your pink reaction too.

I got a couple of looks as I walked in and I think I heard peals of childish laughter as I left the building, but that happens.

I know what you mean, but actually any time a child has noticed me wearing heels they've never, ever laughed.

I don't think children are capable of displaying that level of ignorance, it hasn't been drummed into them yet.

Teenagers probably laugh the most, which I find ironic as they think they're being rebelious and non-conformist but their reactions demonstrate profound levels of social conditioning and conformity. Not all teenagers I might add, some young people these days show that they have a conscience far more than I had at their age.

Hops

Maybe you could discuss the cause (i.e. sexual violence) and actually make that your motivation to participate, that's the whole point after all. If you happen to enjoy the event, that's just a bonus.

I agree with Shafted, once your muscles are well-practiced walking in heels you find your natural stride. I switch very easily between heels and flats because I wear both regularly. For sure I could take a larger step size in flats, but I tend not to. Maybe walking in heels has shortened my stride in flats to an overall walk that feels the most natural for me whatever shoes I'm wearing. I'm only really aware of a shorter stride when I'm wearing my steepest heels, that's anything above a 4" rise which is steep enough for a size 7UK.

The other thing that affects my stride in heels is avoiding cracks in the pavement, more so with stiletto heels rather than with flats or wedges of course, or if I'm walking down a slope in high heels.