at9

The Museum of London has a series of large photos displayed in the foyer. These show members of staff dressed in various costumes from the museum's collection and placed in a setting from a different period. This photo shows a prosperous merchant from around 1750 with a car from the 1930s(?). Note the clearly visible heel. Apologies for lousy phone camera picture taken in relatively poor light.

At the Royal Institution today for a lecture. The director of the RI is Baroness Susan Greenfield, an eminent scientist and aged 59.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Greenfield,_Baroness_Greenfield

She looked stunning in HH pumps that were certainly over 4". Walking in them with complete and utter confidence. Looked at least 10 years younger than her actual age.

She was actually at a different event in the same building, I saw her escorting a member of the royal family, probably the Duke of Kent, not the sort of event I'm likely to be invited to:smile:

In other words, when EU 42 is touted as UK 9, you might be lucky if the sizes run large, but generally UK 9 needs EU 43.

BTW US womens are UK size plus 2. US mens are the same as UK size.

I concede to Xa's greater experience but I've found a one size difference between UK and US mens. Hence UK9 = US mens 10.

I certainly agree over the confusion in the size 9 area. I've alsways thought of UK9=EU43 so it's confusing to see some shoes labelled as UK8/EU42. As always, the only way you'll really know is to try them on.

And I may be wrong but the number of holes punched in paper for a binder Us is 3 and Im guessing Brits have 4.

British/European standard is actually 2 holes. 4 holes are often used (the middle pair are the same as the 2 holes) because 2 holes are not really enough. The British/Europe paper sizes (A4 etc) are a rational set of sizes which replaced a huge range of older ones.

How do you say: EE-ther, or AYE-ther?

And, in the UK, the spelling 'courseness' is considered to be a coarseness!

Of coarse it is [sic]

There is even a Corse Parish Council whose spelling leaves something to be desired:

http://www.corse.org.uk/

(There are also villages in England called Ugley and Nasty but I don't think we can match "Truth or Consequences" in New Mexico)

I'm usually OK on US/UK translation but could somebody from the US explain the usage of "shut" over there. In the UK we can say "the shop is closed" or "the shop is shut" and they mean exactly the same thing and are perfectly good UK usage. But in the US if you ask what time a shop shuts it doesn't seem to be understood.

An answer from somebody who really knows. Thanks.

Thinking about buying these from New Look but they only go up to UK8. I really need UK9. Does anyone know if New Look stuff runs big or small? Also these look like they have a fair bit of adjustment in the straps.

http://www.newlook.co.uk/women/footwear/limited%20edition/1669009/166900918/productdetails.aspx?vid=1669021&language=en-GB

Superb boots. Fortunately my credit card is safe since, as the good doctor says, they aren't available in size 43.

Jean Gaborit has a wonderful range http://jean-gaborit.com/en/ While I can't speak from personal experience other comments in this forum say the quality is excellent. Alas price is a rather higher than your budget. And mine too, otherwise I'd have at least one of their styles.

Eng: Keep your pecker up = US: {censored}

Eng: Beavering = US: {censored}

And a gesture:

Eng: 2 fingers raised with palm facing away = {censored}

US: 2 fingers raised with palm facing away = 2 items or number 2

Eng: No 2 = US: #2

Eng: Tart = US: Tramp

Eng: Tramp = US: Bum

Eng: Bum = US: Fanny

Eng: Fanny = US: {important place for tramp}

I'm fairly fluent English/American, what fools me is Canada where they sometimes adopt British usages, sometimes American.

England/Britain/UK = a bit complicated for residents, let alone foreigners. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uk

May I commend this as a partial explanation. The piano sound has gone a bit funny but that doesn't really matter.

I have 3 pairs of Faith footwear (2 boots, 1 shoes) and all fit well. I am UK9/EU43 and Faith have a very good selection in this size.

I've never seen bigger than EU42 in UK Nine West. Remember that most, if not all, NW footwear in the UK is marked with US sizes so don't get your hopes up when you see a size 9. I'm also EU43/UK9. I've tried a on a few shoes and boots in NW and most are definitely too small.

If any of you know where I can order normal fashion boots in a size 11(UK), I would love to hear from you.

If you want more conservative styles then Evans go up to UK11 and their footwear tends to run big so you may want their UK10.

When you buy gasoline, is it liters or gallons ? Distances are in miles or kilometers

In the UK petrol and diesel are sold in litres (not liters:smile:). Distances always in miles, speeds always in miles per hour. Fuel consumption usually quoted in miles per gallon. If you want real confusion go to Ireland. Although they have officially changed over to kilometres there are plenty of distances on road signs still given in miles. And don't some of those leprechauns wear thighboots?

Sombody loves them a bit too much.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/8095635.stm

The National Trust (a charity that looks after a lot of countryside and many old buildings in the UK) bans sharp heels from inside its properties. Look towards the bottom right of Page 1 of this leaflet which is typical of all NT properties. They usually define sharp heels as those covering an area smaller than a postage stamp. They offer protective slippers to those who have to remove their shoes.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-sudbury_welcome_leaflet_08.pdf

Worked fine for me in Firefox. Assuming she's not used to that sort of height she was walking pretty well in them.

My pet hate is people going on about their pet hates. (see definition of Recursive)

I believe the essential qualification for joining the National Front (a nasty band of thugs in the UK who masquerade as a political entity) is that your IQ is less than your boot size.

I haven't done any IQ tests since playing with Eysenck's "Know your own IQ" book when I was in my teens. I was getting mensa entry scores back then but I'm sure quite a few of the old brain cells have died since then. I never did join mensa, despite being encouraged by a former girlfriend. Not sure I wanted to join that kind of dating club:smile: Also I'm a Marxist (Groucho) - I wouldn't want to join any club that would have me as a member.

If you're in the UK you can hear Sandi Toksvig wearing high heels for the first time on today's episode of "I've never seen Star Wars" on Radio 4.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j0h9n

Available until the 18th March.

Later in the programme you can hear her walking on stilts.

Saw a shop in the West End recently that had a good selection of small sizes. Blowed if I can remember where. Maybe St Christopher's Place area near Wigmore St?

Thanks for pointing that out. Each case is different. On my boots it was obvious that the surplus leather was at the back of my calves so Achilles' method of remaking the rear seam was the right answer.