mlroseplant

I was pretty sure that I knew what you meant the first time, but I just had to poke you in the ribs a little bit! I did try to resist, but my baser side won out in the end. I guess the problem with the whole concept is that what is considered "normal" and what is not normal is so artificial anyway. Most modern Westerners (male or female) prefer it if women shave their legs. It just looks better. Why is this? It certainly wasn't always this way, and isn't this way everywhere in the world. I am certainly not immune from my cultural bias, I buy into it also. Shaved legs just look better to me. I figure what's good for the goose is good for the gander. But then, most ganders do not wear shorts as short and as tight as I do, so go figure. Don't worry about it brother, I was winding you up a bit.

Tom, I wish I could send you some "bravery pills," but I can't. It took me about 4 years before I was truly comfortable being out in heels all the time. The first time out in heels is a big step, but it is one of many steps in the journey. Jura certainly made a bold statement with his outfit, and for that I applaud him. It's not my style, but I have been down the same exact road as him, wondering if I can wear what I want, and whether people will accept it. You too, will go down that same road. I recommend taking it slowly, step by step, and you will gain confidence. I will admit, even now, there are some days I don't have the energy to be confident enough to wear what I really want in all situations, but it brings some balance to one's life.

I am disillusioned. I had been clinging to the belief that the measure of a man is how he conducts himself, and how he treats his fellow human beings.

Like Esau, I am an hairy man. I won't be able to claim I can grow a beard in a day, but two weeks is certainly not out of the question. I need to shave my legs three times a week for best results, but it often doesn't get done. In fact, I wore long pants today because I didn't get round to shaving my legs, despite the heat. I also have to constantly pluck or cut my nose hair and ear hair. I only wish all this damn hair would have stayed on my head!

Yes, a few months ago, we had this same discussion about how much taller one actually stands when wearing high heels, and I took a few measurements, using a framing square against the wall to measure my height in various heels that I own. What I discovered was, in my highest heels, 5 5/8" (14+ cm) with 1 3/8" (3.5 cm) platform, I gained only 3 3/4" (9.5 cm) in height. Really, there wasn't that much difference with lower heels. Higher than 3 1/2" (9 cm), you just don't gain much in actual height, compared to the heel height.

It depends on how tight the shoes are to begin with. I certainly wouldn't suggest going for a two mile walk using the Steve Method. It's definitely best to relax and read a book or do housework or something, a combination of sitting and standing with very spare walking. I am wary of using a mechanical stretcher with sandals that delicate because I've broken straps before, and that's just a bummer. They work great for sturdier sandals or regular shoes, but that one little band of leather just doesn't take too much torture. I hear you about the blisters, but I have managed to avoid blisters for years. Well, except for when I burned my hand on a hot drill bit a couple months ago, but that has nothing to do with shoes! I always carry a Band-Aid (sticking plaster) with me for such emergencies, and I'm very careful about what shoes I'm wearing if I'm going to be out very long. It's tempting to wear new shoes out, because we're so excited about them, but quite inadvisable until they become a known quantity. I'm sure everyone knows how I feel about wearing hosiery with sandals, but using the Steve Method is the ONE time I would agree with Steve himself that's it's OK to wear hosiery with your sandals! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Those do look rather nice on you, Steve. I'm glad you were able to find something that works. I am surprised that you need a tall in size 18, as you are not super tall or anything, but the proof is in the picture! A little extra length would in fact be desirable if you were wearing higher heels. My body must be super weird. I don't think my legs look that out of proportion with the rest of me, but evidently they are very short! At 5'5", or 165 cm, I generally take a size 4P, and 95% of the time (100% of the time for straight or skinny styles) I still have to have the pants shortened. Luckily, my best friend (and shoe buddy) is a tailor! Thank you for sharing, Steve! If you don't mind my asking, what are those jeans worth, anyway (before the 30% discount)?

I had a close call yesterday. I got these Charles by Charles David wedges a couple of months ago, and as the weather has gotten quite warm as of late, I have been adding them to my rotation. I don’t necessarily love them, but they’re attractive enough I guess. They’re real leather, but not exactly super high quality leather. They’re comfortable. They have a 5 inch heel with a 1 3/8” platform. They’re just solid, casual sandals. I’ve worn them out several times with no problem, but yesterday I ran into a big problem. I needed to pay a couple of bills locally, so I got into my car with a couple of checks and invoice stubs to take them where they needed to go. It was very hot yesterday, and the inside of my car was super hot, I was burning my legs on the seat, and that sort of thing. My first destination was just a few minutes from my house, so the air conditioner didn’t get a chance to cool down the car much. I stepped out of the car, and my feet were so sweaty that my right sandal just would not stay on. My foot kept slipping out of it. Luckily, I only had to walk about 50 feet to get inside the building, and maybe another 20 feet once I was inside. I didn’t think I was going to make it back to my car without having to remove my shoes, it was that bad. I literally had to walk about 1/4 speed to keep my shoes on my feet. Naturally, there was some guy pulling up behind me in his car at the very moment I walked back out to the street to get back in my car. Oh well. Hopefully, he didn’t notice. When I arrived at my next destination, I took a Kleenex (the only thing I had available) and wiped the tops of my feet dry, as well as the undersides of the straps on the sandals, and I had no trouble at all after that. However, that spooked me. I’ve never had this kind of trouble before with any sandal, or certainly not to that extreme extent. I’m a little bit afraid to wear these out again unless it’s under 90 degrees.

All the girls are wearing them now, especially in Vietnam! My lovely niece...

Let's put it this way--I'd wear them!

Don't worry, this gal is basically the Placido Domingo of her chosen field, which is circus acrobat. She's semi-retired now, at the ripe old age of 28! Singing is a much longer career, evidently.

This one is for @Thighbootguy.

Every once in a while, maybe once or twice a year, we have a platforms debate. It usually starts with someone saying something platforms like the ones Mariah was wearing look like she is walking on hockey pucks. Then someone else will have to respond that they love big platforms. It always ends the same, we decide that each of us likes different things, and that's what makes the world interesting, but sometimes the discussion can get pretty heated!

It can be done, but must be done carefully, or you'll break that front strap, and it might not happen immediately. It might happen while you're out and about several days later, and cause you great anguish. Don't ask me how I know this. What I would suggest doing, since you say they're just a little bit tight, is to use the Steve Method. Actually, I'd probably use a modified Steve Method, since it's just that thin little strap in the front. The Steve Method, as promulgated by @Steve63130, is to squeeze into your sandals, get into the shower, and soak them real good until the leather relaxes a bit. Then you can kind of scrunch everything around like you want it. After that, you should wear the sandals continuously until they dry, and that should stretch them out, pretty much in one shot. This process will take several continuous hours, so don't begin unless you have the time. Since you just need to stretch the one strap (technically two, I guess), I don't think you really need to take a shower in them, you could get the same effect simply by getting those straps good and wet with a rag, or by immersing your toes in a pan of water or something. Again, it's very important that you don't remove the sandals until they are completely dry, or they may become a shape that is not the shape of your foot, and that would be bad! I think this method should work fairly well for you. Good luck! And thanks to Steve!

I am no expert at Loubie identification, but I do have the internet to help me! They are definitely not Lady Peep, which has a much smaller platform and thinner heel, and is actually a pretty good looking shoe. They are also not Lady Daf, which has the big platform, but again, a much thinner heel. The only model I could find in a brief search that had a big platform and a thick heel like that was the Altavera, so I'm going with that, until corrected. I'd never heard of this model before, and I can't say I like it much! Forgive me, I'm not trying to stir the platform pot again, please don't take offense if you love this model.