mlroseplant

I have purchased yet another pair of low heels. I really couldn't help myself, as I own this particular model of Söfft sandals (called Sorbonne) in a cork finish already, and I liked them so well that when I saw the same thing in black patent, it took only a week of mulling before I decided, "what the hell, I know I'll wear them."

I now have more shoes than I have designated storage space, and as I look through my collection, I see so many shoes that I bought because they were high, not because I thought they were super cool or anything. It is time for a thinning of the herd. These low heels are definitely cool, and I will definitely wear them. Actually, as of last night, I have already done so. I guess I'm no longer afraid of patent leather.

Anyway, 2 3/4" wedge heel, cool gold accent, 1/2" platform. When wearing them, they actually feel like flats. I would have worn my cork pair more, but I was concerned that they would get ruined easily if the weather or terrain was not fairly perfect. I know from experience that this patent leather version of the same shoe will take quite a bit of abuse (like walking through wet grass) and not complain too much.

On 11/2/2021 at 2:34 AM, Isolathor said:

Picture for November:

I am trying to figure out what exactly am I looking at here? The floor appears to be grated (un-high-heel-friendly), and the background looks like some sort of lap siding, like you'd see on the side of an American house. Only with these weird screws in it. What IS this place?

Oh, and spectator pumps! I haven't seen those in real life in an age! Maybe someday they will come back in style. I always kind of liked them.

How we Americans managed to get it completely backwards when it comes to words for "zero" is beyond me, but we did. In very specific circumstances, we use the word "aught" to mean zero, when in fact the real meaning of the word "aught" means the opposite of zero, and we probably should really be saying "nought," or even "naught," but we don't.

Wire gauge and firearms continue to use "aught" as designators, as in "Bring that spool of 'four-aught' (4/0 or 0000) over here and set it up." The ammunition size .30-06 would always be pronounced "thirty aught six." Double aught buckshot would be another one, where such things are allowed. They aren't here in Iowa. We have to use a slug.

I just gained some further insight as to why most women don't wear heels anymore. In short, it's because they suck at it. Not only do they suck now, evidently they have always sucked at it, but we never knew it. Let me explain:

I had a conversation with my female friend from college (late 1980s), who used to wear heels on a regular basis, but now that I think about it, it was when dressing up only. I do not ever remember her wearing heels with jeans, for example. Back then, we had reasons to dress up on a fairly regular basis, so this probably skews my memory a little bit. Anyway, back then, she would never have worn flats with any sort of dressy clothing, and though it is certain she had more than one pair of heels, the one I remember in particular were plain black pumps wit 3 1/2" stiletto heels. Nothing to write home about, but incrementally higher than the norm at the time.

An aside: 3 1/2" heels? Yes, she left them in my dorm room one night, and I measured them. It seems incredible that they seemed quite high at the time, and they were high compared to what most girls/women were wearing at the time. It must have been sometime around the late '00s when shoes started becoming more extreme. I consider 3 1/2" heels to be mid-heels today.

Anyway, this friend hasn't really worn heels higher than 2" for years, and even 30 years ago, would complain if circumstances presented themselves to cause her to be in heels longer than she'd anticipated. Only now do I understand why. Simple lack of practice. No stamina. However we got on the subject, I mentioned that standing in heels is much harder than walking in heels. She found this bit of truth very surprising. And I was shocked that she found it surprising. I was thinking to myself, "How do you NOT know this fundamental fact of wearing heels? You're a female child of the '80s!" It later came out that she didn't understand that heel tips are wear items, and are replaceable, and should be replaced. The reason she didn't understand this? Because she had only worn 1 or 2 heels down to the nail in her entire life.

I do not know if this experience is typical for the day, but it is another story which reinforces my theory that the reason women hate heels is because they haven't done the preparation to wear them properly.

I have found over the years that I have less of a preference which major branch of English a person chooses to learn. I'm talking about English as a Foreign language of course, we native speakers didn't really have much of a choice. I don't even care about grammar that much anymore, to the extent that bad grammar does not impede the communication process. I think this comes from living with someone whose first language is not English for 13 years.

On a slightly different subject, singing classical music in English sounds much better if you lean toward something like RP. American English has some vowel and consonant sounds that are not really very nice for classical singing.

21 hours ago, Jkrenzer said:

So what was the shoe issue when all said and done. Really a shame those wont work out, they are beautiful heels. Also they look to be nearly 5 inches in height.

As you said elsewhere, perhaps it is only the heel tips that won't work out. One of the things that I really wanted to find out is whether the area right around the toe opening would cause irritation or a blister, which is often the case with such shoes. I have another pair of Chinese shoes in that very style that I like rather better anyway, so the jury is still out on what I will do with these. Actual heel height is 4 3/8". It's a size 8 1/2.

15 hours ago, Pierre1961 said:

Thank you for that story @mlroseplant!

it’s funnily written even if it may haven’t been so much fun for you 

It reminded me some stupid experiences I had. Because I also am a crazy guy. 
Thank you also for that perfectly written and understandable English which gives me the opportunity to practice that language I like but isn’t easy so for me 

Pierre 
 

I do try to write in a less-than-formal style, but one that is technically "correct" enough to be clear. Thanks for the compliment!

Folks, I'm here to tell you that I'm a silly, silly man. Here's a little backstory about my new FSJ mules, noted under the "new shoes" thread. I believe these arrived on a Friday, so I had a couple of days to wear them around the house before Sunday morning. For some reason, I decided I wanted to wear these to church with a pair of powder blue slim dress pants. My top really didn't matter because I was going to be wearing a choir robe the whole time anyhow.

On this particular Sunday, our local college had Homecoming weekend. For years, on Homecoming Sunday, we've had a joint church service with the college at the college chapel, which is just a few blocks from our church. It happens to be a few blocks closer to my house, as well. Since the chapel is not right on a street, it's kind of set back into the college campus, I decided it wouldn't gain me much to drive my car, as I would have to walk quite a ways anyhow after I parked at the nearest spot, why not just walk the whole way? It's not far, about 0.4 miles, or several hundred meters for you metric types.

So here's an added twist: It was pouring down rain. I figured that was a good test of my new cheap shoes, to see if the glues were crap. I figured the water wouldn't hurt the plastic/vinyl material the shoes are made of, but I wasn't sure how they would hold together in the wet. Since I'm not inexperienced in these matters, I stuffed an extra pair of similar mules (in black) in my bag along with my choir robe and music, and I headed out with my umbrella.

As I said elsewhere, I got about a block before I noticed something was amiss. There was no good spot to really give it a good visual check, so I kept walking for another 50 yards. By that time, I could tell that something was definitely wrong. There was no shelter, no place to sit down, nothing to lean up against for a couple of hundred yards, so there I was, on the damn street, balancing my umbrella and music bag, trying to change my shoes in the pouring rain. I finally got it done, and walked the rest of the way to the chapel, by which time my feet were extremely wet and covered in black shoe polish which had transferred itself from my shiny black sandals to my feet. I was slightly late, of course.

It makes a good story, but why didn't I wear more sensible shoes for the conditions, and then change once I got there? I am quite aware of the condition of the sidewalks from here to there, and that it's darn near impossible to not wade through several inches of water during a heavy downpour. It was one of the longest short walks I believe I've ever taken. For the record, I was not the only person who wore high heeled sandals that day. More on that later if anyone is interested.

20 hours ago, Cali said:

My calves come in at 15+ inches, they use to be larger around 17 inches. When I injured my calf I had a 28+ inch circumference calf for a month.

What shoe manufactures label as the Shaft circumference is the smallest circumference which occurs at your ankle. On these boots, at the top, the shaft opens to 16 inches. 

=======

I have had 6 women and one man tell they liked my heels in the last two days.  They must be putting something in the water around here.

This would explain why I find most boots unsatisfactory. The foot part may fit, but the rest of them is simply way too big. I measure 8 inches just above the ankle. The only boots I've ever seen that slim are fetish-type boots, and you know how you and me feel about that.

14 hours ago, Cali said:

Is that the Sizzle?

I need the full zipper to get my feet in.  My ankles have a large girth, so making them bend in half zippers boots just doesn't work.  It too much work to get the heels on and then a lot more to get them off.   You have no self control, I have even less.  I just hoping to be more selective.

It's funny how they recycle names. I have a pair of NW oxfords from 10 years ago called "Sizzle." They have been, to date, my most durable shoes, even if they have a dumb name.

20 hours ago, Cali said:

I got these last year (Nov. 2020) on a black Friday special from Macy's.  Liked them so much that I got a pair in Wine (dark red). They are snug (not tight) on my calves, but I have large calves.

 Heel height - 4.33"
 Shaft height - 15.36"
 Shaft circumference - 12.6"

 

I don't see how this could possibly be right. As you can see below, my calves are bigger than that. I realize there's nothing in the photo for context other than the tape measure, but you know from many other photos that I don't have anything even approaching big calves.

12 hours ago, peterborough said:

Here is a video of me leaving family house at night in my heels,

https://pineway.co.uk/IMG_4616.MOV

I think more of us need to take video. Very, very few have, and I'm among the many. The walk is not bad, not bad at all!

3 hours ago, SF said:

Nice sandals, hope you enjoy wearing them them.....   sf

Welp, I did. For about a block. ONE BLOCK. That's how long it took for me to lose a heel tip. Sigh.

It's been a while since I bought actual heels. In fact, we have to go back to last spring to find actual heels. I've bought a few shorter heels and wedges over the summer, in part due to the still-as-of-yet-unexplained nerve weakness in my right foot, but not any real heels for quite some time.

In an idle search on Poshmark, I found these blue FSJ mules, and they caught my eye. Mainly it was the color that caught my eye, as I have several other pairs of sandals in this style, but it was also the brand and the price. I have looked at FSJ shoes before, but the asking price new is approaching $100, I know they are cheap shoes in general, and I've had bad experiences in the past with the fit of shoes of this ilk. I saw these for 30-something dollars, and is as usual, within 24 hours after I "liked" them, the seller sent me an offer--29 bucks and somewhat cheaper than usual shipping. I decided it was time to see if this brand fits me, so I bought them.

They arrived a few days later in a crunched-up box, but the shoes themselves were undamaged. They were not quite as electric blue as I imagined, but still clearly blue and not black like some navy colored shoes can appear. And they actually fit well! 4 3/8" heel with what I would call a mini-platform. It's not really a platform, just an ever-so-slightly thicker sole than normal, and the sole maintains its thickness all the way up the footbed, so the steepness is still effectively 4 3/8". I haven't worn them out yet, but they seem to be comfortable enough, and most importantly, the length of the toe portion is the same length as my toes. That's where I usually run into fit problems. They've got a good amount of padding, and the heels seem to be sturdy. They don't pass the "rocking" test, but I'm not a big believer in the rocking test anyhow. They always come back to the exact center, so we're good.

Now for the subjective bad: Not a deal breaker, but not my true preference--the peep toes are actually peep toes. They only show two toes, and I prefer shoes that show at least three. That's a personal thing, I think three just looks better.

And for the objective bad: These shoes are awful! Naturally at this price point they're not leather, but whatever these are made of is stiff and cheap looking. However, there was/is no chemical odor that often accompanies shoes like these. There are short threads around the toe opening that are not trimmed off flush. The sole material on the front side of the heel is not aligned exactly as it should be.

After wearing them around the house/garage/driveway for a couple of hours, I am slightly more impressed than I was at first, but we shall have to wait and see until I can wear them in the real world, which I plan to do this very day. I hope the heel tips last the mile that I have to walk, and I hope they don't wind up dumping me on my backside due to a low coefficient of friction. You know how these cheap shoes can be with the stock heel tips. Stay tuned.

4 hours ago, Isolathor said:

She does. The wedges in the pictures were used on the cobbled streets and on the beach. If she is wearing high heels on cobbled streets she is slow, very slooooow ........ so she tends to avoid high heels on cobbled streets as much as possible.

I don´t like wedges, but i guess it was better to see her in wedges than with an sprained ankle. Nowadays she is using flats instead of wedges for the beach and cobbled streets.

Sorry for a picture of non-high heels here in the forum, but these are the wedges from the pics above on another day:

 

I have a couple of pairs very similar in heel height and profile to those pictured here (though not in color or exact design), and I must admit that they are very practical, while at the same time being very cute, and not being a flip flop, Croc, or Birkenstock. It's not always feasible to wear high stilettos everywhere, even though we might like to. Thanks for sharing!

Now is the point where I have to fish or cut bait. The weather has taken a turn for the colder, and rather suddenly, so it Time to Think About Winter Footwear. The time was actually several months ago, but I didn't do that, instead.

So.  .  . here's the deal. I own 4 pairs of boots, 2 knee high, and 2 ankle high. One of each is actually suitable for winter weather, and by winter weather, I mean snowfall. However, my knee high boots suitable for slogging through snow are getting incredibly ratty looking. It's also possible they are no longer structurally sound--I've had to make several half-ass repairs to maintain safety. My point is that I need (or would like, I don't really NEED) another pair of knee high boots with about a 4 inch block heel.

I don't know why I can spend 400 bucks on a new mouthpiece for my son's saxophone, which is not even his main instrument, and not really blink, but the thought of spending less than half that on winter boots makes me depressed. Maybe it's because I like saxophones, and I don't like boots.  .  .

15 hours ago, Cali said:

Those will rarely draw attention.  You will get more reaction from children (because they are looking low most of the time) who will tell their parents. But when you get knee highs and wear them on the outside of your pants, people WILL notice.

Yeah, but it's almost always a good kind of notice. From my point of view, guys can now get away with high heeled boots. On the other hand, I'm very surprised you didn't mention our mutual weakness, shorts with heels, and usually sandals, which tend to get noticed in a less positive light. But even with those, people seem to care less and less as the years tick by, which makes a nice segue into my next thought (See below):

14 hours ago, peterborough said:

since wearing heels i always thought everyone will notice. Wish I had the experience I have now back in 2017.

I got the bug now for sure and the love for heels. Don't think i will be buying any non-heels anymore lol

To be fair, it has gotten easier to wear heels as a guy over the past several years. When I first found the courage to wear publicly back in 2012, things were much different. I got a lot more negative feedback just a few years ago than I get now. I went through the same thought process you're going through now. "I wish I had done this years ago." Yeah, me too, but there's no way my younger self, coupled with social attitudes at the time, could have got by with wearing heels in the 1980s. In short, just enjoy what you have now.

No way! Did the staff still go nuts over your boots?

We are veering off topic here, I understand that, but sometimes you have to grab the conversation where you find it, otherwise it disappears. Pictured below are the extremes of what I own as far as heel setback/curved forward. I must say that like @Pumped, I prefer the one in the middle. Not straight down, but not very curved forward like the taupe pump on the right. Either extreme seems a bit odd to me. Here's where I'm perhaps going to be a little controversial. Having owned my share of high stilettos in various styles, I don't find the heel setback to be much of a factor in walkability. I won't claim it makes zero difference, but I see it as mainly a visual difference, rather than a structural one, with one categorical exception: I have found it to be incrementally more treacherous walking down stairs in setback heels than a heel that is curved forward. It seems much easier to catch your heel on a step in setback heels.

On 10/9/2021 at 12:56 AM, Isolathor said:

And that was not a bad idea! 🤗

Probably one of the few good ideas you've ever had! Am I right? I know my wife doesn't often think much of my ideas. 😆

2 hours ago, Shyheels said:

Not at all. People all around the world are members of the Flat Earth Society!

I understand that members are required to wear Earth shoes, you know, them shoes with the negative heel. They still make those, don't cha know? I done looked it up.

12 hours ago, Jkrenzer said:

Hey you should see the god awful looking shoes my wife wears. It's up to us guys, Helen excepted of course, to keep high heels relevant. 

I still think men actually are better built to handle heels, typically stronger and better weight balance, i.e. no protuding fleshy things up top and forward of our support structure. 

I think it comes down to attitude more than physical attributes. Let's face it, we men who wear heels are highly motivated in a way that women are not. Perhaps I should retract that last statement. Women who are as motivated as we are exist in numbers approximately proportional to men who are willing to wear high heels as their everyday choice. Which is to say, not very many. I have had the opportunity to meet a woman whose high heels skills and endurance are legendary, but I have never witnessed it myself, at least not to the full extent claimed by her friends.

An additional problem is that when going down a steep hill or ramp, it becomes impossible to keep your knees straight, which is something I hope we all strive to do.

20 hours ago, Cali said:

There's a difference? Why didn't someone tell me?  

I haven't bought heels in sometime because I haven't seen anything lately I need to have. They are all too short.

Unless you're talking about designer heels, and those are simply way too expensive. Just like I don't think I could bring myself to spend THAT much money on a brand new car, I don't think I can bring myself to spend THAT much money on a pair of shoes, no matter how cool.