mlroseplant

We have a Croc problem in our household, and I'm ignoring it for the sake of Domestic Tranquility. As many of you know, my wife is heavily invested in selling her product at two different farmer's markets. I believe that part of the secret to her success, other than making a product that people seem to actually want to buy, is that she presents herself differently than most vendors. She always wears a nice dress to these farmer's markets, never a t-shirt and jeans. And lately, Crocs. Luckily, they aren't really croc-y Crocs, but they are Crocs nevertheless.

Before the Crocs, which I am sure she found at a thrift store for a few dollars, she used to wear these silver Bandolino sandals with everything, which she claimed were the most comfortable shoes she had. Of course, they were modern Bandolino, not vintage, so they were junk, and broke in rather short order. Which is too bad, because they were actually cute. I couldn't find a replacement for a price she wanted to pay, so I bought her some Söfft sandals in coral patent leather, identical to the pair that I have in nude patent, which I consider to be a very comfortable shoe, and I don't mean comfortable for high heels, I mean comfortable period.

In the meantime, she has found these damned Crocs, and wears those for every market, rain or shine. Wants nothing to do with the sandals I bought her. I quit mentioning it, even though it drives me crazy to see her in her nice dresses.  .  . with Crocs.

On 10/10/2021 at 2:45 PM, Chorlini said:

Strange, because I bought from them and they fit like a dream. Best fitting made in China heels on the market. Which says a lot as most made in China stuff has sizing systems so incomprehensible you're far more likely to decode Olmek hieroglyphs. Then again, it's possible. In an infinite universe anything can happen.

On 10/10/2021 at 3:51 PM, Pumped said:

I can buy most any USA brand, (that probably made in China), and they fit like a glove. Nine West, Guess and many others. Onlymaker was terrible. The length and width was fine, but the shape, curve of the innersole was way off compared to other brands and simply did not fit the bottom of my foot.

This seeming contradiction doesn't surprise me at all. @Jkrenzerand I have the same contradiction, only with Hey Si Mey shoes. This is another Chinese brand that is of higher quality and sturdier than most. Krenzer has often touted the merits of Hey Si Mey, and I know he's bought many several pair. The trouble is, that brand doesn't fit me. Like Pumped's experience with Onlymaker, length and width are fine, but something else in the proportions is way off compared to my personal foot. Which is too bad, because Hey Si Mey makes a lot of cool shoes at a reasonable price.

3 minutes ago, Chorlini said:

It looks like a British telephone booth, and like the London double decker busses those tend to be quite popular as collectibles. I know a house in my city which has one in its garden. So I can see it standing in some German town or city as well.

Oh, duh! I told you I notice weird things. I didn't even bother to read the English word "telephone," I could just see it was a phone booth. Thanks for pointing that out!

I once had a pair of orange wooden heeled mules, and I wish I still had them. I bought them because they were very tall (or so it seemed to me at the time), and they were my size, and they were cheap. Unfortunately, I had little experience at the time, I couldn't walk in them properly, plus they were ORANGE. When was I ever going to wear them, and with what? I got rid of them. How could I have known that years later, I would have the experience and the patience to have found these sandals not only walkable, but rather comfortable, and that I would have no problem wearing orange sandals out and about?

I cannot tell you what other people find interesting, but the two things which caught my attention are probably a little weird. No. 1, is this picture somewhat old, or can you still find public phones in Germany? I haven't seen a phone booth around here (Midwest U.S.) for years. No. 2, was the choice of exposure settings on purpose, or did the photos come out that dark unintentionally?

On 9/27/2021 at 9:58 AM, SF said:

I wear heels not to be noticed, I wear heels because I enjoy it.  Nothing more, nothing less.  If someone wants to wear heels to be noticed, you may be disappointed, unless of course you wear ultra high "stripper" heels or something similar.  In that instance you may be noticed.  I don't wear "stripper" heels...  ha ha....   Smile, enjoy your shoes...   sf

I was walking through my neighborhood a number of years ago, which is near a college, and I was stopped by an earnest young man and his girlfriend. He was genuinely curious about my reasons for wearing such outlandish garb. Back then, and I can put a rough date on this because I can remember exactly what I was wearing, at least from the waist down. This was back in 2014, probably about this time of year. I was experimenting with skinny jeans, or at least slim jeans, for the first time. Up until then, I had worn boot cut jeans in an attempt to sort of hide my heels. I can clearly remember that on one of my first outings in skinny jeans, I get flagged down by some kid who wants to talk.

At the time, I was not nearly as comfortable with myself as some people would have you believe. When people would make comments, as did happen from time to time, I usually panicked to some degree or other and became tongue tied. Or in this case, said stuff that didn't come out quite the way I intended. At the abrupt end of our conversation, the young man asked me something to the effect of, "Well, I suppose you like the attention you get with those shoes." My answer, which was heartfelt but unintentionally harsh, was "Actually, the complete opposite is true. I really wish people would leave me the hell alone." The young man looked rather crestfallen and wished me a good evening. That was kind of a dick move on my part, wasn't it?

I found this picture taken in mid-August which shows off my Bruno Magli "Kira" wedges, pictured by themselves not far above. I had sole protectors put on these, since the stock leather soles are almost comically thin. I cannot comment whether it has made a difference in comfort or not, since I didn't dare wear the shoes outside much without the sole protectors, so I don't have much of a comparison to make. I will say that wearing shoes with no platform at all is a far different experience than wearing shoes with even a small platform. I won't opine on whether one is better than the other, I can see advantages to both.

The upper bands are very soft suede, almost velvet. It's possibly a stupid material to be wearing here in Iowa, as inclement weather could happen at any time, predicted or not. I do have them sprayed down well with chemical protectant, but it still seems way too delicate to last for years. This particular pair is size 38 1/2, and that's barely big enough. I wish they were 39 or even 39 1/2, but I don't think they look terrible. What I really wish is that they were about 5 mm longer in the back, but everything else were the same. That's getting really picky, I realize.

4 hours ago, chesterx said:

Found these while browsing Nordstrom Rack. I had stopped going there as they severely reduced the inventory of heels in my size last year. I had a stop close by so I walked over to kill some time. Sure enough, there were no size 13's at all, & very few in size 12's, none of them I cared for. These caught my eye on the size 11 rack as I walked by them as the color quite stood out to me. I just got in a satin cowl neck blouse in that exact shade of orange & thought these wedges would have looked cute paired with the top. I started to leave when I thought I would try them just to see how the color worked with my skin tone. I was pleasantly surprised to find I could get my feet completely into them, with just a smidge of tightness across my toes. Checked the price & they were only $28, so I took them home. I wore them to dinner tonight & they felt pretty good, the snugness seems to have kept the strap from chewing up my toes, like most of my strappy heels do. Gonna try a longer outing & see how that goes, but so far these are a winner.

Brand: BP. Giana Platform Wedge Sandal In Coral Camelia - 4" w/1" platform

 

I can see where these are walking the razor's edge of being too small, but they don't look bad at all! Sometimes sandals are more forgiving in the size department if you're willing to be patient.

On 10/5/2021 at 9:08 AM, SF said:

 

They will be a fine practical winter time shoe for running errands and a casual shoe when heels and sandals won't work. 

 

 

I'm trying to figure out when that would be, particularly if this is the alternative. It's not as if you bought a heavy boot for slogging through snow. My conclusion: You just like these for some reason, and that's ok! 😃

19 hours ago, Cali said:

Don't we all? When you wear in public for any length of time you get a reputation.  I suppose that your church might think the END is near if you stop coming in heels. 

To be clear, we're not an End Times kind of church, but if we were, you might be right! Also to be clear, if we were an End Times kind of church, I would quit. Back in the Real World, what would probably happen is that several people would be concerned that I had injured myself or something. A woman at choir rehearsal last night seemed way more concerned about the fact that I was wearing shorts (the temperature had dipped into the mid 60s by that hour, or < 20º C) than what I had on my feet.

Yes, this looks terrible! If they were going to make this change, they needed to change the whole uniform to be more casual. If it's the heels that are objectionable, why not go to low heeled oxfords, such as men commonly wear with suits? That would look way better than what is pictured here. Even if you were going to do trainers, why not just a plain white tennis shoe? Even that would look way better.

The way I figure it, you just never know what you'll run into around here, so it's best to wear wedges if there is any doubt, even though I'm not a big fan of wedges. They are practical in some situations. Of course, it would have been more practical to wear tennis shoes, or at least flat sandals, but one has to draw the line somewhere. I've a reputation to maintain in this town.

On 10/4/2021 at 2:15 AM, HelenInHeels said:

There is a big difference between boots and stilettoes. From my experience i can tell you that expensive stilettoes wear out as fast as cheap ones, the ones with metal-tips are more durable than the plastic-tipped ones. Plastic-tips can be ruined with a few outings. Whereas good boots with a chunky heel can stay alive for long, long times. Boots with stilettoe heels with wear out quick as well.

That is why I quit wearing stilettos for actual walking a long time ago, the heel tips wear out far too quickly. I've never tried metal tips, but I find hard rubber tips to be acceptable as far as wear, and they are not slippery on tile floors. Still, a good quality stiletto rubber tip will last only 5-8 miles (8-13 km), and that's under my 135 pound (61 kg) frame. Even slightly thicker heels will last many times that, so that's what I wear for serious walks.  Going to church, going to the supermarket, going to a restaurant, sure, I'll wear stilettos. Pounding some serious pavement, such as for exercise? Forget it.

On 9/27/2021 at 10:09 AM, SF said:

Glad you be getting mo bettah.  It's good to not be the only person in heels!!  What style of heels were you wearing?  Nice picture too, I have a pair of very similar sandals (I like that style), but with a bit chunkier heel...   Have fun...  sf

I appear to have made even more progress since last week--I'm to the point where I can walk almost normally in tennis shoes, though my heavy steel toed work shoes still trip me up (literally). As far as what shoes was I wearing for the parade? I can't remember, but I know they were heels! I also know they would have been wedges, because I had to walk across gravel and grass for my duties, and I would have anticipated that. I may be crazy, but I ain't stupid.

On 10/1/2021 at 3:21 PM, AlexC94 said:

This is what they have for size chart but I refuse to believe that a 40 can be an 8 when my Giaro boots were 41 yet a 7 and therefore fit me perfectly. 😕

So in short: I'm really confused but I'm somewhat closer to buying a pair. Maybe on the edge of buying.

I can pretty much tell you, don't believe that particular size conversion chart. I don't believe I've ever run into a situation where U.S. size 9, or U.K. size 7 equals a 39. I've made the mistake of buying 39s before, and they're way too small. Obviously, things are not consistent, even among high quality shoe manufacturers, but I would trust your instincts on this one, and pretend that U.K. 7 = 40. Or like Helen says, maybe even in this brand, 41.

On 9/26/2021 at 10:15 AM, SF said:

Thank you Argentina.....   smile...   sf

 

And also, Don't Cry For Me. 😆

I have never been one to care about what label is attached to an item. I don't even care whether it's a Ford or a Chevy any more. As long as the car starts, or the shoe fits, or the pants don't fall down, I'm good. However.  .  . somehow or other, I own 4 pairs of Miu Miu shoes, and I actually wear all 4 pairs on a fairly regular basis. For some reason, that brand fits me well.

It was small town parade time on Saturday. My son was playing in the marching band for the first time, so I wanted to get some pictures and video for my far away family. Quite by accident, I discovered what must be the only other person in the entire crowd who was wearing heels besides me.

I think I am back, as far as wearing higher heels again. I was going through a period where I was beginning to feel clumsy, awkward, and uncomfortable in anything much exceeding 3 inches. I'm sure it has something to do with my neurological condition. I wore some 4 1/2" heels (no platform) to church yesterday, and was fine. Tired, by the end of it, but fine. Now, if I could just get back to where I can walk normally in flats again.  .  .

I guess I am headed to a neurologist sometime in the near future. I just had an appointment with the doctor to discuss the results of the MRI of my back, and got to witness a rare thing--the doctor actually admitted he was flat-out wrong about the cause of my dropped foot. The MRI clearly showed that there is nothing wrong with my back, at least nerve-wise. And yet the problem still persists. It's a lot better than it was, even from last week, but it persists.

I was having a conversation with a distant acquaintance (in other words, we recognize each other, but I barely know the guy) the other day, when suddenly he asked what my pronouns were. I did one of those involuntary looks where my eyes go all the way to one side and then return to center, as in "What the hell are you talking about?" I then realized what he was getting at and I replied, "Ummm.  .  . he and him?" as if it were a question. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. Hopefully I didn't sound too dismissive.

Typically words that describe wishing to impersonate someone of another gender will get flagged, I have found from personal experience. There may be others.

21 hours ago, Henri1942 said:

Thanks for sharing.  Pics would be nice

Maybe I'll recreate the outfit as soon as it comes out of the wash. That's the only way you'll ever get any pictures of any of these farmer's market outfits, as my son is back in school and doesn't come with us anymore. My wife is too busy for such silliness, and even if she weren't, she would purposefully cut my feet out of the picture.

I should have gotten comments last night at the farmer's market. I didn't. Maybe it's because there are a lot of people walking around who look way more interesting than me. But it was kind of a slow night, so maybe that has something to do with it. It was also unusually hot for the middle of September, so I continued my usual habit of wearing shorts. I chose my pink Loft shorts, which are slightly dressy, if that is even possible with 3" inseam shorts, but it's the term I like to use, to differentiate them from denim cutoffs. A very light blue collared t-shirt with a graphic pattern on it and my Bruno Magli "Kira" wedge sandals completed my outfit.

I was complaining that I was out of practice wearing actual high heels the other day, so I decided to kick it up another notch and wear the shoes pictured below. They are nearly 4 inch heels (3 7/8", to be exact) with no platform, and maybe this causes them to look less than impressive on, but they are definitely steeper than what I've been wearing all summer. I dumped some money into these sandals by having sole protectors put on, as I figure the ridiculously thin leather soles wouldn't last half an hour in the real world. I don't know why so many designer shoes do that to you. It's almost like adding insult to injury at the prices they want.

This market basically requires you to be on your feet for 5 hours. The first 4 hours were just fine. The last hour was.  .  . how shall I put it.  .  . a very sensory experience. I won't say painful, that's really not the right word, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either. I told you I'm out of practice! Now, the next morning, it appears that I got by with it, I can feel no ill effects.

@Jkrenzer, I'm glad you've finally gotten the opportunity to wear you heels more openly at work. I often wonder what it would be like to wear heels to work every day, and I've never quite been able to wrap my brain around it, as I really can't wear heels in my industry. I've thought about some jobs I could do which would allow me to wear heels, but that would just be stupid. Why would I give up a good paying career I actually like for the opportunity to be shunned and ridiculed? I'm 90% kidding, of course, but sometimes these thoughts do bounce around in one's head.

17 hours ago, Jkrenzer said:

I like that, we should all call him chipmunk.

As long as you don't call me "late for work." It's funny about nicknames. They can't really be forced, either for good or for evil, they just sort of happen. My name started out years ago as "Ground Squirrel," probably because I was in charge of site grounding (or "earthing," and some of our brethren say). It was my first real foreman gig, and they about near ran me to death. I pretty much hated every minute of it, but I survived and became a.  .  . I don't want to say better person, that would not really be accurate. Let's say I because a more mature person because of that experience, and I still have the name to remind me, albeit within mere months of its inception, it was truncated to just "Squirrel."

Still no word from the doctor. If I don't hear something today, I guess I'll have to call him myself.