lotsofheels

The highest heel I can handle comfortably is 6 1/2 inches, but I only wear them when I will be on my feet for only a couple of hours. My preferred height is 4 inches and the lowest heels I own are two pairs with 3 inch heels. I even have high heeled sneakers and high heeled hiking boots, but the heels on each of these are 3 1/2 inches at the most. I don't own any ballet boots and don't really like the way they look although I admire the people who can stand/walk in them. That shows real commitment to wearing the highest heel possible.

I had a fantastic day while Xmas shopping for my wife. I happened to be walking by a shoe store in the mall and spotted a fantastic pair of ankle boots in the window. It turns out this is the first time I have found ankle boots with a 6 inch heel other than on-line and I couldn't wait to try them on. The sales clerk asked me if I needed any help and I asked her if she had the boots in size 10. She returned in a minute with the boots in my size and I told her I would like to try them on. She waited while I put them on and then told me they looked fantastic and asked me how they felt. I was surprised at how comfortable they felt and walked over to a floor mirror to see for myself how they looked. Then she told me that she couldn't believe how well I walked in heels so high and wondered if I had worn such high heels before. I told her that I walked in 6 and 1/2 inch heels every day for at least half an hour on a tread mill and that 6 inch heels were really no problem for me.

Kossitch, I can certainly sympathize with what you are going through because I think 99% of men who have never worn heels in public before experience many of the same feelings. What I would suggest is to at first wear regular men's shoes to scout out several stores that carry women's shoes, including large department stores, until you find one with a very friendly female sales clerk. When she asks you if she can help you, say that probably yes in a few minutes after you have looked around at the shoes. Then pick out a pair of heels that you like, but that have lower heels than you really want and ask her if she has those shoes in your size. If so, ask her if you can try them on and then walk around a bit and ask her how they look. She'll probably say they look great and then ask you how they feel. Tell her they feel fine, but you really prefer a shoe with a higher heel. Ask her when they will be getting more styles in and then go back later wearing your own high heels. You'll find that once you have broken the ice, that wearing high heels in public will become easier and easier and at the same time much more pleasurable.

Another update on our daughter's progress in developing their love of high heels. Laura is now 8 years old and wears 3 1/2 inch heels whenever we go out together as a family. Sonia is 10 and has gotten very competent in her 4 inch heels. Both girls began ballet lessons last year to strengthen their feet and learn to be able to dance on their toes. They decided that when they turn 18, they want to wear 6 inch heels all the time like their mother and even occasionally wear ballet boots in public. I think all the earlier replies warning about harming the development of our daughter's feet were appropriate if they weren't prepared to strengthen their feet through training and exercise.

In reading the previous posts on the subject of running in high heels, I think it makes a lot of difference how far you run. I regularly jog for 2-3 miles in 5 inch heels 3-4 times a week and have done so for the past 4 years. I have gotten so used to this that I can spend all day in 5 inch heels and feel only slightly tired at the end of the day. Since I also spend considerable time in low heel shoes (under 3 inches), I don't seem to have any problem with shortened tendons or an inability to be out of heels. On the other hand, my wife, who doesn't jog, but also who never wears heels lower than 4 inches and mostly 5-6 inch heels, is very uncomfortable walking without heels on. So I think the total time in heels rather than the type of activity while in heels is what determines whether one becomes permanently required to wear heels.

Another update on our experience with young daughters wanting to wear high heels. After 3 months it became evident to my wife and I that our little girls' desire to wear high heels like their mom and dad was not a novelty that was going to go away. We decided that having them wear heels around the house all the time was probably not the best thing for the development of their feet and came up with the following compromises that were agreeable to them. 1. No high heels when playing either indoors our outside. 2. High heels allowed whenever out of the house such as shopping, sightseeing, movies, restaurants, etc. 3. No high heels to school until 9th grade. 4. Heel height increases limited to 1/4 inch per year starting at 3 inches at age 6. Therefore, no 6 inch heels until 18th birthday!!!!! Our daughters actually liked this compromise because although it reduced the total time they were in heels, it allowed them to wear heels much more in public than our previous arrangement.

While it may be true that for any given heel height, smaller feet look better than large feet because of the higher elevation of the arch, this is a little misleading because in the end a larger foot can tolerate a higher heel no matter what the basic style of shoe. For example, a large foot in a ballet heel can extend to a higher point than a smaller foot. Although I don't wear any higher heel than my wife who wears shoes 3 sizes smaller than me, I could.

I originally tried to go to 4 inch heels immediately after not wearing any heels and couldn't believe how much it hurt my feet. I then discovered that you have to gradually train and strengthen your feet to walk comfortably in high heels. If you spend time gradually walking in heels starting with 3 inches and adding 1/2 inch each month, you'll be amazed at how quickly you'll be walking like a pro in heels over 5 inches. There is a physiological limit to heel height based on foot size, but it is definiitely over 5 inches for any adult foot with a reasonble amout of training. Anyone who considers quitting after mastering 4 inch heels is definitely not a true high heel asficiando.

I don't like a platform over 1/2 inch nor any heel height that I can't walk in for more than 30-45 minutes. For now, that limits me to 6 inch heels although I'm working on a pair of boots with 6 and 1/2 inch heels that I think I will be ready to walk in soon. I work out on a treadmill for at least 1/2 hour per day and sometimes more. I'm determined to eventually be able to wear 7 inch heels without any platform but that may be the limit. I am lucky to be a male with size 10-11 women's shoe US. The larger your foot, the higher heel you can tolerate. My wife has only a size 9 women's. I am really envious of men with larger shoe sizes although I know it gets harder to find decent high heels shoes, the larger your feet.

My wife totally shocked me today for our anniversary. She has arranged a trip out of town tonight to go to a fancy restaurant for dinner, followed by a night of dancing at a club followed by an overnight stay in a hotel. The shocking part is that she presented me with an outrageous pair of white patent leather ankle boots with a 6 inch stilletto heel that she ordered especially for me to wear during the entire trip. She explained that she chose white so that there would be no chance that anyone would miss the fact that I was wearing 6 inch heels for her. Of course she will also be wearing 6 inch heels as usual. Once I got over the initial shock, I asked "what's next -- ballet heels?" She replied that the thought has definitely occured to her and that just in case, I better start practicing over the next year.

Just came across your post and found it a fabulous resource. While my wife and I have both had an interest in ballet heels, we really didn't think they would be practical for wearing outside. Imelda's videos certainly changed our minds and now we can't wait to start learning how to walk in the ballet boots we have just ordered.

I have a suggested training method for those who would like to wear 6 inch heels, but find it very uncomfortable to do much more than take a few steps in them. My wife used this method to master walking in 6 inchers after one year and I am now using it myself. Begin by walking every day for a half hour in 4 inch heels. After one month, walk for 5 minutes in 5 inch heels and 25 minutes in 4 inchers. Each month add another 5 minutes in the 5 inchers and 5 minutes less in the 4 inchers. Beginning the 7th month, walk for 5 minutes in 6 inch heels and 25 minutes in 5 inch heels. Again each month, add another 5 minutes to the 6 inchers and subtract 5 minutes from the 5 inchers. After one year, you will be able to walk over 2 miles in your 6 inch heels. Of course, if you are already comfortable wearing 5 inch heels for extended periods, you can skip the first 6 months of this regimen. The key is to gradually train and strengthen your ankle and calf muscles to allow you to walk with your foot in a highly elevated position.

My wife and I both agree that Stilletto heels with no platform look great on women and that stacked heels usually look best on men. The only exceptions are that my wife owns one pair of non-stilletto shoes that are high-heeled running shoes with a 4 inch heel and I have one pair of stilletto shoes with a 6 inch heel that I only wear at home when I'm dressed in a corset and seamed stockings for love making.

My wife and I were in Target yesterday to start our Christmas shopping and saw a great looking pair of ankle boots with 5-inch stacked heels for $30.00. She asked me to buy each of us a pair so that we could continue the rest of our shopping wearing matching boots. Since we spent another 4 hours shopping, both of our feet were very tired when we got home, but it made the shopping trip much more fun and exciting for both of us.

I have a pair of high-heeled sneakers with a 4 inch heel which are perfect for training on a treadmill. I also wear them for real casual wear when I don't feel like wearing a pair of leather shoes or boots like walking around the local park or day-long shopping trips.

This shoe would be perfect to wear at the beach. It not only looks practical for walking in sand but also would not look out of place being worn with a bikini.

I have one pair of six inch heels without platforms that I use for training purposes, but I never wear anything in public over 4 inches. I don't like to wear stillettos in public and find ankle boots with a four inch non-stilletto to be both super comfortable and great looking with a pair of jeans. Also, my wife loves it when I wear heels as long as they are not as high as hers.

Wanted to give another update on rearing children in high heels. Our six year old has moved up to 3 inches and our eight year old, not to be out done has moved up to 3 1/2 inches. They wear them all the time while at home and my wife and I decided to let them wear them out with us once a week to a restaurant or movie. We also decided to let them know that I wear high heels some times and have begun wearing my 4 inch heel ankle boots when we take them out wearing their heels. My wife wears one of her 6 inch heel shoes or boots on these occasions so everyone knows who is still the champ. We all enjoy these outings a lot and my daughters think its really cool that their Dad likes high heels as much as they do.

The only logical purpose for the shoes pictured that I can think of is for wearing at the beach. Stillettos are really not practical since the heel would sink in first causing the wearer to fall over backwards. These shoes would seem to place the weight evenly under the foot of the wearer. I don't find them particularly attractive, but if its the only alternative to walking flat-footed or walking on tip-toes without any support, it may be a good shoe to wear.

My wife has gotten quite good at walking short distances in 6 inch heels but I have never mastered that height. While I do have one pair with 6 inch heels, I only wear them for training purposes on our treadmill. Since I don't wear stilletto heels in public, all of my shoes and boots have 4 inch heels at most.

Its interesting that someone would think its fine for a girl who is over 18 to wear heels any time she wants and is apparently not necessarily doing it to attract boys but just because she enjoys wearing heels. Why is it automatically different when the girl is only 15, 16, or 17? It would be very hard to explain to a 15 year old why high heels have some hidden meaning when their happily married mother loves to wear high heels all the time, even around the house.

Just want to provide an update on the results of our daughters' desire to try wearing high heels. My wife and I took them out to a shoe store a couple of weeks ago and let them try on several pairs of shoes each. Our six year old picked a pair with 2 1/2 inch heels that she could walk in quite well and our eight year old picked a pair with 3 inch heels. Since they brought these shoes home, they have worn nothing else while in the house and its obvious they are going to be dedicated high heel wearers from now on. Even though they beg us to let them wear them outside, we are not going to change our minds on that, and we won't let them get any higher heels for at least six months.

Thanks for the thoughtful replies we have received so far. After considering the input we have gotten, we sat down to discuss the matter with our daughters and came to the following conclusions that are agreeable to everyone. First, we are putting no restrictions on our daughters wearing high heels in the house as we want to encourage them to learn to wear high heels as soon as they want to. Second, we will allow them to wear high heels in public after their 13th birthday, once they can walk competently (i.e. for at least a mile on a tread mill) on 4 inch heels, but for no more than 5 hours a week until they turn 16 years old. Third, they can wear high heels to school one day a week after 9th grade as long as they make and stay on the honor roll. Finally, no restrictions once they reach 18 years old.

My wife and I have a dilemma concerning our daughters age 6 and 8. They both want desperately to start wearing high heels and my wife and I are in a quandry as to how to respond. We understand where they get their desire from because my wife absolutely craves wearing high heels and do so from morning til night -- always from 4 to 6 inches. Still, we feel that our daughters are both too young to start wearing high heels and wonder at what age we should start letting them. Four questions: 1. Should we put an age limit on when they can start wearing high heels? 2. Should we put restrictions on the height heel they can wear at certain ages? 3. Should we limit the amount of time each day that they can wear high heels? 4. Should we limit at what age they can wear high heels to school? Any thoughts anyone has on these questions would be appreciated, especially from anyone who is a parent of young girls.

I don't like platforms and find it uncomfortable to wear heels any higher than 5.5 inches. My wife is able to handle 6 inches, but I don't know how she does it because her feet are two sizes smaller than mine. I have tried training my feet in six inch heels by walking on a treadmill, but my calfs start aching after only walking about half a mile. Because my wife and I both wear heels all day long, every day, I don't think I'll ever find anything higher than I now wear to be practical. The only time I wear anything lower is when I go hiking. I have a pair of hiking boots that have just 4-inch heels.