Shyheels

My narrowboat has about 240sq ft of living space. I pay no council tax anywhere. I do have to buy an annual license - presently about £1300 - which entitles me to cruise the 2000-mile network and moor along the towpaths pretty much anywhere as long as I move on every two weeks. License costs are definitely going to by going up in a big way, especially for those of us who live in the canals and have no home mooring.

King George II supposedly described an English summer a “three fine days and a thunderstorm”. Three hundred years later things haven’t really changed 

I saw this in the New York Times this morning - Yves Saint Laurent is showing off men’s thigh boots (not heeled) in their latest collection. The review - written by a guy - was what I would have expected: scoffing in tone, with references to “S&M dandies” and Robert Mapplethorp and an assertion that few, if any, people would actually wear them

it was hard to tell from the images, but they did look a bit clompy but not absurdly so - not like some of the really weird stuff you see in catwalks. But it was dispiriting to see such a mocking review of what could have potentially opened up the idea of men in tall boots.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/29/style/saint-laurent-mens-wear-boots-paris.html

Your MIL sounds like a real piece of work. She needs to learn, or be told, to mind her own business.

If they are available, I guess you can buy them but in terms of broader society and acceptability - let alone fashionability - I’d say no.

If I’m going to buy something, I just do it. I don’t try to cover my actions with any spurious conversation with the sales person. I just make the purchase and let them think whatever they please.

its none of my business what they think.

Your post prompted me to go measure mine. They vary from 1.5” to 2 ⅜ “ and my slender, not quite stiletto heel, is ⅜ “

Likewise skinny jeans, which I favour as I like to wear my knee boots over my jeans. They too are controversial, especially in older males - these seem to be considered a women’s fashion, excusable in younger hipsters but off limits to older men (unless you’re Mick Jagger) 

I like skinny jeans and wear them as a matter of course, whether I’m wearing heels or hiking boots, and have long stopped noticing if I get funny looks for doing so - just as I’ve long stopped noticing if anyone notices that I’m wearing knee boots (which I nearly always am - heels or no)

Yes there are a lot of boors in the world - wearing sweatsuits and pyjamas to to their shopping, and I saw an article last week where airlines in the US are now bringing in dress codes for passengers - with such challenging demands as no travelling barefoot. I can’t even in my wildest dreams imagine heading off to the airport barefoot to catch a flight  Apparently it’s done often enough to require a rule.

So I’m not surprised to hear you and your wife are the odd ones out at social gatherings. 

My heels are generally fairly chunky. I haven’t measured them but I would guess a couple of inches across. My stilettos - Italian Heels - are very skinny, and I’ve one pair of slender but not quite stiletto heels that are perhaps 8mm across

I doubt very much I have influenced anyone - nor am I likely to on the canals. 

I am very similar in my pickiness about boots. THey've got to strike a chord, otherwise - no. As you say it can be something seemingly minor but that's all not takes. I like clean classic lines and elegance in the heel shape and styling, whether it's stilettos or block heels.  Three to four inches is my favourite height, although I love the imperious elegance  of 12cm stilettos. 

Like you, I'm always worried about wearing out my stilettos and so tend to go for the more solid heels. 

4 hours ago, pebblesf said:

I have been wearing my block heeled ankle boots the most lately.  

A style I love. Along with go-go boots, block heeled boots were what attracted me to feminine footwear in the first place. I love them. I’ve always preferred boots to shoes and high heeled ones seemed like racier more daring forbidden versions of my usual style. I like stiletto but block heeled boots are “me”

Nice to hear the knee boots are getting an outing! I've not been wearing heels much these past few weeks. It's been quite nippy here and I've been wearing my heavy suede OTK boots with low heels - they're so nice and warm. 

It tells a story, doesn’t it? I always liked the American Victorian style, with its gables, turrets, bay windows and deep porches. Its distinctive. You don’t see that style over here so much, or at least not timber framed and clapboarded. 

Very presentable - and yes I can imagine it was rather nippy!

I think that the quality that enables one to do that comes from within rather than external appearance. The confidence, belief, and genuine self expression is what nails these things 

Perhaps you’ve become an influencer! 

In Australia a house of Edwardian age is called Federation Style because 1901 was the year the various Australian colonies formed the nation known today as Australia. 

Well! A first! A couple moored up beside me in an old narrowboat and she was wearing chunky heeled knee boots. The heels were not terribly high - about 2.5 inches, but definitely heels and the first I’ve seen along the canal. Nice boots too!

While not being a fan of mini shirts in general, I don’t see why anyone should wear one at any age if they are comfortable wearing them and it makes them feel good. I would not worry about how many candles are on the cake when making style choices - just what appeals to you and makes you feel good.

I’ve never seen one before 

I have a couple of female friends on Instagram with whom I chat about fashion, one of who me was instrumental in convincing me to try a skirt - the midi skirt I bought a couple of weeks ago.

The people at the shop where I bought it knew the skirt was for me, or at least they guessed it was. I didn’t say anything either way, just made it a straightforward ordinary transaction. 

Well in one of the Jurassic Park movies the park’s publicist wore high heels - even while being pursued through the rainforest by a T-Rex - giving rise to all sorts of hilarious memes. By those standards having a woman in herls in an abandoned factory is not that big a leap.

Apparently the producer in Jurassic Park (2 or 3) told the actress she didn’t have to wear heels but she felt they were right for the character - as indeed they were.

I too have read that about balance and so, yes, it would follow from there that wearing heels would have a benefit.