Shyheels

That’s my same circular argument. I don’t wear stilettos much as I am not proficient enough, but I can’t get proficient enough without wearing them. In my case it is complicated by the fact that I am usually moored along a muddy towpath and not only would wearing stilettos be silly, it would just wreck them.

Like you, I do have stilettos that I wear while working, so yes, I suppose they’re technically work boots - my favourite being a pair of lovely black suede OTK boots with 4” heels by Jean Gaborit

My Scarpa mountaineering boots - purchased 1999 - were top of the line boots, and Scarpa is a very respected boot maker. I don’t know where they make them now, but mine were made in Italy of top quality leather and heavy Vibram soles. I have had other hiking boots, some from reasonably well known high street brands, that barely lasted a year. You really do get what you pay for in a lot of cases (but not all!)

Yes you do a very good job of putting things together. With my ensemble of boots, jeans and jumper there is little room for your style of creativity. I could never do the leather miniskirt - although I admit that the other day I noticed an ad for a leather midi pencil skirt, calf length, that did pique my interest, something I could at least imagine with my OTK black suede boots

Undoubtedly having some supportive and, better still a high heel aficionado who can offer useful tips, hints and critique as well as enthusiasm would be wonderful. And a bit of a unicorn, I’m afraid. My heels, the ones I wear regularly, tend to be modest ones - 3 to 3.5 inch chunky heels in ankle, knee and OTK boots. I’m not so concerned about my ability to walk well in them, at that height and chunky heels to boot, it’s not hard, but would welcome fashion advice about what to wear with my boots - what style/shade of jeans, or style/colour of jumper, coat or shirt, with which pair of boots. I’m never confident of being well put together - and there is virtually no fashion advice columns for men who aspire to wear tall feminine-style boots

I’ve never worn pumps. I think I’d be worried about the same things. At least with boots there’s no stepping out of them!

It’s quite a juggling act. Confidence comes with experience - but getting that experience requires an initial dose of confidence. Finding that is the hard part. And yes people will notice that you are in heels, or tall boots, or both, but not all will notice. A surprising percentage ent notice a thing. And if those who do notice few will have anything to say. Stilettos will obviously carry more connotations than chunky heels which can, to a degree, be ambiguous. It will also help if you are open enough to establish what is your natural style in heels and go with that. Positive feelings will build confidence. Don’t turn wearing heels into a numbers game - the higher and more precarious the better. Remember it is a fashion choice - so choose what you like and want without reference to anyone else.

Great topic! Although my interest in feminine boots stemmed from a liking of go-go boots, I’ve always been partial to boots over shoes and with the exception of my cycling or running shoes, I only ever wear boots - and gave done since adolescence, growing up in the mountains. I lived in hiking boots through university, where I studied geology and archaeology, and my choice of career has allowed me to continue in the same vein. I’ve no neckties but plenty of pairs of boots. My oldest pair, and still much in use, is a pair of Scarpa mountaineering boots, made of a very tough suede with heavy Vibram soles. Been to Antarctica many times - warm and sturdy and although now 25 years old are still going strong with plenty of use left in them. I still wear them occasionally on the towpath. I’ve a pair of De Walt steel capped work boots as sometimes I land assignments where safety footwear is mandatory.they are all right, not uncomfortable if worn with thick socks, and pass muster when I need to get access to industrial sites. I e several pair of knee-high biker or engineering boots from Jean Gaborit which I absolutely love. My present go-to boot is their Kansas patrol boot in heavy black leather which has seen much service over the past year (and looks it - I need to buff them up) I’ve a pair of their chocolate brown knee high Vezin engineering boots which I also love. They are the most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned and would wear them more except they are so hard to get off. Getting them on is easy - a bit if a push - but removing them is hard. While they are on they are wonderful comfortable. I had an assignment once where I was pretty much in my feet for 36 hours and wore these the entire time without the least discomfort. Since I often wear heels while writing or editing, I suppose I could call those work boots too, but I shall stick with these! ,

You’re definitely better off without them in the Middle East. Think of dark mediaeval prisons and the sorts of things that happen there and embrace the flat-heeled life. I have a heavy Barbour oilskin coat that I wear all the time in winter and like quite a bit - I’ve had it 25 years - but I don’t miss it in the summer. That’s just not the season for it. Ditto my Panama hats. I’ve some very fine weave Ines, but I don’t miss wearing them in the winter. To everything it’s season …

Five inch heels are very high for a workplace

Thigh boots came in with the mini-skirt. Roger Vivier introduced them in ‘64 and they were a hit. Think of the iconic shot of Brigid Bardot on the Harley. The go-go boot came in the following year, with sales given an added boost by Nancy Sinatras iconic These Boots Were Made For Walking. For those fond of boots the mid to late 60s were definitely not boring!

I’m coming up on my 11th anniversary. My trajectory is somewhat similar to yours. I loved the go-go boots worn by a very pretty red haired girl and wished I could have a pair just like them. But I so believed the so called rules that I honestly believed it was impossible for me to wear go go boots - as though these things were encoded in our DNA and couldn’t be changed. It was quite a Damascene moment when I realised many years later that I could wear feminine boots or heels if I wanted to

Happy anniversary and Happy Thanksgiving! Yes the site has certainly become much quieter in recent years but the people who are here and active are all worth knowing and I’m glad to be a member

What a lovely outcome though! And how nice that she approached you with the same comment about seeing another heel lover. It’s lovely. A pity she’s moving away, but what a nice memory

There are lots of destructive people around, unfortunately, people who feel threatened by any form of self expression by those around them. It’s a unfortunate fact of life. Ignore them and seek better company. That can be difficult but keep looking and keep open. Nice people are out there. In the meantime be as supportive as you can and cut the negative people out if your lives completely

Was it the entire sole or just the heel? I can see a heel coming off in a performance but not the entire air.

I agree. Not much interesting in todays music. It’s all pre-packaged and derivative. Nothing original, just created by committee with predictable results.

Exactly!!! And you walk home with boots that weigh five pounds each and then gave to spend twenty minutes getting rid of all that mud. Parts of the towpaths can be like that . And with the miserable weather we’re having at the moment mud will be ubiquitous. It’s pouring, with sleet added in, and freezing. A good day to be in by the fire with the added warmth of some nice OTK boots and a jumper

They look good but I think the faux suede would get ruined pretty quickly. For sections of the canal they’d be great though

Nice! Those look like they could even manage canal towpaths - if they came in large enough sizes, I’d be interested

You and me both, mate

Vibram soles seem to be the best all-round sole for the canals - in my experience anyway. As you say, smooth soles would be disastrous. Gum boots are great for muddy towpaths but not for locks and swing bridges and the like. I like a really sturdy sole. I’m fortunate in having a couple of pair of knee boots with Vibram soles

Yes, I always worry about the fragility of stiletto heels - or at least their perceived fragility. I have one pair which I kind of consider stilettos that have heel tips of perhaps 10-12mm. I really love them and feel much more secure walking in them than the two pair of truly skinny stiletto boots.

That’s a great idea. I’ll definitely contribute thoughts to that thread I don't think cowboy boots or anything with a heel would give you any advantage in shifting lock gates. I travel a lot on the Leeds & Liverpool which has probably the heaviest lock gates on the network and I'm a single hander. The more of your boot that's on the ground, the better. as you will have no doubt noticed at the locks they often have little brick ridges within the arc of where you push the beams to give your feet some purchase as you shove the heavy gate beam. Bear in mind too that it isn't just a matter of shifting lock gates open and closed - there's mooring on the lock landings and scrambling up slippery lock ladders as well, some of which can be quite high. Lemonroyd Lock on the Aire & Calder, for example, is about 16 feet and the ladder wet and covered with algae. Sensible shoes - work boots, really - are a really good idea.

As I’ve mentioned before I think I must be the only person living on the canals who owns a pair (three pair in my case) of stilettos. I saw a thread on a canal boat forum listing things boaters never own. Top of the list? Stilettos. And a chorus of snorting joking agreements followed. To be sure only an idiot would try working the locks or doing any of the physical work of moving a boat down the canal in stilettos or any sort of high heel, and they wouldn’t be practical on muddy towpaths. And there is not much room for extraneous possessions on a narrowboat. So I may we’ll be unique. at least a couple of boaters now know I wear stilettos, as I was wearing my OTK black suede stiletto boots this morning while writing. I looked out just before dawn and noticed the light was beautiful so I grabbed my camera and went out on the bow - while I was shooting several went past walking their dogs. I could tell that a couple of them noticed, but nobody said anything. People here may not own stilettos but they are a bohemian lot - were all a bit odd and that’s more or less understood