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Shyheels

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Posts posted by Shyheels

  1. 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 

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  2. That’s a great idea. I’ll definitely contribute thoughts to that thread 

    18 hours ago, Puffer said:

    Having myself often been crew on a UK narrowboat, I would consider that a cowboy boot or similar with a heel that can 'dig in' a little would often be an advantage when working lock gates.   It can be difficult to get a grip on the ground when literally putting one's back into moving a gate beam and (as cowboys found when roping steers etc), a boot with a heel gives a better anchor.   I agree however that 'high' heels would be a hazard in most other canal pursuits.

    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.   

  3. 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 

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  4. Those are what I would term simply “high heels” . Stilettos are much thinner, as the name implies - like the needle-thin blade of the dagger of the same name 

    1 hour ago, Cali said:

    @Shyheels is there much rocking (waves) on the canals?

    No. It’s very stable. There is no current and there’s not enough reach for the wind to generate any waves. That said, the wind can jostle a narrowboat. Not violently but in really powerful cross winds there is detectable bounciness.

    Even a modest wind can adversely affect the handling of a narrowboat. If the wind is much over 16mph you’re usually better staying where you’re moored.

  5. I am in the same boat as regards stilettos. I love the look, especially the 12cm height in boots, and I have three pair of stiletto boots. They are my office wear and I can’t imagine that changing. For several reasons. Although my stiletto boots are all very classic designs, a stiletto heel just seems to extravagant to be “me”. Although, as I say, I do like them. Perhaps it’s a lack of confidence - one that is helped along by the fact that I’m not proficient enough at wearing them.  Ive also no place to wear them other than at my desk  - muddy towpaths and stiletto heels would be a disaster. And when I do go out in nice boots, when I am moored in a town, I have some lovely chunky heeled ones that simply feel more “me”.

  6. We seem to be very much alike in our approach. I always dress for work, starting with heels and picking out something that works with them. In my case, since I live on a narrowboat on the canals - not in a marina or boatyard, but as a continuous cruiser moving along the network, working locks and swing bridges and mooring along muddy towpaths, my clothes are of the more hard-wearing sort - jeans and jumpers and boots. On days when I am moving the boat I don't wear heels - but I do wear nice leather knee boots. But when I am moored and working - writing stories - I am nearly always in heels. And  I make sure that my jeans and jumpers and dress shirts make a presentable appearance.

     

     

    t

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  7. She sounds like an interesting and dedicated wearer of high heels. If you were wearing heels yourself you could probably get away with a reference - perhaps something along the lines of how nice it is to see another person in heels these days, thereby making the conversation about society and fashion trends at large rather than an observation about her personally. 

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  8. On 10/24/2024 at 1:49 AM, Gige said:

    First, as always, thanks for the compliments! It is great to know that others appreciate the effort I make to always present myself as being well-put-together.

    I tend to believe that there is only so much one can say on any given topic no matter how well versed s/he may be about it. Likewise, we tend to get tired of focusing on the same topic time and time again. A few years ago I completed my studies for my Masters degree and was strongly encouraged to pursue a doctorate. Spending up to four years of my life on a single focus, however, was just about as appealing as eating dirt. I feel the same about any subject - there is a time when I need to take a break from it if I can say or learn no more about it. This even applies to heels - there is only so much one can say about it. 

    Yes, I am very attuned to both taste and style so that I always present myself in a professional manner. Whereas yesterday's outfit was a skirt and boots, that which I wore today consisted of black kitten heel pumps, black pants, a black and white striped sweater, and a black cardigan. Not at all to disparage her, I felt as if I took my outfit cues from a casual day for Vice President Harris. I think attire standards have sunk so low in recent years that there is no longer a line between casual/comfort and anything else. I recently conducted an interview of an individual who was the target of an investigation and asked a newly hired colleague to join me for such. I told her that the boss wants us in professional attire for such activities but leaves it up each individual to determine what form that takes. My colleague arrived wearing an oversized shirt dress and Birkenstock sandals. I had to stop and shake my head in disbelief that anyone could think that such an outfit could remotely passes for more than 'lounging around the house' attire. Despite being "out" at the time of this interview, I still wore a dress shirt and a tie. I am all for higher heels and hemlines but, again, within reason. You will never see me wearing skirts/short that are so miniscule they could serve as an ice skater's skirt or swim trunks. Likewise, you will never see me wear heels so high that I need the assistance of others just to maintain my balance in them (i.e. Lady Gaga).      

    Thank you so kindly for the compliment(s) - always greatly appreciated. I tend to think that confidence is like a snowball on a hill - once it gets started, it will be become bigger and bigger until it comes to a stop. Once a little confidence is built and the person is will to keep building it, it will continue to grow stronger and stronger. As this point I have such a "who cares" disposition that it may be frightening to some. I am not at all "in your face" about it but more of a notice if you will and think what you want - I really do not care about either. I have always wondered about how many men I see who are secretly envious of us. 

    ORD holds a very special place with me - I have traveled in and out of that airfield so many times. In fact, all of my recent international flights have been from and back to ORD even though I live much closer to STL. If I left STL for an international destination, chances are that I would have to transfer at ORD. If you are ever in Chicago for a while, make an outreach and I will see what I can do. I can not promise I can get there as I have very limited free time from work. I am, however, willing to give it a try if possible. 

    As a freelance who works from home I can dress as I please - and could if I wanted to sit around all day in my pyjamas, as a lot if people did during the pandemic. I always try to make an effort if for no other reason than to remind myself I am at work, and so create an at work vibe. I have found that wearing heels is really helpful in this regard. It’s like the foundation. You feel you need to live up to your footwear - at least in a smart casual sense. I have my faucet dress code as it were - nothing flashy at all, just nice heels, jeans, shirt or jumper. 

    • Like 2
  9. I am convinced that I am probably the only narrowboat dweller who even owns a pair of heels - no big surprise I suppose given how life is lived along the canals, the easy bohemian style of most boaters, and how little space there is aboard a narrowboat for anything non essential. My boot collection takes up an inordinate amount of space. I wear heels all the time indoors but walking along towpaths is an impossibility and wearing heels around locks would be dangerous in the extreme. I am known though for always wearing nice knee boots - low heels - everywhere so that’s something. I’m the only one though

    • Like 3
  10. 1 hour ago, mlroseplant said:

    I have never actually flown in heels before. Nowadays I have grown to dislike the whole experience, such that I'm not sure it would improve my attitude even with heels!

    I totally agree. I was a platinum frequent flyer for many years with the One World alliance but I now absolutely avoid flying - I loathe it.

    • Like 1
  11. Very nice boots. I’m always in boots - usually knee boots either low or medium heels (up to 3.5”)

    sounds like you had a lovely weekend with your wife. I’ve not been to Boston in many years - about 30 I think - but I used to like the place way back when

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  12. That’s a nice height range. Like you I am more interested in overall style than a numbers game. I tend to wear chunky heeled boots in the 3 to 3.5” range but I have three pair of stilettos - two 10cm and one 12cm - whose styling I like very much. I love the lines on the 12cm one. I think that is optimum stiletto - any higher and to my eyes they start looking hunched up, too much about the heel and losing touch with elegance. 

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  13. Sounds like you’re getting some very positive feedback. I did have one question - and it may just be a matter of a typo. You wrote that  while st Steve Madden the manager said HE could manage only three hours in heels like yours. Is that correct? If so that’s kind of intriguing 

    • Like 3
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