Shyheels

Perhaps towpaths are different - the other day I found myself chatting with a local (not a boater) who had come down to saw up some if the downed tree branches fir kindling and firewood. We had quite a good tarn about the trip he and his wife took recently to El Salvador

Possibly a good idea in case if a crash, but crashes involving commercial aircraft are, statistically speaking, vanishingly rare.

Yes Zelenskyy was set up. That was deliberate. Nobody said a word about Elon Musk showing up to a cabinet meeting in a T-shirt and wearing a baseball cap! Zelenskyy dresses as he does for a very specific and symbolic purpose as anyone knows who’s read a newspaper in the past three years. Musk wore what he wore because he is a boor - note the spelling, I am not referring to his being South African I should add that I’m not trying to be political here, just making observations on fashion rules and hypocrisy. All other things being equal, the fact that someone - anyone - does not conform by wearing a suit should not be an issue. wearing a baseball cap (indoors!) and T-shirt to a cabinet meeting is disrespectful. That does not even make the grade as “smart casual”

They’re great boots

Thought of you today when I was walking into town and came upon a guy wearing black hunter boots!

It’s even more downhome friendly among boaters - the kind of neighbourliness that went out of fashion in most places back in the Fifties. It’s a kind of funky offbeat community that drifts around the canal network, open and friendly. Last year for example, I was moored in a secluded spot with a couple of other boats nearby. A woman who ran a cafe boat decided to take a few days off and came up through a couple of locks to this quiet spot and was moored next to me. Next morning I hear a knocking on the swan hatch, when I open up I see her standing in the towpath - she wants to know if I’d like an espresso. She’s just fired up her generator to make herself one and thought her neighbours might like one as well. The couple in the boat moored behind me used to run a pub. They piped up and asked if anybody wanted poached eggs, avocado and toast. I brought out my well stocked fruit bowl. Next thing you know we’re all having this glorious breakfast on the towpath. We all still keep in touch too. This sort of thing is not at all unusual among us water gypsies

Leggings for winter cycling, and wearing under trousers during winters along the canal

I think a lot of women who wear them, wear them as we do, for the aesthetic. There were always those who wore them because they liked them, enjoyed wearing them, for the emotional and physical lift - and not merely because heels were expected in certain environments. They will continue to wear them, long after dress codes became more relaxed. The same with neckties. There are those who will always wear a tie. The writer Tom Wolfe was one. I remember reading some quote by him that it would be unthinkable not to be wearing a tie. Stephen Fry is another. He wrote quite an entertaining book about his love of ties starting from when he was a very young boy. We are more conscious of wearing heels because we are not supposed to be wearing them in the first place according to the dictates of society, but take that away, and our view of heels is probably not that dissimilar to those of female high heel aficionados.

On the towpaths it is very normal not only to say hi but often to engage in conversation- even with total strangers

Over here it’s mainly in the north that you see heels - Manchester, Leeds, York - not so much in London. I’m sure there is some demographic significance but I don’t know just what it might ge

I was walking along the towpath this afternoon, wearing low heeled knee boots and came upon one guy who was certainly staring. It was odd because around the boatyard and amongst the boaters everyone just expects me to be wearing boots - I always do - so it was unusual to see this guy with the puzzled expression. I said hi and he responded and we went our ways

I think the femininity of my boots in an otherwise masculine look - jeans and fuller- creates a nice frisson. It’s edgy. And satisfying. I think a natural sensitivity and awareness of stepping out of bounds makes us more critical of how we appear in heels etc. we hold ourselves to some heightened standard. A woman would not do that. Women come in all shapes and sizes, like we do, and they buy and wear feminine clothes matter of course.

I can certainly see the attraction for having canvas shoes - Keds as you call them - in whatever shade, hue or colour you fancy. I used to have a couple pair of Converse shoes - both low and high top - in pastel colours. I don’t think they make them in those shades anymore alas

I too have never heard the term “runners” used in the UK (or anywhere else) Trainers, yes, but not runners. White plimsolls and trainers seem to be everywhere these days. I don’t get it …

When I think of feminising the male wardrobe I think more of borrowing from the women’s aisle than achieving a feminine look myself - in much the same way women will happily borrow whatever they please from the men’s aisle and then work with it to achieve the (still feminine)look they are after rather than trying to dress like a man. i like adding what are perceived to be feminine boots to my style, but I’ve no interest in looking feminine overall.

Nice to hear. Boots are a great statement I think.

Like everything worthwhile walking gracefully in heels is a skill that has to be maintained. I’ve not worn my stilettos in some weeks so I imagine I’ll be having cramping calves when I finally try them on again

Big travel day today - Manchester to London to Leeds (and back to my boat) saw many a block heeled boot - from 2.5” to 3.5” but what surprised me was in Manchester I saw several quite high - 4” to 4.5” stilettos, both boots and pumps. And worn by people who knew how to walk gracefully in them. Their ages varied from about 30 to mid fifties. it’s been quite a while since I’d seen people wearing high stilettos.

None of those things would be hard to repair, although collectively that may not be worth it unless the bicycle was special to you in some way. If we lived closer by I could probably fix a lot if that - some of those things do require specialist bicycle shop tools which I have but you may not. But Yorkshire is a ways off Iowa …

Nice boots! I’ve not seen any with block heels. I’ve a pair of their classic green ones. Very handy

I don’t sweat in boots. In another sense I feel rather cool

It’s nice to think we boots guys have accomplished something! I’m always surprised and impressed when I read that you’ve been wearing boots of some sort!

That style of bicycle is called a mixte. Definitely not for racing. What parts can’t you find?

But it’s nice boot weather though! 😊

There are actually quite a few people who ride bikes for transport, at least in London, noticeably more than there were twenty years ago. And yes electronic shifting is very much for public consumption - although not many commuter bikes have it. It’s expensive and tend to be used for sport bikes, both road and mountain. It is technology that is being foisted upon us. And is working its way down the line to the less expensive bikes and group sets.