CrushedVamp

Oh, I was the Logger who saved Little Red Riding Hood from the Big Bad Wolf!

I am the opposite in that without a radio on, I am less distracted. On especially long rides, with the radio off I can think through the plot problems, characterization tidbits, and plot twists on my latest novels that I write. I have even noticed when I do lots of long car rides, my novels get done in even shorter times because I have had more time to think them through. Typically a 90,000 word novel takes me four months to write, but with a lot of long car rides, I can finish one in three months instead. But that to me is the issue with noise pollution such as having music on all the time and everywhere: people do not have time to think. And what is wrong with that? One guy at work told me, “I always have a sound track running through my head”, to which I had to reply, “are you that scared of your own thoughts where you have to have something someone else came up with, occupying your mind? How sad! “Think for yourself man. Think for yourself, don’t just be fed other people's creations”. A look at music today and you see such a decline in quality. The classical composures had to have the brass section, the string section, the solo performers and the chorus all come in at the right time and intensity. That took amazing skill. And in one study where they took the number of words to a song and found that in the 1970’s there was something like 400 different words per song, whereas today they might only have forty words. The reason? They are repeated to a synthesizer. Whether you like their music or not, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seiger and the Eagles told stories with their songs which was very creative which is NOT what we are seeing today.

That is too hard to Handle

I fully understand what your situation was @mlroseplant, especially in light of the photo being for an entirely different reason than showing the high heels you happened to be wearing. I must say, most of your photos of you in heels come out really, really well. Your pictures often show your great heels, but also your overall outfit well with quality photos most of the time on here. But photography is interesting… sometimes taking lots of time in setting up the perfect photo works really well and a stunning photo is made, and sometimes just turning around and snapping a quick picture captures the moment in time just perfectly. Of course, the opposite is true as well and especially so for candid photos, there are twenty poor ones taken for every great photo made. I tend to like candid photos. It can be fun to set up the camera for the perfect shot, but also fun when stunning pictures come from the spur of the moment. I have plenty of examples of quick shots being surprisingly stunning, but being a high heel site, my wife and I were doing a themed photoshoot, and while most of the pictures were taken with her painstaking posed, as she sat on a bridge for a break, I saw her seated, turned around and snapped a quick picture. It came out extremely well, really the best picture of the seventy or so we had set up that day. So, it just shows you never know, some of the best pictures cannot be planned. This is a photo of her on the bridge with some high heel knee boots.

I say the following with respect to all performing arts, because it is not that we don't see the value of music, but just as some people do not care for plays, or for reading, or whatever: my wife and I; we don't like music. I thought I was the only one until I met her. But get in our cars and the radios are off. In fact, it wouldn't bother us if they had no radios at all. And we go to church late just so we can miss the music and just catch the sermons. We started doing that after going one Sunday and the music team prayed specifically for my wife and I, "for those here who have hardened hearts." Nope, not hardened hearts at all, we just don't like music. But we don't like television either. We have no TV's in the house but instead have wide screen bookshelves!! The problem with music is that people just assume you need music 24/7 and I like to be alone with my thoughts. I do not need Walmart Radio when I am grocery shopping. Or have music when I fill up the gas tank of my car. Or have music as a background as I am placed on hold on a phone call. And the worst thing is, someone has chosen what they think I want to listen for music. In the area I live, they have a strong penchant for American Country music for some reason which I am not the biggest fan of shall we say... But I have respect for those with musical ability even if I do not like it. Just as I appreciate the talent of those who do sculptures although my taste for the visual arts is more for classical paintings, or the performing arts for live theatre. And to play multiple instruments means the person has immense musical talent.

I was not debating you on that in any way. I saw the placard (which is what I have been calling them as well) and thought I would post it for everyone's thoughts. I would think the continental, typical stiletto, and the boulevard type of heel, comfort level would depend upon your gait. If you slump forward and put most of your weight forward; or the reverse and tend to keep your weight back, etc would have more to do with how comfortable a pair of high heels are then just heel pitch. It's why I think my wife finds certain pairs more comfortable than others. Because of how she walks, how she carries herself and how the shoes are constructed; it just works for her. You could put on the same heels and they could be extremely painful, but that is just my opinion. I back it up with ZERO knowledge.

Indeed, that type of high heel does have a name: a Continental high heel shape I believe. Incidentally, if the high heel bulges backward in a rounded shape, while rare to see, it is called a Boulevard type of high heel shape. I believe the technical name for this angle is called "Heel Pitch", but I am no high heel expert by any means, just a term I ran across once. Again… and huge disclaimer here, I just found this image on Pinterest and do not lay claim to what it depicts, nor do I know what it says in Russian, but found this depiction nonetheless. I present it her only to get people’s opinions on what it says. I am generally rather dismissive of ANY statement when they use absolute words like “you always”, or “you never”, or in this situation, “this shoe is not for you if…” Well, hold on. Human physique is incredibly varied so statements like that immediately make me question them.

Yeah, we are guilty of dressing-up-our-infant thing. We dressed her up as a turtle and took her to the local lake and snapped a few pictures. She never turned her head towards the camera, but photographing infants can be like that. Sadly with her infant heels, we never got a picture of her wearing them and she outgrew them quickly. It is funny though because she is now twelve and still loves her blanket. She takes it everywhere, it always being in her backpack. But having lost an infant once, I don't care. I don't care if she lugs her blanket down the aisle as she is getting married. If it makes her feel secure, what do I care. There are a lot worse things in the world she could always want.

Yeah, I do not like that style of heels either.

Sometimes it is just plain all-out angst against high heels. The other day I found some high heels I made for my daughter when she was an infant. It was just a fun, silly thing to do. Her mother wears and loves high heels so I thought it would be fun to make a little pair for my infant daughter and take her to church so mother and daughter “matched”, so to speak. I was shocked at how angry people were about it, saying it was weird and just plain wrong to put high heels on an infant. This even came from some women that typically wear high heels at church. Not to mention either; this was twelve years ago when wearing heels was more accepted. The only thing I can think of is that THEY somehow correlated high-heel wearing to “relations” type of things? That makes no sense though since toddlers wear kitten heels, tights and dresses to church all the time so what is wrong with tiny heels for an infant? It was not like we were promoting bad posture: she was three months old and could not even walk! Maybe it is me? I realize I think counter to a lot of people of this world anyway. But for me and her mother, it was just a fun thing to dress our daughter in. We were both surprised at how angry people were about it though. You can be the judge though.

After a little thought, I think these sorts of informative signs are part of the overall larger disturbing picture of society today. Not just in the wearing of high heels, but in almost everything, and that is there is some sort of secret handshake, some sort of “hack” where all things difficult to do suddenly becomes easy if you just have the right information. These signs or “hacks” like the images I posted about determining ideal high heel height, lets a person know the easy, secret, missing information that enables people to do something hard… like wearing high heels… become suddenly easy. And it is just with high heels. Goodness knows there is a video on Youtube somewhere stating I have been hand-washing my stemware wrong for the last forty years. And wiping my own bottom, yeah there are six videos on how to do that properly. Yes... look it up. Now that is something I have been doing fine since I was a toddler, but yep... there is a video telling how we are all doing that wrong. After reflection I don't think it is not some sort of magical measurement… wait for it… it is in the practicing of wearing high heels that makes a pair of shoes more comfortable. I am not saying adding in heel cushions, or heel grips, or having larger blocky heels cannot help. Of course they can, as those are tools available, but its this overall thought that some magic physical measurement is going to lead to the Holy Grail of High Heels that is misunderstood, but also what so many people want. (Not members on here)

It will probably shock you! This is in no way doing so in high heels, but I walk for exercise. I typically walk 5-7 (8 to 10 km) miles per day. Well my phone tracks me and since deciding to walk daily no matter the weather, my mileage shot right up. Sure, it is only 35-40 (56-60 km) miles per week, but that equates to a 160 (257 km) miles a month, or around 2000 (3200) miles a year. It does not sound far, but for me that is like walking from Maine to Colorado. For you that is like walking from Berlin to Kuwait. And all by just by walking a few miles a day. So it really adds up more than you would think.

And here I thought carrying a Alphorn to 13,000 feet in the alps in wooden clogs was bad enough. You are right in lugging a sousaphone for 5.5 miles in 3 inch heels would be worse! (teasing) 🙂

I was scrolling Pinterest the other day and came across two images that supposedly explain how to derive of the perfect heel height. I have no idea if these two images are accurate or not, but will post them here for people to look at and for discussion After looking them over I wondered myself if that is why my wife gravitates to certain high heels that are seemingly magically comfortable for her as the shoe geometry compared to her physique is just right? I am making no claim if this is right or wrong; but would love to hear from you and other members?

My wife loves her knee boots as well, but they also serve a function few people consider: they hold an ankle holster really well. On the surface it looks as if she is a vulnerable woman unable to run far or fast in her heeled knee boots, but with a Kimber Micro 9mm tucked inside her left boot, she is nowhere near as vulnerable as she looks. 🙂

After trying to jazz up my wardrobe and falling flat on my face for many reasons. From some weight gain unfortunately, to stains on my shirts, to just wanting a simpler life, I have decided to take a new direction with my male wardrobe. It is not one I am proud to do but just feel compelled to proceed with. It sounds boring because it is, but I got so many decisions to make in a day that I am sick of overthinking what I wear. I no longer want to even think about it. Like many other men today, I am just buying a set of the same pants, shirt, undershirt, etc and wearing the same thing every day. An array of work clothes, and an array of dress clothes, but each set being the same. Sure, the people at church will begin to notice I wear the same clothes to church every Sunday, but so be it. I am so tired of coordinating a nice outfit, only to notice I got a coffee stain on a shirt and practically have to strip naked and start all over with another coordinated outfit. Nope a set of dress clothes and a set of work clothes from now on.

That would be a tough day! I remember being at a local fair with the kids and as we were leaving I saw a young couple, 18-20 years old and she was wearing high heels. It was apparent she was already regretting her shoe choice. She had a grimace on her face and had not even made it out of the parking lot area yet. It is hard to describe, but I am sure everyone on here has seen the look, that grimace with every step with dread at making the next because she knew it was going to be painful. I felt bad for her because I knew she was probably wearing them for her boyfriend, and that is truly commendable. Not that someone should be in pain on account of someone else, but that she wanted to please her date. But considering how far she had to go, then the walking required at a fair over asphalt and grass grounds, it probably meant a trip back to the car early for her.

I might have taken @mlroseplant out of context too, at least in terms of motivation. I know he tracks his kilometers walking in heels and it is only natural when you do that, to want to increase the number. In that context, when looking at choosing between flats and high heels, it is only natural to see wearing flats as a missed opportunity to increase your overall kilometers in high heels per year. For others... like my wife... shoes are part of the outfit, and having the ability to make it formal, or informal, is part of the fun. I side with her in some sense on that because as a traditional man that dresses as such, as we talked about on another part of this forum about jazzing up the male wardrobe, I am a bit jealous of her because I think my choices of fashion and footwear are a little lackluster.

I am sorry to hear you have had a cold. I know I am quite the canoe paddle away from you westerly, but colds and flues have been going around here a lot. My wife was terribly sick with the flu just before Christmas and I have been threatening to get it. Others in the area have not been so lucky and knocked out by this year’s strain. Hopefully you will get over it quickly. I judge no one in terms of fashion from the 1970’s because my take has always been, that was an era of rebellion. Not in a bad way, just that it came on the heels of a generation that were quite strict, at least here in the United States. The 1950’s certainly seemed to be an era where conformity was expected. I say that with everyone having the same kind of haircuts to shoes. In the 1960’s, yeah, they loosened up a little bit with the miniskirt and bikini, but I think it was more out of guilt for being so uptight in the 1950’s. They had aged a bit by then and might have realized the error of their ways. But the 1970’s… that fashion era belonged to the next generation and they were not having the mandatory flattop haircuts for men, and the tea length dresses, beige pantyhose and 8 cm heels for the ladies. My take on 1970’s fashion? They were just rebelling on everything. Pants that tapered consistently? Nope: not having it! Vertical stripes top and bottom? Why not throw in horizontal stripes topside, or plaid… in a contrasting color, bottom side, or with vertical stripes? To me it seemed, my parents just did not care what was worn as long as it roasted what my grandparents had worn. My case in point? Flattop haircuts were out but bowl haircuts came in like a rogue wave! Talk about opposites! But Mary Jane style shoes? My wife has hundreds of high heels, and of Mary Jane’s, she only has one pair, which is pathetic I know, but she has them for some of the vintage photoshoots she does. I think hers are in the 9 cm range and has not complained while wearing them. I do not wear high heels myself, but if I did, I MIGHT find the strap across the metatarsal area of my foot to be annoying, but only because I got some safety shoes that hurts in that particular spot. But I still see Mary Janes occasionally in public and know a member on this forum is infatuated with them, so they certainly have endured the test of time. But the ads you speak of? I am not sure. I do not get those on this site on my computer. I am not even sure what you are referring too?

But does a person always have to be trying to get better at wearing 12-13 cm heels? I ask because its not that my wife only wears Keds; she wears high heels a lot as well and is quite comfortable in them. But I do remember a funny incident right after we found out she was pregnant. We were going to go out on a dinner-date, and she surprised me when she wore a short dress, high heels and SEAMED STALKINGS? Nothing against those who wear such stalking's, but one has to agree that in society it is generally considered quite suggestive to wear them. it I had to ask her about her last choice in any case, and she told me that she figured she was soon going to start showing so she could no longer dress like that, so she was going all out on that night. I will say, in the conservative area where we live, she did get some questioning looks. She did get a maternity dress that was nice and wore high heels with it a few times, but as she drew closer to her due date reverted to flats even with that dress.

I don't remember foot changes with pregnancy with my wife, but I have heard of it happening. Interesting that they never returned to pre-pregnancy size though. I remember getting into trouble during that time period with her weight. I teased her and called her "whale belly" because she was into workouts and fitness when she got pregnant. I asked the OBGYN at the time how much weight a woman should gain during pregnancy, and he said between 15-25 pounds. I thought my wife looked huge, so I asked her how much she had gained and he said, "15 pounds". That was when I knew I was in trouble! 🙂 But I also teased her about the baby-weight not coming off after the baby. She wanted to prove me wrong so bad that after giving birth it was 22 days before she lost her baby weight. She had to modify her exercise routine, so she did not cause damage to parts of her that had passed a baby, but I thought 22 days to pre-pregnancy weight was pretty darn good.

We get plenty of wind here; I mean this is the third gale we have had this week, but being living on an island as far out to sea as we live, you cannot dry anything outside unfortunately. The sea air has too much moisture in it, and salty moisture as well. Salty moisture always feels like your clothes are damp so why everything has to be washed in fresh water. I saw a used dryer yesterday at my local appliance place for $150 USD and might consider something like that. Room is just so tight in this small house though so we shall see.

Just as a follow-up we ended up buying an AI based washer/dryer combo. The jury is still out on whether we like it or not. It is far more advanced than I ever thought it would be. It can shut down for the slightest of reasons if everything is not perfectly aligned which can be problematic here with our water quality. But we like the small footprint of it, as we live in a small house, and how easy it was to set up. Just 120 volt, no special wiring required since it uses a heat pump, and no dryer vent to hook up, again because it is a heat pump. So we like that. And every load of laundry is clean and dry and comes out absolutely perfect, which considering the brackish water we have on this island, it is a true miracle. But... it takes an awfully long time to dry. It is a very small washer combo and it does not matter if it is a tiny load, or a small load, you put it in today and it will be done in a week. Well not quite that bad, but at least 4-5 hours. (By small load I mean what me and the wife would wear for clothes on a given day. Yes, that small) She put in 5 pairs of leggings... that was it, and it still took 4 hours to wash and dry just that! The washer part is fine; it is the dryer portion of it. We might wait and see how much room we have after we get our new water desalination system installed, and if we have room, we might just buy a conventional dryer.

This may anger some on here, and it certainly is not meant too, but my wife switches often between wearing a particular dress with high heels and maybe sneakers. They are a specific type, what we call Keds here, but other call plimsolls in other countries. It depends on her mood because what she wears for shoes changes the whole meaning of the outfit. High heels just naturally look more formal, whereas the Keds give her a more youthful, informal look. I give her my opinion on what she should wear, but it's just a suggestion: I am not the Shoe Police that is for sure. Here is an example. She is wearing a sundress and Keds (plimsolls) in this photo. She thought Keds would look more informal because it was her maternity photoshoot for our daughter. I am in no way saying high heels would have been inappropriate, but it was one of those fashion decisions that she made. But she likes her high heels and will wear them too. Does the shoes work with the outfit for the scope of the photoshoot? Please: be the judge of that for yourself.

Yeah, that was why I mentioned what I had learned: I could see it going in both directions. Feet getting longer because of unsupported arches, and yet with strengthening and heel supports... like high heels... your foot could actually get shorter. I was glad I had my foot sized checked as I have been buying the wrong size sneakers for the past several years.