higherheels

Impressive that you tracked all the walking! They held up well.

@CrushedVamp yeah it's really funny, but cooking simply is the task I do most at home while being on my feet. The story about your wife is actually a great idea! I'll think of that when I have to make dough or something like that.

That would be a vicious circle. I hope it won't come that far.

The rational way would be to start with 10 cm, but we're not all that rational when it comes to heels, are we? 😀

The same here in Germany. Close to citys like Munich I see them a bit more, but only chunky lower heels. Especially now in autumn/winter they become more. Stilettos are very rare. I'm happy that they are still sold, not that if it goes on that way they'll even stop selling them because there's no market 😅

I can recommend to try out these styles, that's what I love so much about heels - the variety! I think it's best if you start with pumps as they're generally easier than sandals. In difficulty I'd say they're close to boots, the only downside is the missing ankle support. The biggest difference is in comfort. Pumps must have a very tight fit, which isn't necessary to the same degree in boots. But don't worry, pumps can still be comfortable once they're worn in. Many of my everyday shoes are pumps, so no big deal 🙂

In such a climate I can also imagine wearing boots all year. In Germany the summers mostly aren't that hot, so it would somehow also be possible to wear boots all year - but when should I wear my sandals, wedges etc. then? 😉 Yes, 12 cm stilettos definitely are timeless classics, I love them so much. Doesn't matter if boots or pumps. I realize that even though I'm actually practicing in the 13 cm Hot Chicks, I'm also really looking forward to the benefits I can get in 12 cm heels. It would be so nice to wear them for some shorter trips maybe.

I can definitely see that trend in my environment. Almost everybody is choosing flats, even for dressier occasions. I don't mind. I'm old enough to know what I want and will do that regardless of current trends.

Ah, so you basically grew up in boots 🙂 How du you deal with summer temperatures and boots (or don't you have hot summers at all?) Please don't feel dispirited! You're doing fine by even wearing your 12 cm heels at home this often. It's just easier for me because I'm used to this height for more than a decade already. One day you'll be wearing them and they'll feel like your 10 or 11 cm boots do now 🙂

Indeed very supportive from your girlfriend, that's a good thing.

@mlroseplant great job with your walk, even more after having an injury before. I don't have many mules but yes, they can vary widely. The straps on yours go high up, that will make them easier than others. Absolutely! I think that's probably the biggest beginner's mistake. For me, boots season finally started 🙂 So I chose to wear 12 cm boots out instead of the Hot Chicks. They're so comfortable and easy compared to the Hot Chicks. But I for sure will try to wear out the Hot Chicks a few more times until the deeper winter hits. But even with wearing them indoor I'm making a bit of progress by wearing them longer. There's no need to worry. Many of my stiletto heels have hundreds of kilometers on them. Yes, it happended to me that stiletto heels broke, but only on cheap pairs. What's more of a problem with stilettos is that the heel tips wear off quickly. But they're easy to replace. I always have them in stock and it's already routine work for me 😄

Hi and welcome from your neighbouring country Germany! Great to see that you wear your heels now as you always wanted to 🙂 Do you and your girlfriend wear heels together or is it just you?

I've heard of such clubs for books, but I didn't know that these exist for shoes also, very interesting

@mlroseplant good idea with your list. I have it in my head which heels are suitable for which distance/duration. Not so much for blisters (can only happen sometimes with newer pairs) but for heel height and general comfort. That's also why certain pairs are my go-to shoes for everything, but I'm trying to wear the other ones more too now, also due to our challenge 🙂

@CrushedVamp I feel the same. If I am well dressed I feel better than if I'm not. Simple as that. Of course if I'm getting my hands dirty on some work I just wear anything that's already dirty or worn out, but simply because I don't want to ruin my good clothes. The story with the waitress is just...I don't know what to say. This again shows which presumptions are in people's heads.

It's really fascinating. @Shyheels regarding the paradox you mentioned: I guess this all comes down to the point that heels are sort of a challenge. Everyone can walk in flats, but not everyone can walk in heels. So one side sees this as a bad thing, and one side as a good thing. Both can be right.

Great storys from both of you! The unexpected situations when you have to stand for a long time are something that's unavoidable if you're wearing heels often. I also could tell so many stories about that... It's funny how we're all so different, but the general paths and ups and downs can be seen in all of our journeys. You definitely took me down memory lane and since we're at it, I might as well tell you about my beginnings: I bought my first pair of heels when I was 16. It was the time me and my friends started going to clubs and parties, and since we felt like we're the big girls now, we also wanted to dress like them. Needless to say we weren't nearly as grown up and smart as we thought we were. So my first pair were cheap stiletto pumps with a plateau and much bling-bling 😂 I don't remember the exact model but wouldn't find anything about them anyways because they were no-name. They must have had something like a 12 cm heel with a 3 cm plateau. I wore them the first time for going to a club. It started pretty good but after an hour or so they already hurt really bad. Nevertheless I (and also my friends) didn't want to show any weakness so we just kept on going for a few more hours until we couldn't take it anymore and walked home barefoot. I had blisters all over the place, but that didn't stop me. I always wore them out again when I had the chance to. Looking back I really don't know how I was able to stand the pain. Probably also a part of being young and dumb. And over time it really got better, and I also bought some better fitting heels. But the big breaktrough came when I was 20 and found me a pair of ankle boots with a block heel (around 8 cm). They weren't the type of high heels I wore until then, but I wanted something different for more casual everyday wear. I couldn't believe how comfortable they were, and started wearing them for every occasion where I wore flats before. This was the moment when I properly started wearing heels - looking for a good fit and quality, choosing an appropriate heel height which is comfortable, etc. It was like a reset where I started from scratch and then worked my way back up again to higher heels and different styles. And it's basically where I'm still at now, wearing my heels daily and sometimes trying something new 🙂

Yes, I think so. True. It's simply because almost nobody does it, at least in everyday situations. Never looked at it that way but you're right. It's pretty interesting actually how shoes or clothes in general can cause such reactions/feelings in people.

@CrushedVamp Thank you for the story about the interviews. I can't remember a time like this, since my working career it was either wearing heels all day or not wearing them at all. But I have to add that I never worked in a really big city. The other part about the reactions of women and men, I absolutely agree on that. If I get any negative reactions, it's always from other women. I would sum it up as: Men either enjoy the look or don't bother. Women either enjoy the look or they feel offended for whatever reason (some possible ones you already mentioned)

A standing in heels story...now you got me curious

Yes, only standing can be a good training too, I also feel that when wearing the Hot Chicks while cooking.

@Shyheels I'm also looking forward to boots season 🙂 It's a big difference between the Hot Chick and the Pigalle. Not only the height, also the general comfort. The Pigalle are also very well worn in already. @mlroseplant Thanks! The Pigalle really ain't that bad, even for extended walks. And now with practicing in the Hot Chicks it feels even easier. I might choose some 12 cm heels again for longer walks and see how it goes. Only in the beginning I was standing for like half an hour, but afterwards mostly sitting.

@Shyheels, you have low temperatures already, but that's perfect for boots. In Germany it's still warm (20° C+) but that's about to change now. @mlroseplant Wow that's a great pair and a far distance, great job! I lately only practiced in my Hot Chicks at home. But I wore my other pair of Louboutins (Pigalle 120) to an event, the walk was a bit below 400 m one-way. This was the first time I wore a 12 cm heel out since the beginning of our challenge. And I felt the progress in the 12 cm heels too, they were easier than ever 🙂

For me it's also helpful and if I didn't have the conversation with you I probably wouldn't even have started this, or sometime later in the future. Oh yeah that would be so nice, to meet in the challenge heels! But talking about our experiences online is also nice 🙂

What a great day that you encountered two who realized your shoes and even almost correctly knew the model! I have the Hot Chicks and am starting to wear them out more. They absolutely turn heads, but so far no one approached me about them. The Hot Wave are absolutely gorgeous too 🙂