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I tried a pair of ballet style lace up ankle boots a few years ago. It was in a store in Soho, London. I was amazed that I could stand up in them. I got cramp in my foot very quickly, and took them off. I tried again a little later, and didn't get any cramp. Fit is VERY important, they need to be tight other wise you slip down in them and just crush your toes. If they are too long you end up crushing the end of the boot, which look horrible. The ankle boot was all that was in stock, and didn't give me enough ankle support. The thing I didn't like about the boot is that the line from toes to heel is straight. I would expect a sharp bend in there so that the toes are more steep and the heel is less steep. I found it easiest to walk by going up on the toe ends and ignoring the heel as much as possible. When the shop owner gave me a chinese style blue rubber ankle length hobble dress to put on as well, then there was no chance of any walking at all. I tried a pair of knee length lace up ballet boots at Little Shoe Box, some time last year (The shop is 5 minutes walk from Highbury and Islington tube station, and there are three other fetish shops just over the road as well). I loved the feeling of the laced up boot on the leg, and the support it gave. The heel was very very high, and the boot fitted well; but with a straight line from toe to heel, it didn't feel right. Quality is very good. I didn't buy, as I want to find some with a bend in the sole. You must visit LSB just to see the vast selection (Shop usually looks like it is shut; just ring the bell and someone will come out from the workshops behind to let you in). I guess that the ballet style thigh boots are for when you aren't going anywhere at all! and I'll also guess that wearing a long corset is an absolute must. Mmmmm. I'd love to try that.

Anyone here called LISA ??? I wore a pair of Barratts "Lisa" most of the day today, and actually walked about 6 or 7 kilometers, outside, in them. Black court/mary-jane style with a silver buckle on the strap, and with a three inch block heel. Carried them around for several hours before deciding to "just do it", and wear them. Only one person who really looked, and looked surprised/shocked. Only changed back into male shoes for my visit into several shoe shops (more of that later, but those Bronx "Banshee" pointy high heel ankle boots are absolutely gorgeous to wear), and a visit to a friend who doesn't yet know.

Regarding the black court style shoe with very pointy toe, cut out sides but with a high ankle strap with back strap connecting the ankle strap to the heel of the shoe, I have seen several variations of this in the last few months. One had a zip up the back strap and jewels round the ankle strap, the other had a 2 x 2-hole tie off on the ankle strap, one had a 2 inch heel, the other style just over 3 inch. These were in Stead and Simpson at about GBP 20 or so, and then reduced in the 2003 January sales. There are several versions in Faith, but some are quite a heavy shoe. I think Barratts had one in this style as well, and some other brands like 'Pure' and possibly Bronx also did these. There don't seem to be many left in the shops now. Bay Trading Company have some very nice ones, (with the highest heels I have seen), some made by Dolcis, others not.One has a little silver "rod" along the ankle strap, and has a high stiletto heel. I looked in the local Matalan today, for the first time in ages, and got the last pair of size 7 of the black Fiore ones with pointy toe, and kinky ankle strap (as mentioned by someone else above -- thanks for the tip); they were reduced down to GBP 6.00 to clear. They are cheaply made PU, so won't take a lot of use. Heel is about 3 inches I suppose. There was just one pair of Size 7 and one pair of Size 6 left on the shelf; now only the 6 is there! The Size 7 are on my feet now. I'm off to bed! They also had some other ones in a similar style, a heel about 5mm higher, but covered in a sort of lace effect. They are still GBP18.00, not in the sale. TK Maxx also have a style with a longer backstrap and wider ankle strap (compared to Matalan), and they look much harder wearing. They were GBP 20 I think, and have two little buckles (each on a short piece of elastic) to do up the ankle strap. There are a lot of companies doing similar styles. In a national newspaper today (or yesterday?) there were a group of ladies pictured, and one was wearing this style, but with heels that were easily 5 inches high. The wide ankle strap was also set very high on the ankle, and was totally horizontal. I notice that the cheaper brands often make the back strap too short, and the back of the ankle strap gets pulled downwards too much. I couldn't find anything in the normal Argos catalogue, and their web site would not load in Mozilla or IE 5.5 so I could not look there.

Just where can you get the red lace up boots? Wow, metal heel, and metal toe-cap. Must be 6 inch heels at least. They are so hot!

I have visited 5 or 6 different branches of Next in the last year or so. They never seem to have much quantity or selection of shoes available in store.

Dolly Parton in "9 to 5" wears some really high stiletto heels. While everyone else was looking up, I was looking down. Gackkk. Try any Tina Turner concert video as well (and I saw a nice documentary where she put on her stockings and heels while talking to camera. Mmmm).

I have a pair like that (the red ones), but with peep toes. Very high!! 6 inch heel, on a size 7. They cost GBP 10.00 in a closing down sale of a basement shop in Soho, London 2 years ago. [edit]Ooops. Sorry replying in the girls forum. Didn't notice until after I posted.[/edit]