Puffer

I think pata is correct in surmizing that since Victoria Beckham is pregnant, she might have felt a little more secure or stable with the higher platform. I know she loves high heels and had these made not only for the occassion but her condition.

Yes, I think Pata's assumption is correct but I fail to see how any platform shoe like Victoria was wearing could be considered 'stable' (let alone 'more stable') with such a high platform. OK, she loves high heels (a strange concept, that!), but does she really crave an unstable 6" height boost (but with only about 4" of rise) more than the straight 4" that an equivalent non-platform shoe would give her?

IMHO, she would have looked a darn sight more elegant - and been more comfortable and safe - in a 4" single-sole stiletto (if a 5" was too much in her condition).

Just to demonstrate that there's nothing new under the sun, these two stylish gents were out and about in thigh boots in London in January 1969. I don't, however, remember this look ever catching on!

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/2659661.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834DB1B6F37097CCDDBC5F3E2FC408C1B81087347052288BB462

Like those, same style of shoes you normally see her in(obviously not in white lace though!!).

Anybody have any idea what shoe size she is - at 5ft 10in i would think a UK7 or UK8 at a push. THe black wedge shoes she's been wearing the last few days look big so i reckon the sizes i've given above are plausable.

Published info indicates that Kate wears a UK8. Given her height, I would have been surprised if it had been any smaller.

(Sorry, barney, Kate's cast-offs won't quite fit you!)

Am I the only one then who thought Victoria's shoes to be gross? Take 2" off those huge clumpy platforms, taper the toe and you might have a shoe that is both elegant and wearable.

... There was loads of heel spotting opportunities on the wedding coverage, very high heels on Princess Beatrice and Euginie (approaching 5 inches!!!)...

Yes, indeed. Several guests were wearing notable shoes, e.g. Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, in a striking blue dress with matching hat and stilettos. It will be interesting too to see the press photos of B and E and get a better look at their shoes.

I noticed too on this evening's BBC1 'highlights' programme that Sophie Raworth was wearing some high stiletto courts in a stone colour - possibly the popular (but now discontinued) 5" Lois style from Schuh.

We shall have to see what Kate wears in future; she is a very attractive girl so let us hope that she does not succumb to the usual royal frumpiness.

wishful thinking or bad eyesight? those are not higher than 5", more like 4.5".

Neither - just my careful estimate after close inspection. But you are always right, so my abject apologies for misleading anyone.

By the way, sentences should start with capital letters.

Gwyneth Paltrow (no stranger to stylish heels) is seen here in some simple but sexy ankle-strap sandals, with very slender stilettos that must be at least 5.5” high and with a commendably thin platform. Her interviewer, Chelsea Handler, is also looking good in some nude platform stiletto sandals: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/04/26/article-1380647-0BC60CB900000578-261_634x376.jpg

... The 'stiletto' heel is a sculpted heel, starting with a flat front, which then tapers down as a spike, to a small pointed tip - usually about 2mm in diameter, no more. ...

Thanks, Pussy - I thought I was on the right lines with the terminology. But I query your suggestion that the diameter of a stiletto heel tip is as little as 2mm (5/64"!) . Yes, there are a few extremely thin heels around but the typical heel tip (whether round or D-shaped) is rarely less than 6mm (0.25") across, surely? (And a true stiletto is not much thicker than that - say up to 9mm across.)

Hello Everybody,

My name is Sean and I like seeing ladies in high heels and nylons stockings. Am I in the right place?

S

Hi Sean, and a warm welcome from me too. If you are asking whether this board is the right place for you, the answer is almost certainly 'yes'. But if you are unsure about living on the south coast, only you can tell! But, more seriously, you should find plenty of heel sightings along the south coast. Whereabouts are you?

The flat-fronted heel is the traditional stiletto and I prefer it to any other shape, particuiarly if it is set properly under the shoe, i.e. not too far back. Although any high and thin heel is (these days) commonly called a 'stiletto', there are other terms in use, e.g. 'pencil', 'cigarette'. I question whether either of these applies to the all-round style; does anyone know? And is there a distinction in name between the thin all-round heel that tapers out to the back at its top (as with a traditional stiletto) and one that is straight most of the way up, often made in metal?

Does anyone here at High Heel Place like the leather Oxford shoes as seen in photos from the 1950s?

I am not certain that the answers given so far have taken proper account of the original question (as above). I suggest that respondents had in mind the fetish-style lace-up shoes with very high, thin heels (as worn by Bettie Page etc) - scarcely everyday wear. Leaving them aside, I cannot recall any Oxford-style women's shoes in the 1950s that had anything other than a cuban heel of around 3" maximum and a rounded or slightly tapered toe - essentially a man's shoe with a heel added and having an overtone of domination.

The latter was a very traditional and rather conservative shoe; one move away from the flat lace-ups that were still commonly worn by women of all ages in an everyday 'working' context. Cuban-heeled Oxfords (or courts) were popular with women who were unable or unwilling to adopt the less clumpy court styles that began to predominate from the mid-50s, especially after the stiletto came into vogue. Teachers, librarians, nurses and ordinary housewives often wore black or brown Oxfords like this; indeed it seemed an integral part of the uniform for the more senior nurses (sisters, matron) and some servicewomen.

Personally, I don't care for the Oxford style on men or women, with or without a heel of any type - principally because it reminds me of the drab pre-stiletto era. But I can see that an Oxford (or loafer) with a modest cuban heel is a good shoe for discreet male street-heeling and a pointed stiletto version can (like any stiletto) look good on a woman.

So, which of these 50s Oxfords did Leo have in mind - the 'housewife' or the 'pin-up'?

... I wear a 46 in men size. 10 years ago, I could enter any mens shoe shop and have my size in a number of models. Today, you hardly find a size 45. On ten shops, one have one pair in 46, and nine doesn't have any.

And I know many men that wear this size.

I'm surprised at your experience; I assume this is in France. I am in the UK and usually wear a UK11 (45) shoe, sometimes a UK12 (46). Forty years ago, no normal high street shoe shop in England would stock anything bigger for men than a size 11, and then only in limited styles. But, since then, size 11 has become standard stock and it has been increasingly easy to find many styles in size 12 and even 13.

I haven't detected any reversal of this trend owing to the recession (or other commercial excuses for poor supply) and I am sure that it recognises that (a) men's feet are getting bigger; and ( the younger men needing the big sizes want to wear fashionable, non-boring men's shoes (there are a few around!) so cannot be ignored by the manufacturers or retailers. (I'm not complaining; I can buy better men's shoes off-the-shelf now than at any time since c1960, when winklepickers and cuban heels were mainstream fashion. )

I am rather worried that there might be something wrong with me. I feel sexually attractive to women most of the time, with not a heel in sight.

But I have to say also that I feel more sexually attracted to women when they are in heels.

She fell over.

I am obliged for the translation - but I do wonder why James did not say so in the first place.

... A while ago, I saw a pretty girl stack it in her stilettos at the station. ... James xx

Nicely alliterative, James, but what do you mean - in English, please?

... the notion that all heel will break loose in the store if someone sees a guy trying on women's shoes ...

Well, if the man is overweight (or the shoe is poor quality), one might expect the heel to break loose, eh?

... I wear normally a size 45 - 46 but this sizing is very stange . Some models fit small , other ones have a wider fitting ...

Prutske255

There is no doubt that his sizing does vary with his off-the-shelf boots. This must really suck for those who order across the pond... I too had to return an off-the-shelf pair that I absolutely loved the looks of because for a size 9 U.S., they were just too small in the vamp. I wound up exchanging them for another pair. The other pair was a size 10 and they too were small, but within the realm of being adjusted with my various boot stretchers. These are one of my favorite pairs of 4" heeled boots now and fit like a glove. I wear them all the time to work. For barely a few dollars more and a reasonable wait, he'll do custom boots from several foot measurements that the buyer provides. The custom boots I bought from him with the 3.5" heels are the best fitting boots I've ever had. I wouldn't consider anything else but custom boots from Miguel if I had to have them shipped overseas. ... Charlie

Prutske255 has exactly the same size feet as me - and an enviable collection of boots, too! I am amazed however that he can get into Miguel Jones boots in sizes USM9, 9.5 and 10 when he (or I) would normally expect to require a USM11.5 or 12. He certainly took a chance in buying Rob's 9.5 'misfits' - I would have tried them if I had thought they were remotely likely to fit me!

All seem to agree that Miguel Jones sizing is a lottery - and Charlie is quite right in that it would obviously be both risky and potentially expensive to order anything ready-made. The trouble and expense of returning boots for exchange from overseas is a very real disincentive. I wonder why MJ does not get the sizing right; he is obviously a craftsman with a quality product? I do hope that Rob's new made-to-measure boots prove OK in fit (and are otherwise wearable); no doubt he will keep us informed.

You are showing Omano boots in your avatar, Prutske - do you have these or other Omanos? If so, how do they fit, please, and are they comfortable to wear and of good quality?

Size 11 and yes I intend to wear them to college 3 days a week.

Just my size! If you don't like 'em, let me know!

Count me in as another one who would like to hear how they come out.

I wonder if they could make them without the heel sticking out past the rear of the boot. At least to me, throws the look of the boot off. Almost seems like the boot was meant to have interchangeable heels (great concept), but this one never slid all the way forward.

I tend to agree about the projecting heel; it rather upsets the lines of what is essentially a plain men's ankle boot with a high (cuban) heel. I have seen a slightly more exaggerated version of this 'rear ledge' on some Western-style boots; I think it is intended to support spurs - a knowledgeable cowpoke here will doubtless explain.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280490922222

I just bought these a couple of days ago, but it could be a couple of months before I get to wear them, since they are handmade to order! If I find them too easy to walk in I will get thee 5.5 inchers

I'm sure there are several of us here who will be very interested to learn what you think of these Omano boots when they arrive, Leyland, and how you get on with wearing them - please do let us know. What size have you ordered? Do you intend to street-heel in them?

Those aren't 7". The video is squeezed to take them look higher.

http://www.orientvisual.com/6inchforever/shoepage.php?querytype=id&searchstring=VQA_HYBRID

Yes, there is some horizontal compression, which makes the arch look a liittle steeper, but they are still very high heels and must be at least 6.5".

The other videos from the same source (with same girl, I think) are a mixed bag. Her walking seems very awkward in some of them (especially when wearing ballet boots in a shopping mall sequence, with lots of attention from shoppers) but more accomplished in this long walking sequence: http://www.youtube.com/user/nomoresecrets1#p/u/8/TBpR9k6W6FM But just look at the way her heels bend - I expected them to break at any moment!

5 inches - I'm impressed, Rob! You must let us know how you get on with them. The heels certainly don't look that high and I agree that the overall appearance - shaft, heel, welt and toe - is essentially masculine, as well as being smart and sharp. It's really only the height of the heel (if exposed) that takes them out of mainstream menswear. But that is the point, surely - we don't want to be stuck in 'mainstream' forever!

Very nice boots, Rob! The general styling is certainly masculine and must be good for street-heeling. How high are the heels, please? The only thing I slightly dislike (although it is a true 'cowboy' feature) is the wide border (welt) around the nicely pointed toe.

What did you get stung for in UK customs duty, VAT and fees? (Always a disincentive to import from the US, unless one is lucky.)

US sizes are typically 1.5 more.

UK 8 should be US 9.5, so your order should be, and was, spot on.

No - I don't think so: US men's sizes are usually only a half-size smaller than UK, so if Rob is a UK8 he should fit a USM8.5.

She is eldest of three. Her younger sister & her have same size feet so lots of shoe swapping goes on. The heels they have between them are all 'functional' rather than sexy in my opnion. The trends seem to be for military & cowboy esq rather than spikes at thier age. ...

Thanks, plasmaboy. Quite a nice collection of rather masculine styles there! I expect you wish you could borrow them for street-heeling!

She has done ok & is being sensible about not wearing them everyday. She claims to have been fine walking in them. Her regular school wear over winter months (since Sept.) has been a pair of boots with a 2" wedge:

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s130/topgeardog/DSC04004.jpg

Its very subtle. Those mixed in with regular flats gives it some variation. I think the 'trainer' style is fine for a teen of her age. If it were a more adult or suggestive style then indeed things may be viewed differently.

Your daughter sounds sensible enough, plasmaboy! I can't think where she gets that from??

The shoes and boots she is wearing to school are not very elegant or feminine - which, as you say, is probably just as well. But does she like or wear other footwear in a 'more adult or suggestive style', e.g. stilettos? If so, do you encourage, tolerate or discourage her? (I am curious as I only have 5 sons/stepsons, so no idea how one relates to or 'manages' a teenage daughter.)