jmc

Because my wife enjoyes buying shoes for me. . .

You have a real gem there!

Steve Madden likes to "push the envelope" a little bit, coming out with unique designs and styles. I only have a couple pair and they seem to be quite well-made. They don't seem to make a lot of shoes in sizes larger than 11 (boo, hiss). Those loafers look nice. Good luck!

healthy ("in the pink")

This is what happens...

. . . and this is probably the root cause behind the "waning desire" phenomenon that so many of us have discussed in other threads. Some of us even go so far as to purge our collection of heels when the thrill fades. . .

. . . but it always comes back.

Don't take too much notice. These people always talk fashion up without any kind of consideration what people actually WANT to wear.

Seems kind of backwards, doesn't it?

stockings

. . .

Has anyone else had this problem and what would they advise:unsure:

An iPod or similar with headphones to mask the sound and turn your desk around so you can concentrate on your work.

Ahhhh, what terrible sacrifices we make for that paycheck!

I find that rocking the shoe back and forth on my foot, just after I've put it on, tends to re-arrange everything so the fit is more comfortable. This isn't always necessary but with some styles it helps. Pulling the shoe on sometimes seems to pull muscles, tendons and skin into uncomfortable positions and if I just wiggle it around on my foot before I stand up, things get sorted out and feeling better. Stockings reduce the need for this and the powder would probably work too.

I don't know what style you were wearing but it does seem that high heels take more of a pounding than flat heels do. Even with the block and wedge styles the heel has a whole lot less surface area than a flat heel, this concentrates your weight on a much smaller spot. (Of course, with stilettos this effect becomes extreme.) The result is that high heels show more wear and wear faster, that's why there is so much discussion about replacing heel tips around here. I've even had heeled shoes come with a spare pair of tips that you could replace yourself. At least that's my experience.

I guess I have a little bit different take on this subject.

. . . I wish I could communicate with him, but it usually escalates into an argument, and nothing changes

In my book, that's kind of a red flag, a reason for concern. A lasting relationship of any kind requires communication. Maybe he just doesn't want to talk about it but it's disconcerting if he gets argumentative on the subject.

Guys are going to look at women (especially women in heels) but when I was with my wife I did consciously try to keep my wandering eye at bay. I felt that this was a simple courtesy to her. Any time I did notice a particularly attractive female I would define exactly what it was about her that was attractive. Then I would look for some measure of that feature in my wife -- and I could always find it. That would focus my attention back to my wife, where it should be.

. . . what's the point in wearing tall boots if yer not gonna show them off?

My answer: For your own pleasure. For the delicious feeling of them.

Don't get me wrong -- I like to see heels as much as any of us do. But to be seen in obvious heels here in the conservative Midwest USA is another thing entirely.

Heel appreciation has a great many facets. To each his/her own.

There is a certain mystique about the look of pants over heels -- either shoes or boots. You can see the bottom of the heel, so you know it is there, but you do not know how much heel there is. It teases the imagination and as such, is probably more interesting than the heels in full view.

Seeing those things reminds me of that old saying: "Even if you put lipstick on a pig, you'll still have a pig."

Most definitely!

battery

I think it has to do with the difficulty of maintaining a passion over a long period of time. At some point the "fever" starts to wane and with it the desire. That's why there are so many "purge and re-stock" threads around here. I have been there too. JeffB, you have mentioned going through this cycle before and you know, perhaps better than most of us, that it is not permanent. Sounds like you just need to take a break.

. . . undaunted the third time I went in, his daughter came out and tried to diplomatically tell me her old country father wouldn't fix my shoes anymore!

. . .

He'd better not complain about his business slowing down if he's chasing customers away!

penguin (. . .as in Linux!)

Just wondering how we find out where people are as most have very vague areas listed, like UK or USA which doesn't narrow it down much.

Some members are more specific in their location, such as naming states or even cities. Look for this as you read their postings. Then you can use the PM system here at HHplace for personal contacts to set up meetings.

A lot of us are still trying to "get our heads" around this heel thing and are a little squeamish about going public with it, so we like to keep our whereabouts a little nebulous.

Maybe Stilletography just naturally gravitates toward jeans? Not a problem for me. The shoes are beautiful. A woman wearing them would capture my immediate attention. Even in jeans.

. . . My strategy nowadays is to ask myself: will I have the "courage" to use this shoe in the streets, or is it just another collectible item? In the second case, I just forget it. . .

I like that strategy -- and I'm using it myself. It does take some serious discipline because there are **so** many beautiful shoes out there but a shoe that will not see the light of day outside the house is not terribly practical. So the question "Will I wear it outside?" always comes to the forefront whenever I am looking at shoes. If the price tag on the shoes in question is over $30 the answer has to be "Yes" for me to buy.

. . . it seems to me that his lifestyle finally caught up with him . . .

Don't know about that -- 69 isn't exactly a "spring chicken"!

I thought he was dead already.

What did she have on her feet? Nobody thought it was worth 10 cents to call attention to her footwear.

HighHeelDude -- you may not realize this but Fioni is a Payless brand. Here in the 'states, Payless is everywhere, they have a wide range of sizes, they carry some styles that have a fairly respectable heel, most of the stores are self-serve so they don't bug you as you browse, and they don't cost much. On the down-side I'm not all that impressed with the construction of a lot of their offerings and most of their stuff is plastic (PU or PVC) but especially for a starter-heeler they are worth consideration. No, I have no financial connection with Payless -- other than that of occasional customer.

Except for the buckles, those are pretty androgynous. I'd prefer something with a little more heel but if you like 'em, wear 'em.