Ben(Canada) Posted February 18, 2002 Posted February 18, 2002 Hi all: Something has come to my attention. Call me naive, but sometimes I just don't know what is going on. I read a thread in the "For Gals" discussion that shocked me. Actually I was quite sick to my stomach. It appears that when people wear pointed toe shoes, over time their toes are forced inwards and so the toes may even point radically inwards and sometimes the other toes bunch up underneath each other. Since I read the thread, it is about all I could think of between then and now. So I thought I might get it off my chest by doing a little ranting. :eek: Recently I saw a woman's feet like this. I thought she had a disease of the foot. I was very repulsed by the look. If most women like to wear pointed toe high heels shoes, and this is what happens to their feet, I am not impressed. I think it also was not totally a joke when it was suggested on a TV show that women even consider cutting of a toe or two to make their feet fit into the pointed toe shoes. Please, women, if you are just starting to wear these kind of pointed toe shoes, and your feet have not already become damaged goods, I encourage you not to wear these pointed toe shoes. You will not be receiving my attention in the future. If this is what pointed toe shoes do to women's feet, I don't think I can bear to look at another woman walking in this kind of shoe. If most women like to wear high heels with pointed toes, my whole fascination with women wearing high heels might be totally reversed. I might start being attracted to women wearing running shoes or round toe flat shoes. I like style, but I don't like to encourage it when it damages the body and makes it look ugly. In my dreams I might like to think about certain crazy things, but when I am awake, these things quickly fade. There have been other things that have been promoted in the past as being fashionable, such as smoking. It might seem sexy to people, but especially when I see older women that are all wrinkled up, and they are gasping for breath, it also makes me feel ill when I see someone smoking. I know we all take chances on things in life, but I don't think we should be throwing ourselves into the fire. Ben <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ben(Canada) on 2002-02-18 20:35 ]</font>
Firefox Posted February 18, 2002 Posted February 18, 2002 My thoughts concur with Ben's on this matter. I don't think I could have put it better so I won't add anything
Francis Posted February 18, 2002 Posted February 18, 2002 my thoughts too. it would seem that the people that have toes amputated so they can wear pointed toe shoes must also have had half their brain amputated beforehand.
Tom-NL Posted February 18, 2002 Posted February 18, 2002 Ben, I also like to see the more pointed style of shoe (must have been a remnant of the female shoe fashion "en vogue" during my youth beginning of the 60s). There are those who like to wear heels, but for the sake of their toes' well-being don't wear pointed shoes, but rather shoes with a square or rounded toe (I think Jenny herself falls in this category, if I remember well). I wonder if all shoes with a pointed toebox really have to squeeze the toes merciless together. Shouldn't that also depend upon how long or short the toebox is ? Seems to me that a longer pointed toebox, whose sides start to converge beyond the toes, need not necessarily pinch the toes together (Trolldeg calls them "clown shoes" ). Indeed, such a toebox would be largely "empty" (I think you mentioned this yourself in one of your previous posts). On the other hand: a short, pointed toebox would have sides that are already converging in the area where the toes themselves have to find room to occupy, making it probably much more uncomfortable for them. If people would really have to cut off toes if they would wish their feet to fit into specific shoes with a pointed toebox (note the irrealis - I cannot imagine that any sane person would even consider doing that), I should say that they have bought the wrong size. Correction: they have bought the wrong last, and should need a wider variety of that size. Perhaps members with practical experience could shed more light on this subject. Based on what they have written before, I am now thinking of Eva and Inga in particular. <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Tom-NL on 2002-02-18 22:47 ]</font>
Debbie(HK) Posted February 19, 2002 Posted February 19, 2002 You are kidding right :eek: Very disgusting imo. I wear pointy shoes and my feet are not deformed and I have all my toes intact Debbie This is a platform free shoe zone!
Laurieheels Posted February 19, 2002 Posted February 19, 2002 Cutting off toes is part of a Cinderella Pantomime where the wicked Step Sisters try to fit the glass slipper. I think the myth grew from there. Tom had the answer, buy shoes where the toe box has room. I just make sure the size is large enough for my toes. I do not force them into the point, hell no. The toe point should be empty, and my toes safe in a rounded position. Put it this way. Slip into a pointier toed shoe. Now feel where your toes are. If you have a ncie round curve along the line of toes, and an empty point, then the problem disappears, because the toes are not mashed into the tight space. If the heel is high enough, the shoes do not look like clown shoes, they look elegant. My lower heeled shoes with pointy toes are larger in this way, and the lower heel can make my feet look a bit larger. That's not much of a concern so long as they look good and my feet remain in a natural state, with toes where they should be.
IHeels Posted February 19, 2002 Posted February 19, 2002 Hiya, I also wear pointy shoes, but am careful about size ie, I try them on before buying, result no problems with my toes either. You would have to be despirate to cut your toes off, pretty yucky actually. :eek: Inga HEELS are POWER the HIGHER the BETTER.
Ben(Canada) Posted February 19, 2002 Author Posted February 19, 2002 Hi Debbie, Laurie, and Inga Read your replies. It would be good if anyone could shed some light on why many women have deformed feet. (1) Is it because they aren't smart and don't know how to pick shoes? (2) Do the shoe salesmen push them into buying shoes that are too short and narrow? (3) Do they think shorter pointed toes look nice? (4) Are some women's feet wider and they want them to look narrower by buying a shoe that is too narrow? (5) Do they find that a loose fitting shoe results in their feet sliding forward? (6) Some women's feet are tougher than others. Perhaps you could do the world a big favor here and in detail point out how to buy shoes so feet won't become deformed? Of course I am also wondering how you are interpreting "feet being deformed"? Laurie, I read an earlier post where you said that your big toe has become slightly bent inwards through wearing pointed toe shoes. So I would like some clarification on that as well. Personally I do like the look of toes that all point nicely forward. Years ago I once tried on a pair of semi-pointed toe shoes, some of the men's styles are this way. I personally was horrified at how they pinched the sides of my foot and how they squeezed the toes together, even when the shoe was the right size. Now that I think back, this is why I don't even look at these styles anymore. So I just can't comprehend at the moment how any pointed toe shoe that I have seen would not pinch the toes, unless the shoe was much too big. They seem to start the point way back at the ball of the foot to make it look right. Ben The opposite of pointed toe shoes are my felt lined steel toed "clown boots", maybe I could make a fashion statement with them. <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ben(Canada) on 2002-02-19 18:23 ]</font>
Laurieheels Posted February 19, 2002 Posted February 19, 2002 On 2002-02-19 18:13, Ben(Canada) wrote: Of course I am also wondering how you are interpreting "feet being deformed"? Laurie, I read an earlier post where you said that your big toe has become slightly bent inwards through wearing pointed toe shoes. So I would like some clarification on that as well. Personally I do like the look of toes that all point nicely forward. End of your quote I wrote that? I don't own a lot of pointy toed shoes, they do narrow or sound... no I do not think it was me. My toes are still natural. That's not to say my natural toes are perfect, the smallest toe on my left foot has always had a problem with the nail and so that toe looks a bit strange. Lucky for me, most open toed shoes only reveal for toes, not all five. Other than that, the smaller ones curve down a bit, they always have. My feet look unmangled, thanks. I did mention that I have what I feel are long toes... Why women buy bad shoes. (1) Is it because they aren't smart and don't know how to pick shoes? Yes. Some women are slaves to fashion and do not know how to pick shoes. They wear what they can get for the image only, and so they suffer. Image is nothing, Sprite tells us. Of course, they then tell us to Obey our Thirst and drink Sprite. So they create an image of Sprite as thirst quenching. Hypocracy, but I still like the basic message. Image is nothing. (2) Do the shoe salesmen push them into buying shoes that are too short and narrow? In some stores, yes. The clerk has told me a few times that "those look very nice" but it was not her foot rammed into a small shoe. Most are looking to sell, so they push items a bit. HOWEVER... I was in Sterling last Friday, and the young girl working there was telling a young teenage shopper to take the shoes and wear them at home only for a few weeks before a party. The point - the clerk was actually giving good advice to help someone have a better time in shoes! I did not notice the exact pair, I was bust being disappointed by the styles the store had. (3) Do they think shorter pointed toes look nice? They may think they have big feet and smaller shoes make a smaller look. They also are a bad idea. (4) Are some women's feet wider and they want them to look narrower by buying a shoe that is too narrow? That is very true. (5) Do they find that a loose fitting shoe results in their feet sliding forward? No idea (6) Some women's feet are tougher than others. You know it!
Charlie Posted February 20, 2002 Posted February 20, 2002 I think I'm going to slip on my new comfy loafers and curl up with a cigarette and a good book! Charlie Everything I say is a lie!.......I'm lying
Debbie(HK) Posted February 20, 2002 Posted February 20, 2002 Looks like you're into cowboy boots now though Charlie sounds like you've had enough of this 'deformed feet' stuff. This is a platform free shoe zone!
Charlie Posted February 20, 2002 Posted February 20, 2002 No Debbie, this was as good a subject to chat about as any. I just couldn't resist typing that post and then laughing hysterically at what I wrote. When I hit "reply", I almost fell backwards out of my chair I was laughing so hard! Like I promised on another thread in this forum, this mood will pass and I'll be back to my normal boring, serious self tomorrow....... I wish I could retain this mood forever! No artificial ingredients were required to obtain it. If the saying that laughter is the best medicine is true, I'm one healthy guy today! Charlie Everything I say is a lie!.......I'm lying
Ben(Canada) Posted February 20, 2002 Author Posted February 20, 2002 Hi Laurie Yes, you actually wrote the following: "So in the past few years, I have noticed that my toes angle in more. Just a bit, mind you. My feet are not wide by any means, but my toes are a bit long". Maybe you can see why I am scratching my head a bit. Before you said this was happening, now you say it is not? I did hinge a lot of my first note on this comment. I felt that if you are a knowledgeable high heel wearer and this is also happening to you, then it is a big problem. I also noted that you are young and haven't been wearing high heels steadily for that long. That's what was going through my mind. Ben <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ben(Canada) on 2002-02-20 19:17 ]</font>
chip7X Posted February 21, 2002 Posted February 21, 2002 This cutting off toes issue sounds really digusting and downright stupid. However, the world has plenty of morons that would try this.
Laurieheels Posted February 21, 2002 Posted February 21, 2002 Well Ben, it has happened no matter what type of shoe I am wearing, over many years. Maybe I wasn't clear, but it isn't high heels only. And it is very slight. I only notice because, well, they are my feet. I didn't mean to cause any confusion. My feet are just strange, and as best as I can remember I was a barefoot child. Everyone freaks out if I mention the slightest little oddity. I'm an adult, I look after myself. My feet look normal except for one toe with a bent nail but you would only notice it because I cannot put on any nail polish there. It has been that way for as long as I can remember. And I am wasting one of my last posts in Kitten Heels for this, and it is a non-issue! Hope you enjoy!
Ben(Canada) Posted February 21, 2002 Author Posted February 21, 2002 Hi Laurie For the record, my comments and questions about feet becoming deformed were based on pointed toe shoes and not high heels. I mentioned high heels in the context that it appears most people like high heel shoes with pointed toes. I think many non sandal type women's dress shoes have pointed toes also. Ben What is the attraction to pointed styles I sometimes wonder? There are pointed hats, pointed bras, pointed shoe toes, pointed heels, pointed fingernails, pointed frames of glasses, pointed ties. The human body is rounded and we love to reshape it to be pointed?
Debbie(HK) Posted February 22, 2002 Posted February 22, 2002 Totally agree with you there Chip, it is very gross and extremely disgusting Debbie This is a platform free shoe zone!
Dr. Shoe Posted February 22, 2002 Posted February 22, 2002 Right let me clear up a few myths. Myth: High heels lead to foot deformities. The deformity described in this thread is something called a bunion which is an enlargement of the big toe joint and nothing to do with pointy toes or high heels though this footwear will not help. Poorly fitting shoes and even socks that are too tight will aggravate the condition but not cause it as a "sufferer" is born with large joints just the same as some people have longer fingers or bigger noses etc. Another deformity hinted at is something called hammer toes. This is not a genetic condition and IS caused by tight footwear or socks. The fault for this rests solely at the door of manufacturers' reluctance to supply a choice of widths (except in USA) and sizes above UK8. If a woman with size 8.5 feet buys a court shoe (pump) then they will almost invariably be forcing their toes up into the toe box. Hammer toes are found just as often on men as women. Myth: Some woman have had toes removed. Unless they have done it themselves :-0, thenit would be doubtful that it would have been done for fashion. Digit amputaion is not something undertaken lightly. However, some women do have bones taken out, metatarsals fused, joints reset and bunions filed down to improve shoe fit. Many of these procedures will be for medical reasons as well. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
Dr. Shoe Posted February 22, 2002 Posted February 22, 2002 Right let me clear up a few myths. Myth: High heels lead to foot deformities. The deformity described in this thread is something called a bunion which is an enlargement of the big toe joint and nothing to do with pointy toes or high heels though this footwear will not help. Poorly fitting shoes and even socks that are too tight will aggravate the condition but not cause it as a "sufferer" is born with large joints just the same as some people have longer fingers or bigger noses etc. Another deformity hinted at is something called hammer toes. This is not a genetic condition and IS caused by tight footwear or socks. The fault for this rests solely at the door of manufacturers' reluctance to supply a choice of widths (except in USA) and sizes above UK8. If a woman with size 8.5 feet buys a court shoe (pump) then they will almost invariably be forcing their toes up into the toe box. Hammer toes are found just as often on men as women. Myth: Some woman have had toes removed. Unless they have done it themselves :-0, thenit would be doubtful that it would have been done for fashion. Digit amputaion is not something undertaken lightly. However, some women do have bones taken out, metatarsals fused, joints reset and bunions filed down to improve shoe fit. Many of these procedures will be for medical reasons as well. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
Dr. Shoe Posted April 2, 2002 Posted April 2, 2002 I'm not so sure that stuffing a toe-box is such a good idea. In the 80s a lot of women used to stuff court shoes if they were too big and this led to all sorts of discomforts and short term problems. Shoes are designed with a space in the toe box to assist walking. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
Debbie(HK) Posted April 3, 2002 Posted April 3, 2002 I don't think that stuffing a shoe box is going to do much for your feet either. To be honest I can't see what is wrong with having some space in the end of the toe box. I'll stick to my pointy ones without padding thanks Debbie This is a platform free shoe zone!
Firefox Posted April 3, 2002 Posted April 3, 2002 I think Arno is trying to say that if the shoe fits badly and all the pressure is on the little toe, it may be the lesser of two evils to try to distribute the pressure. Personally, I think there should be room on all the toes which are very delicate not meant to take the force of walking. Unfortunately, in a court shoe design some pressure will come on the toes perforce. I agree court shoes look nice but they are not the ideal design for high heels. I'm glad I wear ankle boots where, in a correctly fitting boot, there is room for ALL the toes and the weight is taken on the instep which is a much larger part of the foot and better able to take the vertical forces generated from 4 or 5" heels. There's no instep leather in a court design so tough luck court wearers! I hope your vamps are well shaped and your toes are up to it
Jezebel Posted April 4, 2002 Posted April 4, 2002 I'm just wondering what doctor would cut off toes in order to accomodate a woman's shoe comfort... How terrible... So many shoes, so little time...
Firefox Posted April 4, 2002 Posted April 4, 2002 I'm hoping that type of thing is in the mind of someone with an extreme fetish rather than anything which actually happens.
ShockQueen Posted April 4, 2002 Posted April 4, 2002 No kidding! Some things are NOT worth the sacrifice. I'd rather have comfortable heels with all my toes intact than to sacrifice any of them. SQ.....still busting societal molds with a smile...and a 50-ton sledge!
Laurieheels Posted April 5, 2002 Posted April 5, 2002 Yes, cut off toes, AND then, oh no, it's summer, it's hot, that poor person cannot wear strappy sandals! Why? That person is the victim of self mutilation. No one who understands fashion and wears shoes for more than the heel would ever risk losing the chance to wear a nice sandal with a good heel.
IHeels Posted April 6, 2002 Posted April 6, 2002 Yeah and you've got one less toe to dress up, I'll take 5 bright red polished nails per foot any day. Looks much better. Inga HEELS are POWER the HIGHER the BETTER.
Susan (the original) Posted April 6, 2002 Posted April 6, 2002 I have to disagree with you Laurieheels , I refuse to wear sandals of any sort, I am very image conscious, and yes Firefox I do wear pumps (29 years now) and my feet and toes are quite up to it. This topic of toes being cut off and pointed toe shoes is, I believe, terribly misguided. During my research nearly 30 years ago I found documentation indicating the efforts of women during the late 50's and early 60's wanting their small toes removed. Certainly I don't condone such a thing but to call these women morons, sick, or anything else is in line with the general disrespect toward women on these forums. Today, there isn't any part of the human body that isn't surgically altered to satisfy someone's personal whim, most all of it to enhance their image, both men and women. I wear very short very pointed toe, very high heels frequently, complimenting my life style dedicated to wearing only high heeled shoes. For me and a great many other women of my persuasion a deep personal emotion, feminine and sacred by nature, holds true. That emotion becomes a reflection of me, as I was created, enhanced through deliberate devotion. My feet are small, size 5 (US), and my toes are very short. It's no news to most reading this forum my feet and ankles are stuck in a near vertical position and my toes remain sharply bent. My toes are "slightly" angled inward, honestly the result of the shoes. They are however not disfigured, no bunions, no hammer toes, or anything else. Even in semi-pointed and round toe shoes I select toe styles as short as possible. Since I don't use my toes they remain relaxed in the style I select. Some months ago I did a post about pointed toe heels. I received more e-mails about that one than anyother I had ever posted. I've taken excellent care of my feet and at the ripe old age of 52 they still serve me quite well shaped as they are. Ben, it's unfortunate you and others here have the poor perception of women like me. Personally if I see a woman cripled with disfigured feet, we don't know what caused it, a little compassion is in order, not disgust. Susan
IHeels Posted April 6, 2002 Posted April 6, 2002 On 2002-04-06 09:30, Susan (the original) wrote: Personally if I see a woman cripled with disfigured feet, we don't know what caused it, a little compassion is in order, not disgust. Susan Hiya, I agree if we don't know, but in this case we do, puts a whole different bent on the issue. Inga HEELS are POWER the HIGHER the BETTER.
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