Is heel height an addiction?

[SomeGuy]

You get used to a certain heel height. Then after a while it's not enough? I'm starting to wonder.

[big_a_64]

Not with me. Anything over 3.5" will give me fits no matter how used to the shoe I am.

[yozz]

Not so much with me either. I have two pairs of 5 inches, but wear them very infrequently. My most comfortable height is about 2.5-3.5 inches. This has not changed over the past few years. Y.

[bigboypumps]

I max out at about 4.5" comfortably. But I enjoy 3.5-4" as i get older and can appreciate longevity. In our youth we enjoy things because we think they are good. When get older we enjoy things because we know they are good.

[roniheels]

I would say no. I am very comfortable in 4" and mostly 5" high heels. I wear 6" heels on occasion, but mostly around the house.

[Heel-Lover]

I believe it is. My heels have been gradually getting higher and higher over the years. I have a lot of lower heels as well but I just feel better in the higher ones. And I don't feel really well presented unless I am conscious of my heels and I have really become used to wearing heels, to the point that I avoid flats. Cheers Heel-Lover

[jay jay]

I would say yes, I feel more comfortable in higher heels got a pair of 5" this weekend and cannot wait to go higher. I agree with Someguy.

[ilovetights]

I don't think the height is an 'addiction' for me (I'm addicted to heeling itself ).... but since wearing 4 inch heels and particularly since wearing my 5 inch heels regularly, I've found my 3 inch heels to be less exciting and less fun to walk in.

[hh4evr1]

No. I have various heights but I am most comfortable in 4 inch heels (uk size 7).

[Steve63130]

Definitely not. My toes don't bend far enough for me to fit into anything higher than 4" comfortably and the maximum height for graceful walking is way less - 3 to 3 1/2 inches. I'm happy at that level and have no desire to hurt by going higher. Steve

[yozz]

In my case, if I spend the whole evening in 5", I get cramps in my toes during most of the night. That is not pleasant. You don't get any sleep that way.

[Awtucs]

Both yes and no. While it's always nice to try high(ish) shoes and boots, up to 6½-7 inches, I feel quite comfortable in 5, 4 or even 3½ inches. But since I find 5-6 inches most good looking, I'll probably settle for that, even though my fetish side doesn't mind 7 or even 8 inches (the latter probably with platform then )

[Histiletto]

Just to have height, a person could attach triangle wedges or blocks to the bottom of their flat shoes. For some reason this hasn't been to addictably appealling for any one to do, because it lacks the aesthetics of designed styling. There are many designs of heels of various heights, but not all of them are viewed as assets when they are applied or attached to their intended shoes. When the overall heel of shoes is viewed as sloping in any other position than a perceived 90 degrees, it looks awkward and less supportive. Height is obvious a goal of many heelers, but practicality keep the levels closer to one's ability to walk comfortably and gracefully in a public setting.

[chingsta]

yes for me. lately the 3-4 inches arent giving me as much hype as it used to when i first had them on. now even the 5 inches feel like 3 inches, but however, my 7 inches are still too much. i think the perfect height for me is 5.5" right now (all no platform)

[HappyinHeels]

I think for the guys heel height might certainly seem like an addiction since the shoes (in general)we would all like to wear are not widely accepted for wear by men hence the stigma and perceived potential negative bias towards us. Most male heelers and crossdressers alike tend to favor much higher heels than the average girl because wearing heels for the girls has no stigma, they just do it as a normal part of their lives. So, while not an addiction, I think heel height does figure prominently into many of our shoe purchases. All my heels are above 4" and go up to 8.5" HappyinHeels:wave:

[Celso999]

Yes, SomeGuy. You are right. I discovered that as soon as I become confortable with some height and I'm able to walk anywhere with some high heel shoes, the thrill is gone. Just keep going up by half inch steps until you reach your limit. Best Regards.

[Charlie]

I'd have to say yes and no. There was a time when I tried elevator boots out and while they felt like a high heeled boot, I didn't care for them. I think the look of the boots on my feet counts for something. The elevator boot just looked like a regular old run-of-the-mill men's ankle boot. Charlie

[wood&metal]

I don't know...I'd guess it depends on your definition of addiction and where you would draw the lines... I do like to see how high I can go, but by no means does that mean that I want to wear 6" heels all the time in public, or something like that... It's probably been a year or more since I wore anything over 5" because I've found what height I can handle, comfortably.. That said, I still want to try ballet heels, just to see how it feels, but I can't justify the cost, even though I can afford a good pair..

[Heel-Lover]

Hi again, I think a lot of people are saying the same - and that is that the feel of your heels diminishes as you get used to a certain height. The height you can go to depends on your personal flexibility in you arch/ ankles as well as ankle strength. These in turn are factors that can be influenced by extended wearing of heels anyway but there is always the limitation of practicality for the wearer, and everyone is at a different point that they can handle - and ultimately desire to handle. I would always choose a heel 3-4 inch or higher if out of the house but other than knowing I'm wearing them cause I put them on they don't feel special enough in many occasions. If I want to be well dressed then I like to feel a good stiletto under my heel, I enjoy my posture in heels, and the tight butt and back of calves/ ankles you get from wearing heels only exists for me when I'm in my higher heels. Cheers Heel-Lover

[jwhite44]

I would say yes. All you need to do is look at mainstream shoe stores to see how heel height has increased over the years. Years is a bit too short, but certainly a decade ago, 5" and 6" heels were pretty much relegated to fetish stores. Now, I'm not sure there's any major shoe store that you'd walk into and couldn't find shoes with 5" heels. Walk into Baker's Shoes, and you'll find one with a 6" heel. What's the ultimate cause of this: - merchants deciding that "higher is better" - a better selection of higher heels that makes walking in them easier, if not at least more accessible - personal desire to go higher My guess, probably a combination of all three.

[bootmebaby]

For me, it's the feel of having an extreme arch to my foot...so I guess one can deduce that I kept going higher and higher in heel height...since I really don't have too many opportunitys to wear them out, I wear the highest heel my feet can take around the house...I will be trying ballet boots soon as well. So again, it's a feel thing for me...the addiction (if you want to call it that) is just wearing high heels...the height is more a function of my want for an extreme arch to my foot.

[HappyinHeels]

I see jwhite44 has been hooked by the Bakers bug....which is a good thing. About three weeks ago or so, but after returning from South America, I went looking around at Gurnee Mills which is a large shopping center (part of that Mills network) in northern Illinois and stopped into the Bakers store wearing my Zoey knee boots with a 5" chunky heel which I got at Macy's. Didn't get anything at Bakers but the girls were glad to see me walking the walk. I encourage everyone to get out there and enjoy the season however you can--be it stiletto or cowboy boot. Merry HEELmas. HappyinHeels

[jwhite44]

I see jwhite44 has been hooked by the Bakers bug...

How I wish I was. However, needing a size 13 shoe (occasionally pushing it with a sz 12 if it's a wide), the only think I'll be doing at Bakers (either in person or online) is a lot of window shopping.

[PetiteMale]

Being 5 feet 3 inches tall, it is an addiction for me. Even some of my tennis shoes can make me a couple of inches taller!

[Bernheels]

I am not sure. I love to wear high heels as much as I can. I wear 4-5 inch heels at home all the time. Never any lower. I have a nice arch and my feet were made for high heel. Even my wife is jealous as to the heels that I wear. Her feet hurt in heels so I wear the heels in this family:) We joke about that a lot. Bernheels

[SomeGuy]

I used to be satisfied in 2 inch heels. Now 2 inch heels feel...normal. Lately I've been wanting something higher. Today I bought my first pair of 3 inch heels. I guess we'll see how long that satisfies me.

[Phoenix]

I used to be satisfied in 2 inch heels. Now 2 inch heels feel...normal. Lately I've been wanting something higher.

Today I bought my first pair of 3 inch heels. I guess we'll see how long that satisfies me.

"Today I bought my first pair of 3 inch heels. I guess we'll see how long that satisfies me."

Probably until you see some really cool 4 inch heels.

[jwhite44]

"Today I bought my first pair of 3 inch heels. I guess we'll see how long that satisfies me."

Probably until you see some really cool 4 inch heels.

I doubt he'd have much problem finding cool looking 4" (or higher) now. Realistically, I think you'll start looking higher when you feel comfortable (physically) walking in your new 3" heels, also mentally when you're okay with them, and if you heel out in public, think you can wear something higher to your satisfaction.

[Puffer]

I would say yes. All you need to do is look at mainstream shoe stores to see how heel height has increased over the years. Years is a bit too short, but certainly a decade ago, 5" and 6" heels were pretty much relegated to fetish stores. Now, I'm not sure there's any major shoe store that you'd walk into and couldn't find shoes with 5" heels. Walk into Baker's Shoes, and you'll find one with a 6" heel. ...

You are right in terms of heel height but there are, unfortunately, not many truly high heeled shoes (4.5" +) in the shops currently that do not have a platform sole. That is what has changed over the last decade or so. Take away the thickness of the typical 1 - 1.25" platform from the highest 5 - 6" heels and the net height rarely exceeds the same 4.5" that has been quite common since the mid-80s, at least in the UK.

With one or two exceptions (the 5" Lois court from Schuh comes to mind), a single-sole shoe/sandal/boot with a heel higher than 4.5 " or 4.75" (11 -12cm) is still very hard to find in any high street shop - with 4" a more normal maximum.

I think what has happened is that platforms are so much the current fashion that younger women wear almost nothing else and the older (and usually more elegant) women who prefer non-platform styles often cannot cope with quite such a high net rise. I hope to see both those trends reversed (yet again) in my lifetime! And, as for the trend for peep-toes usurping points ... !

[hhboots]

There was a time I fell into this 'addiction', wanting to go as high as I possibly could, even bought some ballet boots at one point. There's a rush in wearing extreme heels, even if I can't wear them very long. Recently, I feel more satisfaction from comfortably wearing moderate 4" heels most of the day. But on rare occasions, I still throw on the 5-6"+ extreme heels around the house, they just don't stay on for more than an hour usually.