Regrets

[ChipsHH]

Exactly how the title states.

Do you regret not buying a pair of heels that you really, Really fancied? Orr, maybe you [somehow, someway] regret buying a pair of heels that weren't "quite like you", per se?

I have a few instances but it kinda hurts me to think about it. (That said, I don't think anyone should reply if it really brings up memories and tension within you. Just a note):

1) Went out to the Mall one night, an hour or to before closing time, and entered through "Macy's". I decided to take a browse around the shoe dept, cause there were a nice pair of, get this.... five-inch, chunky heeled, ankle strap, peep-toe wedges there! Strangely, I had gotten them before, but had to bring them back quickly (the guilt I would develop over time; I was young). But miraculously, I saw those same size 11 shoes, for sale and for much cheaper than originally, on the Clearance racks, "waiting" for me to buy. I checked out at $20+, a steal! Sadly, immediately after I got them, I sat in the truck and realized how empty my back account was, and had to take them back for reasons of "needing" the money for "other things."

2) There's actually two instances in this one, but both happened at the same Carson's. I know I end up missing the timeline to get one gold pair of "Baby Phat" heels. The other instance happened in multiples. I brought a size 11 of a pair of white Baby Phat wedges, but took them back because of feeling "uneven" at the heel, which the clerk could side with me on. I end up getting them right back, but in a size 10, which felt very tight. Tried taking them back, but couldn't. It was strange because I was able to take the previous back, messed-up sole and all (wonder what they did with the pair?). So I ended up just dropping them into the Donation box, and calling it a day. My regret: taking back the size 11s

Brought up some memories, but it's worth it to mention and start up something new

[radiodave]

I know the feeling. I've looked at pairs online, thought very hard about buying them, and when I finally get around to it I see they've already been discontinued or sold out. The only other major regret I had was purging my collection for someone who couldn't accept it, thinking that maybe I could beat it and be somewhat "normal". Just a short time later she showed her true colors, and I ended up breaking it off. That was soon followed by thoughts of "Darn, I had some nice ones that ended up in the goodwill bins". If anyone is thinking the same thing, all I can say is don't do it! Yeah, it's strange, but if you can't be yourself and people don't accept you for who you are, then it's just not going to work if you try to change yourself for the other person. Purging sucks, and you will regret it.

[kikepa]

I regret tossing a pair of white leather heeled pumps back in the 80s, simply because I was working through my heeling issues and was ashamed at the time. They simply fit better than any other shoe I've ever worn on the planet.

[SleekHeels]

I definitely regret purging (a) the first ever heels I bought for myself - they were black patent courts with a 4" heel, which sounds pretty ordinary, but since buying them (in '88 ) I've never seen another pair with lines quite as elegant; and ( the second ever heels I bought for myself - these were red suede courts with a 3½" heel and floral detailing around the vamp/toe, and were the first shoes I ever wore with shaved legs and felt like a goddess. As for shoes I regretted buying... a pair of sandals with an angular square shape at the front that made my feet look hideous (I took them back and exchanged them for some courts); a pair of white strappy sandals which I bought a size too big as they didn't have my size, plus a pair of red patent courts which fit really small and are toe-crushingly unwearable (I gave those away to charity). These days I don't purge and I always try on in store, so regrets are much fewer.

[kikepa]

This is one of the most outstanding threads on HHPlace I've ever seen, HHDude. I hope many more of us pour our hearts out, here. Here's another: I regret not having been able to share with my ex, whom I still love with all my heart, what was going through my own heart at the time.

[barney15c]

Numerous occasions where i have been having a clearout and put heels on ebay for sale and then wish i hadn't as there wasn't a cats hells chance i would ever find another pair like them again. Case in point a pair of leopard print 4.5in heel ankle boots in a size uk10...you ain't going to find them soon in a mainstream retail store. Did get a very good price for them though.

[hh4evr1]

I regret purging some of my heels, whilst coming to terms with my desire to wear heels. I also regret buying some shoes when I first saw them, as when I went to buy them they had sold out of my size ( the down side of having a relatively populary size). I have also waited for the sales and the ones I wanted to buy are sold quickly.

[Majo]

Absolutely. It happened to me lots of times. Last one was in Winter 2009. I was looking for a pair of OTK boots with 12cm heel at a premium store here in B.A. They were pretty pricey so I decided to wait until the sale. The sale came but my size was no longer available so I couldn't buy them. Well... that's that! Next time: I'll buy at regular price.

[Dr. Shoe]

I've lost so many shoes and boots over the years through a variety of different circumstances. Once where I had a guilt purge and another time where I had to move house in a bit of a hurry and threw a black bag filled with boots in the mistake that it was a bag of rubbish instead! There was one occasion where I lost all my collection when it was taken away by a dustman. When I lived on camp (RAF) I would go home to mum's every other weekend or so. I wasn't out to her so I'd bundle them up in a black bag so that if I was involved in an accident on the way to or back from her's there'd be no embarrassing accoutrements for her to have to deal with. The waste was normally collected on a Wednesday so I could put it in on a Friday night (looking like someone just taking out their trash) and then either collect them again on my return on Sunday or get them Monday evening. On this particular weekend they emptied the bins on Saturday instead! If only I had a time machine!

[roniheels]

I regret tossing a pair of white leather heeled pumps back in the 80s, simply because I was working through my heeling issues and was ashamed at the time.

I can relate to this. It wasn't because I was ashamed, It was aperiod in my life and attitude change I was going through at the time.

[jarod81]

I regret wasiting so much money on shoes or boots that I have brought from ebay or other online stores that didn't quite look that good or fit me too well. Looking back that could have been money spent on other things. However I don't regret purging everything twice as it made me understand that this is who I am and that it's not a phase.

[Steve63130]

Ah, but the great advantage to buying on Ebay is that if you don't like your purchase, you can resell it for almost as much as you paid for it, or sometimes more. You just have to be willing to take the time to do it. Steve

[SleekHeels]

... I don't regret purging everything twice as it made me understand that this is who I am and that it's not a phase.

I never thought of it like that before but that's so true. Thanks for that perspective.

[pussyinboots]

The only thing I have even the slightest regret about my heel wearing or buying, is that I didn't keep a lot of the fabulous heels I wore in the 1980's........they would be worth a small fortune now...!

[Roxyinheels]

Sometimes, I regret for buying some shoes and boots that I really don't like..just because economic reasons or just because my inner feelings in this day. Those boots, then, were taking place in my closet and bothering me.

[dww]

I still have some heels I bought in the early seventies, and some bought in the mid ninties. The ones in my picture are my favorite style type and were bought about 1997, I wear them quite a lot the straps are getting a bit iffy now though. I even had a stroll through Gatwick Airport in them, no problems. But my regrets are throwing away loads of shoes I have bought over the years, impulse buying. Now I only buy the shoes I really like and want to wear. I do a lot of research now before buying, saves a lot of money. Result good pair of shoes worth keeping. Took mum to the doctors today, she was wearing a lovely pair of black mary janes (the doctor that is) will do my research and find were they came from and maybe get myself a pair, I need a treat.

[dressboots]

I am going into year three of my purge - or is it four? The feeling does not go away but my wife is very intolerant now so am resisting the urge to buy to replace that which I got rid of. I have one pair of high heel boots and that is it. I cannot bring myself to part with them but keep them buried deeply in the closet in a box so as not to offend my wife. She knew about my love of womens boots well before we got married and even didn't mind me wearing in public but has since grown very intolerant. So to keep the peace I supress it. This is my second purge in my life. The first one I still regret as I dumped in the Goodwill drop a pair of mid 70's stretch white knee high boots. I have never found another pair like them. The ones they make now are not the same. My biggest regret at not buying was a pair of the Sudini brand boots called Silver. Nice tall boot with a semi-bladed heel. No boots being made with bladed heels any more to my knowledge and Sudini is out of business. They made a lot of nice boots but the styles I liked were coming around right as my buying boots was beginning to create stress on the home front so was already moving toward a purge. As others have written, the love never goes away.

[Steve63130]

Hey, DB, I'm sorry to hear of your wife's intolerance of your passion. That's just not right. Marriage is supposed to be give-and-take and compromise. Isn't there any wiggle room at all? I suppose you've tried everything, eh? Counselling? I hate to know that you're missing time engaging in your passion. Life is short. Good luck on a turnaround somehow. Steve

[Mike Hinch]

Do I have regrets, too many to think about. We want the same fashion and comfort rights as others. So in about 1996 I got my first tattoo and do I regret that. If I had that one to do over I would have gotten that first one in 1976. The first is a black outline green maranatha dove. What I did was went to the girl at skinworks with an advertisement from Calvery Chapel. Do I regret going for high heels certainly I regret not easing in to the fashion sooner. But things have changed so that if I had gone to town like in any of my pictures I would have been more out of place ten years ago. Maybe I regret not getting more boots when Wild Pair had the clearance store in Santa Monica.