Not Afraid Of Stilettos Now

[mlroseplant]

After 2 1/2 years of public heeling, I have finally embraced the stiletto heel. Pictured below is my stiletto collection. I still have not worn the pair on the extreme right, because I am still working my way up to them. At 5 1/4 inches, they are not yet ready for public consumption.

I wore the middle pair (Guess ankle boots with 4 1/2 inch heels) to a dentist appointment today, with tight boot cut jeans and a black merino wool turtleneck sweater. Nobody mentioned my shoes, even though they were in plain sight.

Yeah, stilettos are more of a pain in the neck, because the top lifts wear out much faster, and you can catch the heel in a crack in the sidewalk if you are not careful, but I still love them. They are not nearly as hard to walk in as their reputation might suggest.

[Thighbootguy]

Ah, Stilettos are a great way to get up in the world. 

 

I'm not sure what you are referring to with, "the top lifts wear out much faster".  If your'e referring to th heel tips, have your cobbler flair the tip when he replaces them.  The tip will look like an inverter "Y".  The flairing is not realy noticable but it doubles the life of the tip.

[Jkrenzer]

Or buy a bulk supply and replace them yourself as needed. Its an easy job I do it all the time.

[hhboots]

Or buy a bulk supply and replace them yourself as needed. Its an easy job I do it all the time.

 

I do this as well...its a very low cost way to go.  I buy them in bulk from either ebay or newheeltips(dot)com, and I also buy them a size or two larger (wider) than the original heel tip to help them last longer.

 

 

After 2 1/2 years of public heeling, I have finally embraced the stiletto heel. Pictured below is my stiletto collection. I still have not worn the pair on the extreme right, because I am still working my way up to them. At 5 1/4 inches, they are not yet ready for public consumption.

...

 

I really like your collection and style, many of yours are very similar to what I have in my collection as well.  I just love black stiletto heel pumps and boots.

[Shafted]

Welcome to the stiletto wearer's club, mlroseplant.

[mlroseplant]

Ah, Stilettos are a great way to get up in the world.

I'm not sure what you are referring to with, "the top lifts wear out much faster". If your'e referring to th heel tips, have your cobbler flair the tip when he replaces them. The tip will look like an inverter "Y". The flairing is not realy noticable but it doubles the life of the tip.

TBG, yes, you are correct in your assumption. I believe that "top lift" is the term of art for "heel tip" in the shoe repair trade. Somebody correct me if I am wrong.

You may recall my story of my new Aldo boots and the broken heel, which was successfully repaired. My cobbler did as you suggested without me asking, and so far, after several miles of practice, the wear is negligible. Not only that, but I feel much more confident walking in these boots now, and I think the time is near when they will make their public debut.

[AZShoeNut]

Enjoy! Stilettos are my favorite.

[Histiletto]

There has been some brief moments I've considered wearing non-stiletto heels for, quote "the manly look", then the reality that I'm already a guy that loves wearing high stiletto pumps puts this wayward thinking into perspective. It's not that I haven't, won't, or don't wear other type heels, they just aren't in my preference for the people that really want to know me.

[mtnsofheels]

Cool stuff Miro!

I have not gotten there yet..maybe some day..

[Guest]

Just put on better heel tips. Factory ones are crap. Not to mention they can be slippery.

[HappyinHeels]

mlroseplant-

 

Alas my  Iowa  neighbor has discovered the joys of the stiletto heel. They are fun and ooooh so sassy. The one thing that most guys have to pay more attention to, other than the different type of heel, is the shape of the toebox. While I can fit into many size 10 heels I cannot fit into a pointy toebox. It either has to be a rounded toe or at least an almond toe style of shoe. I have stiletto heels in peep-toe and regular pumps, ankle boots, and knee boots and enjoy them all. I think you'll learn to love the difference as well.  HappyinHeels

[Dr. Shoe]

We call it a "top piece" in the UK so "top lift" is almost certainly correct in the US.

[Puffer]

Ah, Stilettos are a great way to get up in the world. 

 

I'm not sure what you are referring to with, "the top lifts wear out much faster".  If your'e referring to th heel tips, have your cobbler flair the tip when he replaces them.  The tip will look like an inverter "Y".  The flairing is not realy noticable but it doubles the life of the tip.

 

I don't understand your suggestion about the top piece (heel tip) being flaired, TBG.   If you are suggesting that the end is belled out, so that it is a little larger in area but with a central depression, how will that help?   Apart from appearance issues, although the overall area in contact with the ground is increased, there will be less metal in the 'rim' to make contact, so the rate of wear rate would increase.   And, if the tip is hard enough to give worthwhile wear, how can it be flaired effectively - at least without annealing and re-hardening?    Please explain! 

[Thighbootguy]

The heel tip is wider where it contacts he ground.  There is no center depression.

 

 

 

TBG

[Puffer]

The heel tip is wider where it contacts he ground.  There is no center depression.

 

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TBG

 

Thanks for the clarification, TBG.   It was your description of an 'inverted Y' shape that implied a central depression.   But I'd still like to know how a typical cobbler is able to flare a hard metal (presumably steel) tip without damage and without special equipment.   And, if a flared tip is worthwhile and effective, why are such tips not ready-made? 

[Thighbootguy]

I don't think a normally equiped cobbler could flair a metal heel tip.  I have no experience with metal heel tips.  I suspect that flaired tips are not normaly on heels because the heel/shoe desiner wanted a streight line in the heel.  The modification of an oversized heel tip is so easy for a cobbler, that keeping two heel tips in inventory for the same size would not me cost effective.

[Puffer]

So these are not metal tips that are flared, then?  Am I the only reader who thought they must be?!  I am surprised if you have your boots re-heeled with non-metallic tips, given that they will wear quite rapidly, but I suppose the flaring helps.