The High Heeled Ruminations Of Melrose Plant

[Puffer]

Thanks for the clarification, Steve.   The problem with 'perpendicular' and 'stairs' is that there are several possible right-angle relationships!   I was unsure of your actions as I have often seen women in heels angling them out of the vertical when crouching down (e.g. to remove something from the floor, or a low shelf), which reduces their effective height but can't be good for the shoes.   Angling your feet to one side of the direction of descent whilst keeping legs vertical makes sense.    I find it also helps to stand erect and resist, as far as possible, the temptation to look down at one's feet.

I live in a Victorian house too - but with four storeys and some 90 steps in all (and two turns) - so lots of opportunity for practising descent, whether controlled or not! 

Edited October 27, 2017 by Puffer
typo

[Cali]

4 minutes ago, Puffer said:

I find it also helps to stand erect and resist, as far as possible, the temptation to look down at one's feet.

You need to keep your weight on the step you have your foot on and DO NOT lean forward. I trying to get to the point I can go down a flight fast.

[pebblesf]

Going upstairs is easy for me, don't know why....But, going downstairs is surely a challenge, always hold the hand rail if one is available....I have always had a balance problem, which may explain this somewhat...

Melrose, you look great in those heels, and I'm glad you have had so many positive interactions buddy!

[Puffer]

6 hours ago, pebblesf said:

Going upstairs is easy for me, don't know why....But, going downstairs is surely a challenge, always hold the hand rail if one is available....I have always had a balance problem, which may explain this somewhat...

Melrose, you look great in those heels, and I'm glad you have had so many positive interactions buddy!

If you think about it, there are at least two reasons why going upstairs in high heels is usually easy:

(a) ascending stairs requires feet (specifically heels) to be raised progressively at each step, so wearing high heels can help this because one's feet are already given a lift by the footwear;

(b) on a narrow stair tread, only the front part of one's foot may be in contact, with the (high) heel hanging below the stair edge and thus effectively negating the rise of the heels, as if walking flat-footed.

I feel obliged to issue a disclaimer of all liability if anyone has a tumble while trying any of this!

Some years ago, I was walking behind a young lady who was wearing at least 5" stilettos and attempting to walk down a very steeply-graded pavement.   How she did it without falling down, and with nothing to hold onto, I do not know, but a combination of very short steps and (much as advocated above) angling her feet sideways worked well enough.   In retrospect, I should have offered her my arm (and my phone number) - we live and learn!   You can see how Sarah Adams (of Rosa Shoes) copes with stairs etc in her videos:   https://www.rosashoes.com/pages/rosa-shoes-video-and-photo-galleries/2003

[Cali]

RASPBERRIES

Yes, raspberries. That's what can happen when you try to run down stairs. Caught my heel on some uneven steps, rolled down two steps.

RASPBERRIES

Live and learn.

[Steve63130]

Ouch! At least you didn't break anything, I hope!

Steve

[Cali]

My first (of many) fall in heels. I was holding on so I was able to control it.

Hurt my pride more than anything else.

[mlroseplant]

I have done some research and experimenting with stairs since my last post. I will talk about this later. Right now, I want to report that I have bought some shoes that are so out of character for me that I can't believe I bought them, I love them! 

They are Mia brand, cheetah print, pointy toes. 4 1/2 inch heel, no platform. A bit steep for me, but they are super easy to walk in, if you can believe that. Now I just need to figure out an outfit and occasion to wear them out. 

[jeremy1986]

Not my style ether, but they look great - enjoy!

[Cali]

They look like fun shoes...

Where to go in them?

Christmas morning????

To church with a nice dark suit and an animal print tie...

Liquor store to get anything....

Just have fun in them.

[Jkrenzer]

Love them. By the way size 8.5, wow, middle of the female shoe size range, luck you.

[mlroseplant]

11 hours ago, Jkrenzer said:

Love them. By the way size 8.5, wow, middle of the female shoe size range, luck you.

Yeah, I guess I am. Usually Size 9 for fully enclosed footwear, 8.5 for sandals and mules. However, it's only been since I started wearing high heels 5-6 years ago that I do feel lucky. Do you know what a pain in the neck it is needing Size 7  or 7.5 when trying to find men's dress shoes or work boots?

[Heelster]

20 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

Yeah, I guess I am. Usually Size 9 for fully enclosed footwear, 8.5 for sandals and mules. However, it's only been since I started wearing high heels 5-6 years ago that I do feel lucky. Do you know what a pain in the neck it is needing Size 7  or 7.5 when trying to find men's dress shoes or work boots?

Yes - - I buy my work boots in the women's department.

[Cali]

 

On 11/27/2017 at 9:24 PM, mlroseplant said:

However, it's only been since I started wearing high heels 5-6 years ago that I do feel lucky. Do you know what a pain in the neck it is needing Size 7  or 7.5 when trying to find men's dress shoes or work boots?

I have a wide toe bed and narrow heel. I hated shoes, shoe shopping, anything shoe until I discovered I had women shape feet. Since then I have only worn shoes from the women's department. No more ill fitting men's (clown) shoes, no more ankle issues, and now with heels pain free. And I enjoy shoe shopping now.

[HappyinHeels]

Cali,

 

I agree with you and show shopping while wearing heels is the absolute best. You get premium treatment by the staff and great compliments on your footwear. Can't encourage oour members to do this enough.  HinH

[mlroseplant]

Over the past year, I've realized I don't enjoy driving in heels anymore. If I'm wearing shoes that are easy to slip off, I will do so until I get to my destination. It's just a pain in the neck--my right calf gets tired from being held for an extended time in an awkward position, and I can never seem to find a comfortable place to put my left foot, either. 

Recently, I drove to Des Moines (the State of Iowa's capital city) to do some Christmas shopping. I chose to wear my Nine West Plantera loafer pumps, which are nearly my highest and steepest heels. It's a good feeling that after several years, I have finally gotten to the point where I can wear these shoes for an extended period of time and still be smiling when I get home. 

Anyway, I decided to take my old pickup truck instead of the car, simply because I hadn't driven it for several weeks, and it needed to be run for a little bit. To my surprise, it was easy to drive in heels, even though it's a manual transmission. I now realize that the reason I don't like to drive in heels has to do with the angle of the accelerator pedal in my car. 

There were a few gals wearing boots with block heels whom I observed on my outing, but no one with 5 1/2" heels like me. No one seemed to take particular notice of me, even though I was wearing skinny jeans, and the whole shoe was visible. 

[nzfreestyler]

Hi mlroseplant,

I too find driving in heels depends on the vehicles pedals and seat position and some cars are easier than others. I used to travel for work and wore heels with all the airports/rental cars etc every week... After I while I came to the conclusion that my shoes were getting more damaged from driving in them so I stopped. Eg suede heels get scuffed, pastel coloured shoes get scuff marks on the leather heels from the dark carpets or worse still floor matts etc...

Nowadays I drive in flats (or barefeet - flats if I'm wearing stockings) and I leave my heels with my handbag.

 

Glad you enjoyed shopping in your heels - they sound quite high!

[Cali]

I put on my heels in the morning and drive to work and take them off when I get home. Manyof my heels are block or wedges. There are a few heels like a stiletto where the tip get stuck or the heel is just too high for proper driving. I drive over a mountain on a fast curvy freeway to work every day.  Since I just changed cars I can see how the angle of the accelerator could affect you foot/heel.

[JeffB]

I wear sneakers while driving, then change into my heels after I arrive at my destination.

[mlroseplant]

22 hours ago, nzfreestyler said:

Glad you enjoyed shopping in your heels - they sound quite high!

I always enjoy shopping in heels, but especially on this day. It was perfect, except for the fact that I failed to find what I was looking for. 

My shoes are less impressive than they sound. The effective platform is 1", maybe 1 1/8", it's hard to tell with a bit of a hidden platform in there. So the difference between toe and heel works out to be about 4 1/2", which is not extremely steep, but even as recently as a year ago, they were too steep for me to consider a major excursion in them. I guess you CAN teach an old dog some new tricks!

[nzfreestyler]

Nice looking heels.

Its a common finding - wear high heels out and they're much harder than expected - a lot of folks think they can wear them but they can't - not wear them well - and not wear them comfortably for a decent excursion. Sounds like you are pleasantly surprised to find the heels comfortable ! Thats superb ! Your foot flexibility must be better and you are used to the height !

They're alsp a nice looking shoe - the heel is an interesting square-ish cross section profile and the toe is not too pointy so it looks to be a forgiving shoe.

Great news - glad you enjoyed things. Onwards and upwards I say !

[jeremy1986]

8 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

 

 

Beautiful looking heel - even though I don't usually liked loafer style shoes, but these look great!

[Puffer]

Mlroseplant's shoes are not really loafers in style; more a brogue court (if that is the right description), although there are similarities and I like them.   True loafers are very much a unisex shoe and (heels aside) can be worn by anyone.   I regard them as a man's shoe which has been 'borrowed' by women and often given a heel - commonly a block or stack of medium height and width.   Men can - and should - borrow them back, complete with heels!

I bought these loafers a few years ago.   Alas, they did not fit properly so they had to go:

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by Puffer

[mlroseplant]

12 hours ago, Puffer said:

Mlroseplant's shoes are not really loafers in style; more a brogue court (if that is the right description), although there are similarities and I like them.   

I like to call them "loaferesque." 

[Steve63130]

I always thought the loafer was the person wearing them! LOL

Steve

[HappyinHeels]

Steve63130,

Either that or just someone else offering a "penny for your thoughts".

mlroseplant,

Driving with heels is less comfortable at short distances where one cannot use the cruise control for the pedal orientation relative to your heels situation.   If you, however, are driving longer distances on an interstate (motorway for everyone outside the US+Canada) then cruise control can be used and driving is heels is not so uncomfortable. I've said here before though that taking a backup pair of heels (in a handbag, camerabag, or backpack) for possible changes in terrain or mood can help greatly and maybe this is one more reason to do that. And there's another penny worth of input. HappyinHeels

[Pumped]

I have driven hundreds of miles in 3"-4" heels with no issues, but I will agree it depends on the vehicle. With my Ford I put the heel on the floor, off to the side of the peddle and find it very comfortable.

[mlroseplant]

I was doing some shopping on Amazon the other day, and on a whim I decided to look at my purchase history. Evidently, I bought those "loaferesque" pumps on October 16th, 2013. I have worn them enough to have the heels replaced, but only this year have they entered my regular winter rotation. I want to say they are the only pair of shoes that I ever paid full retail price for, which was 110 USD. I guess I shouldn't feel bad, I have gotten my use out of them, and 110 bucks is not THAT much money.

[jeremy1986]

Definitely a good buy, @mlroseplant

[Puffer]

8 hours ago, jeremy1986 said:

Definitely a good buy, @mlroseplant

As distinct from a 'goodbye'!   I'm sure they will march on for a few more years.