The High Heeled Ruminations Of Melrose Plant

[HappyinHeels]

mlroseplant,

You play the organ, the guitar, and can play both while wearing 5" heels so I guess that's multi-tasking. No musical talent here but I did do my first painting a month ago while in Pennsylvania. Keep on rockin' them with your tunes and your heels! HappyinHeels

[mlroseplant]

I haven't done much ruminating lately, so I thought I would check in. I haven't had anything exciting to say since we visited Chicago back in August, but I will say that I have slipped a little bit as of late in my high-heeled conditioning. It is definitely true that when wearing the really high stuff, continuing training is necessary. I wore one of my favorite pairs of loafer-pumps last Sunday, which are on the steep side for me, (5 1/2" heel with 1" platform), and my feet were pretty tired after a couple of hours. Previously, these were good for all day without much trouble. The difference is that I have quit walking much in heels the way I used to. This is particularly troubling since only two months ago I managed a whole weekend in Chicago with a lot of walking, and finished strong with no issues. I still wear heels every day, but I don't actually walk any distance every day like I used to. Time to step up and regain my endurance!

[mlroseplant]

To be filed under "Things That Do Not Happen To My Peers." Multiple shoe failures this summer! I lost several pairs of sandals this summer, for one reason or another. In some cases, the strap(s) broke, in another case, the molded unit bottom platform just cracked in half (just as @Jkrenzer promised me it would), and in another case, the steel shank of the sandal just gave way, causing the heel to wobble about sloppily, and making the sandals unwearable. I guess it all comes of wearing shoes which are not really designed to be worn. Or at least they're not really designed to be walked in.

Another problem I have run into lately is buying "New Old Stock" shoes. In other words, shoes that have never been worn, but might have been manufactured several years ago. The shoes I often like tend to have been in style in the early 2010s, and there are still quite a number of those floating around out there, some that are New In Box. However, as it turns out, I've had a problem on several occasions with the skin of a man-made lining peeling off all over my feet, even though the shoes have never been worn. Shoes in my usual price range may have leather uppers, but they often have a man-made sock lining, and whatever they're made of disintegrates and peels off after several years of exposure to air. Not a huge deal, but it's messy and irritating. See photo below for one example of a "brand new" pair of shoes that are disintegrating from Day One.

[Steve63130]

The interiors are often coated fabrics which are made to look like leather. The flexible coating, when new, contains a plasticizer, a chemical to keep the coating supple and flexible and help it adhere to the fabric. As the coating ages, the plasticizer slowly evaporates, leaving behind a coating that becomes brittle and inflexible. As the fabric flexes or rubs against your skin, your socks, or your hosiery, the coating flakes off in little pieces, leaving a mess and an uncoated fabric. As long as the bare spots aren't visible, you can still get use from the shoes. I have a pair of Naturalizer "Vitality" pumps which are 9 years old, and a pair of Aerosoles "Born Free" slide sandals which are deteriorating like that. I've had other shoes do that, too. 

The spandex (the stretchy yarns in hosiery - Lycra is one brand name) will often deteriorate the same way over time as the elasticizer, the chemical that keeps the spandex flexible and supple, evaporates over time and leaves behind a non-stretchy fabric.

Steve

[Jkrenzer]

3 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

To be filed under "Things That Do Not Happen To My Peers." Multiple shoe failures this summer! I lost several pairs of sandals this summer, for one reason or another. In some cases, the strap(s) broke, in another case, the molded unit bottom platform just cracked in half (just as @Jkrenzer promised me it would), and in another case, the steel shank of the sandal just gave way, causing the heel to wobble about sloppily, and making the sandals unwearable.

Stick to the single soles my friend. Case in point a couple weeks ago a picked up a rare, for me, pair of 5.5 inch platform boots at goodwill. Loved them, very comfortable,  then wallah the soles split in half. These were double platforms, with a seem running parallel to the soles,  half inch above and below. I super glued it back together then manually broke the other boot to fix it the same way. So I now have experienced failures in thin plastic platforms like yours and in wider ones. My soles never fall off my single sole pumps and boots. 

[Puffer]

3 hours ago, Steve63130 said:

The interiors are often coated fabrics which are made to look like leather. The flexible coating, when new, contains a plasticizer, a chemical to keep the coating supple and flexible and help it adhere to the fabric. As the coating ages, the plasticizer slowly evaporates, leaving behind a coating that becomes brittle and inflexible. As the fabric flexes or rubs against your skin, your socks, or your hosiery, the coating flakes off in little pieces, leaving a mess and an uncoated fabric. As long as the bare spots aren't visible, you can still get use from the shoes. I have a pair of Naturalizer "Vitality" pumps which are 9 years old, and a pair of Aerosoles "Born Free" slide sandals which are deteriorating like that. I've had other shoes do that, too. 

The spandex (the stretchy yarns in hosiery - Lycra is one brand name) will often deteriorate the same way over time as the elasticizer, the chemical that keeps the spandex flexible and supple, evaporates over time and leaves behind a non-stretchy fabric.

Steve

Very interesting - I had been wondering about this deterioration.   I have two pairs of knee boots (different styles) of the same (Chinese) brand and material and bought at the same time, about five years ago.   Both have been rarely worn and kept in storage.   One pair has deteriorated markedly within the last nine months or so, especially around the ankle where the shafts were folded over in storage - the coating is coming off exactly as described, and potentially visible when worn.   Fortunately, the other pair (which I prefer) has survived so far, but I wonder for how long?    I suppose that shoes and boots of this construction are not intended to have a long life (whether worn or not) as it is assumed they will be discarded as fashions or preferences change - but annoying nevertheless.

[mlroseplant]

It looks as though it's going to be a good winter season. I have not one, not two, but five pairs of clogs that I'm very happy with this winter. I have to ruminate about clogs now, because clogs are where I came from in my heeling journey, and it feels like I've come full circle.

I mark two events every year in my heeling experience. The first happened sometime in May of 2012, which is when I wore my first pair of obviously not regular men's shoes in public, and the second occurred right before Thanksgiving of 2012, which is when I got my first pair of proper "high" heels (meaning 4 inches/10cm or more). There was a time when I thought I was over clogs, but they have come back into my life this year in a big way. I have worn nothing but clogs outside the house for several weeks now, since the temperature has dropped. This new crop of clogs is high heeled enough to where I may be able to avoid boots until we get more than 2 or 3 inches of snow!

The first picture shows my five pairs of clogs, along with a number of sandals which I already miss from summer. If I lived in a warm climate, I would wear sandals 99% of the time. Clogs seem like a good compromise for the reality of winter here in the Midwest U.S.A. The second and third pictures are a memorial to my first pair of real high heeled clogs, which are Sbicca Huttons, and are now pretty much beat to death. I really only keep them for sentimental reasons.

[SF]

Mlroseplant..... How you??  Thanks for the pics and your thoughts.  Your first high heel in public venture was only 5 1/2 years ago in 2012?  You may have mentioned this before, but did you become fond of gals shoes and heels in 2012, or had you been an "at home, in private" heeler before that??  I assume the latter?  

I have been attracted to gals shoes since I was a teen, and made the "jump" to heels in 1996 with no regrets at all.  Always have worn in public.  I assume like you, if I am gonna spend the $$$ on nice shoes, might as well enjoy them.  I still have my first pair of heeled sandals that I keep for sentimental reasons too!!  

Out here in CA the climate is a bit mild so sandals can be worn almost year round, but like you I do have a few pair of clogs for those cooler days.  I like clogs but my preference is sandals.  

I like your sandal/clog collection, but your heels are to high for me, I keep my heels to less than 3 inches , I am already too tall!!  

Have fun......   sf

 

[mlroseplant]

12 hours ago, SF said:

Mlroseplant..... How you??  Thanks for the pics and your thoughts.  Your first high heel in public venture was only 5 1/2 years ago in 2012?  You may have mentioned this before, but did you become fond of gals shoes and heels in 2012, or had you been an "at home, in private" heeler before that??  I assume the latter?  

I have been attracted to gals shoes since I was a teen, and made the "jump" to heels in 1996 with no regrets at all.  Always have worn in public.  I assume like you, if I am gonna spend the $$$ on nice shoes, might as well enjoy them.  I still have my first pair of heeled sandals that I keep for sentimental reasons too!!  

Out here in CA the climate is a bit mild so sandals can be worn almost year round, but like you I do have a few pair of clogs for those cooler days.  I like clogs but my preference is sandals.  

I like your sandal/clog collection, but your heels are to high for me, I keep my heels to less than 3 inches , I am already too tall!!  

Have fun......   sf

 

Thanks for your comments, SF. I will not pretend that I didn't have heels before 2012 that I wore in private, but I really didn't do it too much. My attraction to heels began long before puberty, but I didn't really seriously consider wearing them myself until I was in my 40s. 

[HappyinHeels]

Our favourite Iowa heeler is a quick learner indeed. He loves height and the mule style of sandal and does it quite well. HinH

[mlroseplant]

It has been long overdue for me to do a shoe inventory, and today I did a fairly complete one, even adding a measurement that I had not kept track of before--heel diameter in addition to height. Strangely enough, my total number of shoes has not gone up by that much, but as I've mentioned elsewhere, I've had quite a few catastrophic failures in the last year, most of them sandals. As a result of this, plus the purchase of several close-toed clogs recently, my sandal percentage has actually gone down since the last inventory, which was evidently in May of 2017.

So here are the hard numbers:

Total number of shoes: 56 pairs (counting only heels, and not counting my 2 pairs of wedge sneakers).

Sandals: 28 (50.0%). Mules, both open- and close-toed: 31 (55.4%). Boots: 8 (14.3%). Lace-ups (Oxford and Derby types): 5 (9.0%). Wedges: 8 (14.3%). Stilettos: 22 (39.3%).

Furthermore, I broke it down into heel height categories. Up to and including 4 inches: 4 (7.2%). 4 1/8 - 4 1/2": 7 (12.5%). 4 5/8 - 5": 25 (44.6%). Over 5": 20 (35.7%).

I was curious as to how my style was changing, so I compared what I have now to what I had a couple of years ago, and discovered there really wasn't a heck of a lot of difference EXCEPT for a continuing increase in heel height in general, and an increasing tendency to go for skinnier heels than I had in the past. Unbelievably, I have never had an outright heel failure, despite this trend toward thinner heels. I've had a few heels come loose, but they were easily fixable. OK, except for that one time that my heel tip popped off, and I didn't notice it until I had ground a good 1/2 inch off the heel, walking on concrete. But that wasn't the fault of the heel itself. Skinniest heels I own: 5/16" diameter stilettos. Clunkiest heels I own: 1  1/4" by 1  1/4" block heels.

One last statistic: Number of shoes with a height difference of less than 4" between heel and platform, if applicable: 16 (28.6%). Shoes with a height difference between 3 3/4 and 4 1/4": 31 (55.4%). Oh, and one more thrown in for fun: Number of pairs of shoes I won't wear in public because I really can't walk in them: 2. On a bad day 3. None of them are sandals OR mules.

[Puffer]

Interesting statistics.   I'm glad you added the penultimate one, as it is really the net heel rise that matters - one may have a pair of 6" heels with such a big platform that the effective rise is almost trivial.   But what about the 'missing' 16%?

[mlroseplant]

6 hours ago, Puffer said:

Interesting statistics.   I'm glad you added the penultimate one, as it is really the net heel rise that matters - one may have a pair of 6" heels with such a big platform that the effective rise is almost trivial.   But what about the 'missing' 16%?

I could have kept going, but I quit at an arbitrary point because I thought that perhaps my story was growing tiresome. However, since you asked, I figured it up slightly differently this time and divided it into the following three groups: < 3 3/4", 3 3/4 - 4 1/4", and > 4 1/4" difference in heel to forefoot height (no ballet heels for me, haha). In quickly doing the original number, I realize that I forgot to include a duplicate pair of shoes, so the original number is off a little bit.

<3 3/4" = 11, or 19.6%   3 3/4 - 4 1/4" = 32, or 57.1%   >4 1/4" = 13, or 23.2%

I realize that these do not add up to 100%. Rounding, you know.

While figuring up this statistic, I thought of some others, such as are my summer shoes less steep than my winter shoes? That's my unscientific impression. Statistically, that impression is not based upon fact. Or is it? Although my sandal steepness figure nearly matches the overall figure, because my sample is so small, I have about 4 pairs of steep but short (i.e., 4 1/2" heel with no platform) sandals which skew the statistics. That leads me to wonder what I tend to wear every day on average. Unfortunately, I don't have the proper data to tell you. My impression is that my heels have gotten somewhat steeper for every day than they were several years ago.

[Puffer]

Thanks, mlrp; those figures are more comprehensive.

Now, all we need to know is the size(s) of the waste pipes that feature so often behind your shoe collection!   In the UK, the usual imperial sizes of waste pipe are nominal 1.25" (wash basin) and 1.5" (kitchen sink, bath or shower), although 2" can be used if multiple outlets and/or long runs are involved.   Is the US standard the same?   The UK metric equivalents are 32mm, 40mm and 50mm (which is a difference of nomenclature rather than any variation in diameter).   Solvent-weld pipes (like yours) are slightly larger than push-fit, no doubt to prevent inadvertent mismatching.

[mlroseplant]

Ok, it's a little off the subject, but I've never held that against anyone. The pipes that you see in my picture are 1 1/2". Since I'm not a plumber, I can't tell you what the rules are for sure. I suspect that each municipality has its own rules here, just like with electrical, thought that is slowly becoming more unified as time passes. 

What I CAN tell you is that I suspect it's code to use at least 1 1/2" once you get through the P-trap of any sink or basin. 1 1/4" is often used for the trap itself, but I've never observed an installation (a residential one, at least), that did not convert to 1 1/2" pretty quickly. 

[Puffer]

Thanks, mlrp - interesting if indeed off-subject!   I'm surprised to hear that regs for plumbing or electrics are not unified throughout the US.   They are in the UK, although waste water plumbing requirements are not particularly strict, or effectively enforced.   Generally, a mixture of 'best practice' and common-sense prevails but that is not to say that cowboys (whether so-called professional or amateur) do not abound - and I've seen plenty of installations in that category!   (Water doesn't like flowing uphill, for example, unless properly pumped!!)

One big electrical advantage we have in the UK is a standardised 230V AC single-phase domestic mains supply.   Our electric kettles boil quickly and don't need large (and therefore expensive) supply cables!   (2.5mm sq is the standard for a ring main, allowing up to 24A in most configurations.) 

[at9]

9 hours ago, Puffer said:

One big electrical advantage we have in the UK is a standardised 230V AC single-phase domestic mains supply.   Our electric kettles boil quickly and don't need large (and therefore expensive) supply cables!   (2.5mm sq is the standard for a ring main, allowing up to 24A in most configurations.) 

In the UK every outlet can deliver 3kW so can feed a good, fast kettle, a washing machine or just about any appliance. Same is true in most European countries.

The ring final circuit is just about unique to the UK and allows 32A to be taken from a circuit wired in 2.5mm^2 cable. The use of rings is now discouraged for new installations. mainly because it's harder to verify that they are correctly done and also that faults can develop un-noticed. Best practice is now 20A radial with 2.5mm^2 cable or 32A radial with 4mm^2 cable.

Remember that the USA has a Federal system of government where all sorts of regulations can vary between states.

Edited November 26, 2018 by at9

[Puffer]

13 hours ago, at9 said:

In the UK every outlet can deliver 3kW so can feed a good, fast kettle, a washing machine or just about any appliance. Same is true in most European countries.

The ring final circuit is just about unique to the UK and allows 32A to be taken from a circuit wired in 2.5mm^2 cable. The use of rings is now discouraged for new installations. mainly because it's harder to verify that they are correctly done and also that faults can develop un-noticed. Best practice is now 20A radial with 2.5mm^2 cable or 32A radial with 4mm^2 cable.

Remember that the USA has a Federal system of government where all sorts of regulations can vary between states.

You are quite right about the nominal max rating of a UK power ring circuit being 32A (assuming of course a 32A breaker), not 24A.   My typing error: 24A is the nominal max current rating for 2.5mm sq twin/earth cable when clipped direct.   It is perhaps misleading to say that 'every' (rather than 'any one') outlet can deliver 3kW (13A at 230V) as obviously the overall circuit load cannot exceed 32A.   

Whilst I am aware that some advocate only radial circuits, it remains the case that properly-designed ring circuits are fully permitted by the Regs and they have a number of advantages, according to location, area served and loadings etc.   But of course radial circuits are often better in particular cases, but I don't accept that they should now be regarded as 'best practice' regardless.   However, knowing the glee with which the IEE regularly introduces new or amended Regs, anything may happen in the future ...

(I'm not a qualified electrician but have done a great deal of domestic work and had no problems with inspection and obtaining certification, where required.)

[Pumped]

20 hours ago, at9 said:

Remember that the USA has a Federal system of government where all sorts of regulations can vary between states.

Pretty sure most states in the US use the same code book, National Electric Code. The big issue is enforcement. There are not enough inspectors to look at everything and there is many do it yourself types pulling wires with no clue what the book says and never getting an inspection.

[mlroseplant]

Oh, there definitely is, but it is not law in and of itself. Individual cities and municipalities have to adopt it in order for it to be compulsory, which many do. But they certainly don't have to. Even then, it says it right in the NEC several times that the AHJ, or Authority Having Jurisdiction (i.e., as a practical matter, your local inspector)  has the final say. They can waive stuff that the code requires, or make up stuff that's not required. 

Edited November 27, 2018 by mlroseplant

[SF]

I never understood the "European" way of 240VAC wiring.  What is the "ring" vs the "radial" system??  sf

[at9]

Most countries use radial wiring. This is just a string of socket outlets run from the fuseboard. This wiki article explains the ring final (the term "ring main" is commonly if incorrectly used) better than I can. The ring final is really only used in the UK and possibly in Ireland  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit

Here's the intro from that article:

" In electricity supply design, a ring final circuit or ring circuit (often incorrectly called a ring main or informally a ring) is an electrical wiring technique developed and primarily used in the United Kingdom. This design enables the use of smaller-diameter wire than would be used in a radial circuit of equivalent total current. The reduced diameter conductors in the flexible cords connecting an appliance to the plug intended for use with sockets on a ring circuit are individually protected by a fuse in the plug. Its advantages over radial circuits are therefore reduced quantity of copper used, and greater flexibility of appliances and equipment that can be connected. "

A ring main, strictly speaking, is somethng rather different. Ring topology is often used on high voltage networks to provide fault resilience. Doesn't alwys work as I found out a few years ago. One day my power failed. Then came back for a few hours, then failed again. the electric company had to bring in mobile generators for almost a week until they could fix the blown cables. Apparently some old undeground 11kV cables had failed. You wouldn't want to have been standing over the ground where that happened, it blew a nice hole. The auto-reclosing circuit breakers had restored power (may have been done manually, I don't know for certain). Then the other leg of the 11kV ring, overstressed from having to support more load failed too. They had a lay a fair bit of new underground 11kV cable to fix all that.

In some urban areas, notably central London, the low voltage network (400V delta, 230V star) is in mesh configuration. With lots of feeds from different transformers, all interconencted more or less at random. This give high fault tolerance but also very high prospective fault currents. Every now and then an underground joint box explodes. It's a miracle nobody's been seriously hurt.

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by at9

[HappyinHeels]

mlroseplant,

Yes, those PVC pipes behind your heels are indeed standard 1 1/2" (4 cm) wide as per widely-adopted code in the USA + Canada. One could go wider if the house were new construction and you had a large family (seven residents or more). I like your shoe statistics and the fact your shoes are in one location.

at9,

Yes, the USA has a federal system but that's not the reason for the difference between states or municipalities. The 110volt/60Hz system is universal in the USA, Canada, and Mexico for standard residential applications. Special exceptions like dryers or furnaces would be different. The tenth amendment to the US Constitution;  those powers not enumerated to the Federal Government shall be retained by the States. States further typically defer to counties and municipalities. Did you know a county near the border of a time zone can choose which time zone to use? Local control delegated from the State and originally delegated from the US Constitution makes this possible.

HappyinHeels

[Gudulitooo]

1 hour ago, at9 said:

Most countries use radial wiring. This is just a string of socket outlets run from the fuseboard. This wiki article explains the ring final (the term "ring main" is commonly if incorrectly used) better than I can. The ring final is really only used in the UK and possibly in Ireland  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit

Here's the intro from that article:

" In electricity supply design, a ring final circuit or ring circuit (often incorrectly called a ring main or informally a ring) is an electrical wiring technique developed and primarily used in the United Kingdom. This design enables the use of smaller-diameter wire than would be used in a radial circuit of equivalent total current. The reduced diameter conductors in the flexible cords connecting an appliance to the plug intended for use with sockets on a ring circuit are individually protected by a fuse in the plug. Its advantages over radial circuits are therefore reduced quantity of copper used, and greater flexibility of appliances and equipment that can be connected. "

How to make things complicated when you could have them simple.

[at9]

Gudulitooo, in France, you have the problem of the "disjoncteur" (circuit breaker) fitted by the power company that trips if you take what is a very modest amount of current by UK standards. Most houses in the UK have a supply that can deliver between 60A and 100A. If everyouse did that all the time the system would break but fortunately the average demand is quite small.

I'm sure every country has its quirks. The Japanese have both 50Hz and 60Hz power!

[Shyheels]

Japan is easily the quirkiest country I have ever visited. 

[p1ng74]

2 hours ago, HappyinHeels said:

 Did you know a county near the border of a time zone can choose which time zone to use? Local control delegated from the State and originally delegated from the US Constitution makes this possible.

HappyinHeels

Florida voted in July to stop observing daylight savings, yet they are still blocked from implementing it by the US Congress.  Seems the lawyers in Washington need remedial review on the Constitution.  

[SF]

Never heard of ring wiring, seems strange....  Apparently here in the U.S. we use radial wiring @ 120 volts 60 cycles.    sf

[blueparrot]

4 hours ago, p1ng74 said:

Florida voted in July to stop observing daylight savings, yet they are still blocked from implementing it by the US Congress.  Seems the lawyers in Washington need remedial review on the Constitution.  

How does Arizona get away with it?  I lived there over three years.  Part of the time we were the same as the rest of my family in New Mexico and the rest of the time we were the same as California.  Some of my "automatic" clocks refused to stay on standard time so I had to set them to Pacific Time that part of the year. 

Wiring in North America allows for different voltages depending on use.  Homes most frequently have what's called bi-phase or split phase.  It's three wires, one grounded (neutral) with two live wires, each 120 volts to ground and 240 volts between them.  Most loads use 120 volts.  Larger loads like dryers, ranges, air conditioners, shop tools, welders, etc. use 240 volts.  There are 15 and 20 amp circuits for common loads, 30, 40, 50, and 60 amp circuits for larger ones.  Commercial buildings often have 277/480 volt 3-phase service.  Larger loads run off 480, ceiling lighting runs off 277.  They have smaller transformers throughout the facility to provide 120/208 volts for outlets and other smaller loads.  Smaller buildings often have 120/208 volt 3-phase service.  Canada uses 347/600 volt service for larger buildings.  There is still a strange 3-phase service that provides 120/240 volts.  The third phase is called a "wild leg" and is 208 volts to ground.  Some parts of the country they actually serviced homes with this for their air conditioners.  Most power utilities won't provide that service anymore.  It's kind of dangerous because some people will attempt to use the wild leg to feed a 120 volt outlet.  I once encountered an office where they had an electrician install an outlet for their new computer.  The computer needed 120 volts.  The electrician was mostly used to residential work so he mistakenly ran the line to their 277/480 panel.  The computer caught fire.  I don't know how he missed that as the panel had a huge 277/480 sign on the door. 

Edited November 27, 2018 by blueparrot

[p1ng74]

33 minutes ago, blueparrot said:

How does Arizona get away with it?  I lived there over three years.  Part of the time we were the same as the rest of my family in New Mexico and the rest of the time we were the same as California.  Some of my "automatic" clocks refused to stay on standard time so I had to set them to Pacific Time that part of the year. 

Hawaii and most of Indiana opted out too. Must have happened back when there was more freedom.