The High Heeled Ruminations Of Melrose Plant

[robbiehhw]

Really nice look. The pants go well with the heels. The blue of the shirt pops nicely. One thing to consider is to go with a more pastel/feminine color top in coral (which is super in this summer) or aqua.

[SF]

I think you look just fine….  like the sandals too….  sf

P.S.  Cool that you wear heels to church.   I do too, without any problems at all…..

[HappyinHeels]

Mlroseplant,  The look is amazing. There is something about bootcut slacks and heel like those that does look great. I have seen that same look a lot in the downtown area of larger cities. If you wanted to see how different tops might look I'd suggest looking at the display windows of stores like Kohls, H+M, Forever21, etc and check those out. Very nice shoes and I am a big fan of slingbacks which I got turned onto by a woman who worked at my buddy's store in Chicago. HappyinHeels

[Tech]

I give up... Its as if he is being given these shirts for free by somebody who really doesn't like him....

Those glasses too, have you had the same specs forever? Get some modern smart frames man... Not "pokey old git" frames...

 

Why do so many guys put 99% of their effort into 1% of their "appearance"?

 

Wow, these shoes look great, I'll just wear them with any old crap...

 

Seriously, any shirts you have that are striped like that, bury them, or use them to start a barbecue.

 

Your feet say "Summer" but the rest of you says "Early spring"

NO MORE STRIPES!!!!

[Gudulitooo]

NO MORE STRIPES!!!!

 

Personal view ?

I like these stripes.

Not sure if they go with the rest of the outfit though, I am worst than mlroseplant for this.

 

I was told that the bottom of your body should be somehow connected to the top. By retrieving one of the colors. With a Brown jacket - or hat ? Or same top but with dark blue shoes...

My 2 cents

[Steve63130]

Mlroseplant,

 

Now that we've convinced Tech to give up (he said so! heh, heh)...you can wear your heels with further criticism!

 

I'm glad you have a thick skin!

 

Steve

[mlroseplant]

I give up... Its as if he is being given these shirts for free by somebody who really doesn't like him....

Those glasses too, have you had the same specs forever? Get some modern smart frames man... Not "pokey old git" frames...

 

Why do so many guys put 99% of their effort into 1% of their "appearance"?

 

Wow, these shoes look great, I'll just wear them with any old crap...

 

Seriously, any shirts you have that are striped like that, bury them, or use them to start a barbecue.

 

Your feet say "Summer" but the rest of you says "Early spring"

NO MORE STRIPES!!!!

Well, you know, you can't please everyone, just 6 out of 7, evidently. This thread has become far more interesting than I had imagined. A few thoughts here: First of all, I want to thank everyone for their input, even Tech. Second, I admit I still struggle with smart casual. Actually, I really like those pants, and I'm not going to get rid of them. I am not sure what to do about my tops/shirts. This will not be the summer where I experiment too much, as I am working 64 hours a week--I just don't have time to go shopping for myself and just try on a bunch of stuff. Third, about the glasses, the timing is quite odd--I just had an eye exam today, and am in the market for some new specs. Three pair, actually. Normal, everyday glasses, safety glasses for work, and sunglasses. Here's the thing: TO A PERSON, everyone I've asked has said to get something very similar to what I have right now, because they are very suitable with my face. And these are not pokey old gits saying this, either. These are mostly young attractive ladies saying this. I am very reluctant to go against this advice, because frankly although the big plastic frames may be in style right now, most people don't look very good in them.

 

I did get asked today by the optometrist (a man) about my shoes. I felt very comfortable in telling him that I wear them just because I like them. Not the best, most eloquent answer I could have come up with, but an acceptable and truthful one. He then had some questions about why I like them when, according to his wife, they are uncomfortable. I told him that perhaps my desire to wear them comes in part because they are difficult to walk in, and I consider it an athletic challenge to be able to wear heels, and make it seem as easy as flats. He seemed satisfied with that answer, if slightly puzzled.

[Puffer]

I don't see much wrong with your overall appearance, but then who am I to judge as I would be comfortable in something similar.   What shoes did you wear to the optometrist?   (It occurs to me that he might have thought your eyesight was so bad that you had put your wife's shoes on by mistake!)

[mlroseplant]

I don't see much wrong with your overall appearance, but then who am I to judge as I would be comfortable in something similar.   What shoes did you wear to the optometrist?   (It occurs to me that he might have thought your eyesight was so bad that you had put your wife's shoes on by mistake!)

I wore these BCBG wedges with skinny jeans and a bright orange close-fitting t-shirt. Sorry, no pictures of the outfit. It's not even an "outfit," really.

[mlroseplant]

I hate kitten heels! I'm still trying to figure out what this thread is all about. I don't have any new shoes (or clothes) to show off this week, so a random thought will have to do.

 

Why do I hate kitten heels so much? What did they ever do to me? I was just corresponding with another member some time ago, and he lamented the fact that it's very difficult to find a mid-heeled thong sandal that does not have a stiletto heel. In other words, a kitten heel. And that's right--most heeled thong sandals have a kitten heel for some reason. Well, there are the giant rubber platformed flip flops that would technically fall into that category, but I am choosing to ignore those for the moment. Actually, forever.

 

This conversation got me to thinking about kitten heels in general, often touted by the fashion magazines as the Ideal Compromise between real heels and frumpy flats. I'm calling BS on that one. Kitten heels, far from being the Ideal Compromise, are in fact the Worst of Both Worlds. Too short to have much of a visual effect, yet impractical in the way that all stiletto heels are--for example, you still can't walk on the grass with impunity in kitten heels, no matter how short.

 

I think I've felt this way about kitten heels since I was very young, but the feeling didn't solidify until I was in college. I know, I'm a late bloomer. I remember this girl who never wore heels unless she was in a situation where she was required to dress up. I believe at that time she had exactly one pair of dress shoes, and they were kitten heels. I bet they weren't as much as 2 inches high. She walked terribly in them, wobbling and shaking with every step. I never knew this girl well enough to talk with her about it, but I don't think the shoes were necessarily uncomfortable in a foot-pinching sense, but her choice of "conservative" footwear ruined her whole look and presence. She'd have been much better off with either a higher thin heel, or a broader heel of the same height. Then again, what do I know about presence? Today, she's a successful patent attorney, and I'm slogging around in the mud for a living. She MUST have changed her shoes! That's gotta be it.

 

Who hates kitten heels? Who misguidedly loves them? We would all love to hear your thoughts, I am sure.

[Puffer]

I agree with you about short stiletto heels (aka kitten heels).   They are hardly worth bothering with - heels for little girls or the timid, such as the tall woman who shies from adding too many inches but wants to wear a stiletto.

 

I don't however quite understand your point about thong sandals.   Yes, they often have kitten heels and don't look very appealing.   But those with a 'proper' stiletto heel (at least 3") are by no means rare, and they are quite often teamed with a wedge heel of a fair height, again at least 3".   Your BCBG wedges are a case in point - and I wish I could find and wear some sandals like those too - a neat style which oought to be unisex!

[mlroseplant]

I don't however quite understand your point about thong sandals. Yes, they often have kitten heels and don't look very appealing. But those with a 'proper' stiletto heel (at least 3") are by no means rare, and they are quite often teamed with a wedge heel of a fair height, again at least 3". Your BCBG wedges are a case in point - and I wish I could find and wear some sandals like those too - a neat style which oought to be unisex!

True, they are not rare, but they are also not that easy to find. It took a fair bit of searching to find my BCBG wedges, and I wear a normal women's size (9 U.S., 7 U.K.).

[jetheelsfan]

They were not called "kitten heels" back in the "dark ages of the mid '60s" when I first recognized my interest in feminine footware.  The higher stilletto had lost out to the "Mod Look" of Twiggy.  The heels of choice had become 1 1/4 inches to 1 /34 inches for the fashion statement and also became blocked and squared off - nothing very interesting as far as apparance to me.  The "jet heel" was a low stiletto that did not have the apparance of a brick on the back of the lady's shoes.  It looked "delicate" compared with most current styles.  I also saw where they were also considered "training" heels for my 13 year old peers.  It was fun nd interesting to here the girls taliking about their new shoes on picture day when most did some few do today - dress-up in fine clothing and shoes - heels.  I had no way to understand how special it was to my female peers to have those first heels - "Just a littl bit higher to delight her, yet low enough for healthfull foot comfort" as stated in one of the catalogs I searched.  I started my enjoyment of watching the little short stilettos and also the (sadly) rare ability to watch a lady traverse in the 3 1/2 to 5 inch heels available today.  A short "kitten heel" is still preferred to the masses of flip-FLOPs, flats, and "athletic" trainers that are usually just ugly. 

I will continue to enjoy seeing even the "kitten heel" on the mature "couger."   Just my wierd point of view.

[AZShoeNut]

Howdy,

 

I have to say that I love a good pair or low heeled pumps.  During the late 80s when I really got my thing for heels all of the girls my age wore low heeled pumps.  In the early 2000s you could still pick up a pair of late 80s shoes as people started emptying their closets via eBay.  I believe that shoes like this now days are what are called kitten heels.

 

Also a favorite of mine from the time were low wedges - also eBay.

 

Pics (hopefully) below.

 

Best,

Larry

 

 

[SF]

ha ha ha ha…..  OK, this is getting good….  Opinions are like rear ends, everyone has one - and here is my (possibly misguided) opinion on kitten heels.  

First of all, I am tall (6-3), and love heels, but don't want to look like a giant, I just want to enjoy wearing a heeled shoe.  So, I keep the heel height to less than 3 inches, preferably less than 2 1/2 inches.  

My preferred shoe style is a sandal with a wedge or block heel.  When I see a shoe style that I like, I focus initially on the uppers, the heel type and style comes second.  I have a varied mix of sandals with varying heel styles, and yes - I actually do have a few pair of the dreaded "kitten" heels (oh the humanity)!!  

At first I was hesitant to wear the lower kitten heel much, but after many outings, I learned to "walk" in them - not as stable as chunkier heels - and have come to find them quite pleasant.  As with my other heeled sandals, not many folks seem to notice, and the ones who do are complementary and / or supportive.   

The kitten heels are lower - thus that name I suppose - which fits my need for a lower - less gigantic - heel.   

If it were possible to have all my "kitten heels" be wedgies or chunkier, that would be fine with me, but I have learned to go with what is available and just enjoy the shoes.  

Bottom line, I think is is WONDERFUL that there are us guys here that have the courage and tenacity to proudly wear high heels in public, whether it be stilettos, wedgies, block, kitten or whatever. 

Keep up the good work, and I will continue to wear my terrible "kitten" heels - ha ha….  Take care all….    sf

P.S.  A few pics of the "dreaded" heels…..  bye….

P.P.S.  Mr. Melrose, pls take no offense - just having fun here...

[Puffer]

They were not called "kitten heels" back in the "dark ages of the mid '60s" when I first recognized my interest in feminine footware.  The higher stilletto had lost out to the "Mod Look" of Twiggy.  The heels of choice had become 1 1/4 inches to 1 /34 inches for the fashion statement and also became blocked and squared off - nothing very interesting as far as apparance to me.  The "jet heel" was a low stiletto that did not have the apparance of a brick on the back of the lady's shoes.  It looked "delicate" compared with most current styles.  I also saw where they were also considered "training" heels for my 13 year old peers.  It was fun nd interesting to here the girls taliking about their new shoes on picture day when most did some few do today - dress-up in fine clothing and shoes - heels.  I had no way to understand how special it was to my female peers to have those first heels - "Just a littl bit higher to delight her, yet low enough for healthfull foot comfort" as stated in one of the catalogs I searched.  I started my enjoyment of watching the little short stilettos and also the (sadly) rare ability to watch a lady traverse in the 3 1/2 to 5 inch heels available today.  A short "kitten heel" is still preferred to the masses of flip-FLOPs, flats, and "athletic" trainers that are usually just ugly. 

I will continue to enjoy seeing even the "kitten heel" on the mature "couger."   Just my wierd point of view.

 

I am unsure of your background but I don't agree about the history, at least as far as the UK is concerned.   The low stilettos that were available from the late 50s to mid 60s (when Twiggy etc took over) were certainly known as 'kitten heels' - and I never heard the title 'jet heels', certainly not in London or the South East.   The derivation of 'kitten heels' is debatable; it is likely because they were intended for youngsters/novices - training heels as you suggest.   But the term has also be linked to the less brash 'sex kitten' starlets - think Audrey Hepburn rather than Diana Dors - who generally adopted the inncocent schoolgirl look.   Twiggy and her contemporaries were effectively the later sex kittens, and their shoes with low square heels and square toes were girly but undemanding and somewhat frumpy.

[mlroseplant]

Thanks for the replies, all. The opinions I state here are not necessarily the views of my sponsor. Just having fun! Maybe more clever thoughts will come to me soon. I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

[vector]

Tech, 

 

You could have offered a critique without being critical and demeaning.  Perhaps saying, ".. I would have dressed up those shoes with...." and describe the outfit would have been more helpful and beneficial, and not as demeaning.

 

JMHO

 

BTW, am I blocked now?    (just kidding)

[mlroseplant]

Tech,

You could have offered a critique without being critical and demeaning. Perhaps saying, ".. I would have dressed up those shoes with...." and describe the outfit would have been more helpful and beneficial, and not as demeaning.

JMHO

BTW, am I blocked now? (just kidding)

Oh no, no, no, no! We need ratings here. If Tech gave an answer such as you suggest, who would ever read this thread?

[Steve63130]

 

Tech, 

 

You could have offered a critique without being critical and demeaning.  Perhaps saying, ".. I would have dressed up those shoes with...." and describe the outfit would have been more helpful and beneficial, and not as demeaning.

 

JMHO

 

BTW, am I blocked now?    (just kidding)

 

Vector,

 

Yes, Tech could have been more considerate, but that's not his way. He's brash, straightforward, and doesn't mince words, so we'll just accept him as he is, expect no changes, and not take either him or ourselves too seriously! LOL

 

Ok, Tech, defend yourself! HA HA HA!

 

 

Back on topic, I rather like kitten heels. I like SF's heeled sandals. I like jet heels (although I never heard the term either until jetheelsfan came along). I like taller stilettos, thicker heels, block heels, tapered heels, stacked heels, clog heels, cuban heels, and (this is scary) I'm starting to like some wedges! Did I say that?

 

 

Steve

[mlroseplant]

Back on topic, I rather like kitten heels. I like SF's heeled sandals. I like jet heels (although I never heard the term either until jetheelsfan came along). I like taller stilettos, thicker heels, block heels, tapered heels, stacked heels, clog heels, cuban heels, and (this is scary) I'm starting to like some wedges! Did I say that?

Steve

It sounds as though you are polyamorous. As far as shoes are concerned. Haha.

[Steve63130]

Good observation. When it comes to eye candy, I'm an opportunivore!

 

Steve

[HappyinHeels]

I'll back that one up. When Steve63130 spots an interesting sandal he makes sure you hear there is " a sandal alert". He doesn't wear what I wear but likes seeing it just the same. We all like shoes and that's why we're here    HappyinHeels

[Steve63130]

Thanks, HinH,

 

I do indeed like what you wear, but my life insurance doesn't cover falls from extremely high places! I'd be a sitting duck for my wife to push me off platform sandals like you wear! So they're probably not in my future, but I do like them.

 

Steve

[mlroseplant]

I live in a small town. Well, it used to be small, back in the day. Without getting into details, which would be unethical, a local attorney called me the other day, and asked me if I would be a character witness for a certain colleague of mine (not a criminal case). I said sure, and the very next thing the attorney said was, "Please don't wear high heels to the hearing."

Fine. I understand. It makes me sad, but I understand.

[SF]

Well at least the word is out that you are confident wearing heels in public, I think that is cool.  

The attorney's request, on the other hand, ain't cool.  

However, it is good that you are doing a favor for your friend.  Maybe wear a pair of gals flats to the hearing???  ha ha    

That's what I would do……   Take care…   sf

[robbiehhw]

SF: Very lovely idea - I'd put on a pair of flats. Be the change you want to see

[HappyinHeels]

mlroseplant,    Ah, yes, the small town. Iowa has done some amazing social metamorphisis in recent years; among the first to legalize same-sex marriage, decriminalize marijuana, and charge a deposit for recyclable bottles and cans. The attorney's request for you NOT to wear heels though is a reminder of stereotypes. I wonder if you had been a woman if he would have asked you to wear a dress and not pants. My guess is no.He likes your character enough to use as a witness but doesn't like the footwear part of that same character's self-expression. Interesting perspective.  HappyinHeels

[mlroseplant]

I think that perhaps there is a slight misunderstanding of the lawyer's request. My friend is going through a very nasty child custody battle with his ex-wife. My friend's lawyer wants me to testify on his behalf. Right or wrong, the lawyer wants no distractions from the actual evidence. I can understand that. That's why I'm not even hesitating to make sure my choice of footwear does not negatively affect my friend's case. I mean it might, or it might not, you never know. So why take the chance?

[robbiehhw]

You should absolutely support your friend in the way you see fit, totally get that. I would too. Let's hope for a future that a choice of person's reasonable footwear is not a distraction