PART 6: Summer Before High School

[HeelsWearer]

After getting back from Washington, I couldn't wait to finish the 8th grade. It took my body a couple weeks to recover from the daily grind of teeter-tottering around Washington... the aches and pains in my feet, legs and back lingered. I retired my original pair of stilettos from Wild Pair and began alternating between my new black pair and whit pair. Although they were new, they felt like slippers because I wasn't on my feet 8 to 10 hours a day. 

 

That summer was one of the hottest summers on record. It seems like everyday was in the 90's! I wanted to get a pair of high heel sandals for the summer. I went shopping in the Candie's store (yes, they had retail outlets!). Within seconds of entering the store I fell in love with a pair of sandals that were very popular at the time. I wanted to get a pair in white but they didn't have may size; I opted for red. When I slipped them on, I felt nude as I was used to wearing pumps. These were open and airy. I wore them out of the store and it took me a day or so to get used to them. I had to admit they were comfortable and I liked the look. Once again, being the stubborn person I am, I wore them everyday that summer with shorts. My shorts were always appropriate in length and came down to midthigh. I wore tee-shirts and conservative blouses. I wanted the attention on my shoes, not on me. I know that sounds odd, but I didn't have the confidence in my body; rather I had confidence in my high heels and loved them so much I wanted to show them off. It also took me a while to get used to having my feet on display. I just wasn't used to open-toe shoes. 

 

I spent most days that summer with my brother and a lot of our friends at a community swimming pool in town. We lived about a mile and a half from the center of town and we'd walk there each day. Of course I did it in my Candies. Looking back now, I must have been quite a sight walking along the side of the road in shorts and high heels!  On one occasion, my brother had other plans and I walked into town by myself. A couple of cars slowed down and the drivers stared at me as they drove by. A few cars beeped their horns. One car full of older boys slowed down and talked to me. They asked if I needed a ride and told me that it "looked like I was in the mood for some fun". I thanked them but told them I was meeting a friend just a few houses down. I remember thinking that because I was a girl walking by myself that I was going to get some attention. I also had a thought taking me back to Washington and being slut shamed by the teacher the morning I came out wearing shorts and stilettos. Maybe he had a point, which I still didn't understand. A few years later, I figured out that shorts and high heels worn together get a lot of attention from the guys. I was young and naïve. 

 

That summer my family took a week's vacation to a resort community with a theme park. I wore my Candies all over the place while there, including the theme park. While there, my mother had a chance to see me wearing my high heels in all situations on a daily basis. I can distinctly remember we were sitting at the pool when she told me that she was wrong about me not lasting in high heels. She was not crazy about me wearing them daily as she was sure I was causing damage to my body. But she admitted she was proud of me for making up my mind and seeing it through. I thanked her and that day's interaction seemed to change our relationship. I felt as if I became a young lady in my mother's eyes and we seemed to bond after that conversation. Although we were still mother and daughter, we became friends and had many meaningful "girl talk" conversations. It is ironic that my wearing high heels is what turned our relationship into something so much more meaningful. 

 

My brother and I still had our chores that summer and a few additional ones were added on being we had more time on our hands. My brother would complain and moan about doing his chores. He always had other things to do be it going to hang out with friends, playing sports or going to the pool. I seized on this and told him I'd be happy to do his chores if he kept up my foot massages. Of course because there were more chores to do, I negotiated with him that my massages would increase from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. Again, he jumped at the deal. It was a no-brainer for him, but it was a no-brainer for me. Although I wasn't suffering the pain I did during the previous school year, I still loved to have my feet massaged... something I still enjoy to this day! The Candies turned out to be rather comfortable, although my feet were tired by the end of the day. I really that Washington was such a painful experience that anything after that seemed easy. 

 

That summer I also increased the size of my shoe wardrobe. I continued to babysit and put the majority of my earnings into my high heel collection. I bought a pair of sandals with a toe strap and a wrap around ankle strap which rivaled my Wild Pairs in height. I also bought a pair of Candies high heel stiletto clogs. I didn't even consider shoes with a heel of less than 4 inches high... a habit that I still follow to this day! Although my shoe collection was growing, I still didn't have any desire to change any of my other fashions. I still preferred tee-shirts, collared shirts, blouses and jeans. I wore no makeup and I usually wore my hair in a ponytail. I know I'm repeating myself, but I wanted the attention on my shoes. On the few occasions I didn't wear shorts that summer, I would wear jeans and roll them up to my ankles to have my shoes on full display. I loved getting compliments on my high heels. My friends would love to try them on and laugh as they tried to walk in them. Women I didn't even know would compliment me on them. I even received appropriate compliments on my shoes from men on occasion. High heels were still just my passion and I remember my 14th birthday and thinking to myself that I made it a year! 

 

The pictures are only close replicas of what I bought that summer. 

 

 

[Shyheels]

Another nice story. I totally get the idea that you wanted the attention to be in your shoes and were happy with just wearing jeans and T shirts. Makes perfect sense and the counterpoint between stiletto heels and the regular jeans and T-shirt would have been appealing. Counterpoint often is.

To a degree I follow a similar fashion sense - I wear my heeled boots with ordinary jeans and jumpers, enjoying the counterpoint of edgy with ordinary.

Thanks for sharing your story.

And those are lovely looking shoes. You had good taste!

Edited February 7, 2021 by Shyheels

[Chorlini]

1 hour ago, HeelsWearer said:

I didn't even consider shoes with a heel of less than 4 inches high... a habit that I still follow to this day!

I am of the same opinion. Hell, I don't even want anything lower then 4.5" for myself.

[mlroseplant]

High heels with shorts did take a long while to gain acceptance, I want to say it's been within the last decade.

[HeelsWearer]

1 hour ago, mlroseplant said:

High heels with shorts did take a long while to gain acceptance, I want to say it's been within the last decade.

I agree with that sentiment. Although I've worn shorts and high heels for my whole life in the summer, only the last 10 to15 years have I not been given that, "What street corner does she work on?" look at times. Looking back, seeing a 13/14 year old in shorts and 4 1/2  inch heels must have been a shocker! Again, thanks to my mother for allowing me to be me and express myself. Looking back, had I known the reputation of shorts and stilettos, I may have chosen not to wear shorts no matter how hot it was... but the high heels would have stayed.

Edited February 7, 2021 by HeelsWearer

[Shyheels]

Yes, your mother deserves a lot of praise for her kindness, wisdom and tolerance - allowing you to be yourself and express that self. That is a really lovely part of your stories - the benevolence of the adults around you and the gentle and positive influence they had. 

[HeelsWearer]

1 hour ago, Shyheels said:

Yes, your mother deserves a lot of praise for her kindness, wisdom and tolerance - allowing you to be yourself and express that self. That is a really lovely part of your stories - the benevolence of the adults around you and the gentle and positive influence they had. 

After reading your post it dawned on me that many adults were supportive of me in many different ways. I think part of it was that I was a very respectful kid. I never gave lip to anyone, was agreeable, and wasn’t a rebel. That’s probably why I was given such a wide birth to wear stilettos daily. If a girl wearing high heels was the worst thing someone could say about her, why push it? I really was blessed by the support of many adults in my formative years. Thanks, Shyheels. 

[Shyheels]

Yes, you sound like you were a genuinely nice kid - that really comes across, and that niceness and innocence, coupled with the supportiveness of your mother and teachers really makes your story a pleasure to read; a genuine feel-good story.

I have a somewhat similar attitude to my own liking for heels. If at the end of the day the worst thing anybody could say about me was that I liked to wear high heeled boots, then I won’t really have done so badly

Edited February 7, 2021 by Shyheels

[Pierre1961]

A few years ago it was very common to see extremely young girls in high heels and short in the street of big cities in Japan. 

They were far to imagine people could think they are hookers. They were just trying to be as close as possible to what was considered as the latest trend. 

Same outfit for employees in female clothes shop. 

[Chorlini]

I never knew that 'streetwalkers' wore shorts, I always figured them to wear short skirts.

[mlroseplant]

20 hours ago, HeelsWearer said:

I agree with that sentiment. Although I've worn shorts and high heels for my whole life in the summer, only the last 10 to15 years have I not been given that, "What street corner does she work on?" look at times. Looking back, seeing a 13/14 year old in shorts and 4 1/2  inch heels must have been a shocker! Again, thanks to my mother for allowing me to be me and express myself. Looking back, had I known the reputation of shorts and stilettos, I may have chosen not to wear shorts no matter how hot it was... but the high heels would have stayed.

You would think that with Catherine Bach playing Daisy Duke on "The Dukes of Hazzard," an extremely popular, if silly, television show in the U.S. which aired in the 1980s, that shorts and heels would have caught on. Daisy was portrayed as a wholesome, innocent girl, she just happened to wear shorts with high heels in most episodes. Despite this, I never saw anyone wear shorts and heels as a serious outfit under normal conditions until the late 1990s, and I don't think I saw it again until another 10 years went by, first in the Asian community, and then more generally, until about 2010, when it was a common sight suddenly, especially at bars and clubs. Nowadays, I think I'm the only one left. Haven't seen it in a good long while. Maybe some low wedges, but certainly nothing like what you describe wearing.

[Chorlini]

36 minutes ago, mlroseplant said:

You would think that with Catherine Bach playing Daisy Duke on "The Dukes of Hazzard," an extremely popular, if silly, television show in the U.S. which aired in the 1980s, that shorts and heels would have caught on. Daisy was portrayed as a wholesome, innocent girl, she just happened to wear shorts with high heels in most episodes. Despite this, I never saw anyone wear shorts and heels as a serious outfit under normal conditions until the late 1990s, and I don't think I saw it again until another 10 years went by, first in the Asian community, and then more generally, until about 2010, when it was a common sight suddenly, especially at bars and clubs. Nowadays, I think I'm the only one left. Haven't seen it in a good long while. Maybe some low wedges, but certainly nothing like what you describe wearing.

I wonder if Catherine Bach's shorts were brought about because she had to do some asskicking now and then, in which case a mini skirt is probably  not the most censor friendly attire, considering that network censors were checking these shows. Wouldn't want any accidental panties shot, now could we? So they stuck her in shorts instead. Which might explain why it never really caught on.

Also LOVED that show as a kid. And I never even noticed Catherine Back that much. Must have been before I hit puberty or something.

[HeelsWearer]

57 minutes ago, mlroseplant said:

You would think that with Catherine Bach playing Daisy Duke on "The Dukes of Hazzard," an extremely popular, if silly, television show in the U.S. which aired in the 1980s, that shorts and heels would have caught on. Daisy was portrayed as a wholesome, innocent girl, she just happened to wear shorts with high heels in most episodes. Despite this, I never saw anyone wear shorts and heels as a serious outfit under normal conditions until the late 1990s, and I don't think I saw it again until another 10 years went by, first in the Asian community, and then more generally, until about 2010, when it was a common sight suddenly, especially at bars and clubs. Nowadays, I think I'm the only one left. Haven't seen it in a good long while. Maybe some low wedges, but certainly nothing like what you describe wearing.

You're not the only one wearing shorts and stilettos, add me to that list when the summer arrives and it's really, really hot. I'm a little older now so I always wear nude pantyhose with my shorts and stilettos... it just gives my legs a smoother look. Kind of ruins the idea of shorts though (LOL). 

As for Daisy Duke, I can remember seeing her and thinking she looked fabulous. I never had the nerve to pull off the makeup, earrings and tops she did. As for wearing shorts and heels as a serious outfit before the 1990s, I was a rare breed in that I did it that really hot summer I was talking about between my 8th grade and 9th grade years. Granted, my shorts were at least mid-thigh and not like Daisy's. 

Thanks for bringing her up, happy memories for sure! 

Edited February 8, 2021 by HeelsWearer

[jeremy1986]

@HeelsWearer, I am enjoying reading your stories. Thanks for taking the time to share them. Sounds like these experiences really helped you mature and understand yourself. While loving heels from an early age too, it took me many years to have a little more insight to it.

Those sandals above I like (and actually have) as well, so understand your buying them! Not much of a clog person.... But I can see the appeal. 

[jeremy1986]

Anyone know what happened to @HeelsWearer ?

[Shyheels]

She seems to have just stopped posting. A pity. I was enjoying her series - nicely written, well observed and thoughtful. 

[jeremy1986]

50 minutes ago, Shyheels said:

She seems to have just stopped posting. A pity. I was enjoying her series - nicely written, well observed and thoughtful. 

yup... pity indeed. She was quite the motivated writer .... 

Edited May 18, 2021 by jeremy1986

[Shyheels]

And talented. 

[Jkrenzer]

Someone made an off hand comment about her not actually being a "her". This section is supposed to be "fact or fiction". I'm affraid the author has moved on.

[spikesmike]

Jkenzer :  What gave you cause to be affraid . She may be on vacation, Or, She may have died of Coved 19 . Perhaps she forgot how to spell . I'm betting she got married . mike

[Jkrenzer]

15 hours ago, spikesmike said:

Jkenzer :  What gave you cause to be affraid . She may be on vacation, Or, She may have died of Coved 19 . Perhaps she forgot how to spell . I'm betting she got married . mike

Mike, afraid is a matter of speach only. You may be right, hope so. I just remember a comment in one of these posts, not going to drill through them to find though.