Seen out and About

[mlroseplant]

14 hours ago, Shyheels said:

I was talking to some people at the boatyard this morning and heard that in a conversation the other day I was described as the guy in the green boat who always wears tall boots. I’m getting known …

As you will in a smaller community. I know it wasn't your intention when you started this thread, but it seems that we are the people mostly seen out and about.

[Shyheels]

I wouldn’t  say so. I think it’s fair though to mention the comments and reactions we receive. How frequently one encounters heels or tall boots will naturally depend on where you are - in my case, living on a canal, along a scruffy towpath, that will be fairly infrequently. I can’t help that. It has nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with environment. @Cali seems to encounter quite a few heels in his day to day life and mentions this in this thread. 

[Cali]

@Shyheels one of the reasons I see so many high heels is  because I have take on a leadership position in my line of work and take part in executive level meetings with the leaders from other sectors. 

[mlroseplant]

The reason I don't see so many heels is because I spent the majority of my waking hours at a construction site. Having said that, I can remember back in the day when a building was nearly complete, the owner would give tours to groups of people (I always assumed that they were employees/bosses at the company). Invariably, there would be several women in high heels during tours through a building under construction. I can recall another job site I worked on where the female engineer would show up every week to check things out in 4 inch block heeled boots. That was the Barilla pasta plant, and the engineer was actually from Italy. That may have had something to do with not only her footwear, but her impeccable sense of style, despite being on a construction site. The concrete floors were in by that time. It's not like she was stepping over clods of dirt in heels.

[Shyheels]

I can just picture a female Italian engineer touring the site, impeccably dressed and in heels. And probably extremely competent 

[mlroseplant]

It almost hurts to think about, but at the time I was just an apprentice, and the year did not start with a "2." I learned a lot on that job. Not only about how to be an industrial electrician, but how to get along with people as well. There were people from all over the world on that job.

[Shyheels]

Out and about in York the other day. Despite our warm summer I was surprised by the number of heeled knee boots I saw. To be sure most wearing trainers but that there were anybody in boots was a surprise, and I saw a surprising number of women in block heeled knee boots - 3” heels. No stilettos though - although given York’s ancient streets I doubt stilettos were ever big there

[Shyheels]

Out and about today in Edinburgh and while strolling through the art collection on display in the Throne Room at Holyrood House I took a good look at the grand portrait of Charles II in all his 17th century splendour - which included ankle boots with what appear to be 10cm heels. A reminder of the days when high heels were a specifically masculine fashion 

[at9]

This portrait? 

He was certainly well heeled.

[Cali]

And wearing skinny jeans or leggings.

[Shyheels]

4 hours ago, at9 said:

This portrait? 

He was certainly well heeled.

That’s the one! Sitting in front of a tapestry that once belonged to Henry VIII. This image has been brightened up considerably - photoshop? The real one is much more muted. Men in those days were peacocks at court- all silks, laces, bright colours and heels. The along came the Age of Enlightenment in the early/mid 18th century and suddenly science, intellectualism, and philosophy were the fashion. Broadcloth and sensible shoes were in, heels and silk stockings were out

[Shyheels]

Passing through Leeds train station today. Although the overwhelming majority of people are in trainers, there are a surprising number of heels being worn including stilettos. Nearly all the heels being worn are boots, and generally chunky heels 

There are sure a lot of ugly boot styles out there …

[mlroseplant]

21 hours ago, Shyheels said:

Passing through Leeds train station today. Although the overwhelming majority of people are in trainers, there are a surprising number of heels being worn including stilettos. Nearly all the heels being worn are boots, and generally chunky heels 

There are sure a lot of ugly boot styles out there …

Yes, there are! And it's not just boots, either. I think they have managed to figure out a way to make heeled footwear these days that is even uglier than those of the Saturday Night Fever era. I didn't think that was possible. I saw a woman at a restaurant just two days ago wearing Mary Janes with substantial heels, but they were very Frankenstein's Monster-like. Worth a second look, but not a third.

[Shyheels]

Frankenstein seems to be supplying the style cues to modern fashion designers 

[mlroseplant]

I have sighted two pairs of stiletto heels last week. The first was part of a Halloween costume, which almost doesn't count, but I think it counts considering the circumstances. One week ago was the last football game of the season at the high school, and therefore was also the last marching band show. The band kids did not wear regular uniforms for this last show, but instead wore Halloween costumes. There was one girl who dressed as a witch, and her costume included stiletto heels. To be sure, she wasn't marching in those heels, she was in the frontline percussion section, playing a xylophone. Nevertheless, she pushed her own instrument on to the field, and then pushed it back off and down the running track, a distance of approximately 150 m each way.

The second sighting was at our joint church/college service last week. There was a communion server, age 20 or so, who was wearing stiletto heeled booties and a skirt. I sort of wanted to interview her a bit on the subject, but as an old man, I can't really get by with that. It was fairly obvious to me that she wasn't really used to wearing heels all that often. It was also obvious that she hadn't acquainted herself with an iron in quite some time, if ever.

[Shyheels]

It’s interesting. It would be fun to know what their perception of heels is, especially stilettos. As you say, it’s not something you can sidle up and ask without looking like a creep. But from a sociological and cultural viewpoint, it would be an interesting question. 

[Puffer]

I was at a modest family function yesterday morning - a granddaughter's third birthday party in a village hall.   The guests were mostly couples in their early thirties with their children aged  from 2 months to about 8 years.   Of the dozen or so mums present, all were wearing trousers (except for one in leggings), and all were in nondescript flat shoes or boots.   Whilst it wasn't a 'dressy' occasion in the accepted sense, it was disappointing to see that none of the women had made any real attempt to depart from very casual 'weekend' wear.   And the men were but little smarter; I was almost the only one not wearing trainers.

[mlroseplant]

That sounds like what you'd see attending our contemporary style church service.

[VirginHeels]

Was in Glasgow yesterday, the amount of heels, mostly blocky and chunky ones was pleasing. Lots of ones in the up to 50mm range, I don't class them as much. However, the ones in the 50mm to 105mm range was pleasing, about 20-30 women, one even marching past my lazy bum. I was not in heels sadly. Again most were in chunky and blocky heels, however there was about 5 women in stilettos, one in a black pair of patient pumps, the rest were in boots as it was so wet.

As the weather gets colder, there is more chance of heels. I know that from previous years.

Im intending to go through to Edinburgh next week sometime. Im planning to be in heels, I'm hoping to see many women in heels too.

Im also looking at a pair of heels for wearing with my suit for a friends wedding in February. Im going to have to ask the bride if it be okay if I do so. Im thinking about showing to friends that I like to wear a heel when I can.

[higherheels]

On 11/4/2025 at 2:08 PM, VirginHeels said:

As the weather gets colder, there is more chance of heels. I know that from previous years.

I also observe that every year. I still don't have a clue why.

From your description Glasgow sounds like the ultimate city for heels. It's been a while since I last visited Glasgow. I can't remember that there was a significant difference to German cities, but now it sounds like there is.

But currently, even in Germany the lower heels are getting more again for winter season.

[Shyheels]

I see heels quite frequently in Leeds and York. In York it tends to be more chunky heels because there are so many cobbled streets, although I have seen some intrepid souls gliding along in stilettos as though they hadn’t a care in the world. There is certainly a north south divide in the UK as regards heel wearing. It’s much more common in the north

[higherheels]

Now that you mention it, I'd say that in Germany heels are also more common in the north. What a shame that I live way down south.

[VirginHeels]

10 hours ago, higherheels said:

I also observe that every year. I still don't have a clue why.

From your description Glasgow sounds like the ultimate city for heels. It's been a while since I last visited Glasgow. I can't remember that there was a significant difference to German cities, but now it sounds like there is.

But currently, even in Germany the lower heels are getting more again for winter season.

It kinda is, in my opinion for Glasgow. We have lots of hills, challenging surfaces with the cobbles in some areas and the slate surfaces of the most common shopping streets.

The lower heels are out in force, it’s the mid and higher heels that are, unfortunately, in a need of numbers being boosted.

Im out the next two nights, hopefully in heels, so I’ll report back on how many wear heels to an event. I’m hoping to wear for both nights, if I can.

[higherheels]

Yes, it's always the lower heels that are around, anything higher can be hard to find (that also applies to shopping for heels).

I'm looking forward to your report.