What' Up with the Pointed Toes???

[dr1819]

1. It's ugly 2. It's uncomfortable 3. It's the cause of most foot problems associated with the wearing of heels 4. It's ubiquitous - despite the fact that most people would be more comfortable in a properly fitting shoe that doesn't rack one's toes into unnatural positions, designers seem to have mandated that "pointy toes are in," to the total exclusion of other styles. One of the men posted a very nice-looking pair of heels under his pin-stripped pants the other day, and received a lot of great comments. It had a rounded toe. Why aren't the manufacturers getting the clue? Until they do, I'm on a buying hiatus and I'll return when more comfortable shoes and boots are once again available in my larger size.

[Danielinheels]

you could've stopped at #1, and the post wouldn't suffer much

[jo]

The pointy bit is empty if you get the right size shoe. No problem with pointy feet. It doesn't happen.

[kneehighs]

Actually, my toes are permanently shaped like a pyramid from wearing my pointies for so long. 1. When I'm mad at someone it makes getting revenge easy. All I have to do is slide my shoe off and kick their tire. Whooosh. 2. It makes spinning like a ballerina, round and round on one toe, very easy. 3. I can type with two hands and open envelopes with my feet, they are so sharp and pointy. 4. Architects have to use a triangled ruler, I just use the edge of my feet. 5. Despite all this, I will always love my pointy shoes.

[hoverfly]

Pointed toes bite!! I got Fred Flintstones feet wide at the toes, narrow at the heel, now if they built shoes to accommodate my foot shape than that a whole different story.

[ShockQueen]

Gosh darn it, kneehighs........now I gotta wipe this Pepsi off my monitor! That just had me laughing so hard! I love it!

[Thighboots2]

dr1819

Whilst I can see the "point" of coupling the pointy toe with the stiletto, I can see your arguement from a wearers point of view. Perhaps these days the excessively long point is there just so the shoe wears out quicker or to try and give some room in the toebox. The earlier pointies were much shorter. I was so pleased I came across these court shoes.

Mind you they're snug and need to be broken in, but once there, joy.

Kneehighs 1. reminds me of a James Bond film.

[CeliaC]

It's the reverse with me. I think rounded and square toe caps are ugly. Anything from the classic court to pointy ones you refer to look GOOD to me. - Admittedly tough to people with wide feet/toes, otherwise I agree with jo, just buy the right size shoes and you're fine. Kudos to kneehighs! great post. I met a Dutchman many years ago. When he took a strong dislike to someone, he said he'd like to kick their butt so hard the shoe remains inside. See what pointies are good for?!

[jim]

Well... I just LOVE points... long may they continue. jim

[Gayle Gold]

They get one noticed ... isn't that the point? GGxxx

[pussyinboots]

One of the other reasons is that pointy toes are more aesthetic with the fashionable flares on girls jeans and trousers. Short points dissappear.

[flavio]

Well... dr1819 is fighting against pointed toed shoes for a long time. But see... everything is a matter of choice and lifestyle. Heels itself can give problems to the feet because of the unnatural position, putting all your wheight in the toes. Heels can give you back problems (or solve it to someones). Pointed toes can distort feet? Maybe. Some people are more related to have bunions and caluses because of genetics. I have a pointed toed pair of boots that are better then my regular "masculine" shoes just because they are custom made. There's plenty of space for my toes and the pointed parts are just free space. I like pointed toed shoes, I think they are beautiful and sexy. Heels can give problems to the feet? Yes. Pointed toed shoes can give problems to the feet? Yes. Why do we wear them? Because we love it and we take the risk. What would be to the yellow if everybody prefeered blue?

[chris100575]

Of my (estimated) 30 pairs of shoes and boots all but maybe two pairs have pointed toes. I love them, they look much sexier than round toes and square ones are just ugly IMO. I can't remember what age I started wearing heels, but I've always preferred stilettos and pointed toes, and while I admit that I'm not wearing them all day every day, I have no problems with my feet and my toes are perfectly normal. If they fit you properly pointed toes don't necessarily cause you any problems. My Faith boots have toes so pointed you could have someone's eye out with them, but they're still comfortable to wear and don't squish my toes. I do like those courts that Thighboots2 posted though, the round toe looks good with the chunkier heel. Chris

[Dr. Shoe]

Pointy styles are more elegant and sophisticated IMO. However, incorrectly fitted ones do hurt the feet and lead to long term rpoblems more than any other style.

[dr1819]

And here I thought this thread would become a diatribe against the pointy-toed high heel. You've just provided the reason why they're the norm, instead - because you don't mind the pain or potential damage they'll do, you'd wear them anyway. But is this a reflection of logic, and your own inherent desires, or a reflection of just how good marketing really is? I say the reason they push points is due to their discomfort. You love the style (their marketing is that good), but you dislike the discomfort so you go shopping for another pair of heels. They win, because more shoes are sold. We lose because we've fallen into their marketing mindtrap and damage to feet is very difficult to repair.

[chris100575]

To quote my own post: "My Faith boots have toes so pointed you could have someone's eye out with them, but they're still comfortable to wear and don't squish my toes." This is a reflection of logic, personal preference and free will. Pointed toes look sexy and work better with a stiletto heel which is my preferred style. They're just as comfortable as a round toe with an equivalent heel if they fit properly, and mine do. I've had shoes that were uncomfortable because they were too tight and they've either gone to charity shops or been sold on eBay. I've not been brainwashed by clever marketing, I've made a conscious decision to seek out and wear the styles that I find appealing. If you like I can post a photo of my bare feet so that you can see the extent of the damage wrought by years of pointy toes, ie none. Chris

[Elegant]

I like the pointy ones with short toeboxes- the long ones (which are/ were recently fashionable) don't appeal to me at all. Squared toes can be nice in boots with a chunky/ wedge heel, unless the shoe size is very big. I just hate shoes that take too much place (and the current men's styles with a wide toebox do).

[luxxyheels]

I like the snip toe the best. Looks like it goes into a point, but squares off where the point would be as if the point was cut off.

[balacau]

I have to say I found this a very interesting read.

Myself, I'm not much of a pointy toe fan, although there is pointy and pointy. Since I'm more acquainted with boots than shoes, I have to give an example where pointy looks ok. About a month ago, before Faith changed their site, they had a style of boot on display called Reeve. Its a zip-up calf length leather boot with a pointy toe and a 4" stilleto heel. There was a knee length boot that Schuh used to have on its site about 1 1/2 years ago with a 3 3/4 inch stilleto heel, pointed toe, and pink & purple stripes.

These are average pointy toed boots which I find attractive. There are some boots however with very thin points that I cringe at, but as already stated.....personal preference.

My personal favourite as far as style goes would be a thin to medium platform, rounded toe with a semi-chunky heel up to 4". Even those wood effect heels are pretty nice I think.

[Shafted]

I'm a major fan of the pointed toe because I love the looks of them and they are just so darn comfy.

[Skirted-UK]

dr1819

Whilst I can see the "point" of coupling the pointy toe with the stiletto, I can see your arguement from a wearers point of view. Perhaps these days the excessively long point is there just so the shoe wears out quicker or to try and give some room in the toebox. The earlier pointies were much shorter. I was so pleased I came across these court shoes.

Mind you they're snug and need to be broken in, but once there, joy.

Kneehighs 1. reminds me of a James Bond film.

That's what I call a nice court shoe, pity there not in my size

[Dawn HH]

I have been wearing pointy toed shoes for many more years than most here and I can say that if fit properly they are comfortable all day long and well into the night. I have had no problems what-so-ever with my feet over that period of time. I am not a fan of the elongated pointed toe box that is popular now as they make your feet appear extra long and out of proportion no matter what the style of heel with them. If the toe box is shaped to a point with an esthetic appearance and the fit is correct it can look very sexy no matter the heel style. The round toe box is beginning to make an reappearance again as this is nothing new having appeared during the 50's and known then as the "Baby Doll Toe" although with a much chunkier heel style. I wore them then and I can wear them now. I also wore cowboy boots with pointy toes for many years. I don't think that there is anything any sexier than a black patent pump with a pointy toe box and a stilletto heel of about 4" in height. They are to die for and I have had several pairs through the years and wore them till they practically fell off of my feet and then I went and got another pair. They fit with any outfit for any occasion from casual to opera. And they even look great with jeans too. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[hoverfly]

Well I guess your name is not Fred Flintstones then huh? I agree pointed toes are nice, but I have only two pointed pair that I can wear, one pair has a long toe box. The other is an oxford in a 13 big in length but width is fine and I can lace them up enough so I don't slide in them. one pair semi pointed square off at the end and the reset, square and rounded. I can forget any kind of width width courts or boots with normal pointed toe box. I need like, a extra wide width with a narrow heel! I am screwed...........

These were a asom pair had to sell them even though they were a 12W .

[Trolldeg]

Never been uncomfortable in pointy shoes...

[dr1819]

I am not a fan of the elongated pointed toe box that is popular now as they make your feet appear extra long and out of proportion no matter what the style of heel with them.

Thank you!

Who else is tired of these clown shoes?

[BoyLegs]

I think pointed toes are incredibly sexy, although I found the black round toes previously posted attractive as well. If the shoes fit properly, you're not jamming your toes into the point.

[Puffer]

Moving sideways a little, I'm surprised that 'proper' pointed toes have not come back into fashion for men, given that they have been so popular on women's styles for the last couple of years. In the late 50s/early 60s, 'winklepickers' (and other pointed or tapered styles) were almost universal on men's fashion shoes, including the beatle boots with cuban heels. Yes, they could be uncomfortable if worn all the time (or too small a size was chosen) but they were very smart and were not worn only by teenagers. Although there are fortunately exceptions, so many men's 'fashion' shoes seem to be heavy and ugly, with wide toes and thick soles. OK, some like the look and no doubt they are comfortable, but elegant they are not and, yet again, the girls have all the luck. If pointed shoes and boots (ideally including some with a worthwhile cuban heel, say 2 - 2.5") were in the high street for men to buy, we would be one big step nearer gaining acceptance for men to wear heels and 'lighter' shoes generally.

[micha]

Thank you!

Who else is tired of these clown shoes?

What would you reply if I would claim that your shoes look like potato tampers? I would never answer in this way and I hope that I have never named flip-flops as clown shoes

In my opinion pointy boots aren't only a sexy style but also a very comfortable footwear. At least for me! My feet are slim and long and my everlasting problem is finding fashionable high heels in my size. One of my most comfortable pointy boots are in EU size 42 - nevertheless my usual size is EU 44

micha (*the guy with the triangular toes*)

PS I like the boots of your avatar

@kneehighs and ShockQueen: my problem after reading your contribution isn't Pepsi on my screen but white wine in my keyboard (an excellent Riesling from Kroev at the Mosel, dry and very delicate on the tongue but not in the keyboard)

[Adeana]

I love the pointy shoes! It seems that all my dream-shoes from the high end designers all seem to make really great and sexy pointed toe heels.

I have bought a few pair of the high end designer shoes to go with 'special occasion' outfits or dresses but I won't spend the $400+ on all the new fashionable ones that come out.

Most of them have great textures and colors and of course the ever-popular 'toe cleavage!'...hehe

Here is my favorite heel I would love to get!. ya-ya-yah it's not 5" but a 3 1/2". I tried them on before at a really nice boutique while visiting in NY and they felt and looked fabulous!

They run about $500 and if you buy these for me in black I will marry you!....

http://content.neimanmarcus.com/products/mp/NMX3759_mp.jpg

[Pam]

Adaena, Those are some great Manolo's! You have good taste. No doubt they will look perfect on you! I'm sure you will receive many marriage proposals ... but you will get lots of amazing shoes too!