To think that high heels are just not worth it

I can't remember the last time I wore any high heels. I prefer trainers or flats. Even flat sandals.

High heels of any sort are totally impractical and not worth the discomfort.

A low block heel, not a 4" stiletto! 😂

I like heels but only wear them very occasionally if I am going somewhere I will largely be sitting down interspersed with bits of standing up. I would not wear them when walking or dancing.

Agree that they are dated for work. I’m short with small wide feet and (sadly) stumpy legs and ankles, so I can’t wear stilettos, but I love a high, chunky-heeled platform for special occasions. Decent quality, well fitting ones are surprisingly comfortable and the platform absorbs the weight on the ball of the foot.

i look just as dreadful in smart flat shoes as stilettos and they fuck up my back. I think sometimes we don’t realise that flats can be ugly, uncomfortable and damaging to the feet and back too. Most of the time I’m in Birkenstocks, trainers or Solovair boots. I need the support and they are more flattering.

I do see them out and about these days - they went away for a couple of years but then reared their ugly heads again. They aren't completely out of fashion anymore (around London at least which is where I live - it may be different in other places)

My feet are problematic little buggers and there are many shoes I cannot wear without pain unfortunately! I'm nearly always in trainers and boots unless it's extremely hot and then I'll wear flat sandals.

I do think my feet were always a weird shape (high arches and bony 🤢), but wearing high heels as a young 'un did not help

I think high heels for work are definitely no longer fashionable and look extremely silly. I work in the city and raise eye brows when I see a professional woman tottering around in heels. But high heels for social outings aren’t out of fashion, there are definitely occasions when a strappy stiletto or chunkier heel is still called for (source: I have some very fashionable friends). I can only personally handle a really low or v chunky heel though.

I am 5ft 1 and have always felt the need to wear heels , I feel so much more confident with a bit of height and not having to look up at people . However, i have almost completely given up now, as I've got older I’m not as bothered. I have a couple of medium height pairs for fancier wear , although that's not often . I started wearing Docs a few years ago, wish I'd found them sooner !

I don’t base everything I do on whether a man would do it 😁

I don’t mind if heels come back into fashion as long as flats are also in fashion. There used to be a time when you felt forced to wear heels for weddings etc. I’m glad that’s gone.

Maybe they won’t come back, and one day stilettos will be seen in the same way as crinoline dresses and Elizabethan ruff collars!

It was not just a poster on here mentioning empowering I have heard it heaps over the years

But I don't care what is fashion or not I won't wear anything uncomfortable just because it is meant to be fashion

I wear wedges in summer and ankle boots with a block heel in A/W, but couldn’t wear anything other than that ever again. I’m even beginning to wear those a lot less and prefer being in trainers.

I still have several pairs of stilettos and other heeled boots. I know that I’ll probably never wear them again, but feel sad at the idea of parting with them.

I stopped because of Covid, and because trainers came into fashion

They weren’t designed by men for the male gaze, they were designed for men to wear originally

I only wear wedges these days for the same reason - heels aren't comfortable, sonetimes l need the extra height!

Good quality heels are very comfortable, I don't even know I am wearing heels. On the other hands, bad flat shoes can be painful to walk in

I haven't worn heels since the 80s. I'm 6 feet tall.
I don't wear dresses either!

I love that heels are dated now but I am sure they will come back round as things always seem to. I'm hoping I will be old enough to not care by then though.

They can look very glamorous and finish an outfit but I could never walk properly in them.

I love them. Didn't start wearing them until my 20s, when I got a grown up job and put my both days behind me. Then wore for work and nights out.

I had to wear flats most of this year due to injury and it's really made me think about my shoes. My knees don't hurt as much (and I've never been overweight) and my hips don't hurt. I have done gorgeous heels, but lay time I wore some, I literally tottered about and had to sit down, whereas once, I'd have strode around the room.

Last few nights out have been in trainers and it's been bliss. But I'm going to have to really think about my work wardrobe because I still can't shift the mindset of flat = frumpy.

Yes, I agree. I wore them for decades though - day and night. I can't walk in them now - out of practice. I do have a bunion, but so does my sister, who hasn't worn heels. No intention of returning to them - though I have wedges for some dresses. They'll be back in fashion at some point.

Heels are dated for now. No doubt they will come around again...but not for me.

I find being able to move at speed empowering, hobbling would make me feel completely un powerful. If I see anyone wearing high heels nowadays I think ouch and how dated they look.

My MIL feet were wrecked by shoving her feet into winklepickers in her youth. And she continued wearing heels into her 60s. Whilst bunions etc can be genetic a lot of damage is down to footwear choice. Our feet are amazing, what they have to withstand throughout our lives, we owe it to them to take care of them.

'@N4ish
High heels look very dated now. Seeing women tottering around city centres struggling to walk in them looks increasingly ridiculous. Why bother?'

Agreed! if I go out I want to be able and free to enjoy myself, not be in pain because of my shoes.

When I see women in city centres who can't walk in their heels and choose to wear tight dress and high heel sandals look in the middle of winter, I just think 'tacky and sad' not 'empowered'.

Wore pumps to my own wedding

I gave up wearing heels in my mid twenties (I'm early 50s now). Ridiculous, uncomfortable things. I'm glad they've finally gone out of fashion!

I never had proper high heels, only a pair of boots with a pretty low heel. Luckily I'm quite tall but when I was younger I was always jealous of people who could wear heels (I always imagined falling over and breaking my ankle).

I don’t base what I do on whether a man would do it? They do loads of stupid shit.

Would men wear something painful, that makes it difficult to walk, just to look good? No? Then me neither.