Shoes for Women - why is their pressure to wear uncomfortble footwear to 'fit in'?

I agree with all the non heel wearers. I don't even own any high heels. Why put yourself through the pain?

I recently bought three pairs of boots. I bought the first pair - knee high, heel no more than one cm, like on the average man's shoe, and they were far and away the most comfortable footwear I have ever worn, no exaggeration. After walking around in them (and I do a LOT of walking) for a week or so, I went back to the shop and bought another 2 pairs exactly the same. Having found something so comfortable, I intend to stay comfortable for a long time! (I would have bought more, but I need to pay the bills for the rest of the month...)

I was always amazed at old mens feet (past job) and how it was only the men in the army that had deformed toes (army boots are really not good footwear) and the rest of the old men had regularl basic good feet. Whereas woman in their 70's and 80';s had deformed monster toes with a second toe resting on top of the middle and fouth toes or hugh bunions with the big toe forced across the second and third causing pain underneith

pick shoes that are comfortable not a name that suits others as feet are different shpes and fot different makes

I find high heeled fashion shoes to be a highly repressive cultural norm.

We express horror at Chinese footbinding but how different are we really now? It is depressing.

Oh, and we bought skiing gear a few days ago and my son (and to a less extent dd) is very pronated - basically he is pretty much knock kneed. The fitting guy said that insoles might help his posture (and his skiing technique) so maybe mens shoes don't offer the right support either (he was wearing basketball trainers at the time).

I find that about 90% of shoes in most ladies shoe shops are just unwearable. I don't wear heels and can't wear flats. I have quite large feet with very high arches, which need support. I hate wearing heel (I'm tall enough anyway and just can't get any speed or grip in heels) and court type shoes are agony because my feet try and scrunch up to stop them falling off.

When I was younger I'd ask the nurses (used to work in a hospital) where they bought their shoes, and I still think of my shoes as nurses shoes. I favour Mary Jane type shoes for work (1-2 cm heel, support around the arch, and not too frumpy), as they look neat with both a skirt and with trousers, and when I find a pair that are comfortable I wear them into the ground. Otherwise I mostly wear walking boots, which I am glad to say look almost the same in male and female fittings. I find summer the most difficult, because most sandals however much I think they fit in the shop give me blisters or sores within a few hours.

causes knee pain too

imagine pronation like this

bend your elbow and hold it into your side, then turn your hand over your so your palm faces the floor

supination is when your palm faces the ceiling

your foot can do a similar thing because of hereditary, postural or footwear factors

I can't wear most fashionable shoes as I am slightly disabled (spina bifida) - I can never work out if I am disappointed or relieved to have the 'excuse' to opt out.

I live my life in boots or lace-ups although there have been more shoes with a strap come onto the market recently.

me too.

Well that has confused me then! I am a supinator (my feet always turn outwards, to the extent that I quite often "turn my foot over") but I have almost non-existent arches, my feet are really quite flat.

Pronating is feet tipping over inwards as you stand/walk (so you wear down the inside of the sole/heel first). The opposite is Supinating (feet tipping over outwards, so you wear down the outside of the sole/heel first).

Pronators tend to have flat feet and supinators tend to have high arches. Neither is good for the rest of the joints.

I am a supinator.

mbts. or clown shoes, as dh calls them.

my chiro told me that she sighs when she sees people coming in wearing those fitness shoes (what are they called?). good for some, catastrophic for others, apparently.

Wot's pronating and wotnot

oh, yes unwind, Uggs are bad for feet, because they allow them to pronate

which is why Birkies are good for feet, the footbed supports the foot in an anatomical position

I see as many problems with uggs, and ballet slippers being worn by girls and women who probably have flat feet like me - because their knees are almost knocking together, and their feet visibly over-pronating.

But what about men and suits and ties though? (I do try to be balanced in my feminist rants)

I have taken not being able to get things into my basket on that website as A Sign that I don't need new shoes right now. But when summer rolls back around.....

The worst shoes I have for comfort are Bloch ballet flats. No support.

Boots for day time are best. Fortunately i can find comfort and fashionable ones. Not for what others think but because I have to look at them. So I would prefer nice ones.

(Birkies that is)

I think that we might disagree about what constitutes a 'heel'
I think it comes down to what others have said, if you don't develop a tolerance for it early on, you just can't wear shoes with what I would call a heel without it being agonising.
suggesting that they aren't too marvellous for your feet

They don't really though - the heel is sunken down to be very flat, the sole is just raised at the sides and back, helping to keep the foot in place.

Mens' shoes always tend to have a proper (low) heel.

I think we're saying much the same thing, harpsi. Small heel good. No heel bad.

even birkies have a heel... sorry for those of a nervous disposition who find birkies too hideous for words

yup, ballet pumps with a small heel are better than those with absolutely no heel at all. And suzi, you're bang on re paving/ natural ground surfaces. Hence why running is worse for you if you do it on concrete than on grass. It's all about the impact.