High heels. Are they a conspiracy?

[CrockedPot]

So today I have spent eight hours in toe pinching, arch stretching, high heeled shoes. At work. By the end of the day I was glaring in envy at the men in their round toed, laced up, low heeled 'ergonomically designed' soled shoes, while I minced around like someone who had their feet bound in some medieval torture chamber. AIBU in thinking we put style over fucking comfort every single day and don't think a thing about it?? What are we doing?? (or is just me, wearing the wrong style of pretty, painful shoe?)

I wear heels to work approx 50% of the time. Not the tottery ones, just normal heels or wedges in the summer.
Whether I wear heels or not depend on the outfit.
I have no bunions, corns, veiny veins, etc.
I can walk and run easily in all of my shoes. I wouldn't wear them otherwise.
I wear Birkenstocks at home though

Lying I meant just what I said.

'Very few women can actually walk in them without looking ridiculous'

I freely admit that includes me.

bitoutofpractice

"atthestroke me! Like I wear everything else that I wear for me!"

So you wear high heels just for you- do you wear them alone around the house? If you lived alone on an island would you still wear them?

I don't buy this "wearing them just for myself" stuff.

I am sitting in my office (at home) all alone in the house, wearing high heels. So I guess the answer is yes.

You can "buy" what you like. Just telling you how I feel!

ThatBloodyWoman... Fair enough but I guess I just don't see many women who can't walk in them actually trying to walk in them.

I have to be comfortable; whatever footwear I'm wearing has to fit properly and I wouldn't wear it if it didn't. The only exception to that is my safety boots, they are not comfortable, despite being the right size/fit for me. I would happily wear my heels instead but am not allowed...

bitoutofpractice- fair enough, but I don't find high heels comfortable and I like to keep my hamstrings supple.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe

Apologies for my poor choice of wording

I came under attack for my choice of lack of pubic hair in much the same way as you probably felt reading my poorly worded comment and I'm sorry.

What I meant was that I chose practicality and comfort over style any day of the week and can't imagine doing what the OP did.

Fair enough atthestroke - it'd be a dull world if we were all the same!

I do wear flats as well btw - wore converses last night but they are tooooo flat and make my legs ache

Where do your legs hurt bitoutofpractice- just curious?

My whole leg aches if the shoe is completely flat. Even the small heel of a ballet pump is enough to stop it.

Are you planning on curing me of my love for heels at?

Pretty shoes are my downfall!!! I love them, that said I have plenty of heels that are pretty high and I can dance for an evening in.

I wear them because I love them, don't care what anyone else thinks.

we are evolved to walk with feet that are flat not an elevated heel, if you find it uncomfortable to walk when your heels are not raised then your muscles have become chronically shortened as your body has adjusted to walking with heels raised.

Personally I couldn't give a monkeys what other people want wear on their feet but there is no way I would wear shoes that damage my body

atthestroke I do actually wear my favourite heels around the house if I haven't been able to for a while.

If I were on a desert island, I would try but the sand may prove a problem. I could build myself a boardwalk to strut up and down.

bitout- no I am just interested. I do a lot of yoga and hamstring flexibility os something that helps keep my lower back healthy.

Suzanne - I agree- we should be able to walk in flat shoes- sore legs after flatties is a sign that we have shortened our hamstrings and tendons in the leg by wearing heels.

Joysmum, apologies to you for including you amongst the women-chiding-choice-deriding-lipsmacking-pastie-wearing who've marched onto the wrong board again...

Lying I do feel like I'm being told off.

Fortunatley I don't care!

we are all free to weigh up the costs and benefits of the wide variety of choices, large and small, in life.
If someone feels that the 'cost' of wearing heels is worth the benefits that's entirely up to them.

However I suspect most women aren't aware of the actual long term damage?

I can hear you all sneering from my bedroom where I am prancing happily my pretty shoes.

I loathe high heels yet there's a little part of me that desperately wants to be able to wear them with aplomb. I've worn them maybe 10 times in my life (43) and could barely walk. But damn, they looked good.

High heels make the legs look more attractive - the calf is contracted and the ankles look slimmer. Also alters your posture - throws out your front and sticks out your backside. .
I have difficulty now with flat shoes as my weight is thrown back onto the heels making it harder work to lift the back foot through to the front thus making my legs ache. Best heel height is 1.5"- .75" wedge for me.

I have see 86 year-olds jiving in high heels on holiday

seen

I bloody love my heels - spend a small fortune on them too and they all have their own sleeping quarters in their cosy dust bags in my closet. At the moment they aren't getting many outings as I'm vastly pregnant but I can still rock a sturdy comfortable wedge.

I don't wear anything that hurts but ironically enough given that I live in the tropics and my day to day flat soles are flip flops, I've done more damage to my feet (broken toes, twisted ankles) wearing these than in heels.

Sob. I miss my pretty heels...

I have had chronic back pain for years so only wear comfy low heeled shoes to walk in. Used to keep high heels under my desk to wear at work. So many young women are going to end up with health problems eventually through wearing heels. But they are seen as feminine and sexy so I think many women feel pressurised to wear them. URDNBU!

Lying, fair play to yer if you find your heels more comfy than your safety boots

I truly don't understand heels, I think they're mad bad and ugly,but I'm not going to tell other wimmin what they can and can't wear.

Don't wear heels now but spent my younger years hobbling around in them. One if the joys of getting older is you realise the pain isn't worth it.

Give me some fat face socks, comfy boots or a pair of Birkenstocks any day of the week now