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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

High heels. Are they a conspiracy?

296 replies

CrockedPot · 25/10/2013 20:49

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?)

OP posts:

HeadsDownThumbsUp · 27/10/2013 18:28

Stopped wearing heels years ago and would never go back. They just look bizarre to me now. Hardly anyone I know wears them in a work/formal context.

LordPalmerston · 27/10/2013 19:51

everyone wears them to work!

How odd - are you a nurse or something?

fanjofarrow · 27/10/2013 19:55

I don't wear them to work and very rarely have in the past.

TunipTheUnconquerable · 27/10/2013 20:03

Probably in the land of school run dresses and white linen trousers, everyone wears high heels to work.
Round me a few people do, but not as high as the ones I've seen linked on this thread.

motherinferior · 27/10/2013 20:11

My last three in-house jobs have been on glossy mags and I've worn flat shoes to all of them. As have quite a few colleagues.

It is conceivable that there may be a pair of size 3s out there that don't cause me pain but frankly I don't feel like wasting the money on experimenting.

PacificDogwood · 27/10/2013 20:12

EastMids, I am not sure that I do get you - I like nice shoes, I like heels, I also admire the workmanship of well-made shoes. I own more heels than I will every wear. Heels do nothing for my sexually btw, so I don't think it's a fetish.

I v rarely wear heels though - I have broad feet; anything above an inch or two is painful after a while.

I am perfectly capable of accepting that I am conditioned by society to like heels, liking them, but not wearing them other than when going out/v smart do.

Does that make any sense at all?! I am not sure myself...

motherinferior · 27/10/2013 20:19

Incidentally I've entertained quite a few gentlemen callers in my time, so clearly high heels are not an essential part of the seductive repertoire.

specialsubject · 27/10/2013 20:28

might have missed what you do for a living OP, but only a few jobs demand high heels.

unless you are a stripper, dancer or model (or another professional) then it is your choice.

women in shoes that stop them walking properly are laughable.

BlingBang · 27/10/2013 20:43

"Everyone wears them to work" - where? Nope, never wore them to work (when I did work), not over 2 inches if that. Did wear them on my first night of barmaiding when i was 18 -fool, never again behind the bar.

letsgomaths · 27/10/2013 20:50

Wouldn't be much surprise if it turns out high heels were invented by a man.

HeadsDownThumbsUp · 27/10/2013 20:57

No, I'm not a nurse. Where are all these workplaces where all the women wear heels? I've never come across one.

BlingBang · 27/10/2013 20:58

I'd like to see the male designers try to walk in them. There are heels and heels and the outrageously high ones that are popular now are just ridiculous.

cardibach · 27/10/2013 21:04

LordPalmerston really? Everyone you know wears heels? Leaving aside that I am sure you know some men, as I'm sure that isn't what you meant, I find that really surprising, in fact I find it unbelievable. I know lots of women who wear heels all the time, lots who wear them for the occasional posh do and a few who never wear them at all. I wear then very, very rarely and only if I'm going somewhere where I won't need to stand up.
I would be very surprised to find a community where all the women wear heels. THey are painful and impractical for many jobs/tasks.

BlingBang · 27/10/2013 21:10

Strippers or lap dancers perhaps?

Twattyzombiebollocks · 27/10/2013 21:11

Yanbu, they are the work of satan. I have tried so many times over the years to wear them but always end up crippled and hobbling within an hour. That's assuming I haven't fallen over. The only time I will wear heels is if I'm going for a meal where the parking is within 100 yards of the restaurant and I'm going straight home afterwards to my comfy slippers.

VerySmallSqueak · 27/10/2013 21:16

I never wear high heels.

I like stuff I can walk in,and run in,and not have to teeter along sticking my bum out in.

I'm short and I don't care.
In fact i rather like being short.

PacificDogwood · 27/10/2013 21:17

Much I would like to blame the patriarchy for the stupidity that is high heels , on balance I think it is more likely to be a social status thing: I wear stupid heels which render any practical work, including anything that would require walking any distance, impossible, therefore I am rich/powerful/above you, you peasant in your clogs: evidence

I still think it's the patriarchy that leads me to believe that it is attractive to wear/walk in high heels...

VerySmallSqueak · 27/10/2013 21:19

Can anyone explain to me any actual proper reason for wearing high heels?

PacificDogwood · 27/10/2013 21:22

Showing off

VerySmallSqueak · 27/10/2013 21:26

No.

I said proper reason Pacific

(I have to say I do reserve a little bit of admiration for women who can walk in heels like they're in their slippers,but they're few and far between,and heaven knows what they've done to their penises....

PacificDogwood · 27/10/2013 21:26

Huge overlay between patriarchy and high social standing in Chinese foot binding

TunipTheUnconquerable · 27/10/2013 21:29

The extra height can be handy in work situations. It's fun being tall for a change.

PacificDogwood · 27/10/2013 21:29

I was in a shoe shop in Germany this summer where they were advertising their next 'How to walk in high heels' course - 15 Euros and you could learn to wiggle with the best of them.

Proper reasons, hmm.
Increase height (a bit)
Optical illusion of increased leg length
Bum/tits stuck out
Men seem to like them (mainly)
The fashion industry has to tantilise us with New Stuff. All the time.

Nope, not sure. Sorry.

VerySmallSqueak · 27/10/2013 21:35

I kind of like

It's fun being tall for a change

But even with killer 5 inch heels I wouldn't exactly be classed as tall

TunipTheUnconquerable · 27/10/2013 21:37

Sheila Jeffreys argues it's a compliment to the patriarchy. Wearing them says 'I want to be pleasing to you so much I am willing to put up with the discomfort and inability to run.' They are designed to make women look 'different but deferent'.

I can never buy the 'they make you look powerful' argument.

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