to think heels are now out of fashion for teens/young adults?

[everwork]

Please say I'm right! I think heels are dated weapons of misogyny!

Phew, that feels better:

"I honestly wear my heels for myself. I'm quite short so I get some body confidence from the height." But surely even that is based on how you want others to see you?

I have been wondering about this

I work in tech, so very casual. Stopped wearing leather shoes altogether really.

Will ankle boots still be ok, or also super dated?! Am trying to figure it out

I’m not sure they are out of fashion but l hope they are. I’d rather go out naked than in heels.

@FinnyStory

"I honestly wear my heels for myself. I'm quite short so I get some body confidence from the height." But surely even that is based on how you want others to see you?

My point exactly. It's fine to wear things for others, we all do it hence we brush our hair in the morning etc. But it's good to admit/be aware of it

I think people are pushing the “heels are outdated” rhetoric too hard here, which is weird. Also bordering on derogatory when you start sniping “try hard”

Early 20s here, heels are definitely still worn on nights out (not just clubbing). It’s just that lockdown has obviously hindered normal life so you won’t see as many people my age just out and about in them. Literally every girl I know has recent photos of herself wearing heels on their social media. If you’re not a teen or young adult yourself, don’t speak on behalf of us.

Also, define “heels” as there’s a variety of shapes and styles. I feel like people are automatically assuming some 6 inch stilettos which frankly, were never the popular style for people my age regardless🤷🏼‍♀️

I stopped with heels about 7.months pregnant with ds that was about 7 years ago and have rarely worn since. I would worry about looking like I couldn't walk now

DD(15) and her friends wear them for instagram photos at parties then kick them off. Comfy trainers (old Skool vans or Nike Air Force 1's) the rest of the time 👠👟

hastings quite a defensive post, seriously I have teen girls (16) and they would not be seen dead in heels, nor would any of their friends. They see heels as a 'mum thing' to wear (even though I don't wear them either!) and very out of date. If you want to wear them then do, but you can't deny the trend for wearing comfortable shoes is happening - I am not speaking for anyone just listening to my teen actually, and respecting her tastes.

I think people are pushing the “heels are outdated” rhetoric too hard here, which is weird. Also bordering on derogatory when you start sniping “try hard”

That’s the impression I’m getting too. The shops are full of heels, they’re going nowhere. Casual dressing during lockdown has meant fewer smart events to attend and days spent barefoot at home. White trainers with summer dresses is a look that’s taken hold the past few summers but as an alternative to sandals, not heels.

These threads are self-selecting remember - it’s not a survey. Of course people’s 15 year old daughters wouldn’t dream of wearing heels - what 15 does? And since when did grown women’s take their style cues from teenagers? I’m not buying it. I think this is a thread for people who don’t like wearing heels all reveling in the notion that they’re the cool ones and that everyone else is outdated and frumpy.

Certainly wearing flats is much more common and accepted. Of course everyone should dress in a way that pleases them. But shoes with heels are going nowhere. The shops and fashion mags are still full of them and I think the majority of women still prefer the look of their legs in heels for smart events.

Agree. I have teen/early 20s nieces and 2 god daughters, none of whom wear heels.

I wore heels at 15/16 thenew and carried on until I saw the light and realised how dangerous and uncomfortable they are.

Heels hobble walking, running and have no obvious function.
I understand why people associate them with pleasing men, as I for one can't see any point to them beyond making stairs, escalators etc dangerous for the wearer. I don't feel 'powerful' wearing them, they were crippling and two of my friends have had to have surgery to correct the huge bunions caused by wearing them daily. So no, not a fan and hope they die a slow death. The shops might be packed with them, but who is buying them and for how much longer?

I wouldn’t say heels are out of fashion, they are just not in fashion. But certain styles of heels are timeless such as courts or block boots so will always be a stylish option with the right outfit. It’s like saying trench coats are out of fashion just because oversized blazers are having an extended fashion moment- that’s only the case if you only blindly follow fashion.

So yes, for those who only wore heels because they were in fashion- you are liberated as there are many flat options (but chunky- ballet flats are not in fashion seems to be doc martens, chunky trainers or Birkenstock’s that the women in their early 20s are wearing)

For those who make their own style choices based on personal taste and what suits their body type and skin tone- wear the many timeless styles of flats if you want or the timeless styles of heels if you want. Up to you. As they say, style is enternal so you don’t have to stop wearing heels just because the young ones have. Just as you don’t need to start wearing heels when they inevitably roll back into fashion again.

In the 90s I wore dresses with air max or chunky plimsoles

Was out this weekend and saw almost no one in high heels. Did see lots of girls in flats, trainers and god-awful chunky boots. Fair play to them, I stopped wearing heels years ago and it's such a relief on a night out not to have burning pain a few hours in!

Some of the outfits these girls were wearing though, my god, clearly dressing for your figure has gone out the window! And I say that as someone who has been bigger than average all my life!

I can also never remove the image that we have all seen, far from the confident strident female clicking along we see some poor thing hobbling along, balancing on her heels precariously and looking stooped and in pain or struggling to walk, and they become a bit of a laughing stock. I think they diminish women actually when you see that kind of thing on Saturday evenings (less so now thank heavens)

Is this another one where no matter what the woman says she will be told it's actually not her decision?

Not all of us can't think. Some of us can look at things and decide whether and when we want them and when not.

Maybe if we stopped thinking about women as humans who can't make a decision for themselves, we would do better as a gender.🙄

@hastingsmua1

Great post. I completely agree with everything you said there. It's quite bizarre that all the mums old enough to have teenaged daughters say they know what the fashions are for those much younger than themselves. And the last time I checked, someone's 16 year old daughter from Mumsnet was not the leading authority on fashion, so for pps to wheel out what they clearly think is their ace in the hole is quite silly.

As for "try hard", I've rarely seen so much try hard antics as there are on this thread!

"You know doris, I haven't worn heels since the 1960s", "well Sandra, I haven't worn heels since The Crusades". Hilarious.

As for defensive. Nope! That's often the last resort for the piss poor debater. It's in the same vein as "oh my god CHILL"! Someone counters your argument and you make out they're being hysterical...there's a word for that isn't there?

Also agree there are heels and heels. I see a lot of chunky heeled boots and sandals at the moment. I live near London and some of my closest friends work for one of the big, London fashion houses, (or should say worked; one changed job and started a very successful start up in the same industry), so I'm often exposed to the, objectively speaking, very stylish, (although I am sadly not myself...but I'll be sure to tell these people that someone's 16 yo says it's uncool. I bet they'll be gutted 🤣).

@SchrodingersImmigrant YES! Exactly.

People trying to make fashion blanket rules and saying only this is cool and this is not, actually are failing to grasp what fashion is. It's, ironically, a very dated way to look at fashion. Oh no, don't mix warm and cool tones, get your colours done, skirts never more than an inch above the knee, never wear white on a Tuesday...ok I made that last one up .

And the last time I checked, someone's 16 year old daughter from Mumsnet was not the leading authority on fashion, so for pps to wheel out what they clearly think is their ace in the hole is quite silly.

Exactly! Who cares what teenagers wear on their feet? I didn’t own a single pair of heels until my leavers prom and then probably didn’t wear heels again until a university ball I attended a year later. Teenagers don’t generally wear heels so why are they being used as the ultimate barometer of fashion tastes?

@TheNewLook

And the last time I checked, someone's 16 year old daughter from Mumsnet was not the leading authority on fashion, so for pps to wheel out what they clearly think is their ace in the hole is quite silly.

Exactly! Who cares what teenagers wear on their feet? I didn’t own a single pair of heels until my leavers prom and then probably didn’t wear heels again until a university ball I attended a year later. Teenagers don’t generally wear heels so why are they being used as the ultimate barometer of fashion tastes?

I also don’t know why teenagers are being badged together as one group. My two girls have very different fashion styles from each other. There’s no one “teenage fashion”

Birkenstock’s that the women in their early 20s are wearing

Don’t people of all ages wear these? My mother is in her 70s and has been wearing Birkenstocks most of her life. I’ve been wearing them for about 15 years - since they became fashionable (I know some people hate them!) and when your “women in their early 20s” where at primary school. They haven’t invented this look.

I love this look. Gorgeous dresses with pristine white trainers for a night out. Too old for it myself but it's fab.

ygritte Yes me too! It definitely is not something you can carry off approaching 50!!!

@YgritteSnow

I love this look. Gorgeous dresses with pristine white trainers for a night out. Too old for it myself but it's fab.

I wear this and I'm mid thirties . So do many women I know in their 30s and up tbh... Think it's fine, whatever your age .

I am sure there will be a post any second now saying their granny wears nike trainers with a floral number every Saturday night as she hits the west end. Also some name change fails duly noted.