Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To give up on heels?

232 replies

Mimmi78 · 17/02/2023 17:41

I have had a life long love affair with heels, tall, shiny, colours, kittens, courts and sky highs.
Roll forward to working from home since 2020 and now spend one day a week in my Central London office.
I have recently found a whole day in them excruciating and painful. just can't wear heels all day anymore! I have been lugging them about in a bag and do the train to office in trainers and any other walking!
Aibu - just keep lugging them about like the rest of us!
Yanbu- Join the revolution and here are some fabulous feel good but not horrid alternatives!

OP posts:
magicthree · 19/02/2023 08:23

jays · 19/02/2023 06:55

Really sad to see such judgement and hate from women to other women for their fashion choices. No one is forcing anyone to wear heels and I can’t imagine not taking another woman seriously because of her choice of shoe.

This. I hate heels and have never worn them, but if other women want to then good on them. Why are we not allowed to wear what we like these days? I don't judge anyone on what they wear, and am mature enough to know we all have different tastes.

FixTheBone · 19/02/2023 08:23

Foot and ankle surgeon here.....

I wouldn't be remotely dissapointed if heels were banned 20 years ago.... Second only to smoking, in my practice, on the list of things that are the cause of the problem but people are reluctant to give up...

Oblomov23 · 19/02/2023 08:24

I still love heels but only wear them very occasionally. I don't get the hatred, if others find them uncomfortable don't wear them, I don't find them uncomfortable and enjoy occasionally wearing them.

magicthree · 19/02/2023 08:28

@Nimbostratus100 - oh, do give up. I have known women who have worn heels into their 80s without it 'disabling' them. No-one is being forced to wear them. You sound unhinged.

HelloBunny · 19/02/2023 08:29

I still have my collection. But they need to go... I mostly wear kitten heels or a low court with party dresses (absolutely hate when stilettos are changed for flip flops. Looks terrible!). And biker boots with my casual dresses. Used to wear cowboy boots in my younger days (2000s) they were always comfy!

Nimbostratus100 · 19/02/2023 08:30

magicthree · 19/02/2023 08:28

@Nimbostratus100 - oh, do give up. I have known women who have worn heels into their 80s without it 'disabling' them. No-one is being forced to wear them. You sound unhinged.

it disabled them while they were wearing them

it disabled them while they were recovering from wearing them

and half of all smokers die of something unrelated to smoking

Oblomov23 · 19/02/2023 08:33

@Nimbostratus100
Are you a teacher. Please tell me you don't teach young girls your unhinged views.

"an item of clothing designed to disable women for the viewing pleasure of men!"

I disagree.

Not everyone finds them uncomfortable. So they may not hurt for a week. Doesn't disable me. Short term of long term. So it won't cost NHS millions.

You views are generalised. I don't agree with any of them.

Oblomov23 · 19/02/2023 08:34

How do you know that disables then whilst? Or after? Not everyone finds wearing them uncomfortable.

Calphurnia88 · 19/02/2023 08:34

After a pandemic (lots of WFH), pregnancy, mat leave and soon returning to work I have decided to ditch the heels.

I'm keeping the ones I already own for special occasions (might eBay some) but not buying any new ones and I intend to wear flat boots and ballet flats to work. I love The Row Mary Jane ballet flats and luckily there are some good dupes at Zara, Cos, etc.

Squamata · 19/02/2023 08:35

Onnabugeisha · 18/02/2023 23:22

Corsets were actually very practical and comfortable. They had same function as our bras- support for being active. It was tight-lacing which was a fad and the replacement of whale bone with steel bone that was uncomfortable and caused the health issues.

Show quote history

Bullshit, why didn't men wear them if they were practical and comfortable?

Smoothlines · 19/02/2023 08:35

I can’t wear any sort of heels -even two inches is too high for me. It somehow seems to catch the joint and creates awful pain, even at that low height.

HelloBunny · 19/02/2023 08:35

I don’t consider heels to be “disabling” any more than the other things I used to wear back then... (when young). Skin tight jeans (no elastane), thongs, Wonder Bra, handkerchief tops, no coat on a night out. None of which I would do now. But I’m sure that girls all over the world are doing!

Herroyal · 19/02/2023 08:37

‘Corsets were actually very practical and comfortable.’

as of course! corsets famously comfortable, which is why women fainted all the time wearing them…

Squamata · 19/02/2023 08:38

If a person did to you what heels do to you, you'd sue and win a lot of money.

KangarooKenny · 19/02/2023 08:38

Ive not worn heels since I had plantar fasciitis. When you’ve known that pain, you know it’s not worth it.

Greenfairydust · 19/02/2023 08:40

I think high heels in the workplace look a bit naff and dated anyway.

Wear flat shoes at work and keep your heels for night outs/big events.

Herroyal · 19/02/2023 08:40

‘"an item of clothing designed to disable women for the viewing pleasure of men!"’

sums them up for me! As a gay women a rarely wore them when I was younger - the odd wedding maybe or work do - but now wouldn’t dream of it.
wearing shoes that hurt to walk in, and can damage your feet and toes, are hopefully not something my daughter will have to entertain when she’s older.

Forestfire12345 · 19/02/2023 08:41

I love heels. I could literally stare at some of them them as a thing of beauty. 😍(Ihave)
Unfortunately, can't wear them anymore. Not gonna lie, my life is sadder in flats. Actually sadder. A wee chance at a heel and I've got the buzz back. Feel fecking fantastic ✨️🙌

ScarlettSunset · 19/02/2023 08:44

KangarooKenny · 19/02/2023 08:38

Ive not worn heels since I had plantar fasciitis. When you’ve known that pain, you know it’s not worth it.

It was flat shoes that caused this in my case. But I definitely wouldn't want to be wearing very high stilettos or similar these days either.

Wonderwoman333 · 19/02/2023 08:44

They look dated, I never see younger women wearing them.
I don't understand why people wear them, why would you wear shoes that you need to take another pair with you to change into as they are so uncomfortable?
They force your feet into unnatural positions too.

WandaWonder · 19/02/2023 08:45

Oblomov23 · 19/02/2023 08:24

I still love heels but only wear them very occasionally. I don't get the hatred, if others find them uncomfortable don't wear them, I don't find them uncomfortable and enjoy occasionally wearing them.

If they are comfortable why not wear them more?

Forestfire12345 · 19/02/2023 08:45

Let's not be too self righteous on the ballet flats there! It's a patriarchal plot 🤣

To give up on heels?
HelloBunny · 19/02/2023 08:50

Ballet flats can be very uncomfortable. It’s all of the cheap ones out there. I have some leather ones with a proper sole. No plastic shoes is one of my rules in life! (wore plenty of plastic shoes, years ago too).

Calphurnia88 · 19/02/2023 08:51

Forestfire12345 · 19/02/2023 08:45

Let's not be too self righteous on the ballet flats there! It's a patriarchal plot 🤣

This is a good point.

Ballet flats will be my new heels at work... As in travel to work in trainers, then swap to ballet flats when I get to the office.

VestaTilley · 19/02/2023 08:54

YANBU. Ditch them. Awful that women are groomed to wear them - bad for our backs and knees.