To think high heels (especially when worn casually) look absolutely ridiculous?

[Takemeback84]

I’m probably going to get absolutely flamed for this.

But aibu to think that high heels are a complete monstrosity? The only time I think they are passable is if it’s something very formal. For example TV presenters sitting on a couch, or attending an award ceremony. As they’re really being worn just for show.

Tbh I don’t see many people wearing high heels these days, but sometimes I’ll notice a women teetering round the park or the shops, barely able to walk and looking very uncomfortable, I’ve even seen a woman bowling in high heels.

They look so uncomfortable and impractical.

She really does. and no fake tan! Gasp!

Hard agree. They ARE ridiculous.

Not really given that ballet flats in particular and kitten heels never really went away- every designer from high street to Chanel sold them

In the years ballet flats were being mocked on MN, Vogue ,every year, had its list of best ballet flats and regularly styled models wearing them.

Did we not learn anything from the Money Supermarket advert a few years ago

A few years ago there was an employer who expected a female receptionist to wear heels. I hope that doesn't happen nowadays.

Heels should be saved for a film or theatrical performance where necessary to play a character from history who wore them.

I see a lot of celebrities in at least 5" & platforms and I think that look is awful. Just imho, though.

In your opinion. The fact that you don’t think heels are ridiculous doesn’t mean that you’re right 🤣🤣. In my opinion, the vast majority of women look frumpy in flat shoes with skirts, but that’s my opinion - I’m no more right or wrong than you are.

Ginger Rogers had the right of it, 'I did everything Fred did but backwards and in high heels.'

I used to love my heels - I had so many pairs of gorgeous shoes! Now I have wrecked toe joints and dress for comfort.

Sometimes, getting older really stinks. 😕

Woman to another woman: “Don’t wear heels, patriarchy, male gaze etc etc…
Wear what I consider attractive or you’ll look like a frumpy old hag!”

A few years ago I spoke to my female manager who was director level about a manager that I just couldn't build a relationship with. He wasn't like anyone ive worked with (pompous, thought he was amazing, spoke down to everyone). Her amazing suggestion was that I wore heels more to gain more respect from him 🙄🙄🙄. She was hard work!

Some of you are wondering about the strength of feeling around high heels. If previous generations of women (mine included) hadn't been expected or even compelled to wear heels that hurt them in many situations, I think there'd be less strong feelings. It was like we got past women being hindered by their long skirts at sports, being unable to eat properly due to their corset and then had to put up with the expectation that we stuck painful stilts under our feet. Someone might correct me, but I'm not aware of men's fashion ever having restricted their movement quite so much. Yes heels can look stylish and I respect other women having choice, have even worn the occasional pair myself, but don't be surprised if there's some feeling around this. It's only 9 years since parliament was debating whether companies could compel women employees to wear high heels. It's brilliant that this expectation is now seen as old fashioned.

Great post!

I'm 65 and have never worn high heels in my life - I always thought they looked ridiculous, especially when worn with jeans. I never felt expected or even compelled to wear them in any of my office jobs.

I can still remember watching a woman teetering along in them outside in the snow!!

We are, and often to women’s detriment

Well yes because men don’t wear shoes that limit their ability to run or cause long term damage

I think there is still a place for high heels for very dressed up evening outfits. I am currently on the lookout for the right pair!

But as day wear they look really odd to me now. In London I see them so rarely.

Why are people so angry about an item they’re not being forced to wear?

I usually wear low chunky heels or trainers so it’s not like I’m offended but I bet my bottom dollar old school heels will be back in fashion.

This is because the majority of people most angry and using words like ‘dated’ have said they are aged 40+. The young will shortly be swinging in the other direction. It’s like when white trainers and floral dresses became the middle aged women’s summer uniform and young people flipped to crop tops and combats All-Saints style.

you missed a bit
flats are ugly and =no interest in fashion
Heels are sexy
Your husband will like you in heels
Meh, honestly can run,toboggan and and spin class in heels

I only wear them to bed ...

I think it's one of those things that comes with age.
Why am I wearing heels?
To be tall? No. I'm tall.
Because they're comfy? Compared to trainers or boots? No.
To make my legs look nice? No. Legs are great, but starting to get varicose, partly thanks to heels.
Do my outfit looks nice? Yes, but who has decreed that heels makes an outfit look better? The only person who ever comments on how nice my heels look (without the caveat 'ooh, but don't they hurt?) Is dh. And that's because he grew up in the 70s and 80s and has been trained into thinking heels = sexy.
Same for makeup.

Who am I doing it for? Does it make any actual difference if I wear it or not?

I'd like to get to a point where I don't care about wearing makeup for work, but i can't shake the No makeup= look rough idea. Even though I'm mid 40s and there's a lot more to me than what I look like. But equally, 40odd years of conditioning is hard to break.

Well I’m 67 and wore heels all my life until I damaged my back, otherwise I would still be wearing them now. I never wore flat shoes except round a swimming pool, and could run for a bus as well as friends who wore flat shoes. I never thought they looked ridiculous on me or anyone else, and still don’t, and have always thought they look so much better than flat shoes on anyone.

I'm probably of your generation although I stopped wearing high heels in my twenties.

I find the level of vitriol in this thread depressing- and at the risk of repeating myself, especially given the vitriol I got on here only a few years ago about flat shoes.

I have to say I don’t understand this notion that women having opinions is equated to tearing each other down or something unbecoming.Aflawed behaviour
Why is women actively defending their pov tearing each other down? It is permissible for women to disagree, be strident and engage in argument
Equating women have opinions that they vigorously defend as tearing each other down is really another version of the Be nice!Speak nice trope. We don’t want women getting too opinionated.

Me too, I wear them for sex, can't actually walk in my fuck me shoes.

I tend to agree with this. It’s a bit like the, ‘I can’t understand why women wear makeup, it’s so misogynistic’ brigade.

They seem to have extremely strong, angry feelings about what other women are wearing, and feel the need to ridicule or make derogatory comments.

I tend to think they are people who either don’t want to wear, or don’t look good, in a particular item themselves, so they don’t want other women to wear it either! It’s all a bit bizarre.

I personally don’t want to wear heels anymore, but I don’t care if other women do!