Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

I just don't get high heels

118 replies

Orangeanddemons · 24/09/2013 20:47

I don't know why. I don't honestly think they flatter anyone. I grew up in the era of the DM, and they sort of passed me buy. I don't think I've ever wanted to wear anything with a really high heel. I see loads of boots and shoes I like, but the heels always seem to be so high. Am sure the rest of Europe aren't as bad as the Uk. I always seem to find lower heels on holiday

OP posts:

Original poster

Orangeanddemons · 24/09/2013 20:48

Passed me by of course...

OP posts:

1chocolatetart · 24/09/2013 20:51

I agree, I was in Spain for 2 months recently and the selection of flat shoes was brilliant! Great for a tall person like me who is averse to unnecessary pain. I asked a Spanish woman why she thought this might be the case and she said it was because English women were more flirtatious! Cheeky mare.

SirChenjin · 24/09/2013 20:52

How high are we talking here?

I spent my teens looking like something from the Worker's Revolutionary Party in my big boots, but nowadays I wear a couple of inch high heels to boost my 5 ' 2". Do you call 2 inches high? Or are we talking these sort of ridiculous things?

AnnieLobeseder · 24/09/2013 20:52

Amen sister!!

CrashPotato · 24/09/2013 20:54

Agree. I think they look a bit weird, like you're walking on hooves. I love flats and clompy boots.

mrscog · 24/09/2013 20:58

Me neither, like sirchenjin I might add an inch or two occasionally but I'm honestly over crippling myself whilst hobbling. I think the height of some now aren't even elegant they're so high! I now wear brogues, converse or ballet flats.

YourHandInMyHand · 24/09/2013 21:01

I fall over in heels. Plus they hurt my feet - why wear something that hurts!? I have 2 pairs of trusty going out shoes and they have reasonable heels that aren't too spindly thin or high. All my regular shoes/boots/sandals are flat.

bishboschone · 24/09/2013 21:03

I saw a girl today in a family centre wearing jeggings and knee high really high black boots . She looked ridonkulous . It's sunny and everyone else was wearing flip flops.. I do however think they have their place and look elegant with the right clothing and situation. I'm only 5 ft and I think flats are more flattering on me as I get a triangle effect with heels as I have small feet. I do wear wedge trainers on occasion but I don't think they really count.

Original poster

Orangeanddemons · 24/09/2013 21:19

No wouldn't call 2" high, and wedges seem to say a different thing to high heels. But when I see the phrase killer heels, I just think why? IMO if they are too high they just look trashy. I hate seeing people staggering along in things they can't walk in, or the ones that make people look like they have pigs trotters

OP posts:

RaisingArizona · 24/09/2013 22:53

Totally agree. And I'm only 5'1. I saw a young couple the other weekend. She was absolutely stunning. She was wearing stilletos, the heel of which were basically just spikes. Must have been 5". She was clutching on to her partner for dear life. If he'd let go of her, she'd have probably just crumpled to the pavement. She was walking like someone with a serious injury. All I could think was "Take those bloody impediments off you daft bugger and just rejoice in walking unaided on something less bonkers.

NomDeOrdinateur · 25/09/2013 00:39

I only wear classic DMs now, and can't wear properly high heels because I have hypermobile ankles (and a v low pain threshold), but I remember the damage that high heels did to my 17 year old feet very well indeed! I really like the recent trend for low-heeled ankle boots, and I'm delighted that Dr Marten boots are also experiencing a revival following the company's near collapse.

Really high heels (3.5" or over, IMO) are generally painful and bad for your feet if you're standing or walking any distance, but I have the same problem with very flat shoes too.

However, there are some fashions and circumstances which sort-of require heels. I wore 3" heels for my wedding (which were very comfortable Insolia ones from M&S), and they were also handy for my graduation, important meetings and interviews because they balanced out the proportions of formal clothing which would otherwise have swamped my 5'1" frame a little.

noisytoys · 25/09/2013 00:50

I agree I own no heels and don't intend to ever own heels. I figure if my feet were meant to be that shape they would be made that shape. Ballet pumps for work (decent ones like Hush Puppies with arch support), DMs for weekend

NoComet · 25/09/2013 01:06

I don't get heels either, except as entertainment.

There are cobbles up to our local church and a wedding most summer Saturdays

MrsKoala · 25/09/2013 01:15

Well as i'm sure you know the reason people like them is they change your shape and posture artificially. You are on tip toes, so your calf muscle changes shape, your balance shifts forward so to automatically tense your thigh and bum muscles and and your chest sticks out further. You also walk with a wiggle. Your legs look longer because (unless you have an ankle strap or t-bar, the eye will see the few inches of the top of your foot upright, and therefore it will look like more leg.

I like them and have some really comfy high ones. It's the kitten heels i don't get. I find them much harder for weight distribution and balance and the thin ones on a tall or sturdy woman look s tho the rest of the heel has sunk into the ground.

BlackberrySeason · 25/09/2013 01:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DramaQueenofHighCs · 25/09/2013 01:39

Ok, I love high heels and have loads of pairs. But I don't see the point of wearing high heels if you can't walk in them properly. I can walk in all my high heels unaided both along the street and on stairs etc. I think heels are sexy if worn properly. Saying that I do get your point OP as women who can't walk in their heels look ridiculous! (and these www.bananashoes.com/pleaser-beyond-020-ultra-high-red-mary-jane-platform-shoes.html or these www.bananashoes.com/pleaser-shoes-devious-ballet-08-black-patent-shoes.html really are RIDICULOUS!! )

ok so I do own one pair of high heels that I can't really walk in that I just 'had' to buy because they look so gorgeous! But in my defence I only wear them for going to the theatre or similar where I know I will only have a short walk to the car and back and be sitting down for most of the time.

Flo56 · 25/09/2013 07:27

Yay to this thread! I'll go up to about 2 inches, provided the heel is chunky but mostly I wear brogues/ballet pumps/biker-style boots. I'm 5'3.
High heels make women look ridiculous. And as for that stupid clip-clopping sound they make, like you're a bleeding horse....

CerealMom · 25/09/2013 07:52

I have a couple of pairs of heels (3" max), but they are chunky heels which I think makes all the difference. Sturdy and comfy. Funnily enough both are Spanish brands.

Nothing more ridiculous than teetering down the street in shoes you can't walk in. .

Sexy is comfort in disguise. Can't imagine Katherine Hepburn/Greeta Garbo or even Marilyn teetering and stopping every ten paces to rub toes.

So many ugly (and expensive/high end) platform, high, stripper shoes out there.

I love Chie Mihara shoes.

www.sarenza.co.uk/homebrand.aspx?brand=58

AnnieLobeseder · 25/09/2013 08:55

There are many things about my profession I love, but one of them is that we (the women - well, and men too obviously!) all wear sensible shoes (by choice, not uniform). I love going to conferences and not seeing a heel anywhere, just a wonderful variety of stylish, attractive, comfortable, flat shoes. I get the warm fuzzies.

Heels are the work of the devil and part of the subjugation of women. Suffering tissue damage, sore feel, not being able to run if you're in danger.... stupid stupid stupid. And all to make yourself look better? WTAF? It's just modern-day foot binding.

Shnickshnack · 25/09/2013 09:04

Annie, that sounds like the perfect profession to me . May I ask what you do?

Another one here who doesn't get heels. I like dressing stylishly but I don't do heels. I don't like to wobble about and think most women wearing them look ridiculous.... Sorry

AnnieLobeseder · 25/09/2013 09:06

Science. Girl geeks in flats. Mmmmmm, lovely!

DramaQueenofHighCs · 25/09/2013 09:11

I'll argue with not being able to run - being a crap runner at the best of times I can run just as well in my heels as I can in my trainers and have done complicated dance routines in shows with 5 inch heels on! (Yes I do realise I'm asking for trouble with that, but that's my choice.) I actually find flats more uncomfortable than heels. Unless I have at least an inch my feet really hurt after a while.

It is a case of 'each to their own' though and I don't get why some women feel they 'need' to wear heels - flats are just as sexy, just different! (And a woman in flats is far sexier than a woman in any length heel that she can't walk properly in.) I wear them because I like them and actually find them comfortable, other people don't and that's just fine by me.

Shnickshnack · 25/09/2013 09:22

Annie

Original poster

Orangeanddemons · 25/09/2013 09:39

I did my degree in fashion in the 80's. I remember some editor of Vogue around the time saying "the higher the heel, the lower the class' which caused some controversy.....

OP posts:

SuperiorCat · 25/09/2013 09:46

I don't really need the height at 5'10, but I like wearing heels with evening / formal dress. I don't do skyscraper heels though, only ones that I can walk in.

Day to day I go from knee high boots A//W, to fit flops and back again.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5