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Original poster

Are high heels becoming obsolete?

296 replies

SlipperOrchid · 15/04/2019 12:28

I rarely wear anything except flats anymore. It wasn't intentional, simply practical footwear for chasing young children around.

However, more often than not, if I was going out for the evening, I wore mid heels as I felt more 'dressed up' in them. My heels were neither comfortable nor uncomfortable although if I had to choose, I will say the latter as when I got home I kicked them off

My social life has changed from late nigh bars to restaurants and putting on heels to go and sit down with my feet under a table seems bordering on insanity.

Trainers are now more popular than ever. I have over ten pairs and wear them daily apart wearing flat boots when it rains (like today!).

I follow En Brogue and she never wears heels and although I know this started for medical reasons, her choice of flat shoes makes perfect sense for everyone.

At the weekend, I had a great seat by an upstairs window in a coffee shop in a capital city where I spent over an hour people watching. Everyone was wearing flat shoes or trainers. I saw one woman who clumped around rather ungracefully in heeled boots and she stood out quite a lot.

Afterwards | went shoe shopping (for a pair of loafers in Aldo) and noticed for the first time that the section for 'high heels' was tiny.
Am I simply totally unstylish these days? Do many of you still wear heels? Or have heels had their day?

I should add that I under 5ft 3" and always liked feeling taller in heels :).

OP posts:
XingMing · 15/04/2019 19:35

Nor this one! But I do wear sandals with small heels, or flatforms while they remain fashionable and I have 2cm heel lifts that go inside lots of flat shoes to get the best of both worlds. My legs are slightly elongated, I can walk miles, AND I am wearing flats.

3luckystars · 15/04/2019 19:36

This is really interesting. I can't wear heels at all anymore because my knees and back hurt me for days afterwards.
I got out of the habit when pregnant years ago and they just hurt so much now I hate wearing them, even though they do look nice. I think I'm looking too casual for work in my flat shoes and boots though.

Anyway , I will get to the point. I saw a programme on tv years ago about female monkeys walking around on tippy toes when trying to attract a male monkey (with their feet exactly like womens in high heels)

I often thought about it.

Maybe women don't give a shit about that anymore, deep down, because we know are all equal now, so heels are on the way out?

I hope so! Please post photos of nice flat shoes if you see any.

Alsohuman · 15/04/2019 19:38

Try these @3lucky.

roguematilda.com/collections/all/products/hubba-bubba

Redorangeyellowgreen · 15/04/2019 19:42

if anything I would say ballet flats are dated

I agree with this ^^

In my office which is very traditional, it's about 50/50 heels and flats. I wear them but only 1-2 times a week, I can walk fine in them but they are more tiring I find!

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 15/04/2019 19:43

You’re my kind of woman Steve though your user name suggests different...... Smile

3luckystars · 15/04/2019 19:46

@Alsohuman thank you.

Madbengalmum · 15/04/2019 19:47

Plenty of heels of various heights on Net-A-Porter etc, so definitely not obsolete, but if you get your fashion advice from teenagers or the high st maybe not.

Original poster
SlipperOrchid · 15/04/2019 19:48

it depends on the type of club you go to, trashy club, you wear trainers (like ADIDAS gazelles or stan smiths). To a nice club/bar/restaurant you may wear heels

That’s telling us GrinGrinGrin

Realistically in cities, flats are worn more regardless of the type of music you prefer. IMO of course from my exp of living in a European capital.

OP posts:
FishFace2019 · 15/04/2019 19:49

On the contrary, I think it’s mainly the provincial high street that’s clinging to them.

FishFace2019 · 15/04/2019 19:49

If you want to be snotty about it, which some people clearly do.

EdWinchester · 15/04/2019 19:51

I agree that heels now look very dated.

I wear trainers (Superstars, Stan Smiths, Veja) with everything now. I love the look of a dress or midi skirt with trainers.

SheSaidNoFuckThat · 15/04/2019 20:01

I know plenty of women that still wear skyscrapers, but you dress appropriately for the occasion. Running into town for a few bits of course trainers/flats are more comfortable

GlitterPixie · 15/04/2019 20:01

I haven’t worn heels in years and don’t intend to ever again. They just aren’t comfortable

Floisme · 15/04/2019 20:28

Is this turning into a fight? Excellent - not seen a good row on here for ages.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 15/04/2019 20:41

I'm 33 and I love how I look in heels but rarely wear them these days, I have a get pairs of boots with chunky mid heels that i love but i think my proper sky scrapers are retired for good.

I don't think they're obsolete but as with anything in fashion people should just wear what they like... i see the chunky fila/skecher type trainers have made a comeback and I honestly couldn't think of anything worse but if people like them then so be it.

Original poster
SlipperOrchid · 15/04/2019 20:48

Is this turning into a fight? Excellent - not seen a good row on here for ages.

I hope not. It started as a genuine question and it is interesting to read other people’s viewpoints.

I think giving up heels depends a lot on how much walking people do and is primarily for practical reasons when using tubes, running for buses or hoofing around streets. I used leave heels under my desk and wear trainers commuting and dashing into town at lunch.

OP posts:
SolitudeAtAltitude · 15/04/2019 20:57

I am so in love with trainers with dress/skirt look, I am already dreading the return of heels

Pointy flats are nice too. Casual yet smart.

Ballet flats a bit old hat now, and kitten heels/mid heels just very Teresa May!

I never wear heels anymore... this is a fashion I embrace Grin

adayatthebeach · 15/04/2019 21:03

Anyone with a bad back or knees should be aware it leads to pain to wear heels. I’ve never own a pair because of a bad back. Now I’m older with bad knees. Don’t feel I’ve missed out. My feet thank me and they look healthy. Pleased though if others can wear them on special occasions.

TheTurnOfTheScrew · 15/04/2019 21:08

i haven't bought any for years
partly because i work somewhere you might end up on your feet a bit
partly because i have terrible balance and weak ankles (vicious circle where one begets the other) and i stumble a lot in them, which is not a good look.

i wear stan smiths out of work, flat biker boots or flat points in work.

Supergrassyknoll · 15/04/2019 21:11

I used to love running around in heels for work and strappy kooky high sandals or heeled boots through my twenties and up to mid thirties but very rarely wear them now, prob cos I'm a mum but also, they look try hard and a bit rubbish, even Victoria Beckham has ditched them! if I do put them on I immediately take them off as they feel and look weird! I hope they come back in fashion or whatever at some point

ShirleyPhallus · 15/04/2019 21:16

Does ANYONE work in a strictly corporate environment because I really can’t see boots / trainers still being fine there....?

applesbananasgrapes · 15/04/2019 21:18

I must admit I’m not a fan of the big chunky trainers that are popular right now, only really see them on kids and teens though

managedmis · 15/04/2019 21:18

I wear low kitten heels for work, boots at weekend and birkenstocks in summer or sandals. Can't wear heels more than an inch, really.

starzig · 15/04/2019 21:20

I think everyone is getting very busy nowadays so heels aren't practical. Might be OK for the women that sit at a reception and totter about doing a bit of filing or 3scorting clients but a lot of people are expected to be more active at work in general.

LooksBetterWithAFilter · 15/04/2019 21:22

You keep saying a European capital city but they vary massively. When I was in Rome there were trainers everywhere from standard sporty styles to sparkly more fashion type things but everyone wore them. Paris yes lots of flat shoes but they were shoes not as many trainers. Lots of brogues and flat ankle boots or sandals, didn’t see a huge number of ballet flats most people opted for something more sensible for walking around a big city in.
Just back from London and there were loads of high heels in various forms from stilettos so block heeled boots and was mega impressed that all these women could stay upright on the tube and run around in them the way they did.