High heels completely eradicated from central London

[TheOGCCL]

I was in central London yesterday at lunchtime observing the office workers getting lunch. And not a single non flat shoe to be seen. Mostly the trainer and dress combo (all sorts of dresses and all sorts of trainers), also as its summer flat sandals. Same at the all-female conference I attended including all the speakers.

I've always been mystified by very high heels as they tend to look more unattractive than attractive as the wearer hobbles down the street like they've been hit by a car but think lower heels can look nice and add a bit of height and style. Clearly most people are not prepared to put up with uncomfortable shoes now.

I wear heels very occasionally, but certainly not on a daily basis, and thankfully no longer feel pressured to wear them to the office. We only go in two days per week now, and everyone is extremely casual. My employer never put anyone under pressure to wear heels, thank god, but I work with 4 women who used to wear enormous heels, and I felt like a granny in comparison in flats. Only one of these women still wears heels, so happily I’m no longer a minority!

@SenecaFallsRedux just out of interest, has the USA embraced working from home/hybrid?

@Coffeepot72 Yes, I think there are widespread home/hybrid working environments. Everyone I know is doing that, and some are still working full time from home. I actually have the option right now of continuing to work from home exclusively, but I like seeing my colleagues in person now and then and having an excuse to dress smartly from the waist down.

And with the cost of commuting going up so much because of fuel prices and the need to have incentives for staff to stay put, I don't see that changing any time soon.

I haven’t seen them, in even the most fashionable parts of London.

I work in London and I agree, very few heals around. I am delighted. When I was younger I loved tottering about in heals for a night out but these days my flat feet, dodgy back and now arthritis have all caught up with me and I can really only ever wear comfy trainers. I am 48. I still have my heals in a cupboard but I really really can't wear them.

This is a regurgitated subject.

Really, flats are great, heels can look amazing.

I'm into ascetics. Shapes. And women can look utterly beautiful with heeled shoes. In ways that men don't or can't.

Not practical, no. And that's fine.

Some outfits look best with flats, so many choices.

But, fuck me, as a bisexual women, to see the female form, stride forth in heels is quite powerful and attractive.

Love m heels. Used to wear them for work long time ago. Made me feel smart and put together. Nothing ridiculous, 3 or 4 inches max. Now I wear a uniform with huge black boots which are hot and uncomfortable

I'm a bit bemused by all the delight. I love fashion, I like dressing up and I'm 5'3 but I've worn mostly flats all my life, including weddings. It's not like you could only buy them on the black market - the option has always been there.

Admittedly I've never worked in a place or been to venues where heels were required so I've clearly been lucky in that respect and, if that's now being consigned to the past, then that is to be celebrated. But otherwise, we have never needed permission to give them up so I'm not sure what the congratulations are about.

I'm currently striding to a meeting near Bank in a Cos dress and white trainers and I'm so happy about it.

Not a moment too soon! Hate high heels and glad they are no longer deemed essential smart wear.

Wore heels in the Ciry for 15 years and have horrible bunions! Go flat ladies!

Life is shit. The world is going to hell. Finding joy where I can!

But more seriously love the look of trainers with dresses. This didn't exist earlier, I think. People were wearing flats but not trainers.

I ditched mine in the 90s. Raving and heels definitely didn't work. So pleased my DD won't be expected to wear them unless she wants to.

But more seriously love the look of trainers with dresses. This didn't exist earlier, I think. People were wearing flats but not trainers.

It has in clubland for decades

Life is shit. The world is going to hell. Finding joy where I can!

Ha ha you're absolutely right, I'll shut up now 😀

The women in heels that I've seen in London (increasingly rarely) drew my attention initially because of their strange walk - then I realised that funny little tip toe trot was how we all walked in heels. Because there are so few now, they really stick out from everyone else (women and men) who were walking with normal gaits in comfortable shoes.

I did love heels but I find as I get older that uncomfortable shoes now give my face an oddly pinched expression. Gone are the days when a drink or two was all it took to take the edge off the pain and I could dance all night in them

I'm in my early sixties and have never worn heels - hooray, at last I'm fashionable. I'm all for women wearing whatever they want to, but it's good that now they don't have to wear something they weren't comfortable in. I did however raise my eyebrows the day, a few years ago, when I saw a woman in high heels tottering across the street in our rural town in several inches of snow!

i was in london on friday checking out the clothes people were wearing and trying to convince myself that white trainers would be ok for a night out
at w

my dress sense at work outside of london has definately dumbed down due to covid and working away from the previous place of work, and remained so, with lace ups at work - wondering if anyone will tell me to smarten up?
they have no to reason to and i have checked the work clothes code - no maxi dresses allowed is all i can remember

My 50+ boss who I had never met came over from the US for an in-person meeting in our London offices (finance industry) I was delighted to see she turned up in a beautiful trouser suit with white trainers - she looked great.

I was at a giant in the cloud computing space’s conference (you can guess) in London for their annual pomp and ceremony gig and the guys were in suits with immaculate trainers. Very on trend now by the looks of it.

Well, it's important to make sure your outfit looked just right for a funeral. Good you have your priorities straight.

Why would you be so nasty...over shoes?

If people prefer wearing flats, then wear them, but no need to be rude to people who like wearing heels. Why do women want to pull women down.

I missed that post you quoted, how horrible of them!

I don't think I'm alone in believing that a funeral is one of the occasions when one takes the most care over appearance - as a mark of deep respect to the deceased.

I guess it's cultural differences. In my culture to take care over your appearance at a funeral would be seen as vanity. All of the mirrors must be covered when someone dies and everyone just wears plain black and doesn't worry about how they look. For example no one would wear make up.

@1000Pieces yeah, no
I took pride in wearing an outfit she liked on me, having my makeup done nicely
We asked people not to wear black so please refrain from being shitty to someone who just lost their parent because it's a different belief
It WAS and is important to most people if they're standing up in front of everyone to look appropriate and smart and for me, that was heels

Ok I accept that and apologise for my earlier comment.