Royal females . High heels.

[beccahamlet]

I am not a royalist, but I thought today was really special. One thing that struck me though was the high heels. They could barely walk in them, especially on the cobbles. Isn't it a shame that women have to torture themselves like this.

@felulageller

By 'perform' I was referring to the professional styling hairdressing and make up. It wasn't like an ordinary member of the public going to a funeral where they could show up looking the bedraggled way most women do days after giving birth. By going they were forced to 'perform' a public show. All that kerfuffle would have taken several extra hours above the 2 hours travelling and 1 hour service.

And I can't imagine that screaming infants were anywhere near such a public spectacle.

I have missed very important events post partum so my views do come from experience rather than being speculative.

OK great. But that’s just you. It’s really not a universal experience.

Other people haven’t chosen to miss important events.

I went to a wedding 5 days after having DC2. I went - and supposedly ‘performed’, i.e. got dressed up - for no other reason than I really wanted to go. DD came with me, and I BF as needed.

You are massively projecting based on nothing other than your own personal preferences, which are not universal.

@beccahamlet

I am not a royalist, but I thought today was really special. One thing that struck me though was the high heels. They could barely walk in them, especially on the cobbles. Isn't it a shame that women have to torture themselves like this.

I'm sorry but why do you think "women have to torture themselves". Perhaps they wanted to wear them, perhaps they like them!

Ach - v. high heels are fashionable but as I say - I don't think they are particularly elegant but last time I looked the RF haven't asked me. They must wear want they want. I do think there is a middle ground between crocs etc and vertiginous heels , but again any woman can wear what she wants in my view.

I'm pretty sure the babies were there, with a nanny/familiar family member behind the scenes. I wondered about which of the many doors they'd be behind, and whether they could pick the nearest one to pop through.

That said, all that smart black looked immaculate, so there must have been a bit of a gap where they weren't with the baby. At least, all mine would have been decorated with a nice milky trickle over the shoulder within minutes.

I'd be terrified I'd fall over, or go over on my ankle walking in high heels over those cobbles

@felulageller

"By 'perform' I was referring to the professional styling hairdressing and make up. It wasn't like an ordinary member of the public going to a funeral where they could show up looking the bedraggled way most women do days after giving birth.
By going they were forced to 'perform' a public show. All that kerfuffle would have taken several extra hours above the 2 hours travelling and 1 hour service.
And I can't imagine that screaming infants were anywhere near such a public spectacle."

They aren't days after giving birth, they are weeks after. I had my third on the Friday and had to do the school run on the Monday, that was the reality in the days of no paternity leave, but no extended family. Having your hair and makeup done is easy when your baby is happy as long as they are held and fed. It's trying to do it yourself, or with a toddler around that's difficult. Not all babies scream/cry. Hair/makeup/dressed 45 minutes max. When I was breastfeeding, I'd prop the baby on a cushion, on my boob and put on a full face of makeup, it would help me feel better. My nails were always done as well. Some women like a day of not focusing on the baby a few weeks in.

I would have gone properly loopy if I had to live in the MN baby bubble. Most mums and babies have to just get on with life as long as you are both physically and mentally well. I had visitors daily, took them to visit work, out for coffee (ds1 was out for dinner 3 times in his first week of life). Even more if you have older children (school, clubs, etc)

@LongDistanceClaret

It would be nice if a younger royal broke the mould and chose to wear flat shoes. At the moment it feels like it’s what is expected.

Maybe they chose to wear heels!

@beccahamlet

I never intended to say they shouldn't wear high heels. And I didn t say that. I used the term female because one of them is a girl. I think anyone can wear what they like. The point of my original post is that there is a myriad of subtle messages in our mysogynistic society which encourage women to wear impractical/cold/uncomfortable/ painful clothing. Men aren't generally under this kind of pressure.

WTF! Misogynistic Society does not encourage me to wear heels or impractical clothing. I wear what I like for me. I adore heels, wear heels most of the time FOR ME NOT SOCIETY!

@Goatinthegarden

Why do you think they are torturing themselves? Not everyone finds heels uncomfortable.

I can walk a great distance in heels without being bothered. DH on the other hand will send trainers to the charity shop after just a few wears because his sensitive little toes don’t like them. Everyone is different.

If I want to wear heels, it doesn’t occur to me to be worried about a bit of a walk or having to stand around. My feet take a lot more abuse when I put on my running trainers or hiking boots. Actually, my cycling shoes are the worst. They make my little toes go numb after a couple of hours on my bike, but they cost £200 and I don’t feel like paying money to replace them, so I just get on with it. The point is, it annoys really me when other people comment on whether my choice of footwear is sensible or not. I’m a grown woman who is strong and capable and I am perfectly able to make appropriate choices about my own attire.

I’m sure the Royals who chose to wear heels are also fairly competent at making their own decisions about the clothing they wear to a family funeral.

Brilliant thank you. I totally agree with you.

I think ( mainly ) lovely thread and not particularly grouchy - my own point was simply I do not find vertiginous heels elegant - I prefer the Jackie Onassis 2" heels more elegant. But just my choice. Whatever the young women in the RF choose to wear is entirely ( obviously) up to them.

I thought that the high heels were just a bit weird and certainly not what women have ever worn at the funerals I've been to.

But then, I don't move in those circles.

@JanetheObscure

I thought that the high heels were just a bit weird and certainly not what women have ever worn at the funerals I've been to.

But then, I don't move in those circles.

I would get my best black high heels out for funeral. I get my suit/dress clean and ready.

I breastfed, I couldn't even pump as DS totally refused any form of bottle but in 18 months of feeding I never leaked a single drop. I could leave him for 3 hours between feeds. On the other hand my friend who breastfed for a few weeks still lactates now if a baby cries near her - her youngest is seven. We are all different, we are all unique. I'm sure if either of new mothers were mentally or physically not up to being away from their sons for an hour and a half they would have declined to attend.