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I used to have a closet full of what I called 2 hour shoes. Just long enough for church when we went , going out to a special occasion or entertaining work-related guests. Then I had bunion surgery and peripheral neuropathy diagnosis all within 3 months. I threw them all away and never looked back.
I used to know a salon owner who insisted on wearing heels all day long. She said she got better tips from both men and women when she wore heels. Crazy. She's now in her 50s and says she wishes she had listened to me when I told her she would eventually pay the price. Her present chiropractor bills are about 100x what she earned in tips.
I am with you. I have some heels some are more like 1 hour shoes and others may even make it to 4. But I only wear heels maybe 1x a month. And I do not stand around in them for sure. If I am standing for a while, I'll bring other shoes.
I do love kitten heels though, and these have a longer standing life for me, close to all day. But not great for long walks.
I have never been able to handle heels for long. I might have one of those torture days 1x a year, and usually it is because the shoe seemed way more comfy in the story. It is quickly ditched after that.
My lifestyle means I'll probably walk a couple miles on purpose so I choose my shoes accordingly.
As I've gotten older, I have much less patience for self-inflicted harm than I did when I was a child. Watching "Dancing With The Stars," I get irked that almost all the women are dancing in high heeled shoes to look sexy. This must be horrible for one's body, and as a dancer I would never harm my joints and the rest of my body by dancing in high heeled shoes.
I feel annoyed that no one on "Dancing With The Stars" comments upon and stands up for women's health. Instead, the judges and audience just applause the dancing in high heels, thereby promoting and perpetuating the harmful image that the epitome of female beauty is a woman wearing high heels, risking her health for beauty.
Dancing heels are way better constructed than regular ones. The make sure the heel is placed properly to keep your feet stable. More comfy!
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Originally Posted by no kudzu
I cringe when I see little girls in play high heels. I remember seeing Katie Holmes escorting her little daughter (Suri?) in public in high heels. She couldn't have been older than 5. Dangerous precedent to set for little girls but given the atmosphere of her parent's lifestyle I should not be surprised.
I had play heels as a kid. Had no impact, i wore medium heels in high school some times, by college i saved the heels for soecial ocassions. In adulthood i mostly wear flats or 1-2 inch boots. No torture here.
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Originally Posted by imagineAA
It's not just heels but also shoes with tapered toe boxes and/or toe boxes that are too narrow. Even shoes that claim to not be like that (Naturalizer, Clarks) are. This is why I live in sandals most of the time.
I squeezed my feet into regular shoes for a few decades. For a while I wore heels with pointed toes too.
In my late 20s I started to get bunions and stopped wearing heels the moment I noticed it--I was so grossed out that my feet were actually deformed from shoes!
However, it's super hard to find shoes with toe boxes that are not too narrow and aren't tapered. IOW, shoes shaped like healthy feet are hard to find. Anyone know of a ballet flat that's healthy for your foot? I'm looking.
I have pointy feet. But if you look hard you can get Kenneth Cole collection 9-2-5 ballet flats. These have a flax filled arch pillow. Not all are labelled 9-2-5, so seek that out. Very very comfy.
I am an old (62) lady and yes my feet look awful. However I had bunions from the time I was a child. I love heels and wore them for 40 yrs. I still have a lot of heels and just bought a new pair yesterday. However flat shoes are more comfortable and I love ballerina flats so I actually wear flats most of the time now.
High heels keep your foot from getting stuck in the stirrup. People have been dragged to death getting stuck in the stirrup while falling off a horse. Always wear heels when you ride. Cowboys know. Of course, if you have a horse you don't do much walking, just from the hitching rail to the bar...
Annnnd I now have a mental image of John Wayne striding into the saloon in a pair of small strappy 4" Louboutins. Thanks a lot.
This awareness and my appreciation of my natural body led me to avoid many fashion trends that can hurt you: high heels (which hurt the feet and body), cosmetics (which can damage skin and hurt your eyes), deoderants (which can irritate the skin), and shaving (sharp metal dragged repeatedly over the body including the delicate skin of the underarms? No thanks).
First, I don't think wearing high heels is totally comparable to Chinese foot binding. Most women choose to wear high heels, because of the immediate rewards. (More attention from men, feeling empowered and feminine and being in style.) Foot binding was foisted on young girls to fulfill a fantasy which was not physically practical. I am sure it must have been promoted by powerful males, at least at first. Wearing high heels is something women choose to do to themselves, unlike foot binding.
But I want to mention that you make some generalizations that need to be examined more closely. Cosmetics do not normally damage your skin or hurt your eyes. I've worn facial cosmetics for most of my life, and my skin is just fine, thank you very much. Of course, I had to learn to choose things that would not irritate my finicky skin, but there is so much to choose from it hasn't been hard. And no one forces one to do cosmetics a certain way. You can choose to use as little as you want.
Deodorants--well I've worn deodorants for all of my adult life, and I can't think of any bad effects. Shaving--I've been doing that too. No bad effects.
We get to choose how we present ourselves to the public. You have a right to present yourself unadorned and plain. But others choose to present themselves in a more polished way. There is no reason to consider yourself as better than others in this way. We are all in this life together, so to speak. We all have authentic experiences and voices.
I do not feel your grooming choices are bad. But I think your generalizations are incorrect.
Dancing heels are way better constructed than regular ones. The make sure the heel is placed properly to keep your feet stable. More comfy!
Are these considered dancing heels? Is that why this guy(professional rapper and dancer) in black/yellow jacket was able to dance in them with no problems after wearing those particular heels just minutes later trying them on? I see videos of runway models falling down left and right, thus i think they must not have special 'dance' made heels...or they must not be used to wearing heels period.
^^^I disagree with this completely^^^ Saying that high heels makes legs and butts look better is a myth to me. My evidence... take a look at any yoga studio full of fit young ladies... not a high heel in sight and gorgeous legs and butts (Yoga pants do not lie!)... probably the best on the planet and they are walking around with bare feet. Also take a look inside any gym, particularly look at fit women who exercise regularly, they have very fine bodies and there aren't any heels.
I don't know who is perpetuating the myth that wearing heels makes you look "better" but from the vantage point of this man, those folks are completely wrong. When I see a woman with heels on I am generally thinking of a couple things: their feet are probably uncomfortable and usually I can see some screwed up toes with corns or bunions and I'm sorry, that's not hot knowing it was all preventable damage.
That leaves the one thing heels do accomplish... they make a person temporarily taller. I say who cares, I mean honestly, what a dumb thing to be obsessed over as the heels will come off and true height will be revealed anyway. Some of the hottest women I have ever met are short, they have big personalities matched with great looks. You don't need to be "tall" to do anything in particular in this world, so let go of those 1-4 inches of height boost, wear something comfortable, and have fun.
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