Friday 28 November 2008

Practicality Over Fashion


I love these shoes - but they have a 4.5 inch heel and I can only manage, at the most, 4 inches. It's odd because when I first saw these I thought.... wow! Look at all the pretty colours! They're so different! But after clicking to see the heel size (which I thought was going to be below 4 inches judging by the first picture they displayed) I was bitterly disappointed.
I think manufacturers should start making shoes that either have adjustable heels or they should make a wide range of heel sizes - everything from flat to sky-high (if you really want sky-high). Shoes that have a heel the width of a pinhead should be banned and made illegal, while people over a certain height shouldn't be wearing heels at all (trust me, when you're only little over 5 foot it's scary seeing a woman who's nearly 6 feet tall in a pair of 6 inch heels).
The heel situation is really limiting the type of shoes I can wear. Dolly shoes may be cute and a little quirky - only a little since everyone seems to wear them - but heels would give me a.) a sense of height and b.) a more grown-up feelings. Being the proud owner of a pair of brogues that have a medium-sized heel is brilliant - but they were a rare find. To most people brogues mean granny shoes, with no style, no heel, a dull colour and make your feet look so wide and fat that it brings a whole new meaning to the cockney term "plates of meat".
So we have a conundrum! Either our feet ache with rubbing and blisters but we look feminine and have the illusion of height or we go for these awful, awful, simply awful pieces of rubber. I know what I'd rather pick, much to the chagrin of everyone else. But can we please have a fashion season when Chanel or someone does a whole collectino of fashionable mid-sized or kitten heels?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I rarely wear heels. I am tall (5ft9) so I feel about the right height without them.

I tend to wear comfortable boot with a little heel. Boots are practical but look quite good.

If I go out I'll wear silly shoes - but not with a massive heel - as long as I know I am not going to have to walk anywhere.

Madame DeFarge said...

I am ambivalent about heels. I like the image of them, but the practicalities on parquet floors at work or walking along London pavements mean that I rarely really want to wear them on a normal day. I have a wonderful pair from Kurt geiger that I want to be buried or cremated with me, but they're just not so practical these days. It's not fair.

Btw, thanks for stopping by on the blog. Much appreciated.

Brett said...

Being only short (5'6") i cannot wait for the time it becomes fashionable for men to ware heels

Anonymous said...

that's true. i haven't bought SO many gorgeous shoes just cause on the heel size. seldom are the ones that come w/ or w/out heels..

The Diva on a Diet said...

Would that your words would be so, Scarlet! As someone who's barely over 5 feet, I should really be wearing heels ... but I'll go for comfort every time. I truly wish I could find some great, pretty, fun shoes with a moderate heel. Hey, maybe we should go into business designing them!

xoxoxo

The Diva on a Diet said...

Deepest apologies, dear Scarlet, but I've tagged you in a meme. No worries if you're too busy or not into it ... I feel so guilty about these things so I don't ever expect a response. :)

Laurie Allee said...

I love the high heels that have a slight platform on the front part so that you aren't really up 4 and a half inches -- more like 3 and 3/4 with the platform.

And, uh, I'm one of those terrifying tall women who loves to wear high heels and tower above everyone. (Running in those heels to hide now...)

:-)

I've been living in a pair of cowboy boots this autumn. NOt much heel but oh-so-cute.

Rozella said...

Those are real pretty! I'm not too sure if I could walk in them tho. I struggle with 3 inches! Hehehehe

Btw, got a beary special tag for ya! ;)