Heel heights - statements/essentials revelation - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Heel heights - statements/essentials revelation

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ladies, I think I'm reluctantly starting to eschew higher heels for everyday shoes. This makes me just a little sad because I do like how they look, but I just enjoy the comfort and easier walking with lower heels. I like to be able to walk a couple of miles or more without needing to change shoes first. My feet are not terribly fussy, quite the contrary, but I just feel like my tolerance for heels is getting lower. I have also been getting occasional little random cramps or pinches in my feet and toes. Nothing bad, just enough to make me pay more attention to the comfort of any shoes I consider buying. I'm getting more choosy.

Today I'm wearing my black Fossil booties. I like them a lot, but the heels are 3.5" or so, and that would definitely limit any impromptu long walks. I'm starting to look at my "wall of shoes" in my closet in a new way. I don't want to have dozens of shoes I can only tolerate wearing for a mostly-sitting day -- that's just not compatible with my lifestyle! I would definitely not get rid of all of my higher heels, but their wear would be more limited -- evenings out, days when I definitely won't be walking several miles, etc.

The good thing is that now seems to be a time when more stylish shoes are available in a variety of heel heights and styles. I think if I stick with heights under 3" I'm way better off. 2" is generally my sweet spot. And maybe I'm getting old or something, but lower heels are actually looking a bit "cooler" to me lately -- maybe they're looking more current after all those years of monster platforms and the like?

I know some of you here have had to give up higher heels for a number of reasons. How are you feeling about heel heights these days? Are you moving away from higher heels?

Dressing

47 replies

Latest reply was from thimblelina

Anonymous

I was never into really high heels anyway, but I have slowly been moving to slightly lower heels. My sweet spot is now 1.5" to 2.5" max

bj1111

Veteran

you are singing my song and i am an avowed heel wearer. i have started to look at the heel height listings FIRST before the material. anything over 3.75" is a no go (used to be 4", that 0.25" makes so much difference).

my sweet spot is about 80mm / 3.15". then there is that netherland space around 2-2.5" where i actually feel unstable! then not-so-flats which are great.

Tania

Veteran

I haven't had much occasion to use high heels over my lifetime. I have one pair of 3.5 inch stilettos that I purchased last year, but I only use them on special occasions. Most of my other shoes are low heeled plus I have a couple of barefoot athletic shoes for walking/hiking.

Joy

Veteran

I won't buy anything over 2.5 inches, and those are sitting shoes. About 1.5 inches is best. I find plenty of low heel styles to keep me happy except for a modern sandal bootie style. I'll be on the hunt again next spring if they are fashionable.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I knew I was not alone, but it's nice to hear words of wisdom and solidarity!

I looked at one of my very cool pairs of boots in my closet this morning and thought that it's getting harder to reach for them these days. I don't want to flat-out give them up, especially if they're a distinctive style (a statement!). However, I am thinking that any shoe or boot that should serve as a basic or an essential for me needs to be really walkable. This casts something like my tall lace-up black Frye boots (probably a 3.5" heel) in a somewhat new light. They're cool boots, but I would get a lot more wear out of a tall, sleek boot with a shorter, more walkable heel. Sigh. On the plus side, I suppose if I go that route, some nice relatively new Fryes would do well at resale.

retailgirl

Veteran

I've worn only flats for years. I'm on my feet a lot at work, and I want shoes that have some style, but add to the equation my size 10.5N feet and it's a challenge! If I had an occasion to really dress up, I might buy a pair of low heels, (think kitten heels) but first, I'd probably try to put together an outfit with pants rather than a dress so I could wear flats.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I also check heel heights before buying shoes now. In my younger years, I wouldn't EVER wear a skirt or dress without heels. I get sore feet quite easily and I like to be able to walk at a quick pace. It just doesn't work for me in heels any longer.

You are definitely not alone Janet. On the bright side, you have such long lets that you can easily get away with lower heels.

Anonymous

I prefer 2-inch heels but my fussy feet are wanting 1.5-inch most of the time. For some reason, flats feel really uncomfortable.

shedev

Veteran

I've never worn heels on a regular basis.

Kristin SF

Veteran

This is so timely. I just bought a pair of 2" inch brown booties AND a pair of 2" black booties, specifically because I wanted shoes that I felt I could really *walk* in!

Especially since I always seem to be running late and thus I need to walk fast, lol.

Maybe it's due to closing out a summer of wearing mostly my Birkenstocks, but I'm finding it really hard to switch out into shoes that are higher than 3". I'll still do it for an evening, but only for a few hours at most.

But also, I'm looking for some preventative footcare, too. So far my feet are fuss-free, and I'd like them to remain so!!

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

VANELi Caesar Boot

View Info

Top Pick

10

rebekahphoto

Veteran

I'm in the same boat, but even more so! I longingly look at my beautiful tall 4" black leather boots & wonder if I can keep them just because they are gorgeous...

I daily wear my low chelsea boots & anything else over 2" & my feet start to complain. I'm on my feet all day, so sitting shoes are never really an option. Even going out, I know that walking will always happen & I never want to have uncomfortable heels limit my adventures!

Diana

Veteran

So I've never been good at high heels (I have terrible balance), but lately they've been getting lower and lower. These days I generally don't go above 2" for everyday shoes. My problem is that I have a baby bunion on one foot, and I have almost no fat pads on the bottom of my feet so I get pain in the balls of my feet and in the bunion joint which is exacerbated by high heels. For sitting shoes I'll go to maybe 2.5" or so. I have a couple of pairs of mega platforms (like with a 1" platform) that allow me to have a 3" lift on occasion but my feet do get tired in them after a long day (but at least I can walk, and I don't have ball of foot pain).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Janet, that statement / essential distinction is crucial. I long ago made up my mind that given my lifestyle, my "essential" shoes have to have heels ranging from .75 to 2.5 inches. That's the most comfortable range for me, one I can walk and stand in all day.

I will consider shoes with heels up to 3 inches, but the 3 inch shoes are "statements." Now and again I will find a 3 inch style that is actually comfortable enough for long walking -- my VC cage sandals are like that. But they are an anomaly and I didn't buy them for comfort -- it was just a lucky fluke. Still, I don't choose them on days when I *know* I will be walking a long way.

Even my dressiest shoes (like the Okalas) are relatively low heeled, these days.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Yes, Suz! The statement/essential thing came to me while I was writing the post. It really helped me crystalize that yes, I *can* still wear higher heels, but they are not working for me when it comes to my *essential* footwear. I even changed the title of the thread because this is such a key realization.

Is it sad or ridiculous that I'm thinking of selling a few really nice pairs of boots in order to keep an eye out for lower-heeled replacements?

ironkurtin

Veteran

I love chunky heels, and I can tolerate fairly high ones (*fairly*). One thing that helps is an insole, so if you have a favorite pair, even a slim little slip of foam can make a big difference; so can getting the heel cut down.

bj1111

Veteran

Janet, it's ridiculous to hang on to shoes that you don't wear. waste of closet space. sell those babies already.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

IK, good points. I do use insoles in most of my shoes, and most of my high heels are chunky, so they're as comfortable as they're going to get. I've wondered about cutting some down, but I know they can only be cut a small amount, and the ones I'm talking about would really need to be a good inch shorter to function the way I truly want my essential shoes to function. I can definitely *wear* them, they're not intolerable or anything, but I am demanding a lot out of my shoes these days, walking more when I'm at my studio in the city, etc. I could tolerate walking the mile and a half over to the east side of the harbor to have a nice dinner tonight, but the walk back to my studio/garage would not be fun. I don't want to be limited this way.

shiny

Veteran

I won't go over 3" anymore, and haven't in years. Most of mine are in the 2.5-2.75 inch range, with 2.75 being my ideal. Trouble is that these are often listed on zappos and elsewhere as 3 inch heels, based on say a size 8, but the heel is slightly shorter for my size 6.

If a wedge, I find I can do 3 or 3.5 inch and it feels like a lot less.

However I find 1.5 inch heels to be an awkward in-between height. I don't know why that is. Just doesn't feel right to me.

And I basically consider a 0.5 or 1 inch heel a flat.

I've always always preferred a bit of a heel and felt much more comfortable with one, rather than a flat shoe, no matter how comfy the flat. However lately I am finding I am wearing flats a lot more!! It might be the summer sandal effect, but I took two pairs of flats (monk straps and loafers) on my recent travels, intending to wear them mostly for the traveling part (airports) and site seeing part (lots of walking). But I wound up wearing them almost exclusively, including for the business part.

I think I wore my heels only three days in 3 weeks -- and they could have stayed at home.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I've really never worn high heels. 2" was my usual "max" because I just couldn't justify a shoe I couldn't feel comfortable walking in. No matter what the style. I'm SO relieved that finally it's "okay" to wear sneakers, flats and 1" heels. I actually like a very slight heel as opposed to a true flat. I feel I need a little arch support so a 1/2" to 1" heel usually works pretty well for me. Or a slightly higher wedge is okay too.

I've been wondering if I should invest in more sneakers while there are many styles available, but I have a feeling this is a trend that is going to keep going forward so "comfort" shoes may be "the" shoes of the future. I bought two pair of leather sneaks for this fall and have been enjoying the first pair immensely and the second pair have finally made it to the K (keep) place so now it's just a matter of choosing my taupe booties or oxfords.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I have never been a high heels wearer. Just not my thing.

I like a 0.5 to 1.5 inch heel best. HANDS DOWN.

Two inches is definitely less comfy because it's higher, APART from my Okalas which are somehow a magical fit for my feet.

2 inches is okay, but I prefer a lower heel. The balls of my feet start to burn in 2 inches at a much higher frequency.

I can do 2.5 inches for much shorter periods of time. Higher than 2.5 inches is a sitting shoe. I currently do not own anything higher than the three inch sitting shoes from CK below. They are VERY high for my poor feet.

Calvin Klein Women's Baisha Crackled Metallic Pump

View Info

Top Pick

6

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Oh Angie, they are very pretty.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Angie, I am getting the balls of my feet burning issue above approx. 3" now. Didn't used to be an issue, or maybe I wasn't walking as much back then, or maybe my already-low-volume feet are losing some of the little padding they had. Insoles only do so much.

Ah well, I almost made it to 50 before this started to become an issue, and I'm still comfortable wearing a fairly significant heel. I guess it's not so bad to admit a little defeat and move on.

Surely selling a couple of pairs of nice Fryes would fund a swell new -- lower-heeled -- pair or two!

deb

Veteran

I am loving the selection of lower heeled footwear. I want to get as many perfect pairs as I can before they disappear for ten years or so.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

http://online.wsj.com/articles.....1414006887

A funny thing has happened in fashion lately: Unfashionable footwear is suddenly à la mode.

Running shoes, Birkenstocks, Teva-type hiking sandals and Adidas-style slides were among the low shoes with a high profile during the recent spring fashion shows on the runway—and in the audience. Wide, flat footbeds, toe room, cushiony soles. Slaves to fashion have never been so comfortable.

This is a golden opportunity for the likes of Dr. Scholl’s: After Marc Jacobs sent a crushed velvet version for spring down the runway, Vogue named it “best accessory” of the day. But it presents an essential dilemma to consumers and other designers who must decide whether to adopt the look that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Heidi Klum wear so adroitly: Are the orthopedic shoe and other clunky flats here to stay?

It wouldn’t be the first time that a fad dovetailed so thoroughly with a cultural shift that it became a classic wardrobe staple. Bikinis were once considered a radical experiment in swimwear. Formerly relegated to the working classes, denim is now suitable for the president. The motorcycle jacket, once cult, is approaching classic status. And how many times has someone erroneously predicted the death of skinny jeans? As our eyes adjusted to them, these fashions took on important roles in shoppers’ wardrobes, sometimes pushing aside hallowed fashion rules. On “Miami Vice” in 1984, Don Johnson shocked the status quo by wearing T-shirts under his tailored jackets. The necktie never fully recovered.

Only time will tell if this is more than a fad, but designers who built their repute on gravity-defying heels suddenly find themselves with showrooms full of heels that feel a little last-season. “I know this isn’t [the] fashion right now,” conceded Christopher Suarez, president of the Nicholas Kirkwood shoe label, last month in Paris. He was surveying Mr. Kirkwood’s spring 2015 collection—dozens of vividly colorful, artfully shaped high heels inspired by Japanese poster art.....

DonnaF

Veteran

Baby Boomers are a huge demographic; the question is whether they will continue to exercise their enormous buying power on the purchase of footwear. If yes, heel heights will remain on the low end due to Baby Boomers' increasingly fussy feet. If BBs opt out of being huge consumers, I suppose future styles are anyone's guess.

My fussy feet fantasy is for clogs to be the next In Thing. . . .

Style Fan

Veteran

I have very fussy feet. I can no longer wear high heels even if I am sitting down. My feet scream in agony. I have some booties with chunky, stacked heels that are about 1.5 to 2 inches high that are tolerable for short periods of time. I also have some sandals with wedge type heels that I can wear for sitting at weddings. I change when dancing.

Completely flat shoes are also not comfortable. They hurt my back. I need a small heel. Walking shoes are good.

I realized that the limits on my footwear also limits my clothing. If I am going to a wedding I have to think about what my outfit will look like with wedges. It makes a difference. Same with bootcut and flared jeans.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

High five, Janet. I walk around more than most - and like being active that way - so the balls of my feet get more sore in less time. If I sat at a desk all day, I'd be able to wear 2.5 to 3 inch inch heels more frequently. Plus you're right about the cushioning of our feet diminishing as we get older.

Echo

Veteran

I've always been more about clunky, stompy shoes than delicate high heels, so it has been less of an issue for me. I can still do 3" heels with a lug sole, for example, and walk all day. But more delicate shoes with similar height heels are for special occasions. Not only do I not have occasion to wear them on an everyday basis, but they hurt much more than do boots with block heels.

But I've never found heel height alone to be a good predictor of comfort. Of course, while flat or almost-flat shoes will usually be more comfortable, I still have wide feet, so sometimes even flats are narrow and pinchy. I can more easily wear a 3" block heel on boots than a flat pair of zero cushioning, toe pinching torture!

Meow

Veteran

I am doing the happy dance over the shorter heel movement! I seriously was in fashion hell with the super low rise jeans and the super sky high heels and short top trends.

12