Heels: Is it just me? - 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

Heels: Is it just me?

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Or have others also noticed that really high heels worn with jeans or casual dresses just looks dated?

To my eye, a low block heel or espadrilles look the most current. My own footwear mostly comprises of low block heel sandals that all have an ankle strap.

I tried one of my higher heels with a casual dress today for a lunch meeting with friends and immediately thought it looked like I was 'trying too hard'. Mind you, the sandals I wore were high block heels....about 3" of heel, with an ankle strap. The sandals themselves are modern...they just felt *wrong* for day-time wear, I guess. (Sandals pictured below) I swapped to white 1 inch block heel sandals and the outfit immediately looked fresh, effortless & modern.

I think for me, high heels only work with dressy outfits right now. Maybe my eye has adjusted to preferring sneakers & flat sandals with everything!

Anyone else noticing this?

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.

Dressing

48 replies

Latest reply was from

Anonymous

Kind of - but my mind changes all the time about this . Every time I think high heeled single sole pumps are passé - I see them on women whose style I admire (blog and street photos) . I also love the block heel too - so am keeping all options open . I will confess that the block heeled shoes /sandals I own are all of the higher -heeled variety though .

Sal

Veteran

Low heels and flats are having their moment now (I can recall a few years ago when platforms and heels were everywhere and finding a mid height heel was nearly impossible).

I think at the moment the flat, the ankle boot and the sneaker worn with a dress is "fashionable". I like this look.

I don't wear high heels often, and mid heels only 1-2 days a week. But I love wearing them when I go out - like lipstick and earrings it kind of symbolises getting dressed up to me.

On me, I feel a skinny jean and a stiletto heel looks wrong, I feel unbalanced now. But I have a love/hate relationship with skinny jeans and have to make them work.

I tend to wear dresses/skirts at the knee or longer and I would wear a skinny heel with them, or also with boyfriend jeans, cropped pants or snappy trousers (if I owned them!).

rachylou

Veteran

I feel the thing is, where is there to go in heels? Seems to me like only the office, if you never leave for lunch.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

So true, Rachy!!! If you're not comfortable walking around in heels, there really aren't enough opportunities to wear them!

I wear mine when I'm invited to parties at other people's homes! All I have to do is sit!

Style Fan

Veteran

I just got rid of all my heels except one pair. I can't wear heels anymore. My feet are beyond such things. So yes heels are way out of fashion at my house. I have to say I don't see anyone wearing heels these days. Wedges and low block heels seem to be popular. I am very thankful for this.

Sisi

Veteran

I have never liked high heels with casual clothes because this combination has always looked odd to me. I think a high heel looks better with something dressy.

By the way, I do not know how it is where you live, but here in Italy it has become really troublesome to find a shoe with a reasonable heel. All what you see in stores are either super flat shoes, or shoes with a very high, uncomfortable stiletto heel. I hear the same lament from friends and coworkers all the time: " I went to look for a pair of shoes, but returned home with empty hands. Everything is too flat or too high ...".

viva

Veteran

I just got rid of a pair of heeled sandals. I have one pair of classic black heels left, and I think they are becoming an art installation in my closet. It's been at least two years since I wore them, although like Lisap, when I see certain bloggers i am drawn to that classic French-with-jeans look. I just can't do it anymore. Block heels only (more comfortable, and for me -- like you -- more versatile and modern.

Anonymous

I agree with RachyLou. Where does one wear high heeled single sole pumps? I do see them in office settings, but they just look off to my eye .... like that person is dressing from another era.

Anonymous

Hmm, yea. I am feeling a bit like this too. I've always been a fan of block and stacked heels though, so even my higher heeled shoes have that kind of heel. I'm much preferring mid to low heights these days though.

It's also getting to the point where I don't feel safe in a heel any more...I'm a liability these days and could easily trip over. Especially after a glass of wine too

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I'm not down with ordinary heeled pumps lately (I like block heels too) but I am sure I will be again at some point. All the old things come back around. For example, now I'm all interested in skinny jeans with zippers (for like the nth time).

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Haha Di...that's a good one! I think I'm feeling this way *more* because I've started wearing sneakers so much!!!

Lisa - me too! I love skinny jeans with zippers and a slightly cropped length <high five>

Anonymous

It's been years since I've been able to wear pumps, so I haven't really paid attention to whether they're in or not. I would say they're probably classic.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

For me, I like the look of heels with jeans but it's usually not what I end up deciding to wear. When I'm wearing jeans, it's usually because I'm going to a casual event/place so heels usually get nixed in favor of a more comfortable pair of shoes.

Roxanna

Veteran

I love heels and I think there are always current versions, but I can't usually wear them (anything higher than 1.5" is a no.) This blogger weras heels almost every day, though, and I think she does it with panache: http://alterationsneeded.com/

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I always feel (excuse me for saying so) "tarty" if I try on high heels and short skirts or shorts (so, like, I've never done it). And I can easily feel unbalanced (literally and visually) in heels and jeans, as Sally said.

I do wear lower heels though, and a block heel or platform or wedge feels more casual than a stiletto, and more do-able for a semi-casual outfit.

For a true casual work-at-home, I'd no more wear heels than I'd wear a crown. Heels are for "going out" in my mind, whether the place I'm going is a pub or a palace.

Column

Veteran

My two-cents:
Beyond really dressy (which I agree still works), I think these shoes go with really casual--like ripped/rolled denim. Has anyone seen Jeannie's blog on gracefully50.com? She stopped blogging in 2013, but I dare say her style looks to-the-minute current, yes? If I could dress like anyone, it would be she. Her style makes me swoon (and she has a closet full of high heeled sandals that she pairs with jeans). Inge--please feature her and break down her secrets for us!!

Aquamarine

Veteran

My life is extremely casual and I have very few opportunities to wear high heeled "pumps." I have always loved the retro-looking block heel through the years, and only came to realize (thru YLF) that my IT frame actually looks better with a more substantial heel than a dainty one.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

I agree with most of you.

However, I wasn't talking about classic 'pumps' when I wrote this post. I was talking ANY kind of high heeled sandals - be it a high block heel, stilettoe heel, wedge or platform. To my eye, higher heel height has started to look tired, overdone, or like I said before - "as if I'm trying too hard". And I do mean it looks this way on me, not necessarily on others.

I still love classic pumps and own 3-4 pairs. To me "those" never look dated. I was talking more of heeled sandals....even peep toes and sling backs.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I don't think it's a dated look with jeans. But lower heels or flats with casual dresses do look more current.

MsMary

Veteran

I don't know whether they look dated. But since I broke my ankle last year I have been more comfortable in lower heels. I just gave away a whole bunch of sky-high pumps and going forward I'm buying more kitten heels.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Musing on this a bit more...I do wear my heeled cage sandals with jeans (usually cropped or BF). I also wear them with a specific sarong shorts outift (the shorts are like culottes). And that doesn't feel dated to me.

But with shorts and casual dresses it is low heels or a baby wedge all the way.

JAileen

Veteran

I agree with Suz that it looks "tarty". That's not a word I normally use, but it conveys the impression.

Anonymous

I'm now considering the crown and stilettos look for my work at home days.....

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Honey, you should see me in a crown.

old chic

Funny! I made the same observation yesterday to an old college friend of mine. Knowing that I used to always wear heels (despite being quite tall to begin with), she said she didn't understand how I could still wear them because they are so uncomfortable on us older folks. At the time, we were sitting on a lawn waiting in the rain for fireworks to begin, so I was wearing flats sandals. But I noted that I still had my "good" heels from a few years ago. Only, I never wear them now, or buy new ones, because they just don't seem "modern" to me anymore. I do still love a lower (2") block heel, particularly on booties, sandals, loafers, even ankle-strap pumps. But, except maybe with some cocktail dresses, stilettos just don't look right to my eye. I am in midtown NYC frequently, and sexy, high-heeled sandals just look foolish these days.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ha ha..the crown and stilettos look is best without other clothing. To complete the Queen of Tarts effect.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I often get the "trying too hard" feeling in heels, but I'm never sure how much is current style and how much is just the environmental norm where I live.

I love the way Kelly, from Alterations Needed, wears her heels everyday, paired with more masculine pieces, but what works at 4'11" is very different than what works at 5'9".

Anonymous

At only 4'11" tall, you'd have to do something I suppose. One of my DDs is only 5' tall and only wears flats, but she's a college student. I think once she starts working, that will have to change a bit, though she's thinking about nursing so maybe not.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Chiming in again to say that high heels are still on trend. Especially platforms and flat forms. All over the cat walks. But so are flats, sneakers and low heels. That's the important part.

12