dr1819

I travel quite a bit, and one thing I've noticed in the security lines is that when middle-aged women walk up effortlessly in high heels, particularly if the shoe has a sharply pointed toe, then take them off to go through security, the lady usually has clearly visible foot deformities, primarily a pronouncedly canted large toe, and to a lesser extent, the same with the smaller toe. I've also seen quite a few corns and bunions.

Not nearly as much as on most of the ladies wearing sensible shoes, or heels with rounder toes.

If you must wear heels, one's feet will remain the healthiest if one varies the routine, wearing heels no more than half the day, and good, well-made, supportive flats the rest of the day, and the latter not just sitting, but while up and about, to exercise your bones, muscles, and tendons in the proper shape your foot was designed to be exercised. Unless your toes have plenty of wiggle room, stay away from shoes with pointed toes and particularly those which cause you any discomfort. It doesn't take much pressure on the various parts of your feet over the years to produce permant and debilitating deformities.

So - why do women wear lower heels and flats?

As Dr. Shoe said - because they're practical.

If I'm going to do a lot of walking, as in going through Airports where sometimes I have to walk close to half a mile between terminals, I'll almost always wear flats, unless it's a lower, very comfortable heel. For shorter trips, say, from the car to a store, I'll wear higher. The only time I routinely wear heels four inches or higher is while lounging around the house or sitting here at the computer. Then I'm not on them unless I'm heading to the kitchen or the bathroom.

Sometimes, I even take out the garbage!

Speaking of which...

Fog

Careful with the advice - I know it's well meant, but how many women would welcome a complete stranger coming up to them and making comments about their attire? They might if the complementer was young and cute, but it might be a different story if he was old and purvy.

dr1819

Excellent point, Fog - people, regardless of gender, should have the right to wear whatever they want to wear, heels, flats, sneakers, sandals, flip flops, kilts, skirts, jeans, shorts, etc., as anyone else. Any other attitude is as tyrannical as the trouser tyrannists who claim that men MUST wear pants, or the women on Style.com who're always going "Ewwwwww!" whenever a man posts content about wearing anything other than shirts, jackets, pants, and flat shoes.

Fog

I've got a vision of a baby Dr. Shoe with a tape measure measuring his mother's heels.

stilettolover

I agree with most everyone here...It is a matter of practicality. I don't thing it would be too cool for a female mail courier ,who delivers on foot , to wear 5" stilettos while working. I still do see lost of women ,who have office jobs, wear them in the office, yet change into flats at lunchtime to run their errands. Like i said, probably more a point of being practical.

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Heels Are GRRREAT!!!

S.L.

johnieheel

So what I want to know from a womans point of view is , How would I complement a woman wearing a nice pair of shoes. What would she like to hear that wouldn't sound like a come-on from a total stranger?

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real men wear heels

MrsHeels

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Live and Love With Everything...Or Not At All

Tech

I've done that a few times around central london before and it has always been very well received indeed.

Normally along the lines of:

"excuse me but I couldnt help noticing how great you look, especially in those (boots/shoes/sandals [delete as you wish]) and just wanted to let you know, have a great day"

then promptly go about your business smiling
(Unless they return the compliment or start chatting with you of course)

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Heels 4 Men - Guys in heels, as guys!

chris100575

This is a good point (no pun intended!) I love pointy toed shoes / boots, but you do need to have room to move your toes in them. Most of the women with deformed toes will have been wearing shoes that were too small / tight for years.

As for complimenting women on their shoes, would something simple like "I like your shoes." work? I'd think that if you're polite and friendly without being over familiar it wouldn't come across as an attempted pick up.

Chris

dr1819

My standard line, used about once every other month, and only when I'm standing in line with another who's receptive to comments (you can tell via body language), is, "I couldn't help but notice your heels - they're very flattering."