Shoe Question, ladies!

[Karen]

I get annoyed sometimes by the fact that all the female characters on TV seem to predominantly wear at least 4-inch heels to work. Cops, forensic patholgists, doctors, lawyers, secretaries, FBI agents, bankers ... if a character is female, chances are she's in heels!

I cannot make this a "poll" really, because it needs to be a 2-parter. And I will not include myself in any tally, as shoes and I have an iffy relationship at best anyway, I have odd-shaped feet, and a poor sense of balance, and my orthotics would slide out of position in heels anyway!

What height shoe do you normally wear to work? And what kind of work do you do? You can generalize ...

For example, mine would be "graphic designer" and 1 inch of less.

[Taz_Zoee]

I never wear shoes with any kind of heel. I just don't like them, plus it makes me taller than Bruce. LOL He doesn't care, but I do.
I have a nice strapy black pair of heels and I think the heel is like only 1 to 1 1/2 inches.

I work in accounting at my work and I wear my skechers. I have a pair just like this (http://www.skechers.com/style/21571/bikers-step-up/toff). And a black pair similar but with a lace appearance. They are totally worn out and I need new ones, but as you can see they are not cheap.

I don't know how you can walk in such high heels. Actually, my friend recently broke her ankle in heels. She had to have a metal rod and 9 screws put in it. I think she still can't walk on it and it happened in June.

[Scooter's Mom]

I do data entry and I do not wear heels at all, of any kind. After fracturing my right ankle many years ago, I decided I did not need to wear them, and my foot is much happier this way.

[wolf_Q]

I have a couple of pairs of heels...but I can barely even call them heels they are a small wedge heel. I bought one pair for our wedding and one for the cruise we went on (for the formal night). I bet the heel is maybe 2-3 inches, if that, on both. I wore them for those events and never again. I'm clumsy enough as it is I don't need to break my ankle walking, I've tried higher heels and I can't walk well in them.

My job is a pet groomer I'd find it really really strange if any pet groomers out there wore heels to work. I wear some slip on sneakers to and from work and while I'm grooming I wear crocs. I've tried other types of shoes but those are the only thing I've worn that my feet dry out fast enough.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

sneakers to work, then change into steel-toed sneakers while in my scrubs. I work in a lab. I never understood the shoe obsession a lot of women have, I'm too much of a tomboy I suppose. I prefer sneakers or barefoot, LOL

[chocolatepuppy]

I work in a factory and wear tennis shoes to work. I don't do heels more than an inch on any of my shoes, not even my dress shoes.

[kitten645]

Hard to believe but back in the day when I was 18-24 I worked retail AND wore high heels! Everyday! I look back in amazement.
I have craptacular ankles and gradually the heels got lower and lower. I do have a few princess heels that I like because the heel is centered on the heel and easy to walk in. Now, when I get dressed up, I wear a super flat ballet slipper. To work, I wear sneakers. I do keep a pair of my princess heels at my desk when I need to look like a "big girl" LOL! That's rare. My "retail feet" just won't let me do it anymore!

[mrspunkysmom]

1-inch heels or less, usually a wedge. I wear support sneakers mainly. I do have so platforms or clogs which elevate the whole foot with a slight lift to the heel. Don't wear these much since I do have ear problems.

I actually need a slight lift to the heel due to some tendon problems (and double-jointed knees) which cause severe pain when I walk shoeless.

I teach, so I need to be able to move around the room with ease.

[Sowa]

Sneakers for me. I work in a pub, so I'm on my feet running around a lot. Only comfy shoes for me! I just bought a pair from Old Navy for $20 that are much more comfortable then my last pair I paid $60+ for. I only have one pair of fancy boots that have a small heel. Even that is terribly uncomfortable to me.

[Alysser]

I don't have an actual career yet, but I'm a Costume Character at an amusement park and I wear sneakers. I wore heels for the first time this year at Senior Prom. I can't imagine being a cop or an FBI agent and wearing heels to work...it's honestly just there to add sex appeal and nothing more.

In my future career, I would imagine I'll be wearing hiking boots of some sort ;)

[Grace]

I was a nurse, so wore the most comfortable shoes I could find. Heel? None to speak off.

Now I'm retired and wear Birkenstocks or ECCO most of the time. Again, no heel to speak of. I think if I tried one of those stiletto spikes, I'd no doubt fall and break something :)

[Roxyluvsme13]

I don't have a specific career yet; however, I am very, very clumsy, so it's usually flip flops or converse for me.

I do have 3-5 or so pairs of heels though. One pair of wedges are 5 inches, and I'd guess the others are 3 inches or less. They don't get worn too often though, unless I'm going out or going to a formal occasion. I fall easily, so they mostly stay in the closet :p

[Marigold2]

I work in a Doc's office so it's New Balance for me during the day but if I go out it is heels. I love shoes and I might not wear the stilottes as much as I used to at 52 ( they hurt my ankle if I walk a lot) but heels are a must and if you pay a comfy price you will get a comfy high heel that is centered nice and won't pinch. Cheap heels will kill anyone's feet.
That is just one thing you have to spend a few more bucks on to be comfortable in.

[pomtzu]

I'm retired now, but for the majority of my working years, I worked in an office setting. I wore heals - in the early years started out with the "spikes" like 3", but as the years progressed, the heels got lower, and even down to flats at times. When I retired in 2006, I got rid of all my dress shoes with the exception of a couple of pair - basic black and a 1 1/2" heel, and I might have worn them once or twice in the past 5 years. I now live in Birkenstock sandals for as long as the weather permits, and when it's too cold for them, then it's sneakers or ankle boots.

[Miss Z]

I hear you on this one, Karen!

I think the knock-on effect of celebrity woman and television characters living their lives in heels is the products on the high street. Every shoe shop I go into is just full of 5,6,7 inch platforms that look more like weaponry than footwear!

What frustrates me is that if you don't want to hobble around on these stilt shoes, then you must go right down to the other end of the scale and buy flat shoes. Whilst I like the little ballet pump style shoes and have a few pairs that I wear in my daily life, I do like wearing a little heel in the daytime too. I like the little lift it gives to your legs and posture (perhaps the latter in a more metaphorical sense!)

But can I find kitten heels anywhere? It takes a damn good hunt to find them, I'll tell you. And, like Karen, my feet aren't a particularly average shape - I have really narrow feet with not a lot of arch to them. When I do find a fitting pair of kitten heels, it's like the gods have smiled on me. :p

I have some larger heels but 3 inches is pretty much my limit, since they make me 6'3" and I think that's about as far as I want to venture into the clouds. ;) And when I do wear them, I keep a pair of flats in my handbag for when my feet can't take it any more!

[Queen of Poop]

To and from work, as I have quite a walk, will be in either boots (winter), sneakers or sandals (not often). Once I get to work, as I work in a downtown office environment, I put on 3" heels and run around in them all day. Anything else and I just feel sloppy. I've got a few kitten heel shoes and wear them occasionally, with specific outfits.

[Barbara]

I used to wear heels when I was younger- but I suppose 3 inch may have been the highest. There simply have not been shoes higher than 4 in then. Today I wear 1-1,5 in at the max and most of the days I am wearing flat ballerinas in the office and if we ever should see summer again ( we have weeks of predominant rain now) I'll be wearing leather flipflops in my time off.
I own 2 pair of sneakers- red leather Adidas that are about 10 years old and black suede pumas that are about 5 years old;)

[Randi]

When I was younger I did wear high heels when going out, but not anymore. These days I want comfy shoes above all. I don't buy shoes often, but when I do, they have to be good quality!

I like shoes/boots with thick soft soles. What I have now are Clarks (also sandals), Ecco and Adidas sneakers - oh and also a pair of Reebok, and a pair of old Nike I really like. Unfortunately, they don't make them with the soles I like, anymore.

The Clarks I have look a lot like these - see link!

http://www.clarks.co.uk/find/department-is-women/enduses-is-casual/product-is-20347244

OK, I do have a pair of Arche which are high, but they are SO comfy.

For slippers, I also want comfy, with thick bendable soles, like Hush Puppies, or Sorel. I bought a pair of Sorel when in USA last winter - for half the price! :) ($39)

Now, the problem is finding slippers for summer that fulfill my requirements. :D

[Taz_Zoee]

I had a pair of tall black boots I bought years ago for Halloween. I wore them rarely. The last time I wore them was back in May to a work dinner. I was walking around a lot taking pictures and the balls of my feet were so sore and on fire! The heel was less than 2 inches!!! Well, I threw those boots away! They were falling apart anyway.
The high heels make you practically walk on your tippy toes. I don't get how that doesn't hurt. It hurt me with small heels.

[kuhio98]

I have 1 pair of heels -- 2 inches, but I can't remember the last time I wore them.

At work we are not allowed to wear heels as we have metal grating stairs -- and why would anyone want to wear heels in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska where it's covered in snow 9 months out of the year? :eek: So, at work, I wear something similar to the attached.

Tennis shoes for yard work and boots in the winter.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've always hated wearing heels because I'm tall,almost 5'10", and I don't want to be any taller. When I was younger I would usually wear a low heal when I would go out. I work in a dental lab so I can wear jeans and tennis shoes. I also need a good shoe with good arch support and I've found that New Balance works well for me.:) There are several women at work that wear nothing but high heels because they're short and they don't want to be any shorter. When I'm at home I live in slippers most of the time. I have to be comfortable.:)

[momcat]

I'm a paralegal and am constantly going over to the printer and the attorney I work with is in another building so I'm back and forth several times a day. Since my idea of being dressed up is clean jeans and a clean t-shirt, heels flat out don't work. For me it's sneakers or dressier flats.

After surgery on my spine, the doctor told me that high heels can throw your spine out of line. Ugh!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I don't really wear heels, either; once in a while I will wear a small heel if I'm dressed up for a wedding or something similar.

I'm in education and I mostly work from home- I don't wear shoes in the house, unless it's really cold, in which case I wear slippers. I also teach piano lessons one night a week, and ironically, I don't wear shoes there either. The studio is on the lower level of the owner's home, and she doesn't like shoes in her house. I'm either barefoot, in socks, or wearing slippers for my job there. :D

I also work very part time as a researcher for the Denver Zoo, and I always wear comfy tennis shoes or sandals there because there's usually a lot of walking involved.

When I taught in the classroom I also wore flats, just dressier ones. I actually like walking when I have comfortable shoes, but I can't imagine being up and around all day in heels!

[*LabLoverKEB*]

sneakers to work, then change into steel-toed sneakers while in my scrubs. I work in a lab. I never understood the shoe obsession a lot of women have, I'm too much of a tomboy I suppose. I prefer sneakers or barefoot, LOL

Ditto! Except I'm a veterinary technician! Running shoes it is!:)

[Cataholic]

I wear all types of shoes to work, some heels, some flats. Good quality heels do not hurt, and usually dress up my casual attire enough to call them work clothes. :)

[Nomilynn]

I wear all types of shoes to work, some heels, some flats. Good quaity heels do not hurt, and usually dress up my casual attire enough to call them work clothes. :)

I am the same as above. I'm a program assistant as well as a facilitator, so I have a desk job, as well as teaching at the front of a classroom. I have some not so quality heels as well, but when they are cute, it doesn't matter about the pain ;)

[kitten645]

I will admit that I'm short so high heels were a way to make up for that to this day.
C

[jenluckenbach]

I haven't wore high heels since high school. :eek: I wear crocs practically 100% of the time. If I NEED to dress up, I find a ballet flat to wear.

[Lizzie]

Winter, spring, autumn and even through parts of our cloudy summers in Seattle, I wear ankle-high boots. For several years now I've been wearing a pair of Coach boots which I found in a thrift shop, brand new, for $3.50. My very best thrift shop buy. I walk fast with long strides and can't imagine trying to do that in heels. Besides, I spend quite a bit of my time consulting with contractors and trades people so I feel part of the team if I'm wearing boots - especially important since I'm often the only woman.

I used to love wearing expensive high heeled shoes, they made me feel elegant, but I don't go to the kind of events where I'd need to wear fancy shoes or clothes any more so I'm well out of practice in wearing them.

You are right, Karen, and it's something I notice all the time, characters such as medical examiners wearing 4 inch heels. It's really ridiculous.

[cassiesmom]

A lot of the nurses wear Dansko clogs and swear by them. I can't imagine how that would be comfortable for 12 hour shifts, but I've never worn them. When I worked shifts I always sought out cross training shoes. I have flat feet and I walk on the outsides of my feet so shoes are always a problem. I wear flat shoes every day.

[Karen]

Good quality heels do not hurt

Sigh, that is so not the case for me, but as I said, my feet are just not normal! I have duck-shaped feet, wide in front and very narrow at the back, so if I wear a shoe without a strap, I walk right out of the heels every time, and can sounds like I'm wearing flip-flops.

But I *know* that's just me!

And Zara, you sound like maybe we are related - you have what we call in the family ski-feet! Long, narrow and, well, flat! My sister has that kind of foot, my mother used to say, when we were kids, that she would gladly pay someone good money to take the two of us girls shoe-shopping!

[catnapper]

I work on a salesfloor all day and found flats are uncomfortable! I need a 1 1/2 heel and a VERY roomy toe box (at least thats what the podiatrist calls it) because I have a bad bunion that adds a good half inch width to my right foot and hurts if pinched in narrow shoes.

I basically live in Easy Spirt shoes. They have these new "zero gravity" soles that are like big marshmallows. Ugly, but oh-so-cushy.