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. 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

[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.

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!