You've got somewhere to go, have anything to wear?

[Pdxfashionpioneer]

OK. Fair's fair. I started this thread so I guess I better get it back on the original track.

One of the quandaries many habitues of the Cafe have cited is finding appropriate shoes that fit and are comfortable. Try Jay's Wide Shoes. It may be just a local chain, but I will bet they do a brisk online business as well.

Once you got a pair of heels that fit reasonably well -- expect slippage in the heel itself, for some reason women's feet are wider there than men's, to fix it try heel pads -- are comfortable -- Caultron, et. al. are absolutely right, shoes should be reasonably comfortable within seconds of putting them on -- you have the challenge of actually walking in them! Unless you're extremely observant you'll have to take my word for this, women manage to walk in high heels because when walking their feet land flat or toe-heel while we men walk heel-toe. In addition, when in heels they lead their strides with their knees rather than their feet. Hence the difference in landing.

You can thank my very ungrateful feet for reminding me of these facts. It's odd, the shoes I was wearing today are supposed to be the 2nd most comfortable heels Naturalizer ever made. Yeah right, about half of my heels are Naturalizers and these are the 2nd to least comfortable. So much for manufacturers' claims and customer reviews. They're a great place to start, but you've got to try on the goods!

Speaking of which, while running my other errands, I popped into one of my favorite stores today, Marshall's. I was just going to use the escalator to get back to my cat and make a quick check to see if I could find a skirt to match my red jacket (Good luck when I didn't have it to compare!). Then I saw those irresistible two words, "Clearance Event!" So I took the escalator, saw a blouse that looked promising but left it on the rack vowing to not touch it unless I found something else to try on at the same time. One of the staff asked if I was finding everything alright. Yes I was. After scouring the clearance area I realized I wasn't seeing any skirts and that same staff member happened by so I asked her about them. They had sold out their skirts before it was clearance time.

As I always say, "In for a penny, in for a pound," so I asked where the clearance dresses were. Just as I was about to give up, the fitting room clerk complimented me on my legs. When I turned around to acknowledge her comment she went on to say she wished hers looked so good! I would have demurred, but I realized she was old enough that she was probably telling it like it is and I would have sounded condescending. So I chuckled and redoubled my efforts to find something irresistibly cheap.

Found it! A light blue, turtleneck sweater dress for $10. With long sleeves to boot. When I told my new-found friend that they were both coming home with me she was quite pleased, as was the staff member who had directed me back there in the first place. She told me I had found a cute dress.

On the way to the checkout counter I snagged the red dress hangers I had been looking for -- surely you don't expect me to hang a red dress on a white clothes hanger, do you? -- and got to the end of their little maze just as the previous customer was finishing up. Confusion. So which of you three lovely ladies is going to ring me up? When one asserted herself I promptly knocked her bar code scanner off of its stand and the four of us had a great time bantering as my goodies got rung up and stuffed into my bag from Ross.

Bottom line: fit is essential in shoes or you'll have plenty of opportunity to rise above your pain. You can find padding to compensate, but don't count on miracles. Point 2: if you can rise above the pain or find pumps that are comfortable, you can have a lot of fun shopping in the women's department!

[Darryl]

Hmmmm.

Thanks.

My online exploration of 'how to walk in heels' was saying heel-toe, but your suggestion of flat or toe-heel sounds interesting because that is what I ended up doing today when I <gasp> took my ankle boots for a spin in public with a pair of Livi Active athletic socks. (Might also try a heel pad, but its not as bad as I thought wearing them about the house...maybe acclimated somewhat to them.)

Went to meet some friends for lunch and noticed that the tile floors seemed remarkably slippery for some reason. Also I was making the unmistakable CLOP-CLOP sound. So I changed to a more flat-footed, shorter stride which kinda mixed flat landings with very slightly toes-first landings. Will go out tomorrow for a while and see how well that applies elsewhere as I go shopping for a 'business professional' dress that I can mix with my jackets, or not.

[skirtyscot]

I always thought that women walk toe-heel because it's the only way they can do it in high heels. In trainers they walk normally.

[Darryl]

As to the heel-toe or toe-heel or flat-footed, ya got me. I was just reading the post above. I can do all three, but revert to heel-toe if I stop thinking about it. Well, unless on slippery flooring.

YUP - got something to wear! Found a white long-sleeved peasant shirt and scarfed it up. They only had denim dresses and there was one I was trying to figure out what it was...but it had elbow-holes so that your lower arms could be outside the dress. Put it back since I'm looking for something more 'business professional.'

There was also a BLUE short-waisted jacket...the sleeves being longer than the jacket...which would make it likely to go with most of my knee-length and mini skirts. I'm just thinking about BLUE, though. Black I grok, Grey I can get a handle on, haven't found any Navy... Anyway, outside of my burgundy dress and the little red dress, all my skirts are black except for one - white, khaki and blue one. I'll look at my color wheel and meditate on my combinations and maybe go back for it tomorrow. Or check the catalog and order something better. ?!?!

[Caultron]

I can't land toes-first heels-later in heels, but I do land more on toes and less on heels than with flats.

To do that, I have to take shorter steps and not step out as much. That slows me down a bit but oh well, such are the sacrifices one makes for art.

[moonshadow]

One nice thing about living it the C.S.A. is no matter how I dress, If I'm in something made for women, people are going to think I'm an idiot anyway.

So I never expect to win any minds at work or elsewhere and the end result is I just wear whatever I want.

I'm in it to have fun.

[moonshadow]

On the matter of dresses, I've found I've had my best success with sleeveless dresses designed for more flat chested women. I have two such dresses and they both fit and look quite nicely I believe. Of course, two of the three look best if paired with a top under the dress. The third one (Moonzan dress) is really just for fun and works best without the top. But it's strictly a summer only dress.

I've actually donated quite a few of my dresses as they didn't quite give me the look I was after any longer.

Would post pictures but... you guessed it... internet's on strike again! Flickr loaded one photo and just gave up....

[crfriend]

One nice thing about living it the C.S.A. is no matter how I dress, If I'm in something made for women, people are going to think I'm an idiot anyway.

If memory serves, the USA had a wonderful opportunity to let the CSA go its own way a few years ago, but some megalomaniac president decided that it wouldn't be right. How many lives and troubles would have been saved if he could have been stopped in time?

[Uncle Al]

I may seem dense but the TLA - C.S.A. - does it stand for
Confederate States of America Otherwise, I haven't
heard of C.S.A. before.


Uncle Al

[moonshadow]

If memory serves, the USA had a wonderful opportunity to let the CSA go its own way a few years ago, but some megalomaniac president decided that it wouldn't be right. How many lives and troubles would have been saved if he could have been stopped in time?

What a fun thought experiment! In fact, I think there's a youtube movie out on just such a hypothetical. I watched bits and pieces of it a while back. Found it somewhat boring.

But seriously, in light of Dave's original post, around here in these parts, a man simply doesn't "go to the ball" in a dress. Anything formal around here generally adheres to a STRICT gender oriented dress code. Which is not to say you can't wear a skirt or dress, but you just can't wear one professionally or to a special event. Simply put, they will show you the door!

All that is for those freaks and weirdo's over on the west coast! (j/k)

'Round hur, we civlzed.... Day dar say we datin' our cusin's... naw, secon cusin's legil tho [0]. Jus ask Brothr' Gene!

Will-da circl' be unbrokn'

[0] Funny part is that's actually true!

[moonshadow]

I may seem dense but the TLA - C.S.A. - does it stand for
Confederate States of America Otherwise, I haven't
heard of C.S.A. before.

You got it!

If case anyone here, especially east of the Atlantic wonders what states are included in the "C.S.A", basically it's Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. Or just look at any political map of virtually any hot button issue. You can about draw a line from that!

West Virginia separated from Virginia during the war between the states and remained with the union, although I think they regret it now and they'll never admit it today. Kentucky couldn't figure out what it wanted to do, much like today.

In the modern day Indiana wants to play with us and sit at our table, but no matter how anti LGBT they are, they'll never be "southerners".... sorry Indianians!

Sweeten your tea then we'll talk!

Speaking of tea, when I move out to California I'm gonna show ya'll how it's done! Then Dave can teach me how to dress!

[crfriend]

If case anyone here, especially east of the Atlantic wonders what states are included in the "C.S.A", basically it's Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. Or just look at any political map of virtually any hot button issue. You can about draw a line from that!

I used to joke with my father that the "Deep South" began at the Charles River (in Massachusetts) after I escaped northwards to the land where I now call home. He hated it, but given the political climate at the time he never did best me on the matter.

In any event, for a good taste of it, I offer, of course, Tom Lehrer on the topic. WARNING: Satire is involved.

Speaking of tea, when I move out to California I'm gonna show ya'll how it's done! Then Dave can teach me how to dress!

Dave is from north of the border. Much of California may as well be ceded back to Mexico (It'll be easier that way and they're going to be looking for recompense for The Wall in any event). The precise line where that happens is open to conjecture, but it's a crap-shoot as to how the Bay Area will fall... (Sorry, Stuart.)

[moonshadow]

Dave is from north of the border. Much of California may as well be ceded back to Mexico (It'll be easier that way and they're going to be looking for recompense for The Wall in any event). The precise line where that happens is open to conjecture, but it's a crap-shoot as to how the Bay Area will fall... (Sorry, Stuart.)

Ahhh, they're all the same to folks over here! Ask any southerner where the northern and southern borders of California are and they will say Canada and Mexico respectively.

And they're secretly praying that the whole west coast falls off into the Pacific! Sometimes I think that it's a big conspiracy to get all of the progressives in one place before "the big one" hits and takes them all out together leaving the rest of the U.S. prime to rewind about a hundred and fifty years. You know, the good old days, "making America great again", back before minorities were taught to read and women were property that you could beat with a stick without going to jail!

Oh man, I'm full of myself tonight!

I have smeared bright red crayon wax all over Dave's thread.... I'll stop. Sorry Dave.

Need to sleep this off or this mouth will get me fired tomorrow! Need to turn the sassy down a notch or two.

[Fred in Skirts]

Need to sleep this off or this mouth will get me fired tomorrow! Need to turn the sassy down a notch or two.

Now wait a minute Moon.... You can not turn down the light that is you. I really don't think it is possible.
We like you as you are!!!!

[Uncle Al]

..<snip>.. In the modern day Indiana wants to play with us and sit at our table, but no matter
how anti LGBT they are, they'll never be "southerners".... sorry Indianians!

Sorry Moon,
No such word as "Indianians". I should know, I was born in Indiana.
People of Indiana are called "Hoosiers". Nothing more or less.


Uncle Al