As a small child each year I would be issued a pair of hiking boots and a pair of unisex webbing sandals. I think there was a pair of dress shoes thrown in there for good luck occasionally. But, if it could be avoided, I wouldn't wear any of them. I had a nice layer leathery tough callused skin covering the bottom of each of my unusually small feet (I was still wearing a child's 13 in the 4th grade). Lawn, dirt, sidewalk, gravel driveway, lava rock, there was no terrain I couldn't handle. I only put shoes on when it got too cold or if we were going into town. Evidently there was some social objection to people who didn't wear shoes. I remember being so insulted when I was old enough to read the signs saying: No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service. What was wrong with these people, and their pasty white baby feet!
Now that I've been living in the city for the last 7 years I have lost my beloved hobbit feet and must be sorted in with the baby feet people *sob* However back to my story:
When I left for college I owned 5 pairs of shoes. 1 pair of each, church shoes, church sandals, casual guys sandals, snow boots, and skate shoes. I think the highest heel I had ever worn was 1" tops. My roomie Krista would let me teeter around in some of her's from time to time.They looked cute but they were such a pain to move around in. Only about .5% of the time would I ever wear them. The other 99.5% of the time I really feel like the evolution of shoes should be heading more in the direction of Keens or Vibrams:
I mean I wore custom Chucks to my own wedding:
However much to Eli's displeasure, Richard is slowly making a lady of me and heels make it to about 3% of my footwear these days. I am proud to say with several years of a little practice here and there I can actually walk in 4" heels! And I am happy I learned because come on how cute are these:
Occasionally I find myself looking at 5 or 6 inch heels thinking, "Wow I wish I could walk in those." But then I wonder, how high is too high? It is kind of a weird fashion anyway. Somewhat like earrings. I mean why is poking a hole in your body and threading a sparkly through it considered socially acceptable, let alone attractive? But just like I find earrings beautiful, I do like high heels. And just like one must wonder how many piercings is too many, one must also wonder how high is too high. While there definitely is a grey area here, the internet being the wonderful tool it is has provided us with the definition of TOO HIGH! This menacing device is referred to as a ballet heel:
Who on earth designed these!!! No human foot should be forced into this shape and expected to bear weight for an extended period of time! Whats upsetting is women are buying these and teetering around all over you tube! "Look I've been practicing daily for two years and I can almost walk in a straight line!" Sick and wrong...sick and wrong!
In the totally opposite direction I stumbled on this blog about going bare foot while I was researching pictures for this post. Its an interesting read I think.
Thats so funny Abby! I almost never wear heels now. I am usually in tennis shoes or flats so you are the more fashionable one these days. But, there is a lot or research that proves wearing heels higher than 2 inches too often results in back and posture problems anyways. Love ya!
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