Even if the shoe fits, I don’t think I’ll wear it
On beautiful days–and we’ve had an awful lot of them lately–I exercise by doing some fast walking at a local park that features a lighthouse, cliffs, and spectacular ocean views. All around me I can see people relaxing and having fun, or at least trying to–playing frisbee, pushing their kids on swings, flying kites, walking dogs (or being walked by their dogs).
Sometimes I take my radio headset, but sometimes I go without and watch the scenery and the people. If I get there around dinnertime, which I often do, there are invariably some picnickers who are using the grills near the wooden tables and benches, and the aromas of barbecuing meat reach out to tantalize me as I walk by.
Yesterday I was passing one of the playing fields and noticed a young Asian couple throwing a frisbee and speaking to each other in a language I couldn’t place. The woman was the one who caught my eye first because she was nearest to me and, as I passed, she flipped the frisbee towards the man with an unusually smooth and practiced motion that it made it seem as though she’d been doing this virtually all her life. And perhaps she had.
He was a good frisbee player, but she was better. Very very petite, and dressed in denim shorts and a tank top. I watched for a moment as I drew near, thinking well, she can throw awfully well, but how’s her catching? and the answer came right away: excellent. Very deft indeed. And that’s when I noticed what she had on her feet.
What did she have on her feet? Something that looked pretty much like this (and thanks, Blogger, for making photos so much easier to insert now):
I could barely believe my eyes. She was running in them. She looked swift and agile. I don’t think I saw her leap, but she didn’t need to; she anticipated exactly where that frisbee was going and was there to meet it.
I don’t think I could have walked in those shoes for more than a few minutes, even at her age. How did she keep them on her feet, how did she keep from tripping and breaking her ankle? And, more importantly and mysteriously, why hadn’t she taken them off to play frisbee??
Astounding. It reminded me of that old saying about Ginger Rogers, that she did everything Fred Astaire did, only she did it backwards and in high heels. But I can understand why Rogers had to wear high heels to dance in stupendously glamorous evening gowns. And at least her high heels had backs.
OK, two points, one with two sub-points:
1)
> I’m old enough to remember when the feminist movement regarded high heels as some male plot against women. For whatever reason, large numbers of women are hooked on heels. Perhaps there is a psychological post in there for you, Dr neo-neo?
a) Men wear ties. We’ve always had to wear ties. You try going around with your breathing capacity cut off in 95 degree weather and see how much you like it. Just pointing out here that men have fashion expectations (suits in general, at all times and conditions) which aren’t to their comfort, too… and heels are far more optional for women than ties and suits are for men.
b) I can’t speak for ties on men, but heels on women DO look good. I don’t argue the remotest manner for their function or comfort, but there IS something particularly appealing about the line and curve of the female foot in that overall position. I have no idea why that is — it just IS.
No, I’m don’t have a foot fetish. One can be aware of all the different factors which appeal without being locked into any particular one.
So don’t consider it as having anything to do with male oppression, but in reality with female competition for mates, like showing cleavage. The psychological underpinnings for why that would be appealing is also fair game, of course. It does seem odd.
2)
> Astounding. It reminded me of that old saying about Ginger Rogers, that she did everything Fred Astaire did, only she did it backwards and in high heels.
(this quote above is attributed to the late film critic Gene Siskel to the best of my knowledge).
Not to denigrate Ginger’s talent, but, as a friend of mine notes, there are a lot of times in those movies where Fred is dancing alone while Ginger watches — because she could not dance the steps in question, forwards or backwards… He’s definitely the better dancer of the two.
Have to disagree, Joan. There is no way having your foot constantly en pointe is going to be good for you, no matter the fit. Heels force your toes foward and shorten your achilles tendon. Some women who wear heels all the time are actually unable to walk barefoot or in non-heeled shoes.
As with everything in life, moderation is the key.
I’m old enough to remember when the feminist movement regarded high heels as some male plot against women. For whatever reason, large numbers of women are hooked on heels. Perhaps there is a psychological post in there for you, Dr neo-neo?
women who wear heels like in the picture are taking a gamble.I used to wear spindly 4 inch heels (1970s-80s), but at a certain point, switched to either chunkier block heel with more support or even better, a low “kitten heel” 60s style shoe, as more came available. But about seven years ago, I had a shoe related injury and I still need occasional treatment.
I was meeting some friends to go to the opera at Lincoln Center and I was wearing low heeled pumps. I could not find a cab so had to take a bus. I was so afraid I’d be late and we wouldn’t be seated in the first act that the second I got off the bus, I started sprinting. I still remember the moment I came down hard on the ball of my foot and felt a sharp pain. I knew something was wrong. I arrived with several minutes to spare but my friends were late and we were not seated in the first act. My foot felt numb but not too bad.
But during the weeks folowing,I felt pain when I walked. I hoped it would heal by itself. The pain continued. Finally after about four weeks, I went to my chinese doctor, who treated my foot with acupuncture and acupressure. She said I’d stretched the joint and that it would take a long time to heal. She was right. The treatment lasted more than a year, with appointments starting at twice a week and ending with approx four appts per year. I recovered little by little and I am very very happy about that.
ButI pay careful attention to what type of shoes I wear and I still sometimes experience sensitivity in that area. This very week in fact, I had a “maintenance visit” with Dr Jin, seven years after the injury.
My point is that heels are risky. Even women who’ve trained themselves to adapt to the contortions of their feet and the spinal column while wearing high heels, are walking a fine line between safety and danger. It just takes one misstep on and uneven sidewalk or step to topple over.
Neo-neocon, you needed to look closer at the footwear. Her pumps were probably the new high heels with cleats that Dr. Martens is test-marketing through their east coast outlets.
Uh, wait a minute, they were playing frisbee, in the park? Does that mean she was running in hi-heels, on the grass?
My God, and I thought walking on water was impressive.
🙂
Pastorius
A well-made shoe that fits you properly will be comfortable even with a high heel. Most people who complain about shoes, especially heels, have never worn ones that fit them properly.
That said, the best footwear for serious frisbee playing is, of course, cleats. I imagine a pointy heel would be rather cleat-like in its ability to keep you from slipping on grass? (hee!)
I wouldn’t want to be that poor girl 30 years from now. My Mom wore heels her entire life and now is almost crippled from bunions. I used to wear heels but had he beginning of bunion problems so stopped in time.
Heels are sexy and I like to wear them when I go out on the town, but to play frisbe? No thanks.
Because I’ve NEVER felt comfort in heels, I have always been astonished by how some women can move around in high heels. Anybody ever watch Sarah Jessica in “Sex and the City”? I thought maybe she’s so agile just because she hardly weighs 90 lbs., but maybe it’s genetic! The tiny thing, you know? However, my 5’10” tall lanky blond friend has always been able to wear those things. I like wearing my low heeled shoes — made it easier to get out of the way when the men began swarming over me to get to her…..
She sounds like numerous Shanghainese women I’ve met over the years. My Shanghainese wife is far more practical, and last year she had to almost take high heels off the feet of another woman who was going backpacking in Tuolumne with us. She showed up wearing high heels and said she’d be “fine”. We lectured her about carrying her out if she had an injury due to poor footwear. (Thankfully, she at least brought hiking boots.)
After seven miles of walking on wet rocks and snowfields, she was thankful, although she didn’t admit it until we got back…
Neo! Did you get the just-released Fred & Ginger DVD box? I’ve been seeing a lot of pics of them the last few days and I wonder if it’s related…
I am all for looking good but when you have to sacrifice comfort to an extreme degree I won’t do it. I will not wear high-heels for this reason.