I remember persuading my mother to let me buy a pair of platform wedges when I was a child. I don’t think she was paying very close attention in the shoe store, because I managed to convince her that because the shoes had a flat bottom I would be able to walk (and run) normally in them. I twisted my ankle playing in my grandmother’s garden that very afternoon.

High heels make my legs look better, but my legs always look better unbroken. If I can’t get from the car to the restaurant in a pair of shoes without wobbling, then they are of no value to me.

I was meeting my husband-to-be for dinner and wearing new high heels. Part of the way to the resturant, my feet hurt so badly, I could hardly walk. Of course, this being New York, I couldn’t find a cab. I saw a Tom McCann shoe store a’head, stopped and bought a pair of slippers for my now, swollen feet and arrived for dinner in those. Ever since, comfort NOT style has been the over-riding quality when buying shoes.

I just don’t “get” the high heel thing. If you go to buy shoes, the selection is mostly high heels. But if you look around, the sales people AND the customers are all wearing flats!!! When do people wear these expensive and hard to walk in fashion statements? It is the same with the pants that are considered high waisted if they are only 1” BELOW your belly button!!! But in most departments stores the sales people are wearing pants ON the waist. And those pants are 5 years old or older because you can hardly find pants that go on the waist. And I see everyone who is wearing the low rise pants always tugging at them and trying to pull them UP!!! When are women going to be allowed in fashion to be comfortable? If men were expected to walk around in 4” heels and have their shirts too short to tuck in and have to buy all new belts that were huge in order to fit, there would be an uprising. Why can women, even short women, decide that comfort is a fashion statement and that low heels or flats are sexy!!!

While I somewhat miss all the cute looks of my younger years, being comfortable is so much nicer! When I see women in those insane shoes, I only see medical problems ahead. Need I add that I love being an older woman?! I feel so wise and secure in my knowledge.

It does not have to be one or the other. There are times when heals are wonderful and times when it is just plain ridiculous. There are shoes for exercise, work, out to dinner, special occasions - isn’t there a company making shoes where the heal collapses? We need them all! Denise

Dear Mary; Hope alls well with you and the girls! Maurice has always listened to every word of advise you gave him and still loves and admires you. BUT he will not give up his heels and wedgies!! I however heed youe advise and love to be comfortable. Best wishes always Roberta Mahler (Maurice )

I wonder if I am the only woman who, when shoe shopping, thinks “one-hour shoes (cocktail parties, sassy, uncomfortable), four- hour shoes (cool boots, the kind you wear with jeans to make your legs look longer) and all day shoes(runners, Merrells or the dreaded matronly ‘walking shoe’)”? I have an embarrassing shoe fetish, but, am too much of a wuss to face painful foot surgery…thus, the system. I have never found one shoe which works for all three situations. Would love to hear of one. Till then, thank God for kitten heels.

I agree with Denise—we need them all—heels, flats, tennies, clogs (well, maybe not clogs) slides, platforms, slippers, wedges….bring on alllll the shoes!

I bought a cute pair of flats last weekend. I wore them to work on Monday and all day I felt like off… my posture wasn’t as good, my “walk” was no where near as sassy. I love my heels!

I love high heels to a point…… I feel more dressed up in them, more feminine, and just carry myself with more confidence. Mine are only 2-3 inches, not the high rise ones I saw Catherine Zeta Jones just wore! OMG they looked so painful just standing there. I can’t imagine what their feet look like. I make sure to not wear them every day so that my feet do get a rest, I feel that is very important. The last thing I want to do or have anyone else do is to look down and see not so nice feet in those pretty shoes! I love heels!

As I glide slowly and gracefully into chunky chick old age I now practice wearing my heels. I sit at my computer and pound out a new story wearing new shoes. The problems all start when I stand up. With each step I look more and more like Ellie Mae Clampett in her first pair.

I have never broken a foot over a shoe but I have had numerous sprained ankles. Not because I was wearing high heels but tennis shoes. I have weak ankles. I have to buy tennis shoes with wide heels or find myself on the ground. I don’t envy anyone who can wear those skyscrapers.

Thank God for my power wheelchair and no need for even considering this ridiculous shoe problem.

This message is forMary Wells My husband and I were watching Charlie Rose show and we both did a double take on the neclace you had on. He knows how much I love large jewelry and your neclace being large I really fell in love with it. Could you email me and let me know where you found it. I buy RJ Grasiano, Bettsy Johnson Kennith J Lane, Heidi Daus, to name a few that make large jewelry. I guess not every one can wear large jewelry but that neclace really looked beautiful on you. Thanks again. Oh by the way high heals I paid the price and wore them in my younger years. I bought my first pair when I was 12 and you know I didnt need them . i was told you will ruin your feet but of course I thaught how could such beautiful shoes ruin your feet. Well they did, and was it worth it ,of course it was It made me feel beautiful and now I am 73 and I still smile at all the beautiful girls who dare to wear those beautiful shoes that I no longer can wear.