Formal wear - are high heels uncomfortable for women as neckties are for men?

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

This is an interesting point that got brought up while discussing about the new dress codes guidelines I'm thinking of introducing for special events. Naturally I never wore high heels, but I wear neckties or tight neck mao suits all the time and to be honest I got used to it - in my opinion, it's not comparable to the discomfort that some high heels can give women. But when discussing this, some guys and a couple of women too, to my surprise - argued that if I'm going to put the tie as obligatory for guys for high level meetings, I should do the same with high heels for women.
What are your thoughts?

Naturally you can also put this question into the canons of dating and not just work dress code!

Updates

+1 y

In the end, since I don't think that ties are as uncomfortable and rigid as high heels, I'll be making ties a request for some events but not high heels. Most guys wear ties and most women wear high heels anyway, however I found it funny that the biggest female advocate for high heels is the woman with whom I carpool with and she always puts on sneakers or flats when she's driving or we are outside the office.

[Jaximus-Lion]

Neckties are elegant, in winter. When it's summer! Elegancy can take a break for me. High heels vs neckties? Not sure about that. I would compare high heels with wearing leather wet boots from the inside without socks. All women can say what e ver they want and like , no way in what everness high heels are comfy and no one will change my mind about it, no one. There is a lot of elegant women shoes that are not high heeled. I dated women who wore sneakers, i like those who takes care of their feet

[FlutteringFeelings]

If a woman wants to feel comfortable in heels it’s important that she wear them often and allow the feet to get used to that type of pressure. I walk in heels often I can last an entire event with my heels on. Of course my feet will be sore afterwards but it’s not to the point I cannot slip on any shoes. It also depends on the type of high heel that’s purchased and it’s not about the price whether it’s cheap or expensive. Sometimes it’s a hit or miss and Expensive heels suck as well so I try to get my bargains.


I feel the sexy when I’m walking in heels and I’ll strut my legs and anyone around will see that the confidence I have isn’t only from within but by the way I walk.

[muscularbumblebee]

I think it depends on the heel..


Unlike a neck tie which seems to only have one main style except thick or thin and tightness. Heels can be sort of ok for 1 hour of wear if they are say thick heeled, 3.5 inch boots but gradually get more uncomfortable the higher and thinner the heel is as well as the pointed toe. Such as those sky high v toe stiletto heels which are a torture device and I can barely even stand in them even if I’m ‘a good Walker in heels’


So I’d like to think heels are much worse but if comparing to the most comfortable heel then only a little worse then ties?

[hamzaelll]

I think there is no comparison between the two. I wear neckties all the time due to my work, but i ve never found them uncomfortable. They can be adjusted, and there are many ways to tie a necktie, and they don’t cause any kind of discomfort. Now, i don’t wear high heels, but just from everyday observation it becomes obvious how uncomfortable they are, i mean they deform your feet while wearing them, they literally put your feet in an unnatural position how uncomfortable and painful must that be? I, personally, think this comparison shouldn’t have been brought u.

[AmandaYVR]

Heels are far, far, far, worse. To the point that you can't even walk anymore. With a tie, it's soft fabric around your neck, and it never impedes movement. There's no comparison.

[arjfdgp34]

Don't you get used to the heels after a while though?

[AmandaYVR]

@arjfdgp34 Some girls say that. It doesn't work that way for many. For one thing, heels do terrible damage to your feet (actress Sarah Jessica Parker finally met her destiny, after years of proclaiming it was all good), but the main thing is it just becomes too painful to walk at all. And I mean AT ALL. I don't know why some women survive better than others. Is it more wear, or less wear, that is the deciding factor? I have high arches (dancer arches, though I was never a professional dancer), and that, I was told, could be the reason. It puts a ton of pressure on the balls/pads.

I used to work in very high-end retail. My wardrobe was important to me and to the image of the store. We sold suits in the thousands. I wore heels much of the time. I have spent months of my life shopping for shoes, wasting money on them, donating them long before they look worn out.

I also went nightclubbing (dancing or standing the entire time for hours), then walked home from the clubs, and work or school every day, and around the city, day after day. At some point, it became unbearable. Now I don't have a choice. I can wear certain shoes for less than an hour. I keep buying, replacing, but it's futile. I had a podiatrist, had x-rays, got my feet wrapped in paper mache and had professional insoles made, bought good shoes, and have every type of off-the-rack insole you've ever seen (gel, cork, leather, foam...).

[AmandaYVR]

I hate it, because most outfits are degraded without the right shoes. I have about six pairs of beautiful leather and suede boots. When I was a child, I asked for leather shoes for my birthday. And when I finally got a pair, (the moment I could fit into the smallest women's size), I slept with them on my beside and got high on the luscious leather. I followed fashion since being a teenager. I am highly motivated. So it's kind of an insult when some girls say "you get used to them", also implying that they are somehow tougher, or more feminine, for wearing them.
All I can say is, be good to your feet. You need them for walking. Nothing else in a wardrobe matters more.

[pleasestopthis]

I'd say heels are way worse. In Chile we school uniforms are mandatory and so I wore one for 12 years, tie included. The tie isn't that uncomfortable at all, it can be adjusted to the size of the wearer's neck. Heels hurt both my feet and my back, so I prefer to wear flat shoes.

[Jean-Marie_Céline]

I understand, so it's mandatory for all public schools?
My wife and I wore uniforms too in school, but because our school was private. Girls had flat shoes but had to always wear skirts even in winter.

[pleasestopthis]

Yes, even kids in public schools have to wear uniforms. I believe it was established to avoid discrimination against poor students so everyone must wear the same clothes. I had to wear a skirt in winter, too, but my school gave the option for girls to wear pants if they wanted too, I chose to wear warm stockings instead.

[little_black_dress]

I had to wear a school uniform. I went to catholic school. It snows a lot here in Canada but I still wore a skirt with warm stockings.

[natured]

I'm 100% high heels are way more uncomfortable, I didn't even know that neckties could be uncomfortable...

I wear high heels all the time, and I got used to them, I can walk miles and miles without having issues, but in general, I'm sure that neckties are not even close to being uncomfortable like high heels.

[arjfdgp34]

It's just the same thing. A tie is uncomfortable at first because it isn't natural to have something round your neck like that but after a while you get used to it and forget it's there. I'm sure if you had to wear ties all the time and didn't wear heels you'd think ties were worse. Heels can't be any worse once your used to your feet being held up in that position

[Aakash_Hangargi]

High heels were never formal actually.
The whole reason of them was to give an illusion of height for girls which would make them look taller so they can be more intimidating or to be faced face to face in terms of height.

It can fuck up the spine in long-term definetly will get back pains and joint pains they habe to walk like a camel in heels.

[0112358]

Ties are adjustable. They shouldn't be uncomfortable. they literally are infinitely adjustable.

people complaining are suffering from one of three things:
1) like small children they complain clothing is uncomfortable if they feel it somewhere unusual
2) their shirt is the wrong size
3) their shirt collar has shrunk in the wash.

[jamesgoldman]

Given I've never wore heels (not that I'd want to but find me a set of euro size 48's)
I can comment in that part but I can say I love a tie, maybe because of the vibrant colours proffered by those slivers of silk (my little collection features everything from deep purple to navy blue to passion fruit to lime green alongside other colours)

[FinalFantasyBro]

I worn a necktie a couple time and while yes it might get annoying they aren't exactly uncomfortable. If you are feeling discomfort I recommend adjusting the tie so you can make it comfortable for you.

While high heels aren't used for formal wear, they are designed to make women look taller, plus heels can realistically damage the feet depending on it height. So no neither aren't exactly comparable!

[Riley000]

I personally feel that both neckties and heels are not good for a human body if you wear them on a long term basis. If you wear a tie too tight, it can cause blindness. Heels can cause spine issues.. why do we need to succumb to the social convention and sacrifice our body?

The way you dress doesn't reflect on your ability to work.
Just my personal opinion.

[EssenceOfLight]

My partner wears 80% of time heels. As I asked her how is this comfortable, she said "There are shoes with heels which are comfy enough to 1000 m race and some shoes are absolutely uncomfy" When I look at her huge shoe collection and shoes she wears regularly there must be a lot of those less comfy ones.
In regard of neckties. If I have to wear one, I don't even notice them.

[Eva2015]

I have never worn a necktie so I don’t know about that, but I do know that most high heels (depends on the heel) are painful. I think I would much rather wear a necktie.

[Little_Bumblebee]

I would much rather wear a tie than I would wear heels... I don't see them as nearly the same thing at all.

[Kabluie]

I can wear high heels fine, the thinner the heel the more challenging your day could be. But this is why in big cities you'll see some women walk around the subway sometimes in flats and then take the heels out for the office.

[dray995]

Are you a guy?

[MCheetah]

They're pretty similar, yeah. Heels hurt your feet, ties hurt your throat and feel like being choked all day.

[SphynxUK]

High heels are fine for sitting.
Standing, no.
I don’t wear them anyway because of a back issue.

[Medlife]

At times yes. I prefer comfortable shoes. But to have a woman in heels walk for me or dance for me is so hot.

[loveslongnails]

Neckties will not cause permanent damage or deform your neck. High heels will do that to a woman's feet. I can't comment on the comfort level as I don't wear high heels, but neckties are more of a nuisance than a discomfort.

[Dazed0N0Confused]

Having worn both heels & neck ties for work, i would rather wear the tie

[Anonymous]

I've never understood women complaining about high heels, it's just changing the position of their foot a bit but surely you get used to it. Wearing a tie is a bit uncomfortable at first if your not used to it but after a while you can just forget it's there.

I'm fairly sure anybody not used to wearing heels could adapt to them just as easily as someone putting on a tie for the first time in a long time. It can't be that bad or nobody would wear them.

[anylolone]

I honestly hate neck ties.
I've wore both, I rather wear heels, if we were talking about comfort only.

[dray995]

Why would you wear heels? Are you a girl?

[anylolone]

@dray995 No, I don't have a pussy.
But why not wear heels. Heels were invented for riding horses.

[Samantha_17]

Once you get used to the heels it's no problem at all.

[Texasguy99]

I’ll have to give them a shot lol