I hate

High heels

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36265545

One day they'll be looked back upon quizzically the way we now view corsets.

Oh yeah - and men in smart shoes and trousers but no socks. And men who leave the top three buttons of their shirt undone, especially if they're over 30.

Erm, corsets are back under the name waist trainers. Big over in america, sure to grow and make its way over here. How depressing.

Ordering a second something because you didn't think you would need the something again and sold it on.

Waist trainer?

Your a waste trainer.

Actually, Zipp Vuka Alumina clip-on aerobars.

The piece and petition is about high heels as part of a required dress code for work. Who's "we"? Plenty of people still choose to wear corsets (and related garments like waist trainers, boned dresses etc). I'm sure plenty more will continue to wear heels, many even to work, once* they are no longer required dress code.

* my assertion/assumption

People you've asked for a quote who either don't reply or don't read the request properly and say they can't help you. I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOU MONEY.

People who you give a quote and who can't be bothered to reply with a simple yes/no......

That is rude.

Gogglebox and every cunt on it

I was referring to the type of corsets worn in the 1700/1800s, the sort that were extremely tight, uncomfortable, potentially damaging to health. High heels worn for most of the time are also damaging. I like to think that there will come a time when civilised society (that's the 'we' I am referring to) will identify the wearing of uncomfortable clothes for the absurdity it surely is.

In any case, it's not like there's no smart alternative to high heels.

getting cramp in the midway through swimming a length. It feels like your toes are perpendicular worsening with every kick.

Hmm. You didn't specify "the health-damaging type of corsets worn 300 years ago" though. I'm not being deliberately antagonistic, it was a genuine response to your statement - people wear both corsets and high heels by choice, today, it isn't some outdated thing. It's the expectation that women wear corsets that has gone.

I think the health thing is what will get heels banned from dress codes, but I also think it's a distraction. Clothing is a complex nuanced cultural thing, it isn't really about comfort. It is on some level absurd that we don't choose clothing based only on comfort and practicality, but we don't. No cultures ever have. We also wear make-up, that's kind of absurd, but thankfully, a bit like corsets no longer breaking your ribs when you get laced in, make-up no longer gives you lead poisoning. We can make things 'safer' - but there's so much more going on.

Requiring women to wear heels to work obviously isn't to do with 'smartness' - they could just wear exactly the same sort of Proper Leather Shoes as men (at the same place of work), in that case. It's an expectation that women look feminine and basically sexy as part of a work/professional image. But that kind of argument isn't going to get heels banned. What I hate about "heels as work dress code" isn't the discomfort but the gender expectation. Having said that, with size 9 wide flat feet, it's the physical pain that would prevent me doing/taking the job. I don't know if that makes sense. But also, I find most dress codes indefensible, I don't see why wearing a tie at the office is still a thing. Luckily I've only ever worked at casual places that don't mind if you show an ounce of 'personality' (it's not really personality, obvs, but that's what the usual dress codes seem to be afraid of?).

(tl:dr etc)

Hey - the thread is called 'I hate', not 'I hate: now make a case for it to convince others.'

I said I hated high heels, next referred people to the outrageous incident whereupon a worker was sent home for refusing to wear them, and finally made an off-hand comment about how we'll one day look back and wonder what the attraction was. I fully understand "what's going on", agree that there are plenty of other daft things that some people feel obliged - or are obligated - to wear, but my personal gripe is with high-heels (along with men in smart shoes and trousers but no socks, and men who leave the top three buttons of their shirt undone, especially if they're over 30).

In any case, I think that the "expectation that women look feminine and basically sexy as part of a work/professional image" is EXACTLY the sort of argument that will effect change, if only because it highlights that such dress-codes breach existing (European?) legislation regarding equality in the workplace.

About the shirt button thing, does it matter if it's a work shirt or casual shirt? Would it be allowed with short sleeves? What if there was a t-shirt underneath? Does the colour of the shirt make any difference?

I just feel you're being a bit generalistic with your hate when a modicum of specificity would improve the situation.

I have no issue with you hating high heels, men in smart shoes but no socks etc.

I was responding to this - "One day they'll be looked back upon quizzically the way we now view corsets". If you'd said "the way I view corsets" or "the way we now view those rib-wrecking 17th century corsets" I wouldn't have made a squeak.

Call it a personal pet hate, if you like.

Wanna fight?

Amen to all the above but... erm, isn't the point that few of these things are really rational? I think few of us really hate, but it's become shorthand for 'it really pisses me off', or 'I think it's really silly.'

A while back I happened to announce, 'Oh, heaven spare me - not another old guy on a huge LAPD-style motorbike!' A friend took me to task: 'What have you got against old guys on motorcycles?'

I had to admit that I didn't really have an issue. But for me it would be excruciating to tool around in my dotage dressed up like Electraglide in Blue. If there is a phrase for my neurosis it would be something like, 'A big Harley and a rebel bandana do not an outlaw make.'

The 'I hate' thread allows us to vent this silly stuff. I think it has great value!

I guess when I think of corsets I automatically think of the corsets of old, and assume others do too. (Surely they only really exist presently within the realm of wedding dressage, Anne Summers and fetish wear?)

Perhaps I should have alluded to Chinese foot binding instead....

men in smart shoes and trousers but no socks.

This. What on earth are they thinking? Saw a full on pellet yesterday in a royal blue suit, shirt and tie, tan slip on loafers and no socks. /slowheadshake

Royal blue suits.

the realm of wedding dressage, Anne Summers and fetish wear

if you extend the realm of fetish to club wear and bridal to ballgowns that does cover a large proportion of the (mostly female) population...

fwiw when I think about high heels I do definitely relate it to foot binding on some level - both have aspects of sexual objectification, being incapacitated so you can't run away, and being so wealthy you are above needing to walk/work.

shiny tasselled loafers. particularly if they have buckles or other extraneous bits of ironmongery on them. seeing them a lot lately...

so wealthy you are above needing to walk/work

These are the heights to which I aspire.

I'm with you on this, panto shoes have no place in modern society.

Yeah, but a wedding dress is a ceremonial sort of outfit and one that I doubt many women would want to wear on a anything like a daily basis. (I've seen brides in tears, their dresses have been so painful). Same with ball-gowns, I would have thought.

I have no idea about the jump from fetish to club wear, so I'll take your word for it.