Dictionary.com

How strange. I checked dictionary.com to ensure I had the right plural form (is it "stilettos" or "stilettoes"? Both, apparently.) only to find that only one of the references mentions high heels. (And only in passing. The term "stiletto heel" first came into being in 1953.)

Funny - it's a very common term wth a 55 year history. If memory serves it probably first referred to a specific brand called Paris Points.

Are the dictionaries that far behind the times? How long did it take them to add "blog"? Or "website"? Yet most don't mention stiletto in the sense of a high heel.

Check it out for yourself: Dictionary.com: Stiletto

Discontinued: No wonder! (A Rhett Foxx Rant)

Usually I prefer to focus on the pleasantries of life: there are many other who bitch and moan continually. And as mistress of my own dominion, I find it's a more pleasant dominion if I direct my attention to things I want more of.

With that said, there are some things that are too strange to pass up the opportunity to comment on. Like the weird sculptural heels on this pair of platform mules from The Highest Heel. Now, they stock many perfectly lovely (if difficult to walk in) shoes, and I even own a couple of pairs, and it must be noted that I did find these whilst browsing their "Discontinued and Clear Out" section. But I must ask, even at a discounted price, who on earth would wear these?

We wear heels to accentuate our figures. A good pair of heels lengthens the leg line and adds a grace and lightness to our movements (well, OK - provided that a gal knows how to swagger in them). These give no such benefits, save perhaps the leg lengthening illusion. The beads ruin the line of the heel, an effect which is even worse in the black version. Whether acrylic platforms allow for grace of movement or not is an ongoing debate, but I can't see any possible grace to tottering in these.


On the other hand, they're still nowhere near as hideous as some of the heels the haute couture fashion houses thought we'd be dumb enough to buy last season. Or am I the only one who felt nauseous when seeing this page from one of the fashion rags last fall? (Not everything on that page was bad, but those Balenciaga sandals in the top left seemed to be in every magazine as an exemplar of good trends. Blech - at best they remind me of elementary school arts and crafts projects like melting crayons to make misshapen candles.)

I was less than impressed to discover that the usually tasteful Steve Madden is even making a version of those: Why, Steve? WHY?!?

There. The rant du jour is over.

The Quest Begins

Hello everyone! As a brief teaser intro, I'll just say that I'm a photography and stiletto fanatic. I've decided to combine those two passions. Over the next few weeks you can expect to see this blog grow as I work on the design and crafting of a website devoted to the dissemination of some of my photography in both print and digital form. I'll also add some musings on both topics.

You'll probably also hear plenty about my quest to fill my closet with even more examples of fabulous stilettos to wear and photograph.

'Til then, stay tuned.