I see so many darling shoes, booties and right now peep tied booties that are 4" or more. I’m 5’8" and stop at 3.5 inches. In my size, that comes to almost 3.75 ". Those are reserve for things I wear to go out on the town in. But I just love so many that are higher, but they’d be 1/4 more in my size…and they hurt my calf. Just wondering who all these people are who can wear those tall shoes. I never did even when younger.
Not me, and I’m only 5’ tall. I can only wear 2" heels, and then only twice a year. I stopped wearing heels when I was pregnant with my younger son (he’s almost 27).
I am 5’7" and love the look of heels. My biggest issue is finding shoes in a narrow width which are not “old lady” styles. That said, about 3 - 3.5 inches is about as high a heel as I can do.
I just took a tape measure to my closet. Some are 2". Many of my shoes are wedges with 3" heels. A few are 4" and I wore one pair to a party the other night that were 5" heels! My feet hurt. Rarely wear those shoes.
How tall are you @jym626 ? Wow… 5". Those must be sitting a a chair shoes, or did you stand?
I am short, @conmama. The heels were not thin, but still…
Oh, and it was a mostly standing, but some sitting during dinner. The shoes came off as soon as we got to the lobby to wait for the car.
I’m 5’4". I have never worn a heel more than 2 inches high. Not even when I was young. I admire people who can walk in higher heels in much the same way that I admire Olympic gymnasts. But I can’t walk in higher heels without risking falling on my face. (I can’t do gymnastics, either.)
I’m the same height as you @conmama (5’8") and I rarely go above 1.5" heels. I mostly wear flats. Like @Marian, I feel like I walk like a 13-year-old in heels for the first time if I go any higher than 1.5". Why do I stick to flats? Comfort and not wanting to be taller than my husband. He’s 5’10" - not unusually short. I makes no sense. I now am grateful I did not wear heels all my life because my feet and toes look healthier than those of many friends. I do own some nice 2" heels for special occasions (Fluevogs!)
Most of the time, especially when not at work I wear flats or close to. But some of my wedge shoes are higher, and these are summer shoes . Winter shoes are lower.
I’m 5’-9’ and just a tiny bit taller than DH, so I hardly ever wear heels. This past weekend, though, I wore 2" wedge heels to a wedding. Mistake!!! It was an outdoor ceremony at a farm, and the ground was uneven and soft. I’m lucky I didn’t sprain an ankle. Back to flats for me.
I’m 5’1 and not comfortable in anything more than 2" or so. Just not coordinated enough to pull it off gracefully.
I’m 5’5" and always wear the flattest shoe I can get away with.
I wore a two inch heel at my son’s wedding a few months ago and was comfortable for a full twelve hours, much of it standing and dancing. My dress was knee length, but I would have worn flats if my dress had been floor length.
I own a lot of cute shoes, sandals and boots, and they are mostly flats. I want to look good, but above all, I want a shoe I can move in, and I don’t suffer for my fashion.
After years of arguing with my feet, I won’t even buy flip flops anymore, because they rip up the skin between my toes.
There’s also the reality that people with small feet – I’m a size 5.5 – can’t wear very high heels because it pushes their foot so forward that one is nearly walking on one’s toes. A larger size foot can handle the heel height better.
I “fell off” some platform sandals when I was 17 years old and broke a toe. Haven’t worn anything higher than 1 inch since then. In the last 30 or so years, I think I’ve owned nothing but flats. I have trouble finding shoes as I wear a size 5, not always a lot of choice and often the available styles are flats. Like @eastcoascrazy, I like being comfortable and quite happy sticking with my flats. I must say that I admire those who look so graceful in the high heels, but that’s not me!
Wedges are remarkably comfortable. The foot is almost flat- nod down on an angle. Its just higher off the floor!
Ouch, @Momofadult. My wedge shoes have me nicely strapped in. They are cork wedges and are remarkable comfortable. Off to work I go!
I think that at 5’8 @conmama you are taller than the average American woman. I’m not sure of the average, but I’m guessing something like 5’4" is “average” - so they might be looking to gain a little more inches in heels than someone of your height.
We are all different. When I see someone wearing quite high heels - even wedges - well, I’m not impressed! I sometimes feel like it looks like “look how high of heels I can wear and keep my balance!” - something more modest in heel size - even 3 or 3.5 inches - looks good, stylish and not like you’re trying to break any world records. 
That said, I’m 5’7 and not a heel person. Wedges of 2 ish inches would be my limit or limit of interest.
I’ve never heard of anyone thinking that wearing heels is a contest of some sort. That strikes me is silly…
Every year at my D’s high school honor ceremony - the heels got higher and higher and the girls walked slower and slower and off balance!
It is silly IMO, but as an observer, I have noted it to be true!!!
(not all cases of course!!!)
5’4" tall here. I seldom wear heels. The highest ones in my closet are 3 inch. I’m wearing them to a wedding this weekend, but I have already been given flip flops to wear at the reception…by the bride’s family!