also for Maggie Haberman 's tweet comment

That picture is US history. Not to mention it is a very nice picture too.

I dont know how anyone can walk in those things

or naturally. You can clearly see how her feet are distorted by those shoes. There's no way you can walk naturally, without thought & worry about stumbling or tipping over in stilettos.

must feel like walking on tip toe

It's a miracle that she can stand or walk in them without toppling over.

Can't this woman go anywhere without wearing stiletto heels?

Some people wear different heights, this is a ridiculous thing to call her out for.

The most conspicuous part of that picture is who isn't in it.

I am torn on it.

However, I seriously doubt it was intended that way.

I'd be happy if this entire group would walk up to the White House front door and take over.

I'm sure the Bushes were relieved he wasn't there.

I find it surprising that so little is being made of that. Or is it not nearly as bad as I think it is?

I guess we have different ideas as to what is appropriate for certain occasions.

They will ruin your feet and ankles but some women will do anything to look good.

If she could see the surgery that is done to correct what those do to your toes......

I agree.

On the other hand, she's so used to walking in manure that she can't live without her ridiculous heels.

LOL! You are right on that account!

Hope all is well!

That's why her stilettos are the wrong choice. Nobody should be talking about what shoes somebody wore to a funeral. There are situations where "standing out" is fine, but a funeral isn't one of them, unless it's your own funeral, of course.

My everyday attire is casual and comfortable, but when I attend an event I dress appropriately. My "funeral outfit" is consistent with the situation.

Edited: That said, when my husband died, many people came to the funeral in their work uniforms because they left work to attend. I sure didn't expect them to run home and change and was touched that they came.

Ok, I suppose we can say that Melania came in her "work uniform".

She seems comfortable, she looks nice, no one around her seems unhappy with her choice of footwear - since I'm sure they really don't care - so I'm not sure what all the DU handwriting is about.

Hilarious. I’d love to see these folks n the flesh.

Just to get a gander at how perfect they are.

Criticizing her for her shoes? What she really needs to rid herself of is her husband. She looks very content in all of the pics from the funeral.

I suspect those shoes are more her husband's idea than the are hers.

... if we are going to do this, let’s do this.

Other than wearing dark colors, is there a funeral dress code that I'm not aware of?

As I noted in another post, black funerals are sometimes virtually a runway fashion show - dressing to the nines as a way we show respect: our finest dresses, fabulous hats (the HATS!) and, yes, kickass high heel shoes.

If it's a custom to "dress to the nines", then one would almost sort of stand out by not "dressing to the nines". I understand what you're saying, and I respect it. And I appreciate and even admire the reasoning behind the dress code for some situations.

I'm just saying, this was Barbara Bush's day. The fact that one particular person's footwear is being discussed indicates that she didn't follow the norm in this particular situation.

Also, I'm not going to deny that I can't stand Melania. In countless situations she has dressed inappropriately. This is just one more instance where it is my opinion that she should have done what she could to not try to grab the spotlight. Melania's footwear isn't the most important issue in the world right now, but she obviously chooses what she wears to make people notice her. We noticed. So there you go.

It means that some people can't stand Melania (I'm among them on that), probably couldn't find anything else to criticize her for (but if it weren't here shoes, they would have found SOMETHING else), and assume that just because they or people in their circles wouldn't wear them, that means she's out of the norm, failing to take into account that what's normal for them does not determine what is appropriate for everyone else - since in my world, very high heels IS a norm (or at least not abnormal).

And I sincerely doubt that Melanie's footwear caused the least bit of concerned insult to the Bush family or made them feel that she was trying to take away from Barbara Bush's day.

I think it's a lovely picture and don't see anything to find fault with. I doubt anyone at the funeral cared one bit what shoes anyone was wearing.

It's a funeral
Her attire is more than appropriate
People will find some reason to complain

I still try to show respect for the situation.

Our opinions differ. Some see it one way and some see it another, but it's a real stretch to say that criticizing Melania's footwear is going against empowering women. But hey, whatever...

as empowering. I'm a PT and I treat the aftermath. That would be like saying the Chinese women who bind their feet are "empowered". In both cases it is trying to fit into a perverted view of "beauty" that I seriously doubt was originated by women. In both cases there are also long-term debilitating physical implectations. Hardly a definition of empowerment.

At her age the damage is done.

She probably has to wear them around the house as the pain from the damage to the feet is massive.

Sad really. It is a nice picture of her and it makes me like to see a real smile on her face rather than a put on one which is what we often see.

I hate to admit it, but I do feel a bit sorry for her.

the world knows DJT has a hot piece of ass on his arm and never comfortably or appropriately for the occasion (think, hurricane appearance in stiletto heels). Who knows, maybe she does like them, but I personally think they are very uncomfortable and damaging to a woman's foot.

I wonder if wearing them is her contract with 45?

She's probably been wearing those gawdawful spike heels for so long that her achilles tendons have become contracted and she can't walk flat-footed at all. Used to know a woman that happened to; she even had to wear bedroom slippers with heels.

I also knew a woman who had to wear high heeled slippers because years of wearing high heels ruined her feet. It is painful just looking at Melania's heels.

I have to say though, she looks happy in this photo, as she did in the one sitting next to Obama. It must be nice to be around decent people for a change.

......why is her left fist clenched? (Maybe because her feet hurt?)

The shoes sure do look painful.

are sometimes distracting. To add though, even my eyes hurt seeing someone wearing those heels

...when she ran out her front door barefoot responding to some emergency, after years of wearing high heels.

I have problem feet, always have, and just looking at Melania's shoes make my feet twinge. But as I've said from the outset, there must be something in the pre-nup about footwear.

And, being a grown-ass woman, she decided to wear what she wanted to wear on her own feet ...

I'm as big a Melania critic as they come, but all of this criticism about the size of the heel on the dress shoes she wore to a funeral is petty and smacks of mean girl snark. And I don't see anyone here commenting on what any of the men are wearing.

Your comments about dressing to the nines for a funeral are interesting -- I love hats, and have seen some gorgeous ones in photos at least. Love dressing up, too, but Coastal California is pretty casual, and ultimately my closet reflects it. So much about attire depends on location and group culture.

As for the past-presidents and their wives in the group photo, they all look good to my eye -- soberly dressed for the occasion, respectful. Any poor cousins in the pews could have worn less-expenisve versions of the same garments and not felt out of place. Melania's shoes are a complete non-issue, and mean-girl comments are stupid.

Her toes are squished!

she wears those awful things so much she may have shortened her tendons and will need to work to stretch them back to a normal length. This happened to a friend who wore heels (though not this extreme) so much it hurt to go barefoot or wear flats.

She needs those shoes. But they look very unnatural. I would love to see video of Melania walking in those things.

But not 5+ inchers! OUCH. My knees started complaining. And the toe box is so small and pointed - that's how women wind up with feet like my mother had. Horrible. Misshapen and gnarled bony toes, like horse's hooves and dogs' feet, jammed into those cramped pointy-toed shoes with high heels that thrust the foot down and forward - INTO those cramped pointy-toed toe boxes. And they hurt all the time. After awhile, if you care about the health and longevity of your feet, you begin to realize that it's time to give that up.

Hillary always wears low heels. That's what I do now, if the occasion calls for it. Nothing higher than two-inches.

Whether i agree with their politics or not.

What a contrast to the hater in the WH.

This is how HUMANS are supposed to act!

Give it up with the shoe comments. If her heart is genuine at this time, and she brings some comfort to the family (much as I disagree with their politcs), she can wear sandals and socks!

Please also note the warmth between W. and Hillary. Even as rivals, they have come to like each other as people.

Lessons can be learned from this photograph.

Al Gore.

Thanks, DesertRat

It's telling that being with the Obamas at a funeral is the happiest I've seen her look.

with trump at the inauguration.

Last edited Sun Apr 22, 2018, 12:28 PM - Edit history (1)

...first ladies and gentlemen behave! The one wrong note is Melania's footwear - I know they are supposed to give you height and boost your buttocks, but her height and figure look fine.

I'm no fan of Melania, but she has every right to wear whatever she damned well pleases.

Isn't this kind of like the republicans critiquing Michelle Obama for wearing a sleeveless dress in the White House portrait and many here thinking it was absurd?

How is high heels or showing one's arms disrespectful? She had high heels on, not the platform stripper pole stilettos. They're just very high heels.

Those women I know have been wearing shoes like that since we were teenagers. I'm a man and never wear stiletto healed anything.

Melania looks relaxed and happy, gone are the very hard edges I see in most photos of her. I bet she has flats stashed in her purse or with one of the secret service detail. Or hell, maybe she joined the other gals and kicked her shoes off at the wake. I wouldn't put that past any of those women in that picture.

Gurrl, let me get these shoes off ...

At 5'5, Hillary is the shortest person in the group, with the exception of Laura the rest of them look very tall by comparison. Would be interesting to see where Trump would have measured up in this photo.

...and that lady of to the right with the leopard-skin purse needs a crop.

Fuck if I will give fucken GWB a fucken break. Fuck that.

We can't let our disdain for evil people take over our humanity. If we do, then evil people have won.

People around here are like a broken record. It's like they have their canned outrage response no matter what the topic.

Agreed
Thank you

My own mother died on the same day as his, it's not easy and smug look could be just the calm between the waves of loss. I didn't like him as pResident, but, I mourn with him with our mothers' deaths.

the way he's smiling with one side of his face.

That said, probably any expression we make when a chief mourner might be strained.

Although I’m 180 degrees from the Bushes on the political spectrum, #45 should never be included in this group. Never.
FAKE PRESIDENT!

And me, having been a member of DU for 16 years, yet. Tsk, tsk.

Of course I know he was selected, but sadly, he sure got his right-wing ass elected in 2004. It was Cheney’s presidency, anyway. And we’re still stuck in the ME.

If Trump had been there, he'd have insisted on standing next to Poppy with his stupid fake photo grin and his "why the fuck are you doing this at a funeral?" thumbs up.

so that he could have been the center of attention

The looks on their faces spoke volumes - he's an uncouth low life piece of shit.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/may/25/trump-appears-to-push-aside-montenegro-pm-at-nato-photocall-video

He has no fucking manners whatsoever.

Likely would have made the whole pic about him (il douche)

Did you know that the last President who had no living predecessors was Nixon, after January 1973?

...all former presidents, having completed their terms of service.

Nixon was an ex-president, having resigned/quit before his second term was completed. Palin is an ex-governor.

Let us hope we can soon refer to Cadet Bone Spurs as an ex-"can't-bring-myself-to use-the-word-when-referring-to-him."

...since Jefferson/Madison/Monroe