Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Every pair of shoes that I buy rubs the back of my heels raw. The only exception is gym shoes. Sneaker-makers seem to have figured out a way to make a shoe that doesn’t chew up my back heel. How come other shoe makers can’t?

I just bought a pair of black flats: Same problem. I tested the shoes out around the house and they rubbed my heels raw after 20 minutes. Any advice from you and your readers?

--Melissa M.

Dear Melissa: I share your complaint. In some styles, going up or down a half size solves the problem. Always test the new shoes at home — not just at the store -- so you can return them if necessary. (Beware: You will need to keep the soles clean to get a refund so here are some options: Test walk only on carpets. Put socks over the shoe while testing. Buy a pair or two of shoe covers at stores like Ace Hardware or Lowe’s, which often sell small quantities for a few dollars instead of packs of 50 or 100.)

Even the same shoe brands in different styles are not reliable. I have one pair of flats that are really comfy but ugly, while cuter similar flats by the same maker in the same size have rubbed me badly. I’ve tried adhesive back-of-heel shoe cushion inserts from the drugstore, Target, Walmart or shoe stores and they’re far from foolproof, but can sometimes solve the problem.

Speaking of shoes…

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Is wearing heels with jeans or pants back in style? I seem to be seeing more women wearing high heels, even stilettos, with jeans -- including the wide-leg styles that are now popular. I know jeans now are considered acceptable even at dressy venues, but I find higher heels with jeans to be a jarring look. What is your take on this?

--Lillian A.

Dear Lillian: You’ll find plenty of current online stories in praise of high heels, even stilettos, with jeans -- including the now-popular wide-leg ones. So, yes, heels are absolutely considered fashionable with jeans.

It is the rare woman who can comfortably walk in high heels for hours. So, if you plan on a lot of walking around in your jeans, good luck.

For longer walks I’d choose flats or an inch-high kitten heel. But if you choose higher heels -- now worn with jeans of all styles and lengths -- blogs and websites will have plenty of info on how to style your look.

One caveat: To me, shorter, ankle-length jeans or pants look plain weird when worn with towering heels.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I keep seeing groups of friends wearing nearly identical outfits. For example, a group of girls all wearing plain, solid color T-shirts, often cropped to show the midriff. I see a lot of guys hanging out together in similar khaki slim-fit pants and a collared polo shirt. How come they seem to dress the same? What happened to individuality?

--Elizabeth B.

Dear Elizabeth: This has been going on for as long as I can remember. With any gathering such as you describe, a kind of groupthink sets in. I started doing precisely the same thing in about seventh grade. I think it’s natural. I recently spotted a group of about six college-age girls in the same color jeans and all but one was wearing a white T-shirt.

Angelic Readers

Susan S. needs help replacing her favorite pillow: “I purchased a bed pillow from Eddie Bauer online in the early 2000s. Eddie Bauer no longer carries it. The pillow in question is now on its last puff. It is a gusseted feather/down pillow. There is no indication of its origin except ‘Eddie Bauer’ on the tag and they don’t make them any more. The older I get, the more difficult it is to get a comfortable pillow. The last one I tested had to be mailed back to China. Can you help me?” (From Ellen: I too so am fussy about my bed pillows, and buying pillows online is a crapshoot. I like my bed pillows soft and mushy. It’s been hard -- actually impossible -- to find anything comparable in stores. So I ask my sister to send me her old ones when she thinks hers have gotten too soft. Surely readers have some good suggestions. Let’s hear from you.)

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