Stevie: The Swarovski Boots

[APerfectLie]

I don't think they are THAT bad. I mean I'd much rather see Stevie rock her boots anytime, but these are still platform and they are very black and she wears the little black legging things to make it look less like a shoe and more like a boot. I know lot's of 20 year old girls who complain about wearing heels for one night, I can only imagine what it's like to rock out for 2 and a half hours, several nights a week in 5-7 inch platforms, when you are in your 60s! I say cut her some slack! She still looks good, and she isn't dancing with a walker, so if it makes her feel comfortable, I say go for it! I know I'd rather see Stevie put on a kick ass pain free show in her reeboks than one she does in her boots where she is in a lot of pain and can only do a half ass show. And I'm not saying she does a half ass show when she wears her boots, but I imagine they do hinder her some if they cause her pain.

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I think you are totally right about the arm brace. I thought I even saw it up her sleeve at the last concert I attended. Also, I think one arm is worse than the other. That's why she does the one glove thing sometimes.

Now, looking at her move her arms and fingers, I don't necessarily see stiffness in those motions, but she's padded.

As for the boot, it certainly does have an orthopedic look to it.

Michele

This picture was taken in Nashville during her recording sessions for Soundstage. I can't think of any other reason for her to be wearing these things on her arms besides some condition. Also, remember this is where she met up with Betty Witherspoon...

Originally Posted by David

If she has this arthritic disease, how good can it be good for her to tour so much every year? How can all that traveling -- & no matter how pampered you are, that entails a lot of walking -- be good for her condition? Too much walking -- to & from hotels, on & off planes, in & out of green rooms in all those arenas -- & constant change in air pressure, elevation, temperature, & all that. Up & down, up & down in an airplane. In & out of limousines, month after month, year after year.

If her health is deteriorating but she still wants to perform, she ought to park herself at Caesar's in Vegas for six weeks twice a year & play there. Or play 2 months in Vegas & then 2 months in Atlantic City. Something could be figured out, I'm sure, that would be easier on her old bones & joints.

Because it's very important to keep moving. If you allow yourself to just be still, you get all stoved up and it's really worse for you than moving around. However, it would explain why she is much more subdued in the shows now. I have to give her props if she is keeping on trucking with arthritis. Kudos to her for that.

Originally Posted by michelej1

On the Today Show she was actually wearing a scarf at the time, but she still kind of hunched up her shoulders defensively as zeroed in.

I always wondered if she had neck join pain. But then during the SYW tour, for Don't Stop, she didn't have a problem throwing back her neck and holding the pose at the end of the song, so . . .

Michele

Is that Today Show you're talking about the rehearsal? I wish I could see that...

Anyway, I'm sure she would be on medication for it. And, how about her limp? I'm just sayin' - evidence is there to support the theory. I hope it's all good and it's something else not quite so debilitating or that it is a mild case. But, it seems that she is using her resources to do whatever she can to overcome her obstacles. I would expect nothing less really.

[GypsyBlueEyes]

Could all of this have been caused by her wearing those boots all these years? I know that it could have caused severe back problems, which perhaps could have caused neck problems as well...I never thought about arthritis though. Imagine all the stress walking around in those things for so long has caused her joints. Suddenly I'm starting to resent the damn boots

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

This picture was taken in Nashville during her recording sessions for Soundstage. I can't think of any other reason for her to be wearing these things on her arms besides some condition. Also, remember this is where she met up with Betty Witherspoon...

The only "condition" I can think of in that studio pic is just a severe case of very, very bad taste- I suspect those gloves are intended to be some kind of fashion statement- kind of like when she was wearing those awful black leather gloves with her frilly dresses . As for that top... as Tim Gunn would say, "that's a lot of look." It's sheer and has those gold faux-Asian embellishments on it... . I mean, really- that's something only Blanche Devereaux on the Golden Girls would wear- definitely not rock n roll.

On stage I do suspect that her fingerless sleeves are masking some kind of a support brace/bandage. She did mention in an article earlier this year that she had a bad case of tendonitis, which made playing the tambo painful, so perhaps this is being done to help prevent it from getting worse. I know that tendonitis can be very painful and it can last a very, very long time. As for the shoes, I tend to think that more than anything else she wears the Frankenboks because they are lightweight and springy; by contrast, those boots look very, very heavy. So I can understand why she has switched back to the 'boks for the first half of the show. I think it's just laziness more than anything . She isn't exactly wincing in pain when she's in the boots, and if anything, she seems to do her most physical performances in the boots, e.g., "Stand Back."

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by GypsyBlueEyes

Could all of this have been caused by her wearing those boots all these years? I know that it could have caused severe back problems, which perhaps could have caused neck problems as well...I never thought about arthritis though. Imagine all the stress walking around in those things for so long has caused her joints. Suddenly I'm starting to resent the damn boots

I don't think there is anything about her movements on stage that is consistent with back pain or arthritis, e.g., bending down at the microphone, the homage to Martha Graham at the end of GDW, windmilling her tambo around in the air, etc. And if you listen to her tambo playing off-mic, you can hear that she is going at it very seriously in time with the music, e.g., "World Turning." A person with arthritis and/or back pain would not be so nimble, flexible and smooth. Yes, her movements are gentle, slow and graceful... but if you think about it, she has been this way ever since she detoxed from coke in her late 30's. Yes, our best memories of Mama are of her doing high kicks, chicken dancing, running in place and thrashing her head around. But that had more to do with the marching powder than inspiration.

[petep9000]

Originally Posted by Zanobbi

Stevie boots at the O2 Arena, Dublin oct. 25.
Now I understand why she's not dancing anymore

oh good Lord. Why not just stay home, write the book, publish the poems, illustrate the children's stories, knit, crochet, paint, or (heaven forbid) record something?

[BellaDonna93]

Originally Posted by ShangriLaTroubl

I though it was a shirt she was wearing first, when I saw them...when I saw her in Stokholm, but then when I got home and showed the pics and videos I'd taken/filmed my mum said "I like those fingerless long gloves she's wearing" and I was like "Isn't that a shirt??? Aww it isn't, I thought that!"
And now I can see that it isn't a shirt...
I really like them! They are cool...
And she weared them on GYOW when she held my hand, lol

[wheart]

Originally Posted by seekerj

At the filming for "Live In Boston" on the Say You Will tour, just before Gypsy, Stevie came out wearing not the Reebocks, but "regular" tan boots. Everyone who was standing at the stage underneath her was freaking out, talking about the boots, and Stevie looked down at us and said "only for this song".

yup...she also wore them occassionally for Sara (the red ones) during the 2004 leg and she wore the ankle boots with the skinny heel for the encores on the 2004 leg as well. I thought the skinny heeled ankle boots looked great but we haven't seem them since. I hate the reeboks but I hate them twice as much with those horrible leather/spandex things she's wearing with them. And that burgundy outfit is so beautiful that anything other than the boots with it just doesn't cut it.

[wheart]

Originally Posted by ShangriLaTroubl

You know when she wears the actual legwarmers with them they don't look so bad, especially with a longer skirt. She did this in 2005, and it didn't look too bad.

Here's a pic:

this was the only time I could deal with the boks

[trackaghost]

I don't know if you guys know this but Stevie has a lift at the back of the stage, that is just for her, because she finds it difficult to climb the stairs to and from the stage, so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she has arthritis.

[trackaghost]

Originally Posted by ShangriLaTroubl

You know when she wears the actual legwarmers with them they don't look so bad, especially with a longer skirt. She did this in 2005, and it didn't look too bad.

Here's a pic:

I wish she would resurrect this look. It's more flattering and elegant than the layered skirts she's wearing at the moment imo.

[thatgirlwasme]

Originally Posted by GypsyBlueEyes

Could all of this have been caused by her wearing those boots all these years? I know that it could have caused severe back problems, which perhaps could have caused neck problems as well...I never thought about arthritis though. Imagine all the stress walking around in those things for so long has caused her joints. Suddenly I'm starting to resent the damn boots

I'm sure she has some lingering problems from wearing high boots all those years. It's not uncommon for women to experience (and men I suppose) plantar fasciitis, achilles pain, and deformities in the ball of the foot and toes from wearing high heels regularly. They are really bad for your feet. In addition, I'm sure she gets hip and knee pain from improper support, especially if she has low arches.

A

[GypsyBlueEyes]

^Agreed!

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I don't think there is anything about her movements on stage that is consistent with back pain or arthritis, e.g., bending down at the microphone, the homage to Martha Graham at the end of GDW, windmilling her tambo around in the air, etc. And if you listen to her tambo playing off-mic, you can hear that she is going at it very seriously in time with the music, e.g., "World Turning." A person with arthritis and/or back pain would not be so nimble, flexible and smooth. Yes, her movements are gentle, slow and graceful... but if you think about it, she has been this way ever since she detoxed from coke in her late 30's. Yes, our best memories of Mama are of her doing high kicks, chicken dancing, running in place and thrashing her head around. But that had more to do with the marching powder than inspiration.

This is true...makes me feel a bit better

But this:

Originally Posted by trackaghost

I don't know if you guys know this but Stevie has a lift at the back of the stage, that is just for her, because she finds it difficult to climb the stairs to and from the stage, so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she has arthritis.

I'd never heard this before.

[badanimals87]

Originally Posted by wheart

yup...she also wore them occassionally for Sara (the red ones) during the 2004 leg and she wore the ankle boots with the skinny heel for the encores on the 2004 leg as well. I thought the skinny heeled ankle boots looked great but we haven't seem them since.

Are you talking about those stiletto looking shoes she wore for the encores? I was at the '04 Irvine show (have the AUD shot DVD as well) and at the end of World Turning Stevie came out in what looked like stiletto heels to me. She's also wearing them on an AUD shot DVD from the '05 Two Voices tour which I have...not sure which city though. I remember thinking "you can't wear the boots because they hurt your feet but you can march around on those super tiny heels??? I'll try to upload a clip when I get home so you can see the shoes I'm referring to.

Tim

[wheart]

Originally Posted by badanimals87

Are you talking about those stiletto looking shoes she wore for the encores? I was at the '04 Irvine show (have the AUD shot DVD as well) and at the end of World Turning Stevie came out in what looked like stiletto heels to me. She's also wearing them on an AUD shot DVD from the '05 Two Voices tour which I have...not sure which city though. I remember thinking "you can't wear the boots because they hurt your feet but you can march around on those super tiny heels??? I'll try to upload a clip when I get home so you can see the shoes I'm referring to.

Tim

yes they're the ones...and I have that Irvine DVD too. I didn't know she wore them on the '05 tour. I thought they looked great. Did you notice she put on a shorter skirt with the stiletto boots for the encore? It took me a little time to pick up on that.