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On one of my early trips to Antarctica back in the 90s I spend several weeks on an icebreaker and during that time obviously came to know everyone - about 90 or so people (crew, scientists, tradesmen working at the bases) After spending time on the base, and changing over the staff, we headed back home again. One night at sea I found myself talking to what I thought was one of the new guys - returning home after a winter in the ice. I introduced myself and asked his name. He gave me a funny look. It was one of the marine biologists, a guy I’d played scrabble with many a time in the preceding weeks at sea - only he’d had a great bushy beard then. He’d shaved it off while we were at the base and I completely failed to recognise him.

Yes, as someone who wears tall boots a lot I always wear skinny jeans so they can fit nicely in the boot shaft instead of ruching up and/or having the fabric billow out over the top of the boot. His boots are so high though - much too high for my tastes - and so loose (again, much too loose fitting for me) he could probably get away with wearing even zoot suit trousers under them.

I wonder what he's got on underneath those boots? I personally find that I cannot wear traditionally tailored suitpants with tall boots, because there is too much fabric there to stuff in, and it ends up billowing out in unflattering places after a bit of movement.

The "once-over" was not what I would consider a negative one, it was a curious one. Realize that my assessment is based upon a split second impression that was made before I realized who the guy was. lHad I not been in a hurry, I would have said hello, and the conversation would have been pleasant, if not brilliant. He is also in construction, though he is now retired. How we have not run into each other in the last 10 years, I have no idea. I see his sons around town often, and I still to this day do not call them immediately by name, because they are identical twins. From a distance, they still look very much alike, even though they are now approaching 50. And I can attest to context being everything. It is very jarring, and sometimes downright confusing to meet one of my colleagues outside of work. For one thing, people can look very different without a hard hat!

I saw that article too - or an article anyway. Perhaps there were others. I liked the tolerant tone of the one I read (on the CNN website) It was far from disparaging the notion of tall boots for men. I’m not a fan of the style - too much like waders - but to each their own. It was not outlandish. A positive response to them, as in the article I read, could well help to normalise the idea of tall boots on men. And that would be a great thing!

They are nice boots, but sure don't fit his legs very well. The important thing is that he is wearing them, perhaps helping to normalize guys wearing great boots

Not sure if anyone saw this but there was a rather public event regarding a male wearing OTK boots (but without a high heel). Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård was recently photographed wearing a pair of Saint Laurent thigh high boots (designed for men) on the red carpet at Cannes in the recent past. There was an interesting article that accompanied this "story" about how this may be the next logical step in men's footwear trends. I did some research on the boots but information was limited. Given the designer name, I am sure they cost as much as a small automobile. Just to clarify, the picture is not mine but posted for purposes only related to this discussion.

Context is everything. It had been years and he wouldn’t have been expecting to meet you - and when he did encounter you, his eyes were drawn to your sandals. That’s what his impression would have been based on, and the corridors down which his thinking went. Small wonder he didn’t recognise you. Had you been in jeans and work boots I think he might well have recognised you

OK, so the guy that "gave you the once over" was the same guy at the counter, correct? When you say "once over", did you feel it was a positive once over? Any curiosity as to how the conversation would have gone had it occurred? I have reacted the same way when encountering fellow crewmembers on a layover.

I sure got noticed the other day. It was the one day we've had so far this year that it was warm enough for me to wear shorts. I don't even remember what shoes I had on, but obviously, it was some sort of high heeled sandals. I was getting fuel for my car, and I got the once-over from an older man, which is no big deal, lots of older people are less than discreet about looking. I thought nothing of it, but when I stepped up to the counter to pay, I realized that I knew the guy. It had been a number of years since we'd seen each other, and for whatever reason, it didn't dawn on him that it was me. Since I was in kind of a hurry, I turned a little to the side and pretended not to see him. Recognition would have cost me at least 10 minutes, and probably more. Had I been in jeans and work boots, I wonder if he would have recognized me. We were not just casual acquaintances.

The boots are not my cup of tea. But if it helps are cause, so much the better.

Well today just happens to be a stiletto day, knee high suede Jessica Simpson's. ===== Not even one second look at my knee boots. Must be normal now.

Those boots are amazing

I woke up before dawn this morning, noticed some interesting blue hour conditions and decided to go out with camera and tripod. On a whim I decided to be brave and wear my midi skirt and chunky heel boots. It was four thirty and no one was around. I was setting up a shot when I heard a cheery voice behind me - a woman out walking her dogs, with a camera slung over her shoulder. A fellow photographer as it turns out. She must have noticed I was wearing a skirt - the heels were less obvious - but made no comment or gave me any strange looks. We chatted about light and photography. The conversation was as natural as if I’d been in my usual hiking boots and jeans. I went from feeling momentarily embarrassed to prolonging the conversation. It was just two photographers chatting we now follow each other on Instagram

I am the same with my stilettos. I love wearing them, but worry about wear and breakage. They’ve become my office shoes. And I’m quite satisfied with that. I’m never unaware that I’m in heels when I wear them - I don’t need to be out logging my 10,000 steps a day.

Yes those are nice. I’ve seen Leviticus Boots website. More elegant than the ones in the article. I was encouraged by the tone and the hope that if tall boots in general can become accepted as men’s wear, that will open the door to a wider range of styles.

It seems that my shoe collection has gained some stability lately, as I haven't purchased any new shoes in about three months. With that stability, I realize that my whole philosophy toward shoes has changed somewhat. I used to say that if I couldn't walk two miles in reasonable comfort, I would get rid of the shoes. I gave lip service to this mantra for a number of years, but now I realize that I have to back off of it because I would estimate that I've never walked two miles in over half my current collection. Not all at once, anyway. It's not that I couldn't potentially walk two miles in any of my shoes, it's just that I don't want to. I pretty much don't walk in stilettos anymore because the heel tips wear out far too fast, it's way too easy to damage the heels putting that many miles on them in the real world, and it's not necessarily all that fun, paying hyper attention to every crack in the sidewalk. Sure, I do it occasionally just to prove I still can, but not on the regular. As a result, I have a whole bunch of dressier shoes that have never seen the two mile circuit, and probably never will. And I will not get rid of them.

Yes, an interesting, non-judgemental and literate article which could indeed promote the look. The boots themselves are not very appealing - a rather heavy 'shoe' with a wader shaft attached - but I suppose that was to get away from the look of the typical female thigh boot which some men would find off-putting. Maybe something like these would be better - sleeker but still discreet, and with potential for a higher heel if desired:

An interesting article about a Swedish actor turning up at the Cannes film festival in a pair of (low heel) thigh boot by Saint Laurent. What was interesting about the article is that the writer did not disparage the idea of men in tall boots, and indeed went into the history of boots as a masculine fashion, and threw the story forward by suggesting that maybe tall boots could be coming back into style. I certainly hope so, and found the tone of the article encouraging. The boots pictures are not to my personal taste although there is nothing outlandish about them. It would be nice if this story did indeed herald a return to tall boots for men. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/20/style/alexander-skarsgard-thigh-high-boots-in-cannes

They look very classy

An update on the Wilia3s: They're fine. They might even be decent walking sandals, but I know if I wear them too much for that purpose, I'll wind up damaging the gold finish, and then they won't be suitable to wear for dressier occasions. I have walked a mile in these with no issues and worn them to church. They are stiff in the way that non-leather shoes are, but not uncomfortable.

Yes, stilettos would be a real disaster there. And on a towpath too.

At least they were block heels, not stilettos.😀

I'm quite familiar with Avebury and the henge - its a beautiful walk, as is the one out to Silbury Hill but not one that would be advisable in heeled ankle boots!

I walked the Avebury Henge and Stone Circles outer henge in ankle boots back in 2019. I also had a damaged peroneal tendon at the time. It was not fun.