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  1. First may I say that Gige's quick progression amazes me, he has accomplished more in about a year than I have in ten years. And, like you both have said, making progress is a "vicious cycle" indeed. My Mom used to tell me: "you are your own worst enemy...." I think many of us are under the impression (false one) that the rest of the world is waiting outside our door for us to venture out in heels so they can point, laugh, criticize. While it is true people will notice, but no where to the extent we fear they will. Most are too busy to notice our footwear. And for the most part, those that notice will say nothing (another double edge sword for me anyway). I guess we make the false assumption that most others will notice our heels quickly only because we notice the shoes others are wearing. On the other hand, stumbling around in tall heels we can't handle will get us noticed. As Cali put it, you "have to read the room". Venturing out in a short skirt and fishnets will probably get you noticed also. Having negative experiences like this can be a big set back. This is why it is best to start with heels that are somewhat modest. We are nervous enough venturing out in the beginning, so this just increases the chances of stumbling or tripping, which why it is important to start out in heels that are not hard to walk in. Once comfortable/confident walking in modest heels publicly, then we can start to increase heel size and consider some slimmer heels. The only other idea I have is to venture out with a girl or guy pal that is supportive. "Confidence in numbers". I'm always looking for "heel buds" to hang out with. I would be lying if I claimed I never get nervous when out in public these days, but it is infrequent for sure.
    7 points
  2. Nervous and fear 12-15 years ago. Now, I don’t give a f**k I can count on 1 hand how many negative comments I have heard in all my years. to Pebblesf point, other people are so wrapped up in there phones and staring straight ahead they don’t even notice. When someone makes eye contact DO NOT LOOK AWAY OR DOWN. Look straight back at them with a nod or a hello. I have engaged in heel and or outfit conversations as well as conversations that have nothing to do with the heels skirt or dress I am wearing. I will say from experience that 6” stilettos fishnets and a leather miniskirt will get you noticed and it certainly has gotten me noticed. I am headed to the Tampa airport and back to Chicago in about an hour and I am wearing a brown sweater dress and patchwork/color block brown and black stiletto knee high boots. you only live once and I waited to late in life to dress the way I always wanted to. I’m not hear for a long time I’m hear for a good time
    5 points
  3. I've been browsing this site for a long time. But after my most recent escapade I knew I'd have to share. I want to make a post detailing my history a bit as I've found other smiliar stories and experiences informative. In the meantime though I will share my boldest public outing. So the plan was simple go out in the early AM in flats. Walk to a remote area change into heels, walk around a bit. Change back, walk home. Easy. My biggest problem though is what pair of heels? I bought some bright pink mary Jane's with a slight chunky heel and a nice t bar strap. About 3 and 3/4 of an inch tall. I only intended to wear them at home because they were so blatantly feminine and bright. But they fit well and I can walk in them comfortably, they also can be walked in without being incredible loud. That is if you walk with good technique. I figured that I wouldn't even see anybody and for some reason I picked them for my walk. So I got dressed. Threw a hoodie on slipped into some old ratty sneakers grabbed my heels and head out the door. This was nerve-wracking. But I tried my best to bolster my confidence. Why would I a man be walking holding a pair of bright pink heels? Maybe my GF left them at my house and I'm dropping them off, who knows. These are the mind games I play so I don't feel so awkward about the whole thing. As I walked I ended up at a small stair set. I sat down and took off my sneakers. I slipped my heels on. I took a couple steps and they sound alright and I can walk alright. However I began hearing voices coming closer and closer. I panicked. I frantically tore my heels off and just in the nick of time I was able to get my sneakers back on and as they rounded the corner I began to walk away. At this point my mission felt fubar. For some reason there was a relatively high amount of activity for that time of night. I began to feel discouraged. I also grew paranoid that it was some kind of security and they'd follow me. Thankfully I kept walking and they didn't. I wanted to call it quits but I couldn't turn back and possibly run into whoever that was, so I kept marching forward. Again I saw a man perhaps leaving a late shift or arriving for one. Again the activity scared me. But I doubled down and kept walking. I had now made it to a large parking lot and I knew that there would be nobody there. So I found a big set of stairs sat down and put my heels on. I left my sneakers sitting there and begin to walk. If I walked either heel to toe or tried to land my foot evenly my heels weren't too loud on the concrete. I felt my confidence begin to return. I felt comfortable walking and with my jeans partly covering my feet I felt reasonable safe. So in a spur of the moment decision I decided to go back for my sneakers, but not to change back. I picked up my old sneakers and found the nearest trash can and tossed them. Now I couldn't chicken out. I'd have to walk the mile back home in heels. Well unless I wanted to do the walk of shame and walk barefooted on the wet ground. I felt relatively confident, I knew the area well and I could navigate the quiet darker places and I'd only have to risk one section on the way home. So things went smoothly, well besides the fact my feet already hurt and I was was only a quarter of the way. I couldn't change my mind now! So I was beginning to reach the tricky portion of my walk. I knew that this was a sort of choke point between two sections of town and I would be more likely to see somone there. Surprise surprise as I was thinking this I rounded the corner and a young man was walking right my way about 20 feet ahead. I had no time to panic or hide. I just kept walking. I even instinctively made eye contact and nodded but they just stared straight ahead and kept walking. I was a hooded dude in jeans and pink heels I wonder if he even noticed haha. Either way I survived and the rest of the walk was uneventful. My worst case scenario happened and it was fine. So that was my little adventure. I have more to share in the future. If any of yall got questions id love to hear them. Thanks for reading. Also I've never been very good at writing so hopefully I conveyed this story decently enough and any grammatical stuff wasn't too egregious. -Goose
    4 points
  4. Well it happened again. Another convert. Last night, a women waiting for a colleague asked me how high my boots where. She had seen me in several boots and decided to get some herself. I had my Jessica Simpson black faux suede knee highs with a 1 inch platform and 4.75 inch heel. I had plan on wearing my JS suede stilettos, but it was a drizzling all day, so as the memo states, you "don't wear suede in the rain." She had been looking at boots on-line and figure if I could wear boots with high heels, then she could too. Another high heel convert!!!
    4 points
  5. Like you, I do have stilettos that I wear while working, so yes, I suppose they’re technically work boots - my favourite being a pair of lovely black suede OTK boots with 4” heels by Jean Gaborit
    4 points
  6. Undoubtedly having some supportive and, better still a high heel aficionado who can offer useful tips, hints and critique as well as enthusiasm would be wonderful. And a bit of a unicorn, I’m afraid. My heels, the ones I wear regularly, tend to be modest ones - 3 to 3.5 inch chunky heels in ankle, knee and OTK boots. I’m not so concerned about my ability to walk well in them, at that height and chunky heels to boot, it’s not hard, but would welcome fashion advice about what to wear with my boots - what style/shade of jeans, or style/colour of jumper, coat or shirt, with which pair of boots. I’m never confident of being well put together - and there is virtually no fashion advice columns for men who aspire to wear tall feminine-style boots
    4 points
  7. Got my first pair of Fernando Berlin boots
    4 points
  8. About 5 years ago I had a (much) younger woman thank me for wearing heels. She loved heels but had succumb to peer pressure and stop wearing them. Seeing me in heels everyday gave her confidence to again wear her heels. And she was happier. Yes, she liked sitletto pumps.
    4 points
  9. This post was truly inspired by @Mr. X's recent post regarding the wearing of heels while playing a drum set. As I have also done such in the past and did not want to get weighted down in the minute and boredom of the technique in doing so, I decided to spin off a new thread as his post revived a 1/2 unpleasant memory of attending an event which involved heels many, many years ago. July 15, 1989, was somewhat of an unusual Saturday night as I and my then next-door neighbor travelled across the Chicago metro area to attend a concert by the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. He was touring in support of No Rest for the Wicked, his first album with his newest axe grinder, Zakk Wydle, and we had fourth row seats. Most unfortunately, there were two opening acts through which we had to suffer before Ozzy et.al. hit the stage. One of those acts was White Lion, a band who then, as they and the whole ‘hair-metal’ genre of the 80’s continue to do, fill an area of a needed void. The first act to take the stage was a four-piece, female, glam outfit who called themselves Vixen. Although their music should be forgotten and they reflected just about all that was “wrong” with the ‘hair metal’ scene of the time, which is everything, to two late teenaged guys, they were gorgeous and we did not want to miss their set only for this reason! That night, all of them wore skin-tight clothing and heels, and had hair that extended several feet in the air, held in place by several gallons of hair spray. Being that close to their heels was the only aspect of their show that was tolerable in any capacity. Vixen had a video that received somewhat regular airtime on the difficult and frustrating to watch MTV’s mistitled Headbanger’s Ball (To the European members, think Eurovision but somehow, far worse) on Saturday Nights. The song was entitled Edge of a Broken Heart and although completely laughable by today’s standards, I went back and watched it on Youtube the other day. Although all of the members of the group are wearing tall heels in the video, it was interesting to see how the style of such has changed from the late 80s to today. This compelled me to think about how heel styles have changed over the years and who was at the forefront of such. Clearly, one can identify those individuals or television shows where the fashion du jour was on full display. That which I find to be amazing is the fact that although the idea of high heels essentially remains unchanged over the past few decades, designers can continually find new ways to change the physical design from year-to-year. Thus, it may be easy to place any pair of heels in the decade in which they may have been worn without any clues beyond the heels themselves. It truly stinks, to put it mildly, to know that some styles of heels have a life-style span of a season or two before they are considered to be “dated.” This, I think, is why I learn towards classical styles as what is trendy now will not be so next year and timeless styles are just that – timeless. I would rather have and wear a pair of heels that hail from Jackie Kennedy’s time than from last year as classic styling never goes out of style. The idea of short-lived footwear trends can be represented in a pair of boots I have – ‘Tulip’ (model) from Jessica Simpson. They feature a 5” heel with a ½” platform but the top has a fold-over flap which was the style about 10 years ago. When I wear these boots, I take that flap and fold it into the actual shaft for a more contemporary look or unfold it to give them an over-the-knee look. As for the show itself – Ozzy, as expected, ROCKED! Zakk covered all of the Sabbath songs very well and played those incredible solos performed by the late and great Randy Rhodes note for note. Sadly, however, it was the second time I had to endure the craptacular show of White Lion, who I witnessed open for AC/DC the previous September. The best part of their set was when it ended and the road crew moved their gear out of the way for the main act. Here is a picture of Vixen. If you should watch the video on Youtube, I highly recommend you do so with the mute on so as not to damage your hearing by simply listening to the song (if you could make it all the way to the end).
    3 points
  10. Yeah...I know I'm breaking the rules here, but this outfit was just "too cute" not to share....My leather skirt and 4.5" Jessica Simpson "Tulip" boots. Although I adore these boots and I bought them unworn, the interior lining is quickly deteriorating due to their age (maybe 10+ years?). I have already started planning out their replacement. Regardless, what a thrill it was to wear such high heels to work. Received several compliments in the ensemble as a whole!
    3 points
  11. You can now buy mens sizes, called Unisex Leggings, but for me leggings are hit and miss. It is not just size. As I said before I do not like the nylon-type kind, and kind of have to feel them to get the cotton ones I want. My daughters said I like "inside leggings", but even that moniker is hit or miss. I was at the store the other day getting pantyhose with my wife, and I i noticed in that section there was a lot of "leggings" as they were labeled, but they sure looked like black pantyhose to me. Very, very sheer. But then the ones in the women's section are more nylon than cotton. At the dollar stores they tend to be cotton like, but not always. It is frustrating because about 50% of the leggings I get, I never wear because they are not the type I like. I even try reordering the ones I do like by Brand Name and Product Name but most times the brand is no longer being made. As for the unisex designation; it's about time. These things are super comfy. No reason for the ladies to have them all to themselves. I will, though she is an extra-introvert if there ever is such a thing. Very shy... That being said, I was on here a long time ago, I think. I say that because it was a high heels forum that I belonged too, but the atmosphere was a bit different then. Not better. Not worse. Just different. I could not remember my username or password so I started fresh so nothing nefarious on my end of things on that. It would have been back in 2005-2011ish. If this site did not exist then, it might have been a different high heels site. But no matter, I am here now and hope to contribute in a meaningful way.
    3 points
  12. I have actually worn pumps 5/7 days this week, and in each case, I wore them with slightly flared pants, which seems to be back in style again. Probably more radical flares are actually in style, but mine are recycled from the last time. Most of my stuff is super skinny, and I have adopted that style for the last 10 years to the point that my flared pants, of which I have only two pair left, are practically New Old Stock because they've been worn so rarely. I get by with skinny jeans better than most guys because I'm pretty small, but it is nice to have a little variety now that I've allowed myself. I will say that it is much easier to get flared pants on and off that it is skinny jeans, and pointy-toed pumps do go rather well with flared pants. One has to be careful with round toes and flared pants because under the wrong circumstances, it looks like you have no feet. I do not have my flared pants hemmed super long, They're an inch to an inch and a half off the floor. Certainly not the style of the early 2000s, where the ideal was to show just a tease of heel between the floor and hem. You could barely see little pins sticking out, leaving the gazer wondering whether the wearer had mere kitten heels or proper stilettos. In some ways it was alluring, and in others it was frustrating. Not so with the latest iteration of flowing legged pants. I have been mainly wearing Steve Madden single sole pumps this week, but I did break out the much neglected Nine West Plantera platforms also. My favorite pumps, from a fit standpoint anyway, are my Vince Camuto Carra stacked heel pumps. They are very pointy-toed, so they work well with flared pants. They are single sole with a slim, tapered heel about 5/8" wide in plain black leather. They are remarkably tall at 4 3/8". I say remarkably because when you glance at them, they don't look all that tall. It can take you by surprise when you put them on. They are pretty steep compared to what their styling would suggest. If you scroll back to my October 2nd post, you can see pictures of them. I haven't taken any new photographs since then. The crazy thing about these pumps is that they fit. When I used to see women who wore pumps every day, I think this is how they must have fit. Not tight in the toes, and yet I don't walk out of them with every step. It's like I can just slip them on and go. Or I could, were they 3/4" lower. I still have to warm up in them before I step out of the house. What I'm saying is, unlike most of my other pumps, I do not have to wait for my toes to rearrange themselves inside of the shoes for a few minutes after I put them on. And, they're the only single sole pumps I own that I've actually walked in for exercise. I may be wrong about this, but I believe they're the only pumps that I've worn for a full day all at once. Unfortunately, they are beginning to suffer from that flaky deterioration that so many non-leather linings exhibit. It's not that bad yet, but eventually I suppose they will become unwearable. I plan on wearing pumps again to church today, we'll see what I end up wearing. In the meantime, it's going to be clogs for my morning constitutional. I still prefer shoes that do not touch the back of my heel.
    3 points
  13. My favorite work boots are my Jessica Simpson suede knee high stilettos. But then all I do is talk, write, think, and go to meetings. I know, it's a tough life, but someone has to do it.
    3 points
  14. I remember over a decade ago when I switched to only women's shoes and got my first booties with 2 inch heels. The hardest thing was getting use to the click. BUT I'm in the too "old-to-care" group, buy and wear what I want. I just got a cheetah vest, so soft, and already wore it to a company holiday party with my 3.5 inch thin-heeled knee highs. Both the vest and heels got random compliments. I also like wearing short-shorts and sitettos knee highs in the summer, just for the mind blowing effects of it. I like my pleather skirt with knee highs. LOL
    3 points
  15. Yes you do a very good job of putting things together. With my ensemble of boots, jeans and jumper there is little room for your style of creativity. I could never do the leather miniskirt - although I admit that the other day I noticed an ad for a leather midi pencil skirt, calf length, that did pique my interest, something I could at least imagine with my OTK black suede boots
    3 points
  16. At this point in my heeling career, I have a more subtle struggle when it comes to confidence. Now that it is winter, I basically don't have any confidence issues at all. Long pants and heavy coats cover up a multitude of sins. In the summer, however, short shorts and open toed mules expose your every fault. I went through a period a decade ago when I never wore shorts at all, because I felt I would get too much attention. I can't really blame myself, because I think even a cis-woman wearing shorts and very high heels would attract attention, perhaps unwanted. To address Pebbles's point, I did a lot of walking during those first years in what we would consider modest heels. I don't think I necessarily went about it in a very efficient way, because I think I still looked awkward, having no coach or advisor to say, "You look like a clown*." What it did, though, is allowed me to find my feet, literally, and learn how to navigate the real world in heels without fear of actually falling down. I never would have thought, for instance, that stopping at a crosswalk after walking at a pretty good clip for several minutes, would be hard. Maybe it isn't for some people, but I found that coming to a sudden stop after walking was difficult to do gracefully, as I was struggling to keep my balance standing perfectly still. * Come to think of it my wife did, but was unwilling to offer any constructive criticism.
    3 points
  17. Great topic! Although my interest in feminine boots stemmed from a liking of go-go boots, I’ve always been partial to boots over shoes and with the exception of my cycling or running shoes, I only ever wear boots - and gave done since adolescence, growing up in the mountains. I lived in hiking boots through university, where I studied geology and archaeology, and my choice of career has allowed me to continue in the same vein. I’ve no neckties but plenty of pairs of boots. My oldest pair, and still much in use, is a pair of Scarpa mountaineering boots, made of a very tough suede with heavy Vibram soles. Been to Antarctica many times - warm and sturdy and although now 25 years old are still going strong with plenty of use left in them. I still wear them occasionally on the towpath. I’ve a pair of De Walt steel capped work boots as sometimes I land assignments where safety footwear is mandatory.they are all right, not uncomfortable if worn with thick socks, and pass muster when I need to get access to industrial sites. I e several pair of knee-high biker or engineering boots from Jean Gaborit which I absolutely love. My present go-to boot is their Kansas patrol boot in heavy black leather which has seen much service over the past year (and looks it - I need to buff them up) I’ve a pair of their chocolate brown knee high Vezin engineering boots which I also love. They are the most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned and would wear them more except they are so hard to get off. Getting them on is easy - a bit if a push - but removing them is hard. While they are on they are wonderful comfortable. I had an assignment once where I was pretty much in my feet for 36 hours and wore these the entire time without the least discomfort. Since I often wear heels while writing or editing, I suppose I could call those work boots too, but I shall stick with these! ,
    3 points
  18. I know most of us wear heels because we like the way they look on our feet, or we like the added height, or whatever other reason we choose to wear them. I fall into most of those categories myself. But the other day I found a practical use for them, too. I am a musician who plays a variety of instruments. I Have an electric drum kit that I have begun playing and learning on. I am getting better. But I find that after using the kick drum pedal for a while, my right foot and ankle becomes tired and tight. It is probably because the ball of your foot starts in an slightly upward postion. And it is above your ankle when it is resting on the pedal.And your foot is going through a full up and down motion for minutes at a time. And your ankle is basically acting as a pivot point. But the other day, I happened to be wearing a pair of heels, and I suddenly got the urge to jump on the kit. And since I was still wearing the heels, I figured why the hell not?! So I began playing with the heels on. I noticed as I got started that my foot already felt better. And after a few songs my foot still felt great! It felt just like it did when I started. I was able to play that much more in the heels, as apposed to not wearing them. And my foot and ankle did not get tight or tired one bit! It was definitely because of the heels. I noticed that when I had my heels on, my right foot was in a level, or slightly downward position when it was resting on the pedal. And the ball of my foot was starting level with, or below the ankle with heels on. So the range of motion of my foot was essentially cut in half. Who knew?! And the same can also be said for your opposite foot when you use the hi-hat pedal with heels on.
    2 points
  19. Last entry of the year! Wore this outfit to a glassblower/artist's open house. Note: Jumpsuit can be very cute, except when one needs to use the washroom. And just in case I "forgot" any month.... an at the office outfit.
    2 points
  20. OK - I can not resist responding to this topic because, I, too, was a drummer and played a drumset in heel and, thus, can and do deeply relate appreciate this topic. I do apologize if I am giving you tips and/or advice on techniques of which you may have already learned. In sum, abandoned the "heel-toe" method of working the bass drum and hi-hat pedals. I was taught to use that and found it to be good only for limiting my speed and agility. If you keep the heel of your foot planted on the bass pedal, for example, it limits your ability to use that for 16th note pick-ups before the first beat of the next measure. Without wearing heels, keep the heel of your right foot on the ground and hit two 16th notes before coming in your snare or toms on the one. Then, trying the same with your foot in an elevated position as if you are wearing heels. You will notice that the elevated position allows you to hit those pick-up notes much faster than with your heel resting on the pedal. Also, as you have/will learn(ed), using the heel-toe method causes the muscles in your foot and ankle to grow tired rather quickly. Thus, the primary movement really comes from the hip while the knee remains stationary (for the most part) and the second note is a quick follow-up with the ankle. If you are wearing heels while playing and resting the heel on the pedal, the primary movement is still coming from the ankle, which is not what you want to do - movement of the leg from the hip is the best technique. Resting your foot on the pedal, heel or not, limits you ability to use your hip and ankle in combination as all movement then comes from your ankle. You will find that you can move your legs from the hip much for quickly that you can move your ankle on the pedal. Go to Youtube and search: Neil Peart - Cotton Tail with drum solo and watch the movement of his legs and feet - there are plenty of close up shots that will clearly show how he places his feet on the pedals. You will notice that only the ball of his foot is on the pedal and the movement of such originates from his hip. FWIW, this solo is undoubtedly one of the finest on a four-piece drum kit you will ever see. That which I do not like about it is his use of traditional grip - don't EVEN get me started on that!
    2 points
  21. I had mentioned the idea of starting a work boots thread in the past, and here it is. Not high heels of course, but I think there are enough boot guys here that this subject will be a conversation starter. As many of you already know, I am an electrician by profession, and my jobsite conditions vary wildly. Right now, I'm working on concrete, but just a couple of months ago, I was in the mud doing underground utilities. Sometimes I walk miles and miles every day, and sometimes I am working out of an elevated work platform, and walk hardly at all. Over the years I have tried many different kinds of work boots. The one thing that remains fairly constant is that I have almost always owned two pairs simultaneously, and switched off every other day. I feel like this is better for both comfort and foot health. There may be nothing to it, but it's just what I've done for nearly 30 years, and I am now too old to change. I started off as a Red Wing guy, and I remained a loyal Red Wing guy for the better part of two decades. Red Wing boots are made (or used to be made) in Red Wing, Minnesota, not all that far from me. The reason why Red Wings were so cool is because they made almost every boot style in every size, not only by length, but by width. Therefore, I could get my 7 1/2 Bs which fit perfectly instead of having to put up with 7 1/2 D, which is "medium" width for men's shoes. Then, in what I can assume was a cost cutting measure, they quit making my size in most styles, which irritated me very much. In addition, during roughly this period of time, they also moved a lot of their production to China. Therefore, it was time to try something new. It was then that I went through my Doc Marten phase. By this time, I was wearing high heels in my non-work life, and I found some Dr. Marten boots with rather giant heels, and I had to give them a go. I rather liked getting away with wearing 2 1/4 inch heels to work, and the boots eventually broke in to where they were reasonably comfortable. It was at this point when I went from men's 7 1/2 to women's size 9B, which is still the size I wear fairly reliably. I gave up the Doc Martens for two reasons: 1) They were almost too squidgy. I don't like a lot of padding to begin with, and these boots were sort of like walking on pillows. Who the hell wants to walk on pillows? I think it takes a lot more effort to walk on pillows. I'd personally much rather just walk on the ground. Because they were squidgy, bending conduit with a hand bender took some getting used to. When using a hand bender, a lot of foot pressure is required to get it to come out right. In fact, in certain regions of the U.S., they call the exact same tool a "foot bender." 2) Later that following winter, I discovered that those squidgy soles do not like the extreme cold at all. Both pairs I had split clean across the balls of my feet when the temperature got down below about -15º C. I am deducing that it was the cold because both pairs failed within a week of each other, just from walking. I then went to Ariat boots, in a women's size 9, which is where I'm at today. I've tried several different models, and of course they have stopped making my favorite model. Pictured here are Ariat's "Scout" model, which are a step down from my preferred "Heritage Breeze" model. The differences are subtle, but noticeable. Both are marketed as a "paddock" boot, suitable for riding horses. There is even a spur rest built into the back of the boot. The reason I like them for work is that they are very light and flexible, and the tread pattern is minimal, meaning less mud collection. Despite having little in the way of tread pattern, they are quite grippy on low friction surfaces. For being very affordable (less than 150 USD, depending), they have proven to be durable and just plain different enough that I like them. I seriously doubt whether many of my colleagues in construction would like them. I feel as though they are too light and the soles are too thin for your average construction worker. The soles on my older pair (not pictured here) are now so worn as to be almost literally paper thin. If I am standing on gravel, I can count the number of stones beneath my feet by feel. I don't think most people would like that. Those are now relegated to lawn mowing and other soft surface work. I am considering the purchase of another similar pair in the near future. My newest pair of boots is the Thorogood Model 814-4200 (made in USA). This moccasin toe, wedge sole style of boot is extremely popular in my area at the moment. Every other worker, or at least every other electrician is sporting this style of boot in one brand or another. My company gave me a voucher for 250 USD to purchase a new pair of work boots at a particular retailer. I didn't really love any of the available selection, but 250 bucks is way too much to leave on the table, so I settled on these Thorogoods, which cost somewhere north of $250, so that I wound up paying about 40 bucks out of my pocket after sales tax. They were the only boots I tried on in 7 1/2 that I didn't feel was way too wide. In fact, even though they are labeled 7 1/2 D, they sure feel a lot more like a B width, and I'm really halfway between B and C width. I guess they're ok, but I'm not crazy about them. Certainly at first, and to some extent even now, they feel a bit like wearing hollowed out logs on my feet. They do not cause pain, but I just don't feel very graceful wearing them. Also, despite having fairly soft soles which show wear quickly, they're not all that grippy. I discovered this initially while riding my motorbike to work, and putting my foot down on some sand at a stoplight. Appearances can be deceiving. I kind of like the way they look, but there's no way I would have paid nearly 300 USD for them. I hope others will share stories and perhaps pictures of their favorite (or perhaps least favorite) work boots. Just in case there is any confusion (I'm sure there won't be), the black ones are the Ariats, my favorites, and the tan ones are the Thorogoods. And I obviously didn't clean either of them up for the photos. This is how they might actually appear on the job.
    2 points
  22. Hi everyone. I'm interested in exploring the psychological side of wearing high heels. Does anyone know of any good books or research studies on this topic? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
    2 points
  23. Karma would strike me back quickly if I ever laughed (even internally) at someone struggling in heels!
    2 points
  24. I think the worst scenario I see is weddings. So many people are not used to wearing high heels, then for pictures they go on challenging ground like cobblestone, grass, or other wet areas and it's really a struggle for the people wearing them. I never laugh at people that struggle because its just all-new for them and it saddens me that they equate high heels to pain and embarrassment.
    2 points
  25. There are so many different types of leggings for different uses. I have compression thermal legging for skiing, thicker ones for "pants", thin nylons for cool summer nights, velour for warmth , .... I have MANY leggings.
    2 points
  26. As way of introduction on here, I thought I would tell the members of this site that my username “Crushed Vamp” has no particular funny story behind it, other than it seemed an appropriate username for a high heeled forum. If nothing else I guess, it tells people I know the various parts of a high heel. I have always liked high heels though, in particular combined with stockings, a dress or short skirt, and an ankle bracelet. Fortunately I have a wife that likes to dress up for most occasions and loves her high heels. When she was formerly married to a very short man inch which she would be higher than him in wearing high heels, he forbid her to wear them. Since height is not an issue with me, she has gone all-out on high heel purchases and has every style, type, color and variation there is with her 200 plus pairs. While less in number she has thigh high, knee high and booties with high heels and will wear them if the mood strikes her. It is enough that she has a walk-in closet just for her shoe collection. We affectionately call it her "shoe barn". Myself, I do not wear high heels although I am glad to see men wrestle the high heel back to our gender from its inception some four hundred years ago. My love of them is enough that on my bucket list someday is crafting a pair for my wife to wear. I am not a cordwainer by trade, but do have some woodworking, leather and metalworking skills so do think I could make a custom pair. Considering my love of high heels, I think that would be a gratifying accomplishment. I am not sure how they would fit, or how comfortable they would be, but it would be fun to learn a new skill I think and who knows, form a new hobby?
    2 points
  27. I get clear gel manis, but about 99% of the time, I have color on my toes. I like switching around colors, but sometimes give my nail tech “dealer’s choice.” I’m seeing her for my (overdue) monthly mani-pedi later today, last evening she texted me “advising” that she has “ideas” for a Christmas-themed pedi…
    2 points
  28. In central London yesterday evening. Saw lots of heels, from the usual 2.5" boots to 4" stilettos. All on women, mostly being worn well, walking confidently.
    2 points
  29. My feet are almost always in sandals. I get a pedicure every three weeks and also wear hooker red polish on my toes. It is called OPI Big Apple Red. I would never wear sandals without a good pedicure and red or bright pink polish on my toes. I also wear two 18k gold toe rings on the second toe of each foot and feel naked without them. I get a lot of compliments on the red polish and the toe rings from women and sometimes find men staring at my toes. Several years ago, I was in the Costco checkout line and a little boy looked at my toes and then at his mom and said "look, he has red toes like a girl". His mother just smiled. 😀
    2 points
  30. My leggings have replaced my sweatpants when I not working in my garden. And I wear them to run errands/ go to costco, etc. I especially love my Ultra-Luxe Velour Leggings from Felina. And I'm seeing more men in leggings all the time.
    2 points
  31. As I have said in the past I love to wear leggings with my heels. Ankle length in the colder months and capri length in the warmer months. I will not hide them under pants at all, as I love wearing leggings, with my heels boots or shoes. Happy Heeling, bluejay
    2 points
  32. Brilliant! Mind you, what would be even more brilliant is if a guy came up to you and said the same thing!
    2 points
  33. It’s a different form of movement - pitch, balance, stride length and will vary further with height. And real world walking conditions are vastly different than walking in a wooden floor at home which is where one practices. And not just guys - look on the how-to-walk-in-heels articles in fashion mags and they all advise learning at home. I’ve not had sufficient real world practice to feel comfortable in stilettos although 3.5 inch Chucky heel boots are fine for me. Towpaths these days are mainly for dog-walkers, joggers and cyclists although there are a few historic boats - for show - that are pulled by horses. Narrowboats these days are run in diesel engines although there are a few hybrid and electric ones out there (expensive!)
    2 points
  34. Maybe your experience is different, but what I'm saying is that there is nothing to get proficient at. I mean, assuming the machine is operating properly, there is nothing difficult about walking in stilettos because they are stilettos (on hard pavement at least). In fact, some things are easier than when wearing thick block heels. My issue is the absolute steepness. I hit a wall at about 4 1/2 inches. If I'm really being honest with myself, it's more like 4 1/4 inches. I had to do a quick run to the grocery store yesterday afternoon, and I broke out some round-toed, 4 1/4 inch stilettos that I hadn't worn in a while to run the errand. Once warmed up, I was brilliant. I even got a sincere compliment from a man (how often does that happen?)! But, at that height, I can feel my achilles tendon straining, especially the right leg, with each step. To be fair, I weigh a mere 60 kg. Perhaps thin heels react differently to more torsional force than what I subject them to, but I don't really notice the difference except when I step in a crack and ruin my heel! BTW, are towpaths actually used for towing these days? If so, by what means?
    2 points
  35. That’s my same circular argument. I don’t wear stilettos much as I am not proficient enough, but I can’t get proficient enough without wearing them. In my case it is complicated by the fact that I am usually moored along a muddy towpath and not only would wearing stilettos be silly, it would just wreck them.
    2 points
  36. Shyheels, I have a fauxe leather mini skirt, and I do wear it with fishnet hose, with pumps in the warmer months and knee boots in the colder months. I have gotten a few compliments wearing those ensembles. I like to dress and wear what I like, with leather and fishnets, those are favorites of mine!!!!!! Happy Heeling, bluejay
    2 points
  37. Great advice for sure: never shy away from others when they look at you. No matter what, "never let them see you sweat". I am so happy to be close to the "I don't give a f@@k" stage also. Keep in mind that the men and women that might criticize the loudest are usually the most frustrated because they don't have the guts or build to pull off great outfits like CAT does. CAT has gone to great lengths to take good care of himself, and grooms appropriately, so definitely deserves all the enjoyment of wearing those outfits publicly.... I hear ya for sure brother! I too wish that someone would offer me constructive criticism about the way I walk/carry myself in boots, but perhaps I don't want to know. Perhaps a video, so I could judge myself. Better yet, go to some sort of training course for walking in heels! I do know my limits though. I have chicken legs, so probably can not pull off hose or tights very well. But, I do like the way I look in snug levis/some womens' jeans with my boots. Just a plain older guy in great boots and jeans I guess. I was thrilled the other day while wearing my new "Hunter gloss black tall refined rain boots" over my levis while in the mall. A somewhat younger man who was running one of the concessions went out of his way to come out of his concession to compliment my Hunters and tell me I looked great. I thanked him profusely.
    2 points
  38. I see what you mean--the "refined" is quite a bit sleeker than the original. And yes they ARE work boots! I forgot to mention my muck boots, which I wish I didn't have to own. Mine are the cheapest farm store brand, because I refuse to pay $150 for a pair of rubber boots that I completely despise, and despise doing the work for which they would be required. Those who have spent the $150 for a better brand, such as Muck brand, say they are quite comfortable. I don't doubt it. Having said that, I did once purchase a shiny black pair with a 2 inch wedge heel that are more along the Hunter Refined lines, and those are OK. I've worn them maybe a dozen times over the last decade, as their application is limited. Maybe I'll have to dig them out and take some photos. I would wear those. But they don't make a B width in anything smaller than a 9. Evidently, the only people with skinny feet are people with long feet. I have done the Red Wings women's thing, but back in the day there were only half a dozen different styles.d Maybe it's changed today. @CAT I get you about going through boots pretty quickly. I typically get 2-3 years out of mine, but I also am running two pair at the same time, so halve that. I've heard stories, mostly from people like Shyheels, about hiking boots lasting decades, but I have never been able to get 3 years out of any given pair, even with resoling, which I've done exactly once. Even with careful oiling and the like, boots just get beat to hell in construction. And I'm just a pampered Sparky!
    2 points
  39. It’s quite a juggling act. Confidence comes with experience - but getting that experience requires an initial dose of confidence. Finding that is the hard part. And yes people will notice that you are in heels, or tall boots, or both, but not all will notice. A surprising percentage ent notice a thing. And if those who do notice few will have anything to say. Stilettos will obviously carry more connotations than chunky heels which can, to a degree, be ambiguous. It will also help if you are open enough to establish what is your natural style in heels and go with that. Positive feelings will build confidence. Don’t turn wearing heels into a numbers game - the higher and more precarious the better. Remember it is a fashion choice - so choose what you like and want without reference to anyone else.
    2 points
  40. Great topic indeed. Have always worn timberlands with taller shafts. I have always wanted a nice pair of "riding boots" also. My ultimate in "work boots" dream would be a pair of Wesco boss/big boss harness boots. Recently, I bought a pair of those gloss black "Hunter refined rain boots". Nice tall shafts, much simpler lines/design that the usual Hunter boots. Love how they fit nicely over my levis, I got three compliments while out doing chores yesterday. Sure, I realize these are not actual "work boots", but I will find any excuse to wear them, especially when dealing with the snow.
    2 points
  41. I’m have bounced around over the years but never in redwings but was told to try them. Timberland pros I did not like as the soles were so slippery in cold weather 2 falls and I took them back. I have been pretty happy with Wolverines or there Caterpillar branded. Always steel toes since I was 10 years old. Even my office boots are at least composite toes. Boots last me less then a year as they get beat up from the jobsite and the earthwork I get into.
    2 points
  42. I am not surprised to hear the suggestion that a lot of men wish to wear high heels but so few men do out in public. I am a person that tends to seek out percentages on things and read recently where 47% of men have tried on what is considered feminine clothing at least once in their life. That is a lot, but I think it shows what we know: fashion curiosity is a human thing and not a gender thing. Heck my wife is constantly wearing my shirts and I can never find my jacket she wore and left somewhere. Just as an example to this though, I was a competitive swimmer in my youth, and for faster swim times my swim coach had men and women do shaving parties before tournaments. This gave me a huge dislike for body hair, so I have always been almost fully shaven. I was so self-conscious about this that I have said for years that I have a condition where little hair grew on my body. I flat out lied. I shaved and I have for years. Well come to find out, I am hardly the only man that does. A very personal part of me that I shaved 30 years ago that few men ever did, now a whopping 66% is shaven now by men. And a man that shaves his legs is up to 15%. Over time I see that percentage increasing even more as other men find out, we are not so different as we thought. My point here is that what people do privately might astound people in the higher percentages than they ever imaged. I mean, who would have ever thought 15 out of 100 men you see have shaven legs under their pants. I came here because my wife LOVES high heels and I love that she wears them, but I admit I have tried them on. I have never worn any out in public though. But as a lover of history, I know that high heels were historically for men, then taken over by women, and now reverting back to men’s wear. I am glad to see that reversal. I think over time high heels worn by men will be far more common place. And it has happened. Keds was the first shoe ever designed entirely for women in 1916. Now in 2024 a fashionable shoe for men is a type of shoe that looks very similar to Keds. While a bad example because they are not high heels, it does prove that even in shoes; fashion styles transcend genders. Who is to say it will not happen with men wearing high heels?
    2 points
  43. This will be perhaps the most unusual "new boots/shoes" post I have ever made, which will be evident when I explain my intended course of action with these NOS Simply Vera Wang Svellie ankle boots in dark gray. I had a black pair exactly like these 12 years ago, and they were the only pair of shoes that I actually bought in a store. Simply Vera is Vera Wang's inexpensive shoe line, and is or was sold at Kohl's. These boots came in the original box, and look as though they were tried on, but never actually worn. They feature 5 1/8" slim heels, about 3/4" in diameter, and a 1" platform, about half of which is hidden, yielding an effective 4 1/8" steepness, which is quite reasonable and not too crazy for me. These days. It wasn't always so. I know I have told this story before, but now I have pictures to go along with it. Shortly after purchasing this boot model 12 years ago, my wife and I had to go up to a shopping mall to the mobile phone store. I proudly wore my new 5 inch boots, which my wife really, really didn't like back then. This was one of my first few pairs of heels ever, and it may have been the first pair that sported shockingly tall heels. So yes, at that time I had been wearing heels publicly for about six months or so, but not very often, and the heels weren't very high. We went to the mobile phone store, and I don't remember any of the business that went on there, but I do remember that they were very busy, and we had to stand and wait for the better part of an hour. And as you know, standing is often way worse than walking if you're not used to heels. Whenever I tell this story, I have often used the phrase, "I thought I was going to DIE before we got back to the car." I did not literally think I was going to die, but I had serious doubts about whether I was going to make it back to the car with those boots on. Oh, it hurt SO bad. And we're talking probably 15 minutes total walking to and from the car, and 45 minutes to an hour of standing, really not all that long. Of course, since my wife was very negative on my shoes, I couldn't really let on that I could barely walk, could I? I toughed it out and somehow managed to cover up my true feelings. Somehow or other, since we took her car up to the mall, I was able to not drive and I can't remember whether I took my boots off, or secretly cringed all the way home, thankful that I was at least seated once again. I do remember thinking to myself, "This whole high heel thing is just a fantasy. Now I get why women can't or won't wear these shoes all the time." I was very discouraged, and thought about giving up the whole thing right then and there, which would have made my wife very happy. As you know, that did not happen. After just a couple of days of brooding, I started to wear my lower heels pretty much everywhere I could, and eventually, I believe my system of purposefully walking and recording the statistics in heels was born during the first half of 2013. It took a while, but by 2015, after many miles in lower heels, I was able to walk 5 miles in these boots with no issues, my first time to walk that far in what I would call a "high" heel. As shown here, which was yesterday, I had walked a mere 3 miles right before this picture was taken, and would spend the remainder of the morning running errands in them. I try not to let myself forget just how badly those things had hurt 12 years ago, to remind myself and show to others that things that seem impossible are not always impossible. I'm not one of those guys who will say, "Anyone can accomplish anything if they put their mind to it." This is patently false. However, many people can accomplish quite a lot more than it seems at first. Now for their future: As soon as I wear the stock heel tips down, they are going in the trash. Although they have never been worn, the chemical reaction of being so old and not leather has caused the gray color to peel off massively from the first time I wore them. How disappointing. They are plenty fine for walking in the dark, but they become less and less presentable with each passing day. Luckily, I have found a replacement already, and hopefully they don't have the exact same problem. If they do, we'll just have to find something else that is real leather.
    2 points
  44. I’m coming up on my 11th anniversary. My trajectory is somewhat similar to yours. I loved the go-go boots worn by a very pretty red haired girl and wished I could have a pair just like them. But I so believed the so called rules that I honestly believed it was impossible for me to wear go go boots - as though these things were encoded in our DNA and couldn’t be changed. It was quite a Damascene moment when I realised many years later that I could wear feminine boots or heels if I wanted to
    2 points
  45. I have not been keeping up with the new purchases as of late. Part of this is due to the fact that my photo standards have gotten higher over the years. I do not particularly enjoy taking pictures of myself, but I do so for the sake of this group, mainly. And one other person who is not part of this group. As I have intimated recently, I have been expanding my boot collection this winter, particularly the ankle boots. My latest purchase was these Aldo Marille combat/motorcycle boots. The reason I bought them was because I was somewhat dismayed by how huge the heels on my last boot purchase were. I wanted something in more or less the same style, but a little less extreme. I think I have found the answer in the Aldo boots, as long as they hold up to actual use. They are still quite rugged looking, having a lugged heel cap as well as a lugged sole, but at 1 5/8" in heel width, they are not quite as chunky looking as my other similarly styled boots. The heel height comes in at the same 4 3/8" tall as the Steve Maddens, but they appear taller because of their slimmer appearance. However, the effective steepness is less than the Maddens by a substantial 3/8", simply because of the internal construction of the footbed. The platform is a true 3/4", making the effective heel height a somewhat tame 3 5/8", or just barely over 9 cm. I have worn them out a few times now, and they easily passed the 2 mile walking test, though they are ever so slightly narrow. This has a side effect of looking absolutely adorable on my feet, which is why I took a top view photo. You'd swear I wear size 36 from this photo. I may choose to use a shoe stretcher on them in the future, or maybe they will stretch from just wearing them. Being as they are not overly tall, I can zoom in these boots. I clocked 19:00 miles just yesterday, which is not a lot faster, but notably faster than I normally walk in 4 inch heels. Of course, it was colder than crap yesterday, which probably encouraged me to walk faster than I normally do.
    2 points
  46. I guess I never really read the original post carefully, which is rather unlike me. Now that I have read it, I have some real advice. I feel I can give real advice because I've been there. Stop with the 200 pairs of shoes for your wife. They're not for her anyway, and you know it. Get your own shoes, and then you will never feel the need to pressure your wife to wear heels when she doesn't want to. This is not a perfect solution. It may create other problems where none existed before, but it will solve some very fundamental problems that you are obviously having. I'm not being mean, I have just been there myself.
    2 points
  47. I went to a high school jazz band concert this week. I saw what I expected to see, a lot of low-to-mid block heels, and largely on strappy sandals. Despite the temperature being around the freezing mark, there were an awful lot of sandals in the band. Perhaps it comes of these younger girls having but one pair of dressy shoes, and they happen to be sandals. Heels do not appear to be dead, they're just a lot lower and clunkier than they used to be. Which brings me to the reason for this post. On my way out of the building, I saw a girl/young woman wearing actual high heels. She was obviously not in the show, because otherwise she would have been wearing black, and I couldn't tell you exactly how old she was, but she looked quite young, had braces on her teeth, and was wearing this rather outlandish flannel blanket/dress thingy. I don't really even know how to describe it. It didn't look horrible, but it did look rather odd with her black strappy sandals. They looked pretty similar to all the other girls' sandals, except they were easily at least twice the height. Chunky block heels, but I would estimate about 4 1/2 inches tall with maybe 1/2 inch platform. In other words, actual high heels. So they are still out there, even in Gen Z.
    2 points
  48. When I initially read this post, I thought about what I could say or offer in order to help an individual regain confidence/self-esteem that had been lost due to the comments of others. Shortly after I “came out,” I had a similar issue with two women at my office and wrote about them in a previous post which was very helpful in dealing with them. As I was making the long, flat, boring journey from my residence to the Chicago area for Thanksgiving dinner and back home today, my thoughts were focused on this situation because the drive was long, flat, and boring. Before I commence with my answer, I wish to make it known that what I am expressing here is my own opinion and I do not mean to insult, disparage, or speak ill of anyone. In all truthfulness, however, this situation, as it is presented, offers some troubling “red flags” of greater concern and there are many areas that I believe should be addressed. Just to offer my credentials to support my position, I have been married for 32 years and hold a graduate degree in behavioral sciences. First, “…when we first met I told her early on about my high heel infatuation and it's kind of a deal breaker if it's something they wouldn't be into exploring or doing....” This is troublesome because it signifies that the relationship is conditional and based on an unsuitable foundation, that being the wearing of heels, rather than on more metaphysical attributes such as love, admiration, compatibility, and shared interest/outlook on important concerns (e.g. child rearing, religion, etc.). Turning away a potential mate/partner because she would not be willing to explore or actually wear heels is quite unreasonable. This puts the desire to see others wearing heels in front of qualities that are far more important that help determine suitability of a potential mate. This begs the question of if you can truly love someone who does not/cannot/will not wear high heels. The mere fact that this issue was presented for discussion makes me believe that your wife no longer wearing heels is highly problematic for you. Second, “Years have gone by and I've got her over probably 200 plus different heels over the years.” This is extraordinarily troubling. The question I must ask is who made the decision to purchase so many pairs? If it your wife, then I would argue that she is taking advantage of you because the math shows that regardless of when the first pair of heels was purchased, this averages out to more than one new pair every month. If it is you who sees a pair of heels and purchases then for her, then you are feeding your own addiction. Even if it could be considered 50/50 split, this is still troubling - what other items of which you own do you have 200 examples? The only item of which I own 200 or more examples are songs on my iPod. Although I cannot conclusively make the determination as to who buys a majority of the heels, judging by the way the sentence is phrased, I am led to believe that it is the author who does so. I would be inclined to think that, at first, receiving/getting a pair of heels would be a nice gesture but after a while and due to the frequency of such, it would grow old and the thrill of it is lost. Thus, when new pairs of heels continue to be given/received, it sends a message of expectation. Also, think about it in this light - if one pair of heels were worn once a week, it would take about four years to wear every pair just once. That is horribly wasteful. Third, “I'd love to find another couple who lived closer to us [whose] wife is someone who would/does/wants to wear heels when going out so my wife would hopefully regain the confidence she's lost by negative people…” Simple question - for whose benefit should she wear heels, yours or hers? Referring back to the first and second points to some degree, it seems that your hope of having your wife wear heels again may be rooted in satisfying your own desires for her to do so. As you mentioned that you have an “infatuation” with heels, that you have “got her” over 200 pairs, and you want to see her start wearing heels are indicative comments that your primary concern is focused on satisfying your own desires. Wearing heels does not always “make” an outfit as I have recently learned that an elegant pair of loafers can be just as classy and chic as heels if they complete a well put together outfit of matching and “proper” fitting clothes. Finally, “[T]he only thing you should be concerned with is what I am/would think about an outfit/ a pair of heels/ where you're wearing them…” Sorry, but this really struck a nerve. When my wife and I head out, that which is most important to me is that she wears attire in which she is comfortable and is appropriate for the occasion. There have been many occasions where my wife has asked me if I believe, based on the outfit she is contemplating to wear for the evening/event, if it would be over/under dressing or the items match (Color, style, etc.). Then, and only then, should she be concerned with my opinion. Otherwise, what I think of what she is wearing is immaterial unless I feel that which she has selected is grossly inappropriate for the occasion (e.g. flip-flops at a black-tie event, or a cocktail dress to a Kindergarten graduation, etc). If my wife should wear an outfit that is worthy of a compliment, then I will make certain that I express such to her. At no point is there so much as minute expectation on my part that she should be the least bit concerned about what I think of her outfit. She is the person wearing it and her physical comfort in doing so is all that matters to me. My wife has a few pairs of shoes that I think are hideously ugly but she loves. If she wants to wear them out and about to an event when it would be appropriate, then unless there is some safety issue in doing so, my opinion is irrelevant. I do not know what was said to your wife by others but I think there is more to this than just their comments. Truth be told, those making such comments may have a valid point. There is a time and place to wear heels, and a time and place not to wear heels. Although I enjoy wearing some form of heels when and where I can, there are times when grabbing my purple, or blue, or red Vans, or flat heeled riding boots is far more practical, comfortable, and wiser than going for a pair of heels. Based on what is written in the initial post, especially in regards to that which is/would be a “sort of a dealbreaker,” I get the impression that there is some sort of expectation about when and where your wife should wear heels on your part. As I see it, based on how many pairs she has, it seems that wearing heels 24/7/365 is what is desired. If so, this is unhealthy for any relationship. I hope, however, I am wrong.
    2 points
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