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iPhone, figured it out.

I wasn't looking for a new pair of shoes, but I have always wanted a pair of high heeled penny loafers. I thought I had found such a pair a year ago when I bought some New Religion shoes of that description, but they had a fatal flaw: No matter how many fitment devices I used, I walked out of them every other step. So I got rid of them. Then, a few weeks ago, these Stuart Weitzman Mocup loafers in olive green suede appeared in my Poshmark feed. Not my first pick of colors, but a unique addition to my collection. The seller kept dropping the price over a period of time, and by the time the price got down to $27, I couldn't resist. And this for Stuart Weitzman! What I did not realize is that these shoes have evidently never been worn. Not a mark on them anywhere, top or bottom, even though they did not come in a box. They are rather more attractive in person than I thought they would be from the photos. Their appearance is super narrow, even though they don't necessarily fit that way. They have a 5 inch heel with a 1 inch platform, which at one time was a staple of my collection. The heel is 3/4" wide, and is simulated stacked leather. I wore them outside right away, which is something I used to shy away from doing until I vetted them properly. I can kind of tell fairly quickly nowadays. I wore them for several hours with nothing negative to report.

I got these round toe boots from Macys, couldn't resist for $35. Leather with zippers, fit nicely over the jeans and adidas pants. I kinda like the way the boots look with the adidas gear, what do you guys think??

If I had answered this question on the day it was initially posted (which, incidentally, will be one year on the day after I complete this post) I would have said "Nope!" "Nada!" "Nein!" "Nyet!" etc. This was still in the time when I was wearing heels in private. As of today, however, my answer would be "You bet I am wearing heels!" I see it as a matter of confidence coupled with an utter lack of concern about what others may think and if they should have a problem with it. As noted yesterday, I went to the dentist and it was the first time I was out wearing boots and a skirt while not in the company of someone who knows me. Then in the late afternoon, it was a visit to the (new for me) nurse practitioner, but dressed much more business like in a pair of Aerosoles pumps due to the warmth of that time of day. Today, it was the eye doctor in a pair of ridiculously cute Naturalizer slingbacks. Each and every time I entered the building for these visits, I did so without so much as the slightest sense of hesitation or fear. I marched right up to the desk, and stated my name and appointment time. I did not stop to look around at any of the other individuals who may have given me a second look or felt it necessary to do so. If anyone muttered a negative or disparaging word under his/her breath, giggled, or whatever, I did not notice and more importantly, I did not care. Then, when I got home, I had a bit of a walk from my garage to the front door my place. As today I was carrying my computer bag, bag of my case files, lunch bag, purse, coffee cup, and fumbling for my keys, I thought I had passed by hundreds of people and guess what, I truly did not care if anyone saw me. In fact, I hope some of the women around my complex did as they could sure use some fashion tips! I have progressed to the point where I actually WANT others to see me wearing heels and when I have an appointment, I make sure my heels are fully visible. I can not explain it, but there is a huge RUSH (favorite band, btw) that comes over me knowing that others can physically see my heels. I guess that it comes from always believing that I would never be able wear heels out it public to now, actually doing so. Several weeks ago, I was out grocery shopping while wearing a pair of what pants (trousers for my UK friends) with white Espadrilles. A young man stocking shelves noticed me and then gave me a very obvious second and surprised look. I made nothing of it and went to the next aisle. As I thought about this encounter on the way home, I came to the realization that my approach to such reactions is simple: "I'm queer...deal with it." I have not had to use such a strong approach and I hope that I never will. There are two points that have really helped build confidence - accepting who I am and fully expressing that beyond just wearing heels, such as what clothing I wear, accessories, and the like. I realize that how I approach this may not be for everyone and that's totally cool - I'm completely down with that.

The concept of this blog seems very simple, but how to begin? At least I managed to come up with a wacky title. I have been meaning to feature the following shoes for a long time because they are among the first heels I ever purchased with a serious intent to wear them in public. They have also turned out to be, thus far, my most durable pair of heels. Though I have mentioned them many times in passing over the years, let me formally introduce you to my Nine West “Sizzle” oxfords in plain black leather. I purchased them on January 4, 2013. Going back through my records, I evidently paid $99 for them from Amazon. This was probably pretty close to full price, which is something I never do anymore. However, in retrospect, I can’t say that I didn’t get my money’s worth. My motivation for buying these particular shoes has been lost to the sands of time, but I can tell you that this was my second pair of this model. The first pair I had was black patent, rather than just plain black, and was U.S. Women’s size 9. I always thought that they were a bit too tight, and so I got rid of them and got the instant shoes in a size 9 1/2. I did that often in those days, that is, bought stuff in 9 1/2 or even 10. I am not sure why, but I would never make that mistake today. I am pretty clearly and solidly a size 9. As a result, I have to wear thick socks with these oxfords. This is simultaneously a plus and a minus. I hate how the shoes are really too big, but on the other hand, the cushioning provided by thick socks may be the secret to why they are an any occasion, all-the-time shoe--in the winter, anyway. Just so you know, just so you do not doubt my proclivities, I never wear these, ever, from about mid-May to mid-October. What would a Melrose expository post be without statistics? Here are the numbers: 4 3/4” heel, 3/4” platform, for an effective steepness of right at 4 inches. Diameter of the heels is about 3/4”. I have had them reheeled three times, and am very, very close to needing No. 4. I have walked 191 documented miles in these, plus any number of undocumented/incidental miles. I feel like they are going to fail sometime on the next reheel, and I will be sad when they do. I think I have worn these in every situation that I normally encounter in life, and some that I don’t normally encounter. I have worn these with men’s suits to church, and I have worn them with jeans for my neighborhood constitutionals. I know I have worn them on at least one occasion to work the “big” farmer’s market, which involves standing for five hours. I have worn them on a walk that exceeded 5 miles, 6.1 to be exact. I have only ever done this with 3 pairs of shoes over the past 11 years. After all this use, they still shine up pretty well!

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9ydbt4t9rrw25z2yoilk4/2024-05-23-15.53.21.jpg?rlkey=9bxtw0fte0pno0bah3f13euxb&dl=0 Recently got some So Kate 120mm booties. I’m a bit out of practice for heels this height, but I plan to wear them out for dinner for our tenth anniversary in September, so I’m getting lots of practice.

I had intended to let my shoe collection remain at its present size for a while, but I ran across these Steve Madden Klory pumps in a color I don't have, which I'll call coffee colored. Coffee if you have added a little bit of cream, that is. Some might call them brown patent. The seller shot me an offer of 20 bucks, and I could not resist. I wore them yesterday for the first time, and they fit just like my other Klory pumps. Not something I would want to wear all day, every day, but good enough for cheap shoes. I have three flavors of Steve Madden pumps (four, if you count D'Orsay style), and the Klory model is my favorite for style. It features a 4 5/8" heel, making it just short of Louboutin So Kate territory, but only we would notice. The heel is 5/16" thick, and solidly built. I do not regret this purchase.

And now, it is time to reveal the week's truly interesting event--my "new" motorbike, which broke down after only having owned it for one week, is now back in service. Actually, that's not the news. I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves. I just wanted to see what it would look like. I don't hate it.

I am not the one to believe that lasting long term change happens overnight but occurs over time even if such is triggered by a single and identifiable event. My very recent travels witnessed an incredible situation that compelled me to express my thanks to many members of this group. Without them and their posts, I would not be writing this message. In order for my story to make some degree of sense, a bit of explanation is needed. I, like many members of this group, have loved wearing high heels for as long as I can remember. Since I acquired my first pair of heels as a pre-teen, I have purchased dozens of pairs (shoes and boots) but, admittedly, I have always parted with them as I struggled to come to terms with who I am while never accepting my genderfluidity. There would be times when I had a pair or two on hand but also long durations (years) of when I had none. During those instances where I was without a pair of heels, I was always “shopping” for the next pair of killer heels and when I landed upon those that were a “must have,” I gave in to temptation and purchased them. This repeating pattern continued for decades, both before and after I was married. Fast forward to 2016 when my wife accepted a job in The Netherlands and we decided to relocate there following such. Sadly, however, a short time later I realized that I was completely shut out of the professional level Dutch job market for many insurmountable reasons. I returned to the United States in mid-2021 to put my work experience and newly obtained Masters degree to work for me. My wife, however, remained and still resides in The Netherlands. Shortly after returning to American soil, I began purchasing heels with the intent of building a “to die for” heel collection. As I began “collecting” new pairs (or at least new to me) the desire to wear them out in public became increasingly difficult to resist. Despite such, however, I was not willing and/or ready to do so, or only do so under very restrictive conditions such as on a cool/cold night on a short walk around my neighborhood. I began researching the topic of men wearing high heels in public, and started reading of the stories and experiences of other male members of this group. I read many posts regarding those first steps and realized that if others can do it, so can I. Thus, in November 2023, I took my first steps out in public while wearing four-inch, block heeled boots. With time and more instances of doing so, I became ever more confident to the point where it is now routine for me to do so, even to the office. I realized that the most important step of this journey was to tell my wife and be completely honest about it. So, a few weeks after my first outing of wearing heels in public, I did so and despite any fears I had, she was fully understanding and comfortable with it. Of course, a few questions were asked (and answered) but no judgement, shock, or disappointment followed. I told her that regardless of what I am wearing and where such may occur, it does not change how I feel about her or why I love her. What I wear or how I express myself is irrelevant to my commitment to our marriage. This past mid-April, I made my annual spring trek to The Netherlands for a week-long visit. I very much wanted to travel in a pair of heels but as my suitcases were packed with items she needed/wanted and cannot get there, as well as goodies and treats “requested” by our friends, I had very little room for my own clothes. Given this and the normally rotten Dutch weather at this time of the year, all of my clothing had to be practical items – no room for heels of any kind. Likewise, as I had not yet shared a picture of me wearing heels with her, I felt I should show her pictures before she actually saw me in heels so as avoid any shock/surprise on her part. She had seen me with polished fingernails and my ears double pierced during our weekly video chats. During my stay, I showed my wife several pictures of me wearing heels as part of a work outfit, and told her that I had also recently attended drag events and wore heels to them. Given that my wife and I have the exact same shoe size, I asked if she had any pairs of heels with which she was willing to part. I specifically asked about two pairs of ankle boots I knew she seldomly (if ever) wore and if I could take them with me. She promised me that before I began my trek back to the U.S., she would allow me to “raid” her shoe closet and take any pair of heels that she did not routinely wear. So, on the last evening of my visit, we went through her shoe collection (probably over 100 pairs) and I identified the two pairs that I would love to bring home with me. One request met with little resistance but I had to promise her that if she wanted the other pair returned, I would do so at the next instance we were together. Well, six pairs of heels latter, some of which have yet to be worn, others only worn once, and some at her suggestion, I am returning home with an expanded collection. Not only that, but I also have a hot new leather skirt as well; I told her in a highly excited voice that the skirt will be worn for our anniversary dinner this coming Halloween. My wife did mention that she loved my work outfits. The point to all of this is that if other members of this group/forum did not write/post about the first time they headed out in public while wearing a pair of heels, I doubt I would have ever had the courage, motivation, and inspiration to do so myself. Simply reading about how the other members of this group/forum did so and what they felt before, during, and after doing so, was what I needed to let me know that my wearing of heels out in public will not cause the world to come to an end. I had always believed that my wearing heels out in public would never occur but now, however, I probably wear heels out in public more often than any other footwear. Thus, to every member who wrote his about his first experience wearing high heels in public, I offer you my deepest and sincerest heartfelt thanks! If this story does not convey the fact that true love is greater than and blind to what we wear on our feet, hips, or torso, then I do not know what is.

I finally did it! No, not another outing. There are always those. But I finally checked something off the perverbial bucket list, so to speak. I was on vacation, and I stopped in at a Nordstroms. I live in Canada, so I don't get to some of the American chain stores very often. I went to the shoe department. I was suprised to find that they sold Christian Loubotins. I started looking at the display models. This was the first time I had seen one in the flesh. I had only previously seen them in photos. It was also the first time I had held one in my hand. I am usually an EU40 for size. As luck would have it they had a black peeptoe on display in my size. So it turned out to be the first time I had tried one on my foot. I couldn't wait to put it on, and so I did. It was a little tight but it fit. Then I found a different shoe in a 41. So off went the 40, and on went the 41. Perfect fit! The salesmen came by and asked if I needed a size. I was tempted to ask him for the mate, but I didn't. I told him I was just looking and I had never tried one on before. He told me they are not the most comfortable shoes, but they look great, and that is why people by them. Once it was on my foot, and I looked in the mirror, I was sold! I felt like Cinderella putting on the glass slipper. But then came the letdown. The $800 price tag lol. But I can now say I have had one on my foot. And in the off chance I ever do buy a pair, I will know to go up one size. I had heard a lot of people say they run small. And now I know for sure.

My New Freelance stiletos Their high quality make them confortable and easy to walk with

Hello everybody, may I bring my litle contribution here? It's my outfit yesterday. Heels are from Freelance, top and short from NafNaf (all are french brands) Another look I wear this week, with Carrol pants and pink sandals.

Here are my latest. I saw these at a local thrift store weeks ago. The fit was a tad tight in the toebox. Nothing major but just enough to where I thought I might not be able to wear them for any length of time, so I decided against them. They were a size 9. I am normally a size 9.5 to 10 but depending on the shoe style and brand, I can also fit into some 9's. I definitely regretted my decision later because it was love at first sight. And I loved the toe cleavage they provided. And they were in pretty good condition. They looked like they were only worn a handful of times at the most. As luck would have it, I went back today, and they were still there calling my name. I tried them on again, and this time, they fit a little better. I could not pass them up twice, so I happily paid the twenty dollars, and they went home with me. I'm hoping that the first time maybe my feet were just having a little swelling problem that day. Or maybe after some wearing, they will stretch themselves out a little. The shoes are Jessica Simpson brand with a thick ankle strap, and the heel measures 4 and a quarter inches.

Here is a new one from my travels today. The weather is getting a little bit nicer here, so I decided to wear a pair of white sandals I purchased recently. With the thicker heel on these, they are very comfortable to wear, and quite easy to walk in for longer periods of time. I was wearing these for a good 4 to 5 hours today with no trouble at all. I like how well they paired with the lighter color of the jeans. It was a little cooler in the morning so the jacket paired nicely. By the afternoon, it was nice enough that I could remove the coat. I could see these heels being a part of many of my summer outfits.

Just came in, JS Xona. They fit but are snug, so I will wear them around the house to break them in before spending a day in them. I'll post a picture with these and shorts in a week or so. Looking at another JS wedge sandal now.

Another one from my travels today.

This is JS Dany in the sand color I’ve wanted for a while. DSW still has this at $110 but typing Dany in the Dillard search box shows these and the black at just $35 as they’re on clearance. Got the 11 and they arrived in just 52 hours. Fit like a glove. This Dany has a 6.25/16cm heel whereas the Devalyn has a 5.5”/14 cm heel.

After having received virtually no notice or comments about my boots, I received two comments in the past week - and both times with the same pair of low-heeled knee boots that I wear routinely around the locks and towpaths. I got into conversation with a couple of dog walkers at a towpath cafe who remarked on them, in broadly complimentary fashion, asked me if they were riding boots (they're not) with the wife adding in a kind of leading way - "you know, a woman could wear those ..." to which I responded "Anybody can!" The other was a rather jovial guy, in a fairly well lubricated social situation, who asked if I was off to a Freddie Mercury tribute show, to which I responded by saying, "No, I usually wear heels to those .." Odd that it should be these that caused comment as I am very often in skinny jeans with chunky heeled ankle boots with 3.5" heels - very visible - and nary a word.

ok, will try through flickr, now that I changed the dumb file format OK, there we go. They are leather, love the tall shafts, pointed toes, classic styling. Wish the heels were a little higher, but I messed up my knee so these are very comfortable...

Another week, another church service. I was feeling rather more ambitious this week, and wore my @Jkrenzer approved shoes. I do believe that my Steve Madden Daisie pumps were the ones that got me started off with my smallish collection of traditional pumps. I do not often wear pumps, partially because I do not have that many venues really to wear them. Also, my budget does not include funds to buy real leather pumps, so my time in them must necessarily be limited. Having said that, I spent about three hours in these yesterday between church and grocery shopping. As noted elsewhere on this forum, these are a little bit difficult on the polished tile floor of my local supermarket. A heel tip replacement to hard rubber would improve things markedly. However, after it was time to change clothes and shoes, I was not ready to take them off. They are actually quite comfortable for 4 5/8" stilettos. I am on the verge of being able to walk in them. I can fool most people. One of the things about playing in the band at church is that, in time of need, I can sneak off to the bathroom during the first part of the sermon. I would estimate I do this about 20% of the time, depending upon how much coffee I have consumed on any given Sunday morning. The only person who can see is whoever is serving as liturgist that morning. Yesterday morning, I quietly opened the sacristy door to make my temporary escape, and the liturgist stopped me and whispered, "You're going to walk down those stairs in those shoes?" I whispered back, "I know! I'm taking my life in my hands, aren't I?" The stairs back there are very steep. Then she mentioned it again after the service. Well, you know, 12 years of more or less constant practice never hurt a thing.

I have been thinking about this post for a while and promise to try and keep it on point. When I started wearing heels, the height of the heel was what was important – the higher the better and I always went for 4.5” – 5.” The style of the heel did not matter whether it was a stiletto, block, wedge, or some other form. I loved such high heels because there was a certain irresistible and indescribable feeling of just being able to walk on a heel that I found to be so horribly alluring. Fast forward to November 2023 when I started wearing heels out in public. I started with 4” block heels in order to get comfortable with doing so and to date, have only worn a higher heel out to an event just once. When I started wearing heels to work earlier this year, 3” – 3.5” seemed to be a good start but for me, 4” is the limit for my own personal reasons (do not want to restart the what is/is not work appropriate debate). I have always felt that I wanted that which I was wearing to compliment the heels I chose for the day. I never felt comfortable wearing “guy” clothing with heels and as a result, began wearing feminine clothing with any pair of heels while out in public. To me, and speaking only for myself and not to offend anyone, most heels are alluring but “guy” clothes are boring and drab, thus, the two types of clothing are not compatible for my tastes. As I realized that my style of clothing to wear with my heels was starting to take shape, I began shopping for heels that matched the outfit in terms of color, style, and practicality; heel height became secondary. Thus, the height of the heel started not to matter so much anymore. Not to get off-topic, I will wear “guy” lounging clothes around my place when I have a new part of heels that need a bit of “breaking in” time before they are worn out in public. Soon, I began to feel a sense of comfort and fulfillment in the entire outfit even if I was only wearing kitten heels provided that what I was wearing with them reflected my sense of ‘haute couture.’ I, for example, love the look of tailored wide-leg pants with either a kitten heel or a shorter heeled animal print pump. Such reflects a certain sophisticated and classic elegance, a ‘je na sais quoi’ about it. The summers in my part of the world, however, can be quite unforgiving on some days which wreaks havoc on my feet; heels that fit today will not fit tomorrow if it is hot and humid. Fun and useless fact – one acre of corn stalks releases 2-3k gallons of water vapor (humidity) when they are short of maturity. When the heat takes hold, I opt for my Vans as I have several pairs in many colors which allow me to easily match those shoes to either my pants/skirt or top. Likewise, I have a very comfortable pair of loafers that are probably one of the most comfortable pairs of non-trainers I own. When I go this route of shoe choice, I still feel as great as I do when I am wearing a pair of heels out in public provided that the outfit looks great and my accessories match. Thus, I have come to realize that as much as heels are an expression of whom I am, I can still do so without having to wear 5” stilettos or the like. So, I have to ask if the height of the heel really matters?

My elder son got married on Thursday. It was a very small wedding. I would estimate the total number of guests at around 30, and about half of those were parents/grandparents. I was the only one in the whole bunch wearing heels except for my ex-wife, who has always been a big fan of heels. To be fair, I don't believe I've ever seen her wear a pair of "high" heels in her life, but she was often in mid-heels when we were married. Thursday she wore tan suede pointy-toed pumps with a three inch block heel. The only other exception was the cellist in the string quartet they hired to provide the music. The cellist had on black patent pumps with a three inch stiletto heel. We'll take what we can get. For the record, I was wearing my black Aldo oxfords with 4 1/4" slim heels. Almost stiletto, but I can't honestly call them stilettos among enthusiasts.

There were some responses to various threads on which I wanted to comment but, admittedly, I am too lazy to go back and try and find them. Thus, I going to throw out a melange of thoughts here - think of it as High Heel goulash. First, someone had mentioned the idea of more men wanting to wear heels in public but for reasons unknown, do not do so. For a time, I was an assistant administrator of a group promoting men wearing high heels in public on a different social media platform. I happened to notice a few trends worthy of discussion based solely on my observations, and not on research or scientific data. It appears that the number of men who actually wear heels in public is but a very small percent of those who want to do so. It seems that fear over some sort of negative reaction, consequence, or the expectation of "men being men" was the greatest hurdle to doing so. This is completely understandably as the idea of men wearing heels or dressing "en femme" is still taboo and may always be to some. Although I could not make any sort of reasonable estimation, I would believe it is fair to say there are a fair number of men out there who will forever hold a secret desire to wear heels out in public but the fear of reaction to such prevents them from doing so. One of the reasons I stepped away from this group was due to the fact that, although it was created with the purpose of getting society to accept men wearing high heels, very few of the contributions to it were of men wearing heels in public. I came to believe that many of the members held a deep fantasy of wanting to wear heels in public and this was as close as they could get to doing so. Next, I seem to recall a thread somewhere about whether the excitement of wearing heels in public fades after a while. I given this a lot of thought and my answer is "Yes" and "No." My wearing heels of any height in public is now my norm, so yes, the thrill of doing so has faded to some degree. There are still times when it is exciting such as when I am wearing a new style of heels or outfit. Recently, I started wearing open-toe heels (and Espadrilles) in both public and to work, and it was exciting the first few instances of such as I believed that I would never do so. Now that we are heading into the autumn and the cooler weather, boot weather will soon be here and I am excited to finally be able to wear a skirt to the office (As previously noted, my office is so over air conditioned, heavy clothes are required in the summer to remain warm and thus, my summer skirts are "too thin" to be worn there). So, I suppose it is fair to say that the thrill of wearing heels in public does diminish when it becomes the "norm" or is, in fact, expected. For me, however, the thrill of wearing heels in public is still exciting because before I head out to wherever, I take a look at myself in the mirror and love what I see. Likewise, I park my car at the farthest end of my building's parking lot and at the end of my work day as I head to my vehicle, I see my reflect in the other cars I pass along en route. Simply seeing my outfit or even knowing that it is "cute" still develops a tremendous emotional charge for me. I adore the look of wide leg pants pair with a pair of kitten heels and knowing that I am wearing such is an addictive rush. Also, when I receive a compliment on either my outfit as a whole or even part of it, it makes it all worthwhile. Finally, somewhere a member had posted a response about Hunter rain boots. Do not get me wrong, I have the greatest appreciation for knee high rain boots and appreciate their practicality. I, however, would only wear them as a means to keep my feet dry when it is wet outside and to prevent me from destroying a pair of heels by having to navigate around puddles of standing water. Well, sometime ago I saw these and when they went on sale, jumped on getting a pair - style and practicality all in one!

Forget the end of the year holidays and all that about being the "...most wonderful time of the year" nonsense. This is it - the start of boot season! So, this morning was an appointment with my dentist and this was the outfit I wore (never hurts to make a memorable 1st impression!). Do not get me wrong, I am already looking forward to the return of my warm season heels, but given the choice, I would always select boots over pumps as the former just seems to fit better. Unfortunately, today was just a preview as the weather will warm over the next few days making boots (and tights) a bit "too" warm. And the outfit with the orange skirt was the end of summer clothing day on 9/30.

Funny you should ask, I have told my GF of 12 years the exact same thing, "You have it you should flaunt it" She says I leave that up to you! Shes usually a size 4 and 7 shoe, looks incredible in everything, BUT does not want to be the center of attention,,,,,Well I DO! She really wonders how I do it. I will say that my travels back and forth constantly from Chicago to Tampa I am always dressed up. I am in 4- 5" heels 99% of the time with a dress, skirt/shirt, Lulu Align or Groove pants used as dress pants. I did wear on my last trip down a Lulu Align skirt with a Lulu Define jacket and some Nike gym shoes, felt kinda weird to not be in heels but it was a great looking outfit, I thought, even went straight out to dinner when I arrived. We were commenting on boot season earlier and I will be out and about this weekend with a new pair of knee boots or otk boots. I have bought a few pairs of ankle to otk boots already this year. Back to the topic, I love to get an outfit put together and go out for an afternoon or evening. My GF says when it comes to the clothes/outfit and heels I am more of a chick then she is!!! Not sure if that is good or bad but I will take it as a compliment. Most of you know I could care less what people think or say, most people don't even notice. I wear what I like period. I wish it was easier to post pics here but it is a pain in the a**. Come to Chicago and I am sure we can cross paths somewhere! I'm not here for a long time, I am here for a good time!

I’m at the Copenhagen airport. Nothing but sneakers and the odd pair of crocs. I did see a woman wearing OTK boots on the Metro but with ordinary heels stop the presses - someone wearing heels! On my flight! And it’s a guy in a very nice, quite feminine pair of ankle boots with 3” heels not at all hidden. Otherwise dress just as a well dressed smart casual guy. I believe it’s the first time I’ve seen a guy in heels out and about

Found myself in an interesting conversation this morning in my hotel. I am leading a tour group at the moment and someone was talking about achilles tendon problems. A woman, one of our guests, spoke up and said, matter of factly 'Men can't do this of course, but women can wear heels to ease the strain on the tendon." To which I replied, just as matter of factly: "Men can do that." She gave a start and spluttered, "Well ... I ... I ... suppose they could ..." I left it at that.

I would say that my "fascination" with boots and heels began when I was just a little kid. I have often wondered if this "fascination" is something I learned, or was I hardwired this way. Unfortunately, I waited until my late 40s-50s to actually allow myself to admit that I wanted to wear high heel boots and get some.... It has taken me many years since then to develop the courage and confidence to wear them in most any setting these days without the usual self imposed negative feelings. Thanks to all my friends here for your help. Don

To be honest, I’d struggle to get them on without tights. Full nappa leather lining plus slim fit Some others I’ve wanted to share

Burberry prorsum patchwork

Thanks for the help

Now that I have to get back to real life, note that I did ride my motorbike to church yesterday in these heels, and I did not crash. Nor did I draw any attention from the police, at least not to my knowledge. I hadn't worn my Miu Miu sandals in quite a long time, and I'm doing my best to spread the love to all the shoes I've decided to keep. Once again, I have no idea how I managed to walk in these things when I first got them, but I must have done so somehow. I wore these shoes for about 5 hours yesterday, and they were all right despite their extreme height. For whatever reason, Miu Miu brand seems to fit me just right, I only wish they weren't usually so expensive.

Well, I never thought it would happen, but I have started to warm to open toe sandals. I was reluctant because it seemed like such a fuss to do "correctly." Well, without getting into all the nitty-gritty of it, it tried it and I was quite surprised by the outcome! I would be inclined to believe that the maintenance to ensure that the look is desirable is much, but, in the end, worth it for the summer. So, here is my first try at it.

Hello all; First, as I am new to this forum and recently starting wearing heels (only heeled boots) in public, it is truly incumbent upon me to introduce myself. Recently, I posted my introduction "Greetings from the Midwest" to the "for everybody" area instead of "for the guys." My error! Nonetheless, please take a moment to read my brief introduction if you have not done so or so desire to do so. As I noted in there, I am truly excited to have the ability to finally discuss/chat wearing high heels with other like minded people. I had always believed that my desire to wear high heels in public was only going to be just a dream but now, slowly, I am wearing my heeled boots out in public more and more often. And I absolutely love it! I so much want to share my stories but I do not want to use this forum as my personal blog/website to do so. This wonderful forum is for everyone to share their stories, concerns, issues, etc. about wearing high heels, either in the privacy of one's residence or out in public. Thus, if I started posting my adventures here, such could go against the very idea of a public forum. Therefore, I have started my own personal blog about my adventures wearing high heels in public, The Heeling Chronicles. I decided to write my blog for me as a way to track my growth wearing high heels in public. I quickly realized, however, that much of what I am experiencing may be similar to the feelings of others and felt sharing those moments could be of interest to others. Likewise, I can add larger photos, make recommendations of brands I love, and write about whatever is on my mind without being the center of attention on this forum. My blog is rather sparse at the moment as I have only a few postings but I plan on adding new material every other Sunday and have many short stories, thoughts, and concerns I will be sharing over time. I have included a link to The Heeling Chronicles if anyone wishes to read it. Thanks! G P.S. More info on the boots I am wearing coming soon to the blog!

Once again, we have this week's church outfit. I went back to pink again, though I no longer technically have any pink shoes. I tossed my last pair because one of the straps was broken, and it was starting to suffer from the whole chemical peel thing on the inside, which, due to the design of the shoe, was visible while wearing. I had essentially two choices, unless I went with black or something. I had some pink-ish stiletto mules, which I should really find an occasion to wear, but they were far too orange for this outfit. That left me with my Söfft cork sandals in fuchsia patent, so that's what I went with. One of the advantages to wearing the Söfft shoes is that they are effectively 3 1/2" heels. I've been wearing higher heels quite a bit lately, so these are super easy to move in, and I needed all of my wits about me, as it was my first time leading the music by myself, without benefit of a piano player. It went fine. I wouldn't necessarily want to do that every week, but it was ok for a Sunday or two now and then. For some reason, these appear quite a bit more bright red than they are in real life. Even if they were red, I don't think they look too bad. Maybe I ought to try actual red shoes with a future pink outfit.

Here is my church outfit of the week, which was kind of a sad one for me because my choir director of seven years has taken another position at another church. This was the last Sunday that my son and I got to make music with him. I think we finished pretty strong, even though once again, we had no rehearsal. This week's choice was totally based around my new Stuart Weitzman shoes, the details of which are cataloged elsewhere. I actually have a pair of pants that matches their dark olive green color more closely, but they're getting a little bit ratty looking lately, so I chose a lighter colored, but newer, pair of pants. My shirt and tie were chosen mainly to not offend the rest of the outfit. I missed celebrating my 12th anniversary of "coming out" in heels. Perhaps "going out" would be better phraseology for shoes. It's funny, I don't remember the exact date for sure, but I remember what day of the week it was, so I'm calling it Wednesday, May 16th, 2012, as the first day I ever stepped foot in front of anybody wearing heels as my own serious footwear. Oddly enough, the location was at my church at a choir rehearsal. Perhaps this is why I think of it now. The point of this last paragraph is not so much to celebrate my own accomplishments, but rather to note that enough time has gone by that the clothes I bought to match my new persona are starting to physically wear out. I have bought quite a bit of clothing over the years, but I have gotten rid of precious little, unlike my shoe collection. Some of that clothing, like most probably the tie I wore three days ago, predates my heeling days, and a lot of it needs to be retired for one reason or another. Perhaps this is a subject for another rumination in the future.

And yet another

Here is one I took today while out and about. The boots are Aldo, in a two tone brown, with a chunkier heel.

Well here we are in london with my partner and her mum and dad. they know i wear heels and seen me in them but mot 4” was a little worried. was walking around the streets and i was just in front of her mum when i heard her say yo my partner “his feet are going to hurt in them” my parter to my surprise said “he walks better in them then he does trainers” omg amazing. Spent from about 13 hours in them yesterday. Busy day today.

Just wondering if anyone has heels that they will only wear at home/indoors due to heel height, comfort, or some other reason. I recently acquired a pair of very high Ann Taylor leopard print heels which are NSFW by any stretch of the imagination (I had to first take them to a cobbler for the footbed to be repaired). I also have a pair of Vince Camuto high heel loafers that also fit into the NSFW category. Thus, I was wondering if any other members of this group have heels that are best left for sitting around at home while looking pretty. Thanks, G P.S. not my photos but from the web

I did something that I rarely do during warm weather. I wore actual enclosed shoes to church. I did so because as I posted in the New Shoes section, I bought some pumps specifically to wear to church (and maybe a few other places). I keep saying that I do not need any more shoes, but I bought two more pair last week. These Steve Madden pumps, and a pair of Frye wooden heeled sandals. Sometime I'll post the Fryes--they're kind of interesting, but I thought the coffee color of the pumps was really beautiful, and the lady offered to sell them for 20 bucks plus shipping. The rest of my outfit was based around the shoes. I often do that, but it was very particular on this Sunday, because I had decided to wear the shoes well in advance. So I picked out some earth-toney stuff I thought went with the coffee color, and then I realized, "Hey, wait a minute. . . It's Pentecost." To some of you, this will mean absolutely nothing. For others, you are chuckling to yourselves right now. Let's put it this way--the red tie is an add-on and an afterthought, but I think it works. I even got complemented on my tie. But not my shoes.

Here’s a better view of JS Dany in the chocolate brown. These are size 11 and have a 5.7”/11cm chunky heel.

So here is my first of many to come! Boots by Aldo, dress is Lululemon Define, wristlet is Guess My usual Chicago to Tampa trip. Kinda bummed, only 2 comments about my boots, both in the TSA line, no negative comments. Look forward to talking with people. Will post some more pics soon!

I find myself very short on time this week, but I'll make a quick post about last Sunday's outfit, with a teaser/promise of more to come. Shoes are Via Spiga, and I got along with them a lot better than I did the last time I wore them, comfort-wise. Pants are Loft, and shirt and tie are no-name Vietnamese. They are not actually unbranded, but they have some silly, so-very-Asian name like "Caring Known" or something like that.

It was my knee high boots I wore this morning.

Mark Clift’s cellphone rang.he looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Sandy Brewer, his girlfriend. He was planning on getting together with her later this evening and was about to call her and now he wouldn’t have to. He answered, but before he could ask her about tonight, she interrupted him saying that she wanted him to meet her at one of the better department stores in their community because they were having a surprise dress sale, as well some shoes and other stuff, and she thought that both of us might be able to find some real bargains. She sounded so excited and enthusiastic that I couldn’t say no. So I told her that I would meet her there and suggested that she go ahead and see if she could find some things that she might like. So, I jumped into my car and started towards the store. Sandy and me, were becoming quite close friends. We first met where I work. She is a secretary at a local bank and a part time model. One morning she was modeling a new dress by a local designer, showing at a late morning fashion show, and fell and skinned her knee while walking down the runway. I was working the show as the runway facilitator and quickly came to her aid. We went to lunch after the doctor treated her knee and the show ended. She was very curious about my appearance. I am a man who is required to wear women’s clothing while working. (It’s a long story) but the job pays very well and I don’t have any problems working wearing dresses and high heels. In fact, I’ve come to enjoy it. And when completely dressed,including makeup and jewelry, I can easily pass as a good looking woman (or so I’ve been told.) While driving to the store I kept thinking that I really didn’t need any more summer clothes because I had just bought some. But it never hurts to look. Besides I might find some shoes that I might like on sale. I am always on the lookout for heels that I can wear to work every day. It’s becoming more difficult to find good quality high heels these days. Women aren’t wearing them very much anymore. I am always on the lookout for another pair. Every since I began wearing women’s clothes and heels to work, I have grown to love them. In fact, I even wear them when dressed as a man. I often get some crazy comments when wearing them but I don’t let them bother me any longer. It’s the possibility of physical danger from unbalanced kooks that is of more concern these days. My girlfriend kind of likes me in dresses. She understands that I’m required to wear dresses at work to keep my job and has become so used to seeing me in dresses and heels that she probably wouldn’t recognize me if I was dressed any other way. Besides it gives us a lot in common. Being able to talk about women’s clothing fashions is another subject in which we both are interested — besides baseball and hockey. I arrived at the store and found Sandy inside sorting through what looked to be several hundred different dresses. I asked if she had found any that she liked? She replied that she had found three but found more that she thought that I would like because “they’re more my taste “. I explained that I really don’t need any more dresses right now but I am always looking for shoes. So, she took me by the hand and led me into the shoe department. We spent the next couple of hours trying on shoes. I did manage to find five pairs of with heels higher than five inches, to which Sandy could not understand how I could wear heels that high without damaging my feet. While she loves shoes as much as I do, she goes for really feminine styles with straps and bows, really cute, girle pairs, with lower heels. (Now that I think about it I don’t believe that I’ve ever seen her wear heels higher than 2 or 2 1/2 inches, except on the runway, since we’ve been dating.) We took the shoes that I had just purchased and went back to the dress department to get the dresses that Sandy wanted and then since it was late, drove back to my place where we ate some very good spaghetti that I cooked yesterday. Then I put her back into my car and drove back to the department store to get her car, and followed her to her apartment making sure she got home safely. Our relationship, Sandy and mine, is quickly becoming more than just girlfriend/boyfriend. There definitely is a strong attraction between us. But, this seems to me like a “slow dance” to soft romantic music where we are content to just hold each other and let the energy flow between us. It’s just too early to tell. I really think I am fortunate to have found some very nice heels tonight. And, there is one pair that I can hardly wait to wear to work tomorrow. More to come

While walking in some rather picturesque countryside yesterday, looking at a view not too far off the road, I encountered a young lady wearing blue knee boots with about 2.5" heels - they were emphatically not hiking boots, and quite smart looking. Very citified. What was striking was that she would have been about 6'4" without the heels - must have been nearly 6'6" with them. She was with another young lady, also in tall stylish boots, who was only a couple of inches shorter. It was a surprise to see in the countryside like that. As for me I was in hiking boots.

Oddly enough, I wore pumps over the weekend, and I have several pair in this general style. All of them are between 4 1/2 and 4 3/4 inches. This particular pair, which are Steve Madden Daisie, are quite comfortable. I had them on for about five hours, much of that standing, and never regretted it. In fact, I did not feel anything but good vibes. To go along with the main subject, however, I can't just slip these things on or off. It's a bit of a production. The good thing about this is no unintended shoe loss. I still do not understand how some people manage to slip right into their pumps and still walk around normally.

This week's Church outfit. It was a special week at our church. We had a special service to commemorate the 175th anniversary of our existence. It was a nice service, and many people from the days of yore travelled a long way to attend this service, some of them pastors from my youth. What I did not enjoy about the service was the music, which was contemporary Christian Pop, and the apparent contemporary band dress code, which was a red t-shirt proclaiming the 175th anniversary of the church. I don't normally play with them, but their guitarist was out of town. There's nothing wrong with a red t-shirt, but I looked much nicer than the rest of the band, if I may say so. I did don a red t-shirt after church to do a little bit of grocery shopping, this one featuring our arch rival college. I think I know how I came to have this t-shirt, but it's a long story, and nobody cares anyway.