Platformdude

I've been married for many years to a woman who doesn't wear heels or much makeup. Fashion is fashion: yes, it means a lot to me, but what mattered more was that the woman who became my wife was happy, joyful, fun, caring, and positive, which made me think that we could survive together. So far, so good. She puts up with my 5-6 inch platform boots and sometimes crazy fashions, and I just let her be herself. In a way, I'm giving her the same latitude she is giving me: we both allow each other to enjoy fashion as they please, instead of imposing our personal preferences or socially dictated rules on each other.

Yeah, as a kid in the 70s I remember seeing shoes like that! Awesome! Even in the conservative little burg I grew up in, they were relatively common. Funny to think how the really cool dudes wore them. But then along came Reagan, and plats faded within a couple of seasons.

Given the cultural view of women in Islamic cultures, Mrs. Gul looked as cool as one can look under the circumstances. I like the boots as well; very clean, sleek, and of course, a suitable platform. If she can pull it off while visiting the Queen while the eyes of the hypercritical media are watching, who are the rest of us to worry about clomping around a club or shopping mall?

So much depends on how the shoe or boot is made. Many of the plats out today have a hollow plastic platform. With a hard, thin sole, they do make a "clunk" or a clop sort of a sound. Better plats have cork or wood platforms, and don't make such a sound. I also like plats that "roll" under the ball of the foot as you walk, making for an easy stride. Plats forever...

This is probably a Jeffrey Campbell style that isn't intended for the male market, but I couldn't resist them. The amazing "Get Out" is a crazy stunning design. Not for everyone's tastes, but I love the platform and postmodern architecture.

My strategy is thus: First, go with some friends. I have friends and associates who are familiar with my heel habit, and aren't bothered by it. You're always a bit safer if you have your posse with you. If you're part of a group, it's my experience that ill intentioned people are going to leave you alone. Secondly, as everyone else has stated, go to public places. Busy restaurants, shopping malls, public events, etc. You will not be bothered for the most part. There will always be those who leer, stare, and look like they disapprove. But in a crowd, they'll keep their mouths shut and leave you alone. I've had to put up with that and any fashion forward man or woman needs to get used to it. But then plenty of women and a few men have complimented me as well. So plan an evening and get out there...

Just got a pair of the Jessica Simpson Tessie platform boots. These are probably the most beautiful boots I've picked up this season. I like the squared two-tone heel, the monster platform, the rear zipper, and the sleek shape. To top it all off, they fit like a dream; I can spend the better part of a day with them on my feet and no pain.

CassieJ, you will love your new Litas. I just got a pair, and they are an awesome shoe. Despite the towering plat and heel, they are comfortable. Just remember that your waaay off the ground, and don't lean to the side in them or down you go. I love 'em, and hope to get out in them some time soon.

Awesome!!! Is it just coincidence that I recently bought a pair of the Litas? Fortunately, size 9/10 is just fine with me. If anything, the Lita in size 10 is a bit loose, but I just wear thick socks. Hope that this is the beginning of a trend in fashion...

I've had all the usual stuff, from smirks to stares, to young girls going "OMG!" and dudes looking shocked. But one time was definitely weird. I was with a female friend at a restaurant, and I noticed that a couple of tables away, a woman was totally fixated on my black platform boots. They were very conservative boots: 3 inch block heels, 1.5 inch platforms, square toes, nothing really very dramatic or even sexy. But she kept staring. At the boots, then at me. It went on for the whole time she and her companion were at the table. Her stares were classically invasive, the sort that you get from either crazy or dangerous people. I think she somehow meant to unsettle me. It didn't work; had a great dinner with a good friend.

I live in a rural western US state in a small town, and started going when I injured my back and couldn't cut my toenails anymore. My wife hated cutting them, so I started going to a small salon run by a very sweet Vietnamese woman. She and her sister are always courteous, always do a good job, and it's a pleasant experience. I get clear polish and my feet feel great. The women clients all react differently. Some glare, others ignore, and some are very nice about it. Funny, if women were treated that way at domains formerly though of as male, (auto parts stores, hobby shops, cigar shops, biker bars, etc.) they would raise the roof. It remains one of the strangest social constructs: women are free to express themselves pretty much as they please. Men are more and more constrained by an ever-narrowing definition of ideal malehood. In the future, young boys will only wear black and only be mixed-martial-arts fighters; anything else will be considered too feminine.

I always try to think of the various possible outcomes. I've gone through airport security wearing four inch platform boots, and got nary a glance from the folks around. But I've seen plenty of negative reactions from folks here and there. Whether they do anything but grimace depends on the situation, so I try to play it out in a way that they won't have any options. If I'm wearing flashier boots, I make sure I'm going out/traveling with friends. I notice that when one is part of a group, those with negative reactions are not likely to intrude. However, if you're alone, the hostile ones might take things further. Confidence has a lot to do with it; if you stride around like you own the world, people are likely to believe it and leave you alone. That said, I'm not going to wear high heels to a cage fight or monster truck event; that's asking for testosterone fueled trouble.

I'm wearing a pair of New Rock "Plataforma NRK" boots, model 8343. They have a chrome four inch chunky heel and a one inch platform. I wear them with flare leg jeans and go pretty much anywhere in them; they walk really well and are comfortable for long periods of wear. These are typical of what I wear on a daily basis.

I had to think about this for a while. I voted yes to the pill because in the end, everything is tragically tied up to context. Heels are just pieces of wood and plastic and leather. But our culture and society has trammeled them with all sorts of nonsensical power, meaning, and significance. As I get older, I tire of constantly trying to dodge the pitfalls of culture and society. It would be a hell of a lot easier to just bland and blend. I'm not saying that I don't like being who I am, but living in a world that constantly puts you on the defensive is fatiguing at the least. Gimme the damn pill and let the numbness begin.

Stories like these remind us nonconformists that we should plan for the eventual day when "something" happens. I was in the city for some errands and wearing a pair of 4" heel boots with 2.5" platforms and a pair of flare leg jeans. On the way home, the truck died and left me by the side of the road. I got AAA on the line and they sent a tow truck. The tow driver no doubt saw my outlandish shoes, but said nothing. I had them drop me and the dead truck at a friend's house, and got the truck fixed the next day. Didn't have any other shoes with me, so had to go to two different auto shops in my big tall boots. At one shop, I could feel the eyes of the whole crew on me while I talked on the phone with the place that eventually fixed the truck. I stayed cool and acted like everything was normal. Still, despite my act, I definitely had that vulnerable feeling. A word to the wise: think about what you would do/how you would handle it, and things will go better when "something" eventually happens.

Plats forever! I usually wear New Rock or Destroy platform boots on a daily basis. 1 to 2 inch platform and 4 inch heel is the norm. I just like them. I like the height, and the easy walk that you get from a good platform shoe or boot.

Those are some great boots. Fluevogs are usually very well made. And for the rest of the folks out there, think of how much easier things would be if legions of men wore these boots?

Yep, I'm a major offender when it comes to platforms. I do like the thinner heels, but don't like the thin soles. Platforms are easier to walk in, and I like the chunkier look; it works for some of us. I have many pairs of boots by Destroy, New Rock, and others from the second platform revival in the 90s. My favorite style is a round or square toe ankle boot with a two inch platform and four inch heel. I wear them with flare leg jeans, and can get away with it in most settings. I did have some styles from the 70s, but they aren't as comfortable for daily wear as the newer styles. Now I just have to wait until the look becomes "cool" again and manufacturers start making my kinds of boots. New Rock has the "Plataforma NRK" line, and they are nice boots; I picked up a couple of pairs of them in different styles, and wear them out a lot. Very comfortable, with great rocker styling.

Interesting thread. I'm always intrigued by the gender dialectic in life. Somebody else brought it up: how do women feel when they step into male clothing/shoes/roles? That's a valid side of the question; I've heard quite a bit of feedback from my female friends about that. Lots of women I know have learned to do "male" things like ride a motorcycle, operate an airplane, or they have worn cowboy boots, combat boots, biker leathers, and similar attire. (And why are these things "male"? For the same reasons high heels are "female".) They will often comment on how different the experience or the clothing made them feel: more powerful, more secure, more aggressive, etc. Again, since they aren't really living as men, they aren't truly experiencing "maleness". But still, the experience does provide some insight into the workings of male culture. To the same rather minimal degree, wearing shoes "designed for women" might give a person some insight into female culture. I've seen where men have worn "empathy belts" that mimic the weight and pressure of a pregnancy to get an idea of the stress their wives go through for the same attempt at insight. I think it's important to realize that for all the sexual differences hardwired into our biology, "culture" is still a construction that people cobble together over time. Culture can change, styles, fads, and traditions come and go. Still, if people spent more time realizing their commonality as humans, things might be much better on this planet of ours. The gender divide is like the divide between nations: often stirred up by the ruling class to keep the masses distracted.

I prefer boots with a platform of some kind. I like the look of stilettos with the thin soles, but find them uncomfortable to wear. I think I look better with something a bit chunkier. My collection varies from 2 inches to 5 inches. Most are ankle or calf high boots, with a few oxfords or loafer shoes thrown into the mix. Pretty much all are black, with a few brown pairs. I wear them with flare leg or bootcut jeans, rocker or goth style belt, t-neck shirts of various colors, and dress it up with a blazer or down with a leather jacket. In the summer it's a rocker polo or t-shirt. Plenty of skulls and flames graphics will convince many that you work in a rock band. That's somewhat true, because I still jam regularly with friends.

I always liked them. From my earliest memories I remember seeing them on women, and thinking "I'm going to wear those kinds of shoes when I get older." There wasn't a sexual component to it, it was just a style of footwear that I liked and wanted to have, in the same way that someone might want a cool sneaker or stylin' leather jacket. Growing up in the 70s, I saw and admired all the platform styles with tall heels, but my parents were stern in their disapproval. I managed to get a couple of pairs of the 70s plats, but they were lower and less groovy than the tall styles I really wanted. I had to wait for the platform revolution of the 1990s to enjoy fashion fulfillment. I bought pretty much every style of Destroy and London Underground I could find. I also bought Luichiny and other brands, and worked on integrating them into a "look" that I liked. Starting with the lower versions of oxford or boot, I moved up bit by bit until I was wearing 4" Destroy platform boots regularly. I still do that now, even though the trend has passed. I'm fortunate in having the shoe collection that I always dreamed of. I get a lot of positive comments from women, a lot of scared or envious looks from guys, and of course I have to endure the occasional malevolent stare or snide comment. It's life: people with tatoos or piercings all share the same sort of fate that we do. If you choose to not conform, that's really going to rattle some people. Ask any woman who rides and owns a motorcycle, or a dude with tats up and down his arm just how people treat them, and you'll find much to sympathize with.

It depends on each person's own ideas of how the world is put together. My wife might not like it too much, but she lets me dress as I please, and I let her do the same (She's not a fan of heels, but I married her because she's a wonderful person, not for her shoes). To a lot of young people, driven by the urge to conform, we look pretty ridiculous because we're not fulfilling our roles as assigned by the culture around us. To people who are more in touch with themselves and more confident, we probably look rather inspirational. To a lot of women, especially younger women, we look sort of daft, because for young women, men are seen as the ultimate accessory, and they want their men (as one woman put it) baroquely big and in control, striding the world like a colossus fueled on testosterone. It's funny: women complain that men want a blonde chesty floozy in high heels, and grouse that real women aren't that way, but men can't complain about the fantasy male that many women want: a brute of a dude who breathes fire and bench presses locomotives, but also knows his somewhat reduced place in the post-feminist world. I've found more acceptance among older people who have done some living and had a chance to see that their fantasies and the demands of the culture are all just shifting vapors and illusions.

I wear them as often as I can, but find it easier with friends around. My friends know about my crazy shoes and don't have any problems with it. I know that wearing them alone can be a headache sometimes. Like anything, discretion is needed. My vehicle once broke down while returning from the big city, and I was stuck there by the highway wearing my 4" platform rocker boots. Fortunately, it was in the evening, and despite having to deal with tow truck drivers and the like, I got thru the situation with no bumps or bruises. The next day was a bit hairier, with the various mechanics and grease monkeys giving me jaundiced stares. Still, nobody assaulted me, I got the car fixed and made it home alive. I believe in my right to wear what I please, but I'm also a bit wary of my fellow man. Such is life.

Chris, how tall are the heels on those New Rock westerns? I'm thinking about them, but prefer something with a platform to offset the heel a bit. I picked up a couple of the new "plataforma NRK" boots, and like them a lot. Check out the fotos.

I'll admit that I've purged several times. It's a useless gesture, but part of the whole socialization process. I look back and regret it, because some of the shoes that I ditched are ones that I can't get back. Bummer. I think (as others have mentioned) it's part of the process of getting used to who you are. It's not an easy thing; it still bothers me that liking heeled shoes is culturally considered a serious deviation, whereas the same habit in a woman would be seen as harmless.