fatfuzz

I think if you can afford them and you want them, then buy them. If you can't then don't and don't worry about it. That's not the last pair of great heels at a discount price you'll ever see. The most I've ever spent was about £150 importing from the USA and they weren't even that great. My most favourite shoes to date came from Barratts here in the UK and they cost me £30.

...and throwing them all out only to start again a few days/weeks/months later. Sound familiar to anyone? I felt compelled to write this post after reading a post by a new member, highheelboots, who mentioned how every now and then he'd get a pang of guilt about his love of heels and throw them all out only to buy some more a while later. How many times have I done that? More than I'd care to mention. I hate to think about all the gorgeous shoes I've binned off because that guilt thing, feeling as though it's wrong and that I shouldn't be doing it. I did it again just before christmas and after a night on the pop just a few weeks ago found me ordering 4 new pairs of shoes/boots and a couple more since. It is not going away - when will I learn? I have been obsessed with them in the past to the point of serious distraction and I think I get rid because I can't handle thinking about it anymore. Because I don't publicly go heeling or share with friends then there has never been a proper release for it hence the whole thing getting out of control in my head (am I making sense here?). So now I don't allow myself to get obsessed by them and am working on slowly bringing them into my everyday life by talking to friends and aiming at wearing my flatter, less conspicuous shoes publicly (see my post Breaking the Ice). So far so good. It's less of a peck and I actually enjoy them more when I do wear them around my flat. So I just wondered if anyone else had similar experiences or just wanted to share some thoughts on the subject?

A heckler of sorts once told me " Why do you wear those shoes! They are for women! Only women wear those things! ".

Theres a couple of things we all obviously know. As HappiInHeels states, its a fashion choice. As Steve stated, there are some immature people out there.

For myself, I broke the comment down and rattled the guy.

" Only women wear those things! ". Hmm.. Im heterosexual and have a wife. I asked him ' If only women wear these things, why are they on MY feet and not my wifes? '. He replied that was his question or something else then I rephrased stating ' look, we both know Im male, if only women wear these things, does that physically, intellectually or in any other substance make my gender changed because of a pair of shoes? ' " NO! " . ' They why the hell did you make a false insinuation saying only women wear these things? '.

He didnt know what to do or say.

Grrrrrreat response ILK! I've often thought I would use a similar line when posed with the same question.... but I've not been out publicly yet....

I have been wearing heels to work, 3in+, for over 2 yrs now and someone finally

Asked. This guy, D, had said something in the past, nothing bad, but it shocked me

And I changed the subject.

We were walking to the car to go to lunch when he looked down. I new it was coming.

He said, "are those heels?" I said yes and wse kept walking. So at lunch I asked him

What he thought of my shoe problem. He said is it a problem? He said it looks gay, but

He did not say it in a bad way. I asked what others say. He said they just say "he has on

His heels again". He seemed to really not want to talk about it.

He is a good guy and as far as the conversation is was fine. I think I am at a point

Were I want/need to talk to others about it as far as this is what I wear.

Oh, I think when I said yes to the heels he aked why. I said that's what I like.

I am glad it came up and as I told him, I can't believe the others have not said anything.

You have to understand who I work with. Its like working with 10yr olds as far as

Calling each other gay, among other things. So I had to tell him this story.

Me and the other guys were coming out of a restaurant when J started picking on my

Metal wallet. Of course calling it gay. I told D I wanted to look down at my feet and tell

J "with these on the best you can do is my wallet?".

We had a good laugh.

In all it went well and I am glad it came up.

Nice one - glad it was all OK. "That's what I like" is definitely the correct response because it is true!

It's annoying that some people feel the need to put us in the gay camp. It seems that most heeling fellas are not gay. There's nothing wrong with being gay or wearing heels - I wish these people would just let it go. I only know a few gay guys but I've met loads throughout my life and I've not met one who wears heels on a regular basis - even those who do the whole drag thing don't wear them for a shopping trip, do they? That's just my experience. Anyone else?

Hi HHB and welcome, You've definitely found the right place! It's crazy how the heel thing seems to "infect" us and I can totally relate to your story about the pang of guilt and throwing them all away. I think I'm gonna start a thread on the subject to see if it's a common thing or not. Anyway, enjoy and see you about the site.

Pedal power all the way for me. For getting to town it's quicker, easier and cheaper and has the added bonus of stopping my arse from getting fat. Longer journeys it's train/bus or borrow/rent a vehicle.

I go to a social club, (like a pub, but only members ot theit guests are allowed) and some of the young members kept putting on the free computer jukebox Rhianna and some rubbishabout Gangland styl.e. They said they needed something they could dance to, so my friend Lee and I showed them you can dance to Ian Dury (Sweet Gene Vincent), The Cure (Lovecats) and Blondie(Picture This). I had a whale of a time and felt thirty years younger.

ILK, with Fatfuzz joining in, might we get some more Name That Tune? I was enjoying that.

Megan x

How's that work then? Sounds like fun...

It reminds me.

I wonder what would have happened if the Battle of Trafalgar had happened 200 years later... (A satirical look at a slice of British history).

Brilliant! I actually did laugh out loud!

I'm gonna read it again cos it's so funny!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

(that's me LingOL)

Billy Connelly is great, bet you did't know he likes to wear womens shoes and been known to paint his toenails have not seen him in heels though.

Found this about Billy's shoe vibe:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-192239/Billy-buckles-shoe.html

Funny that I should bring up a you-tube video of Billy only to find out he wears women's shoes! Shame about the film though - the idea is brilliant but the actual film was average, I thought.

Today, I did something I've not done before. A very good friend (who's aware of the heel thing but it's rarely discussed) came round for a spot of lunch and to exchange some music software. I decided to wear my ballerinas from Barratts and I deliberately left my brown suede pointy ones out in the living room (Ok, they're not heels but it's a step in the right direction and besides which, I like them almost as much as heels and they are unmistakably femme shoes). It took him 10 minutes to notice at which point he burst out laughing but in a "wow" kind of way. I then pointed out the ones on my feet and there was more laughing. I said I'd had them on before when he'd been round but he hadn't noticed (which was a lie but I liked telling it). And that was it. Nothing more was said. A fairly neutral response really. I have also started daring myself to wear them outside when I go to empty my bins and do re-cycling. I used to do it at the old flat but I'd have to stand there and pluck up the courage and 9/10 times I'd bottle it. Today was easy though. Even when my friend came round, I didn't even think about it until he went "f***ing hell mate - they're girls shoes!" and i went "...and so are these!" when I felt beads of sweat form on my forehead. Once the moment had passed uneventfully, all was good again. SO I'm heading in the right direction. Start off flat and slowly work my way up. I can't keep going on only getting out heeling when I'm under the influence of booze and the like because I've started to realise now that I'll engineer nights out or turn a quite couple of beers into a raging piss up so I can get my confidence up and go out when I get home. Which leads me to another story: After one of the 3 or 4 xmas parties I attended last year (self employed - work for loads of clients) which lasted until 8 am the following day (Yeah, I know!) I got home and went for the customary walk around the local area in heels. Of course, everyone was off to work by then. I know I was getting looks - I had slim jeans that weren't quite full length and pointy stilettos in 3 different colours (black, teal and gunmetal grey - the "wham" shoe from Barratts. I really miss 'em) so there was NO mistaking what I was wearing. I remember blocking it out of my head, ignoring it apart from a couple of times when I realised what I was doing and, to put it bluntly, shit myself and ran home! Anyway, I sat down on a bench in the park over the road to have a smoke and a mate came through and spotted me. Oh no! After the usual pleasantries came the dreaded question - "what's with the shoes, dude?" I didn't know what to say so I just went "eeeeerrrrrmmmm" at which point he interrupted with - "Oh, it was the ***** christmas do, right?" (seemingly assuming it was fancy dress) and I said - "Yeah, that's it!....." and off he went. I think I know that he "knows" or at least thinks it was not fancy dress but something else. It's been brought up a couple of times and never in a derogatory way but I've avoided any direct conversation about it and word has now spread to other people I know. I think I should come clean with him for my own sanity if nothing else. I've had serious worries about it before but it seems so stupid to keep it bottled like this. And people will speculate when they don't know the full story. Some will speculate anyway but most, it would seem, from other peoples experiences on this forum, don't give a toss either way. I'm still not sure that I would wear heels out on a night out or when out shopping but one thing's for sure and that is that I NEED to feel comfortable about the fact that I love wearing them. A bit of exposure to the world would not be a bad thing for me and as with everyone else it's all about gaining confidence. I hope to gain a lot and being part of this site and the community within it really helps. I'm so glad I came back! I hope this reads OK - writing is not a strong point!

Hey, JeffB,

"www.flatsplace.org" doesn't seem to be an existing domain. You could start a forum there. LOL

Just kiddin' ya.

Steve

No harm in wearing flats - I've got 3 pairs (from the "ladies" department of course...

I apologise if anybody is offended by what i'm about to say about these pictures, but I personally think I look 100x better than most of the tramps seen getting around... Is this really what the female population of England has come to?! They all looked absolutely terrible with the odd 1 or 2 looking semi-decent in their outfits. So glad I left that hole of a country!

Steady now - some of us still live here and actually like it.

However, your observations regarding the female population are correct. On the odd occasion I go to town on the weekend or when I'm working in-house at some venue/club (rare these day, thankfully) I am amazed at what some women wear! I get the impression that they wear those clothes and shoes because fashion dictates it and not because they think it looks good. It's also amazing how many women stumble around in shoes that don't fit properly or are just plain ugly. That's not to say all women over here are like that - just enough for you to notice.

Something like this?

Two Russians meet each other in a London pub. The first compliments the other on his nice tie and asks what he

paid for it. He answers: 400 Pounds. Says the first: You dummy! I know a place where you could have gotten it

for 800 Pounds.

Y.

Ha, yeah...

That is unfortunately the 'Liverpool condition'. If you are unfortunate enough to go out in Liverpool on a friday/saturday night, you'll see much worse sights! Fake tan so thick they use it as foundation, a united inability to walk in the shoes they wear and dresses hiked up like cheap hookers while they knock back half their bodyweight in alcohol.

I'm not saying all the women in Liverpool are like that, only the good majority I've had the displeasure of observing on nights out. Still, there's always some wonderful footwear on display. Perhaps I should make the drive out that way again some time, for 'research' purposes of course

True. You get a bit of it in Manchester and you get loads of in Newcastle too. And they go out like that whatever the weather! Like minus 10 and horizontal freezing rain stood in a que for a club for half an hour wearing some poor fellas jacket on their head to keep the rain off their "do". And the clubs are shit (not all of them - just the ones they go in!). I could go on....

Normally, light-up shoes seem to fall into exactly two categories: children's sneakers and stripper heels. But Anastasia Radevich uses fiber optics to soften the lighting so that it highlights the shoe rathen than, say, keeping the wearer from being hit by passing cars. Combined with her airy, alien heels the shoes barley look real, much less able to support a human.

http://hautemacabre....got-in-my-tron/

They look dead springy, like if you jumped hard enough on them you end up in orbit!

The girl in the first post.. She needs some meat on her bones.

I dig the MaryJanes with the Bunny. I could wear those.

You sound like a friend of mine - "She's hot, don't you think mate?" "Not enough pies..."

To all high heel lovers

$1,295.00 for a pair of platforms with small little straps. OH hell no. For that kind of money any of us can have custom made shoes and/or boots. Better quality ,in your proper size, and not something off the shelf. There should be laws against clothes and shoe designers who rob the public that way.

spikesmike

I don't think most of "the public" could afford them - that's the point. Same reason anything fashionable is expensive - it's only available to the elite classes with their bags of cash etc...

Today, I'm wearing one of the "cutest" shoes in my closet. It's what my DH calls a baby doll pump. They're from Jessica Simpson and feature a rounded toe and a 4 inch heel. Very comfy for a 4 inch heel and all day at the office...thank goodness, no meetings today!!

Have a good day everyone!

I had some similar shoes but with a lower heel from Long Tall Sally. They were, as yours are, very cute and extremely comfortable. Unfortunately, they went in the last great cull so I no longer have them - boo!

Unfortunately, the red shoes are not as bright as they appear in the photo but they are still a great colour nonetheless and a great shape too. The boots are by far the loveliest boots i have ever owned! The fit is just perfect, nice and snug and so easy to walk in. A good day's shopping, i think.

I took delivery of these today - a pair of red pointy stiletto courts from Barratts and a pair of black patent animal texture ankle boots from J Renee. Both off ebay. Damn good to be in some high heels again - I've missed it! Love my lower ones, like the blue LTS kitten heels I have but there's nothing quite like a 4" heel... I'm gonna get some decent pictures together of all my shoes to put in the gallery but in the mean time here's a couple of shots of the new ones:

ha Ha love the standard bigoted keyboard warrior replies to the article.

I second your notion...

Personally, I love a pointy toes but not too long...

Sorry, the warning was meant as a joke...

I'm a huge music fan. I write my own too but purely because it's fun and I have no intention of trying to make a living out of it. Been there and I've realised that one is going to actually make a living working for other musicians than trying to peddle ones own musical creations - however good you think they might be. So, I was just wondering what everyone's listening to right now? There's not a right lot out there at the moment, all the big labels have invested in one hit wonder x-factor style soulless drivel which is great for the publishers cos they'll make a mint using that shite on adverts etc but no good for discerning music listener! One good album I got last year was Bombay Bicycles Club's - A different kind of fix which is bloody awesome. Saw them live on a tour I was working in the spring and they made an impression so I bought the album when I got home. I also discovered My Morning Jacket and Mark Lanagan's latest offering which is not his best but still has some golden moments...

I didn't know that, no. How did you find that out?

May I recommend this video of Billy Connolly and his take on PCness? Warning: This video contains strong language and should not be viewed by anyone who is likely to take offence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbhuxWIxTgA

I can't wait til I buy my own house then I can start experimenting with stuff like this. Just watched Shafted's youtube video and then got watching a whole load of other stuff. There's loads of people showing how they made their home made energy devices. I currently live in a rented flat in a block - no space for setting such things up...

The problem, I think, is that the companies that currently supply us with electricity make an absolute fortune out of us and they don't want us to produce our own power because they will lose out. The technology is there for everyone to get cheap green energy but the energy companies will go to great lengths to make sure that it stays expensive so we have to keep getting it from them. Shafted, good work on powering your own place - all the respect from me on that one. I've just switched to an energy company here in the UK called Ecotricity who supply all their electricity from green sources (or at least most of it) and invest their profits back into development and building of green energy sources. It's not cheap either but I'd rather that than give my money to the money grabbing a***holes who were supplying me before.

There;s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.

Billy Connoly.

Billy Connoly.

Who also said "Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn't try it on"

The weather in Manchester is grey and damp. Again. Like it was all last week and will be all next week and probably for the rest of eternity.

It rarely snows here - or at least we rarely get any significant snow that lasts. And when it does the whole place grinds to a halt. Because it's so rare we are not prepared for it. We had some major snow fall a couple of years ago followed by a big freeze so all the pavements (sidewalks) were coated in a thick layer of uneven, shiny ice. You'd see people walking down the road all the time so they didn't slip on the ice.

It was funny watching some women in town on a weekend night still determined to go out in heels. I tried it one night for about 10 seconds outside my flat and very quickly decided my physical health was more important than my desire to walk outside in heels. Have you ever seen a dog on a frozen pond?

Cardboard and duct tape? brilliant! Do they take your weight ok or are they just for looking at?

Well I'm not an extreme heeler so no worries there. 4.5" is about as high as I'll go - it just gets too uncomfortable for me after that. Apparently, there's only one last maker left in the UK in Northampton (DR Shoe provided a link somewhere). If I need to I guess that's where I'll be going.