SleekHeels

FreshinHeels, those purple shoes are stunning (they're not my legs either but I wish they were!).

Here are my last two purchases attached.

Thanks Sleekheels ,

I have just got a very very short high waisted tight pale pink pencil skirt (what pencil skirt isn't tight? - but this one is very fitted across the hip and under my bottom and quite sexy - more so than my other skirts) and has side ruching across the hips. Looks awesome with a sheer fitted white shirt and my matching pale pink stiletto pumps. Great when I want to be a flirt and put some leg out there (which I do now and again) - but that is the beauty of pink - like nudes the colour is great for lengthening ones legs.

Wow, I'd totally forgotten I have a pink pencil skirt too - thanks for the reminder! I used to struggle a little to squirm into it, but perhaps that'd be a good incentive to do some exercise and tone up a bit.

That's a great look you described. I also tried my pink skirt with black courts and a black top/jacket (to try to slim my shoulders in relation to the pale pink on the hips), and with a pink bag it looked quite coordinated. Perhaps that's a good alternative to white as you head towards winter in NZ.

Clogs seem to be one of those "love 'em or hate 'em" styles.

Like jmc said, I really had my doubts at first but I warmed to them.

I love mine... http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=5656

The photos I just posted to http://www.hhplace.org/everybody/19067-boot_photo_shoot.html have some side-by-side tucked and untucked comparisons.

Here are photos of the shoes from my list of shopping experiences:

#1: pink mules

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?a...pictureid=5639

#2: black suede boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?a...pictureid=5648

#5: brown ankle boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?a...pictureid=5654

#6: red courts

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=535&pictureid=5655

I realised I didn't have any pictures of my boots, so a little photo shoot just had to be done. These are pretty much from oldest to newest over the last 15 years or so. I hope you like some of them at least.

black ankle boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5646

brown boots 1

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5647

black suede boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5648

tan boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5649

black boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5650

brown boots 2

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5651

brown wedge boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5652

brown ankle boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5654

tan fur boots

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=534&pictureid=5653

Hi All

I must be one of the luckier people as I fit a uk size 8, I can usually buy what I am looking for in Primark stores up to a 4 and a half to five inch heel, but i still get embarressed buying my self.

I always used to feel so nervous and embarrassed too, and only recently turned the corner. Reading all the advice and experiences on this forum was so helpful, and I think we each have to find the right answer for us inside ourselves. What made the difference for me was:

• Should a woman feel ashamed going into a store to buy heels? No, of course not. So neither should I. There's nothing inherently wrong with liking, buying or wearing heels. If we're going to feel guilty it may as well be for something we should feel guilty about, like treating someone badly.
• What can I do to make it a comfortable and positive experience for me? I made sure I was well-presented (as a guy) and wore mens bootcut jeans and a brown jacket which would look good with the brown boots I wanted to try. The other time I wore the same with sheer tights so it'd be easy to try court shoes on (and they'd look right). Both times I wore my women's flat biker boots so I felt I was half-way there already. Also, visit as many stores as you can at different times of the day just to browse and see where/when you feel most comfortable.
• Can I make it positive experience for the sales assistant too? If you look like a suspicious shop-lifter they'll see you as one. If you look ashamed they'll assume you have something to be ashamed of. Instead give them something positive to latch onto. Smile, and be polite and friendly. If the sales assistant giggles then giggle too, it's supposed to be a fun experience. Have something ready to say to break the ice, like "you girls love your heels, I'm obviously missing out on something". And don't forget to say thank you, even if they've been a little cold/nervous about it... show appreciation and they're more likely to respond positively next time they're in that situation.

I've lost count of how many times I've walked out of a store because it didn't feel right, but eventually when the opportunity presents itself you'll be ready to grab it.

I hope I'm not sounding preachy or repeating stuff that's hidden away in other posts... just sharing my journey in case it helps someone else.

Pink heels are great. Guys used to get funny looks wearing a pink shirt but thankfully society has broadened it's horizons a bit (though perhaps there's still some work to do with the shoes). I voted "Yes but with the right outfit" but no double-standards, I'd say that applies equally to women or men with any outfit.

This pair's the earliest I have that's survived my past purges:

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=533&pictureid=5638

They look great with white jeans, a pink top and a denim jacket.

These are the pink mules from my shopping experience #1 in the thread http://www.hhplace.org/guys/7255-shopping_heels_try_them.html :

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=533&pictureid=5639

I think they go well with denim jeans (or a knee-length denim pencil skirt) and a pink top.

One lunchtime I saw a girl wearing these with a smart grey trouser-suit and she looked incredible:

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=533&pictureid=5640

I tried them once (but not in public) with my men's grey suit and a pink shirt, and it was an ok look but I think the cut of a woman's trouser suit (even one that's supposedly "masculine") gives a much more flattering line.

Finally these strappy sandals are peach but pretty close to pink and feel really glamorous to wear:

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=533&pictureid=5641

Nice looks Heel-lover and JeffB, good luck if you do venture out.

Thanks for the welcome hh4evr1.

If "in public" means actually interacting with people, then only a couple of times during my recent shopping adventures, #5 and #6 in this thread:

http://www.hhplace.org/guys/7255-shopping_heels_try_them.html

Both times I was in regular guy mode (jeans and a winter jacket). It was a real buzz and when I've saved up for another pair I'll definitely try for another positive shopping experience.

Another time when I bought my brown wedge boots, I changed into them and walked about a mile to get home in the evening (again in guy mode). I doubt anyone would've even noticed the wedge heels (about 3") but it sure felt good.

Other times previously I've gone for a few dark evening walks wearing more feminine styles (my black patent courts, gold strappy sandals, tan courts, black suede boots... all with a 3½"-4" heel) and felt the need to go for a more complete feminine appearance, partly to blend in if I was seen and partly because that was the experience I wanted.

I'm hoping to develop the confidence to do more public heel wearing as a guy, I'm just taking it step by step to make sure it's a safe and positive experience for me and the people I encounter.

For me (as far as shoes go) a girl wearing high-heels isn't necessarily sexy... but a girl enjoying wearing her high-heels can be incredibly sexy.

I like only the very tiniest hint of toe-cleavage and prefer a more classic line whether I'm admiring my own feet or anyone else's. On a slightly related note, where did the V-shaped vamp go? I've got used to the rounder U-shaped vamp that seems to have taken over in recent years, but sometimes a slightly pointier V-shape can give stunningly elegant line to a shoe.

I think peep-toes look cute. These are the only ones in my collection:

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=531&pictureid=5628

http://www.hhplace.org/picture.php?albumid=531&pictureid=5629

I prefer barefoot but the zebra ones look and feel great with black fishnets too.

I love driving in heels too. When I used to drive for work I'd often make long trips in my heels. I never had any safety issues with that (actually maybe it was even safer as there'd be no chance of feeling sleepy at the wheel wearing my heels).

I've also never had an issue with scuffing. I've found it's more comfortable to bring the heel tip back a bit and pivot on it, extending the ankle for more gas instead of rocking onto the back of the shoe to lift off the gas. If the more limited range of movement means you can't floor it and accelerate aggressively then that's probably safer too (as Alsheels said, "less of a race driver").

For me the problem with the extra heel-height of platforms is banging your knee not having enough space to lift your foot and apply it safely to the brake, so I'd avoid wearing them for driving. The worst has to be flip-flops or flat mules - way more dangerous than heels I think.

A girl friend of mine once told me she prefers driving in heels as she feels she has more control of the pedals. Maybe the heel height is an advantage for smaller feet?

Hi Sleekheels,

there is one problem with what you say. Going up stairs in heels is dead-easy - its coming down thats 10 times harder. You would need to be practising going down stairs because going up stairs you don't need to use your heels...

rgds

Heel-Lover

I totally agree Heel-Lover, I've had some scary moments even just walking down stairs (mostly a balance thing) and wouldn't even think of running down them - an elegant descent holding the handrail is definitely preferable!

Running up stairs I find it's not so much balance but slipping because of the smooth sole which high-heeled shoes (and some flats) tend to have. That's never been a problem for me on a flat surface or going down stairs where the tip of the heel always makes firm contact with each step.

There seem to have been more heeled styles with grippier soles in recent years, though that hardly makes them suitable running shoes. I'm not really a fan, but I guess boots like this:

http://designer-shoes.me.uk/kg-by-kurt-geiger-scandal-boots/

might make a discrete option under a long pair of jeans for guys first-time heeling. I think court shoes with soles anything like that are really ugly and clunky though - maybe that's why I've only ever seem them in shops and not out on the street - or are they all running so fast I don't see them?

I love barefoot for court shoes but never for boots. Usually I'll go for opaque tights, and if the boots are a generous fit and it's really cold I'll add thermal socks. For tighter-fitting boots (usually the ones with more of a heel) I'll wear sheer tights with thin socks for an extra layer of warmth and to protect the tights from runs. For boots with a tight-fitting foot but roomy aound the calf legwarmers could be a good option.

I never let my socks show above the tops of my boots, even if they're covered by trousers. This winter a lot of girls seem to be layering slouchy socks over the tops of their boots with opaque tights, which can look really cute but for that look I think I'd have to go with leggings or skinny-jeans 'cos it looks way too cold for those denim hotpants!

I must have been 5 when the original movie "Grease" came out. I didn't have any positive male role models at home or at school and I pretty much related to Sandy who was at the bottom of the pecking order while the gangs made everyone else's life a misery. But then Sandy's transformation catapulted her to the top, and for me those high heels she wore came to represent confidence and self-esteem. Not long afterwards I discovered my mum's black suede peep-toes with a 4" heel and it was such a comfort to secretly slip into those whenever I could. My passion for high heels has stayed with me ever since.

I voted yes, but only for very short distances. The sound and the teetering feeling is fun. As a kid I got pretty good at running up the stairs in heels so I wouldn't get caught when my family came back home. Of course I could've taken the shoes off and run up the stairs barefoot, but where's the fun in that? Maybe that's how we get so good at walking in heels. I wonder how many girls also learnt to run up stairs in heels to avoid getting caught when they weren't allowed to wear them?

I mostly don't tuck as I like the bootcut jeans look, especially with ankle boots. For longer boots it seems a shame to hide them under jeans, so now I've found some nice-fitting skinny jeans I do tuck in private and I love the look, I've just not built up the confidence to pull it off in public.

I never used to try them on or even admit they were for me. Some of my early shopping experiences are:

#1. In the early 90's I bought a pair of pink 4" mules. The sales assistant was a young guy who sniggered "do you want to try them on?" and I just replied "they're not for me". His (female) boss discretely told him off before I left the store.

#2. In the late 90's I bought some black suedette knee-boots with a 3½" heel. I didn't try them on but I remember the sales lady saying "I hope she enjoys them" and I got quite a buzz reading a little more into that than perhaps she intended.

#3. In the early 2000's I bought a pair of plain white 3" courts in a self-service store. The middle-aged lady at the cash desk gave me the most disapproving glare. I didn't have the confidence to challenge her, but I did walk out of there with my new shoes (in a bag).

More recently I've become more adventurous, in stages:

#4. In 2009 I was browsing the women's shoe section of a clothes store and found a pair of (flat) mid-calf biker boots I liked. Nobody else was around so I just slipped my shoes off and tried them on for size. OK, they weren't heels but it was a start.

#5. Last month I was searching everywhere for the most awesome pair of brown ankle-boots (5" heels with a 1" hidden platform). When I finally found them in my size and the young sales-lady brought them out, I hesitated for a nervous moment before asking "can I try them on please?". She said "of course" and gave a nervous giggle but proceeded to treat me just like any other customer. I made a little friendly chat to put her (and me) at ease. While I was fastening the straps other customers came in and were browsing around, but either they didn't notice me or they didn't care. Standing in the boots and feeling on cloud nine, I asked where the mirror was and spent a couple of minutes checking the boots out from different angles. The other girl at the cash desk was very friendly as I paid, and I thanked the first sales assistant again as I left (thinking "wow! I can't believe I just did that, it was so awesome... and so normal !").

#6. Last week I was checking out the sale section in New Look. I was wearing my biker boots with just 15-denier tights under my jeans, so when there were no other customers around it was easy to slip into a pair of red courts to try them on. Almost straight away the other customer came back and she proceeded to try more shoes on, so I just carried on too trying another 3 or 4 pairs to feel how they fit and see how they looked in the mirror. I tried the red ones on again and decided to buy them. At the cash desk the sales girl asked "are they for you?" and I replied "oh yes!" which still surprised her even though she'd asked the question. We had a friendly little chat before I left.

4" is my favourite height, just the right steepness of arch to look/feel elegant for me (size UK7). 4½" is the highest I'll go without a platform (my highest is a pair of 5½" party sandals with a 1½" platform). I have some 3½" which look nice because of the style, but any lower and they feel a bit frumpy to me. Kitten-heels really aren't my thing at all, but then I find some flats really attractive.

Hi there, What a great site, such a warm acceptance of the diversity and enthusiasm for beautiful high heels! I've been wearing heels for 30 years now, mostly in secret but getting more adventurous in recent years as I've learnt to purge the guilt (what's all that about?) instead of the shoes. Styles I love are anything from boots, courts, slingbacks, peep-toes and strappy sandals, all of which I think look great with a pair of hip-hugging bootcut jeans. Wearing them makes me feel smart and confident, and a little bit cute and playful too. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences on the forum, and I look forward to sharing mine too.