ubermick

Snagged a few pairs over the past couple of weeks. The Madden Girl Coutur pumps from DSW. Even though it looks like my left foot is pouring out of it, I think it's just the angle my foot was at, because these are REALLY comfortable:

Some more Madden Girls... not sure the name of these ones, but not as comfy, and will need some breaking in:

Finally, my favourites, I think, from Guess. Snagged these for a measley $10 at Marshalls on the clearance rack! REALLY comfortable:

Nice. Love the red.

To quote my wife this morning, as she yelled from the closet to me as I was working in my office "GOOD GOD, HOW MANY PAIRS OF RED SHOES DO YOU OWN?!?"

Bear in mind she's only known about my heeling for about a month, and I've bought the grand total of four pairs of shoes in that time (two of them being red)

These ones are rapidly turning into my favourite pair, tho. I'm really surprised at how comfortable they are, and have had them on all day walking around the house.

Picked these Madden Girl Chapels up the other day at Marshalls, for the princely sum of $24.95. MG shoes are hit and miss for me size wise - this is the third pair I've bought, a pair of slingbacks were too big, a really cute pair of print pumps were too small but these are just right - and shockingly comfortable for an almost 5" heel (probably down to the platform).

Thanks for your comments.

Mick, Aerosoles have become my favorite brand overnight (literally, since I often wear them to sleep in!). I had some so-so Aerosoles some years ago, and they weren't impressive, but the Take-A-Pow and especially the Platonic sandals (illustrated in my post above) fit so well, feel so comfortable, and are so walkable that they are my number one sandals now.

I recently reported on going shoe shopping at DSW with Radiodave, and buying Aerosoles Rottery Ticket sandals (photo attached - don't you just love their creative names?), and wearing them to drive home. They are fantastic sandals also.

We stopped in an Aerosoles store on Market Street in SF, and although I was wearing different shoes at the time, I wished I were wearing the Platonic sandals. I probably would have weirded out the sales staff and other customers there (maybe not - it IS SF after all), but it would have been interesting to see their reaction. There is another Aerosoles store on Sutter Street, near Union Square, but we didn't get there on the day I wore the Platonic sandals. Bad timing.

Steve

Steve, SF is a pretty forgiving place, but there's still plenty of idiots. That said, I've only ever been to Aerosoles twice, and both experiences were tremendous.

I've been to the Aerosoles outlet just outside of Washington DC several years back, and I was like a kid in a candy store. This was before I met my wife, and had my own place, so had a pretty decent collection of heels back then. Bought a pair of Benefit pumps, although as usual I didn't try them on and chickened out when asked by the assistants if I needed any help. At some point I'll take my thumb out of my backside and realize I have nothing to be ashamed of, but...

A few weeks ago, I went to the Aerosoles store in Emeryville, just across the Bay Bridge from SF. There were two young ladies working there, and when I was asked if I needed any help, I said "I'm looking for a pair of red Benefit pumps in 10W." They told me they don't carry the wide sizes in that store, and asked if there were any other options, at which point I trotted out my usual "I'm doing a charity walk where we have to wear heels" excuse. One of the girls couldn't have been friendlier and wanted me to try on some options (she kept showing me sandals, which I didn't want), while the other one just disappeared into the back. Alas, I was in a serious rush, and wasn't able to take advantage of being able to try things on.

I'm kinda intrigued by DSW. One is opening soon at a shopping center in the North Bay, where I live, and that same shopping center also contains a Marshalls (with a "mega shoe outlet") and a Ross, so am thinking there's gonna be a shopping trip in my future...

I'm slowly morphing from privacy to discretion. My wife and I have had a talk about my dressing (lingerie as well as shoes), and she's finally realizing that it's part of who I am, as opposed to just a bedroom fetish that she's absolutely not into. She's finally seen me in heels, and the response was somewhere between neutral and supportive. I have gone out in extremely stealthy boots before, a pair of Clarks Daras:

http://a1.zassets.com/images/z/1/5/9/1595429-p-2x.jpg

But am now looking at boots with a higher block heel to wear around the house, with the intention of taking them out and about in San Francisco. I don't think I'll ever wear anything like pumps out in public, I'm thinking the wife would prefer those stay indoors.

Wow. Since San Francisco is a relatively short drive from me, this is great motivation to go heeling in public without fear of "the stares and snickers". That said, my wife is still getting to grips with the concept of me in heels, so might be a while. Glad you had a great time though, and thanks for the report! (And don't you just love Aerosoles?! It's like they were made with guys in mind...)

What's scary for me is that the comments made pretty much reflect the general attitude of the community where I live. Tolerance of anything outside of their norms is directly related to the punishment received in a court of law if they act on their feelings.

Unfortunately Heelster, those comments pretty much reflect the general attitude of the community as a whole, not just where you live. No matter where you go in "modern" society, guys in heels are deemed as "weird" and seeing a guy in heels will raise what I've started calling the trifecta - "What a weirdo / He wants to be a woman / He must be gay." Maybe in cosmopolitan cities like New York, LA, or San Francisco (SF in particular, I suppose, seems to be really tolerant) it's less so, but even there the socially brainwashed masses will look on a guy heeling as completely abnormal behaviour.

(Although I'll bet that a guy going out in heels in San Francisco will be on the receiving end a LOT less than a guy going out in heels in a small town in Kentucky, for example.)

I suppose the bright colours are purely a cultural thing (as the topic of this thread goes to), simply standing out from the next guy. Heels, however, are still globally looked on as a mark of femininity, and when a guy wears them, the social implications jump out. "He thinks he's a woman, he wants to be a woman, he's gay." LYS, I can see how it'd be harder for a black fella than white - I work with a lot of black ladies, and amongst the single girls, the story is always the same: "Why can't I find a strong, black man?" Strong always comes first. I dunno - maybe it's a subliminal thing? After all the shite that black people had to go through in America, maybe deep down they feel like they need protection, which means the "manlier man" the better?

I'm 5'6 and 180. A combination of working from home and living in America has really fattened me up. Need to get back down to my normal weight of 150 or so - never been "thin", just not built that way - have a big barrel chest and enormous thighs from playing sports my whole life. (Which makes me look all the weirder in heels!)

I'd like to say that honesty from the start is the best way to go. It gets it out of the way early, so if there's a potential issue it makes it easier for both parties to move on. Like veryc up there, I not only enjoy heels but "other apparel" too, and told my wife this when I realized she was the one I was going to marry. To this day, she's the only human being who knows about my clothing choices (apart from you lot!) since I never wear anything outside the house. That said, despite answering the avalanche of questions which included things like "Do you want to wear this stuff all the time?" (Nope) "Do you think you'll want to become a woman someday?" (Nope) And of course "Are you gay?" (Nope) She still has a "I know it's a part of you, but I don't want to see it or be a part of it" attitude. Although ironically, she's absolutely fine with me wearing items of women's underwear, and totally surprised me on Valentine's Day by giving me a nightie, she finds the idea of men wearing heels to be flat out "weird". Anyways - my own experiences aside, just be honest with her. No need to hum and haw, no need to beat around the bush, you are who you are and just embrace it. And if she can't embrace it, then maybe it's for the best you find out now as opposed to years down the road.

Out and about yesterday, and stopped in at a Payless I happened to be passing. As I opened the door, the annoying electronic chime went off, and before I got two steps one of the assistants greeted me and asked if I needed any help. Adopted my usual line of walking in a charity event, so I needed a pair of heels. Without batting an eye she asked my size in mens, and brought me over to the 10/11 area, had me take my socks off and try several pairs on, even remarking that one pair in particular actually looked pretty good on me! I thanked her for being cool about it, confessed that I found the whole thing a little embarrassing, and she told me not to worry, she had a few regular guy customers who bought heels there, and it really wasn't a big deal. (Which made me feel all the more guilty about not being honest about my purchase reasons...) Anyways, bought the heels she liked (and were most comfortable), the ubiquitous Fioni pumps (which I'm guessing everyone who lives near a Payless on here owns!):

http://www.payless.com/images/490x490/084013_4_490x490.jpg

There was a Ross next door, so after stashing my Payless shoes in the car, I popped in there. This time I decided I was going to be a bit braver, and not cop out if asked my true intentions. Headed over to the women's section, although it was pretty slim pickings. I did find a pair of Steve Madden brown slingbacks that I REALLY liked. Popped off my flip flops and slipped them on, much to the surprise of the few women that were browsing around. Just shrugged at them as if to say "what can ya do?" and decided to buy them. Checkout lady said they were cute, and asked me if I knew what walking in these did to womens' feet (I guess she thought I was buying them for my wife) to which I replied "I guess I'll find out, they're for me." She just shrugged and said "To each their own" and didn't say anything else to me.

All in all, positive stuff for me! Although the Fioni's are pretty uncomfortable (guess what you pay for) and while the Maddens feel great on (and look awesome), the rear of the shoe flops around when I walk (my heel isn't staying attached to the sole, keeps lifting off no matter what I do with the strap) so will probably have to take them back, since I've already almost gone arse over teakettle in them.

Six inchers for a first pair... Good Grief.

Haha, that was my first thought as well - "Talk about jumping in at the deep end." I've got nothing over 3.5 inches yet, that's enough for me so far. Congrats tho, but I dunno if the idea of "my toes hurt a lot in them, but I'll endure it" is the smart way to go, though. At least in my experience, having a pair of shoes that fit properly and are well made, are a million miles away from having a pair of heels that you can sorta squeeze into.

Nice Irish, some great stuff in there... this has to be my favourite tho:

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f136/irishwolf66/2011-09-11_16-03-30_816.jpg

No idea why I think this, they just look... comfortable! Although the Pleasers are a close second.

We're close - I wear a men's 9 US, she wears a 9.5w US. I can squeeze into her wide widths, as long as I'm wearing trouser socks or nylons, but like hhboots, wouldn't want to stretch them out on her. I used to be sick of hearing her complain about not being able to find the shoes she likes in her size. Now I sympathize!

Jinx, I'm looking for a pair of boots EXACTLY like that, but in real leather instead of fake!! (and in my weird size, 10.5W US)

I'm a 10w in womens' sizes, as long as I wear trouser socks or stockings, which is difficult to find in and of itself. Really, I'd prefer a 10.5w, especially boots where I'd like to wear socks in for comfort, which is nigh on impossible. I don't think I'd change my size, but woul like slightly narrower feet so I wouldn't need wide sizes. In reality though, what I actually wish for, is a wider range of shoes in larger sizes, and for society to be a bit more open minded. (More chance of that happening than being paid a visit by the magical shoe size fairy)

Clothing does not identify gender, clothing in reality displays your personality. " Women's shoes" are a marketed item to women, and yet men can just as well wear them. High heels of any kind are really unisex. So if you judge a book by it's cover, you really need to think that over again.

Well, I respect your opinion on it, but we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm fully behind the notion that we should be allowed to wear whatever we want - I love heels as well, after all, amongst other "taboo" items of clothing, but I fail to see how a pretty satin wrapped pink pump with a bow on it could be considered unisex?

Just on a whim, stopped by a Ross store I happened to be walking past, and took the plunge. Walked to the shoe section, found the size 10 area, and started looking. And lo and behold, they had a pair of black Aerosoles Benefits for $21.99!!!!!!

http://www.aerosoles.com/images/catalog/BENEFIT_lg_820.jpg

They weren't wide, just mediums, but before I knew it, I had my running shoes off an was trying them on. A heavyset black lady noticed me trying to sqeeze into them, and said "umm, okay" and am afraid I chickened out by telling her I was doing a charity walk in them, and she immediately started laughing, told me there was no way I could walk a mile in those, but they were really pretty and offered to help me find some more "sensible" ones. Laughed along with her, but told her no thanks, that they had to be high heels, and hopefully they'd work. Got in line, where another African American woman behind me was giving me weird looks and whispering to her friend, but the lady at the checkout didn't even bat an eyelid.

Wow, can't believe I bought my first pair "in-store" and even tried them on - even though I didn't stick to my guns about why I was buying them. Baby steps, I suppose!

Now to just figure out how to break it to the wife...

To me, it means heels that are built for men, like Cuban heeled Beatle boots:

http://www.bootsonline.com.au/Graphics400/b500cbl400.gif

Or the much publicized Sarkozy heels:

http://thedailypump.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/jeffreywesthighheeledbrogue.jpg

Like it or not, the heels most of us enjoy wearing are shoes that are designed and engineered for women. (There are some companies out there who cater to crossdressers who make stilettos and pumps in guys' sizes, tho.) So regardless of semantics, to me wearing a nice platform pump with a five inch heel is crossdressing of a sort, just like it would be wearing a pair of womens' panties instead of the ubiquotous white cotton underpants or boxers. (which I do in addition to heels, so I have no problem with the label!)

Thanks for that, Tech. I'm somewhat lucky in that my wife and I have the same (well, she's half a size smaller) shoe size. She hates the fact that she has "giant mongo feet", when she's at work I love it. She has a fantastic pair of Aerosole pumps that I plan on snagging in my size for myself, but could never have the balls to wear them out:

http://www.justforshoesonline.com/Aerosoles-Benefit-Womens-Red-Mini-Polka_i116859

I've occasionally bought crappy shoes from places like Payless, shoes I'd never have the balls to go out and wear in public, and truth be told found horribly uncomfortable (and ended up throwing out or donating).

These are my first PROPER pair of womens' shoes, bought with comfort and "stealth" in mind:

http://www.zappos.com/clarks-dara-ii

They arrived last week, and am absolutely shocked at the difference a well made pair of shoes can make - they're amazingly comfortable. Went out yesterday with them on for the first time in public. Despite nerves, I can't say that a single person gave me a second look.

Hello all! Married man living in California here, who enjoys wearing heels at home without his wife's knowledge (I crossdress a little too, which she knows about and puts up with, but doesn't want to really know about it), and went out for the first time in public wearing womens' shoes yesterday (They weren't really recognizable as womens', Clarks Dara boots) and even tried shopping at a local Aerosoles store too! Pun intended, I'm pumped to be here!