HappyFeat

Thanks for the inspiration to get me out dancing again last weekend. This thread reminded me of how much I LOVE going dancing in heels. It was a slow Saturday night and not really as much fun as I have had in the past, but it was still wonderful to strut the dance floor in heels...

Actually, I was thinking of putting a pole in my house since I am doing renovations anyway...but don't have any advice on the shoes...

I can see you are all broken up about having to attend the reception in heels. Good thing those heels are worthy of a party! Hope you have fun and please share how things went....

My latest purchase from Spring Shoes.

They were on sale for only $27 so I ordered them.

Got them yesterday and I wore them all day today

(Still too much snow and ice to wear them outside...)

Fantastic boots Daniel! And you gotta love the price.

Here are my latest group of outings. Some hits, some misses but all fun! During the last week, I was able to do a little heeling five straight days and I wore two skirts and a dress. Weeks like the last don't come around nearly enough, but it is nice when they do.

Wednesday February 17 - I had a dead cell phone. I had been quite lucky for a while and my old phone kept working, but finally it was time for an upgrade. I went big. I got an iPhone, which is a wonderful toy. Anyway, since I had to go to the cellular store, I decided that I was going to do it in heels. I wore a simple outfit: a black and white herringbone blazer, black wool pullover sweater with a collar, dark Lane Bryant bootcut jeans, and black suede/leather Bass "Alanis" booties.

I did get noticed as soon as I walked in the mall. One woman stared for a bit, then looked up. We made eye contact, she smiled and we spoke. A nice reaction. I did get several other glances while walking through the mall, but nothing out of the ordinary. In the cell store, the young man who waited on me was quite helpful and friendly. Several of the other employees and customers did make an effort to look at my shoes, but he was never phased. I am really enjoying these type of day to day activities wearing heels and think it is a major sign of progress that I feel comfortable wearing heels to do nearly anything I like.

I made a couple stops in the mall. The clerk at Aldo was very friendly. She also wears a size 11 and we discussed the difficulty of finding the nice shoes in larger sizes. She even asked me for an opinion on a bag she was thinking of buying. I went into the Limited where I was escorted to a fitting room without even having to ask. I tried on some jeans and pants. The clerk and I talked about fashion and style as if it was perfectly normal for a guy to like women's clothes. I did buy a pair of gold satin pants, a pair of black velvet jeans and a pair of black velvet Capris, all for $20. So cheap I couldn't pass them up.

Thursday February 18 - After a hectic day of work, I decided to go to the consignment store near my house. They had a couple of items the last time I was in that I wanted to see if they still had. I wasn't heartbroken to find that they had sold, because they were still a bit expensive for me and hadn't yet been marked down. If somebody wanted them at the asking price, more power to them. Anyway, I decided it was time to wear a skirt with my new Nine West "Blondie" boots. I wore a cream colored Claiborne pullover turtleneck, black denim Ann Taylor Loft skirt, black cable knit Lane Bryant tights, and the black "Blondie" boots.

The store was fairly busy. A high school age girl was working and chuckled when I cam in. I guess I was her first skirt guy. I dug through the clothes, found a few things to try, but didn't have much luck. When I came out of the fitting room, an older clerk asked if I had any luck and she told me a couple women came in earlier in the day and "cleaned out" the large section. I left the fitting room carrying my boots becuase my next stop was the shoes. They only had a few pair of very ugly 11's, but I didn't give up. After my fourth or so pass over their rack I found a very nice pair of suede slignbacks that had a price tag from Macy's showing they originally retailed for almost $100.00. They were only 10's, but I put them on and walked around the store. They fit pretty well and were quite comfortable. I wound up getting them for $12!

I had to wait a bit to check out. A tall brunette whom I had talked to before was working the register and the phone wouldn't stop ringing. When she was checking me out, she overcharged my card, had to void the transaction, shuch gave us so time to talk. She told me about a shoe repair store a few block from my house that stretches shoes for only $5 and does a great job. Since I have a couple tight pair, I may take them in as well as getting new heel tips on a pair of ankle boots. A very successful outing and I did have a bit of fun.

Friday February 19 - Since the weather finally cracked freezing, I had to do a skirt again. This time I was a bit more aggressive. I wore a gray turtleneck, cream Banana Republic cotton sweater, gray cotton lined skirt, gray tights that are almost sheer enough to be pantyhose and faux snakeskin Fioni knee boots. I went to a shopping district called the Waterfront because business earlier in the day had me on that end of town. I usually make it to this shopping center a few times a year, but it isn't a regular heeling destination for me.

My first stop was Barnes and Noble. The store was full of mainly older people, but also a few young hipsters were there since a lot of college types come to this center. I got more than a few looks, but my best interaction was with an attractive woman in her fifties while looking at DVD sets. We had a nice 5 minute discussion about Ken Burns' documentaries and which we liked best. Though she never really made eye contact (we were both looking through the shelves) there was no reaction from her about how I was dressed.

Next I went to Lane Bryant. This store is not always helpful of friendly, but I did ask to try on a dress and was cheerfully escorted to a fitting room. Other than being asked how it worked, there was no attempt on behalf of the staff to make any conversation or offer additional help. I wandered through Ann Taylor Loft, but all of the good stuff was gone. The interesting experience there was a couple of young men came in the store for no reason. I am pretty sure that it was to see the guy in the skirt. When I left, the clerk said to come back whenever I wanted. My final stop was Macy's. The Macys there is likely the worst Macy's in the whole chain. The store was reasonably crowded, and I was asked on three occasions if I needed any help before wandering by the fragrance counter where the woman working stopped me and showed me several fragrances that I "might like." The women working in the cosmetics across the aisle didn't even notice me while I talked to the perfume lady.

I may not go back to that shopping center for a long time. It really doesn't have enough stores to hold my interest. Also, the skirt I wore fits strangely and I will likely retire it. But it was nice to get out skirting for the second straight day.

Saturday February 20 - Finally, I wore my Limited dress. For any of you who read my obsessive postings in the Freestyle Fashion thread, you know this was a big deal for me. The outfit I put together was based on a recommendation from kneehighs to match it with black pumps and a black velvet blazer and I added a wide black belt on JeffB's suggestion. My own touches for this outing were my high Nine West "Lucaro" pumps and micro fishnet tights. Since I had Saturday night free, I went dancing at the club I frequented before I moved.

A lot had changed since I was there last, but it has been since September. This club could be hot or miss, but a few people I talked to said it had been dead for several months. I did have a couple of interesting interactions. One guy told me it was great that I felt comfortable to "do my own thing." He was a bit irritating, coming up and asking me questions every 15 minutes or so, but was harmless and truly curious. I had a nice talk with a really hot blonde, who was wearing raspberry Steve Madden pumps, that I guessed for her. She was very impressed. However, she joined a group of women an the "alpha" of that group didn't like me, so the blonde wouldn't even look my way. Strange how packs of people in a club almost become primal in their behavior. I danced for about an hour, though the dance floor was not very popular. I danced with a blonde woman I had danced with last summer and even danced by myself. I was out on Saturday, looking hot, feeling sexy and damn it I was going to dance. About 2:00 AM, the place began to die, so I called it an evening. I stopped to buy gas on the way home and a guy pulling out of the gas station saw me and damn near jumped the curb staring at me. I guess I was hot enough to stop traffic....

Sunday February 21 - A short outing on Sunday morning. I actually thought about going to church on Sunday becuase I heard about a church that is very accepting and I could wear heel, but I slept in. I decided to go to breakfast instead. I went to Panerra for a bacon and egg quiche. I dressed simply, a gray blazer, black v-neck Banana Republic cotton sweater, Lane Bryant flare jeans, and my old Aerosole knee boots. These boots are worn out and may get one more wear before they head to Goodwill. They have sentimental value since they are the shoes I have owned the longest and the very first pair of boots I ever bought, but their time has come...

I really didn't get any reactions worth reporting, a glance her and there, but the flare jeans covered the boots pretty well. Though the boots have a nice 3 inch heel, they are actually pretty unremarkable, so don't draw to much curiosity. Again, it was quite nice to just go out in heels and feel no anxiety at all about it. I would have loved to do more heeling on Sunday, but had way too much work to do.

All your pictures look 100 times better than many I've seen here over the years, but I think, as highly stylish as they are, from the neck down, your a woman... A flat chested one, but non-the-less, neck down, its a woman. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, or that there is anything bad with your outfits at all, quite the opposte in fact, there really nice, but I'd rather see my wife wearing them than my mate, in that kind of way, if thats makes sense...

Just an opinion...

Thanks for the complement on the pictures. I think I know what you are saying: maybe I did it a little too well. Cropping at the shoulders does not give the full effect, my (well-trimmed) facial hair and masculine face would destroy any doubt in regards to my gender. Though the flat chest does reduce the female illusion, I do thank you for not mentioning that I also look about six months pregnant...

Actually, some of the looks (3 and 5) for example were done with being over the top in mind, and I would only go like that in public in a very special situation. I find it quite fun to experiment with outfits. I may do one of the first two looks, however. Sometimes I can be a bit impulsive in choosing outfits and let my desire to go as I please get the best of me.

I have no desire to go all out in my dressing. Part of what is fun for me is blending the masculine with the feminine and for those who notice, let them draw their own conclusions. Sometimes I simple think I like being outrageous on occasion, simply because I can.

I truly appreciate your input...gives me some things to think about...which is what its all about anyway!

Well, I love pic #1 too, HF, but pic #2 is awesome too! Big time bravo on your ever evolving fashion sense! Outstanding!

Well Jeff, you should like look #2, since it was you who inspired it. Glad I put it together to your satisfaction because in a way it is a JeffB tribute piece...

It looks like the first one (#16) is quite popular. Not surprising since it was based on kneehigh's suggestion. I have had a lot of fun playing with this outfit and agree with DawnHH, I should take it out for a public spin as soon as it warms up a bit! I like that look a lot. It goes with my basic style and it is simple. Less is more in this case.

I have gone dancing in heels many times...all heights and styles and have had more than my fare share of attention from the ladies! They all don't like it, but those who do REALLY like it.

The weather in my part of the world has been less than desirable - snow, snow, and snow with a couple of weeks of sub freezing temperatures. It has slowed me down, but not totally stopped me!

Monday February 8 - I wore gray/black pullover over a red Izod mock turtleneck, Limited 917 slim fit jeans and red Nine West "New Dealer" stretch boots. I went to Starbucks for a hot chocolate and made wonderful eye contact with a pretty woman in UGGS. She gave me a nice smile, but she was with a small child, so I didn't approach her. I did get many long looks and double-takes, but that is to be expected since I was wearing red boots. After Starbucks, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I will say I drew a lot of attention and many strange looks, but it was still a lot of fun.

Tuesday February 9 - My outfit was a gray turtleneck sweater, black blazer, dark Lane Bryant flare jeans and black Enzio Angolini "King" boots. My only stop was Starbucks (not the same one from the day before, but a bit closer to my home). I got a beverage and took a seat at a table. I couple women watched me as I did some work. Later another woman came in and sat at a table across from me and we spoke. Before I left, I headed for the restroom, and made it a point to speak to each of them. Though they returned the greeting, none held eye contact for a conversation.

Thursday February 11 - I wore black Ann Taylor slim jeans, a red sweater and a blue tweed blazer with a hint of red in it. Over my jeans, I wore Steve Madden "Stretchout" knee boots with a stiletto heel. I did a little shopping. I got an e-mail from the Bass outlet saying that Women's boots were 80% off. However, they really didn't have many pair of fashion boots. I did buy a pair of flat knee boots that I really wanted last fall, but now they were on clearance. This may be strange to say, but it was the first time I have ever been waited on by a guy. He wasn't friendly, but did ask how I was doing and if I needed help a couple of times. I guess it is another barrier broken.

Next I went to Nine West. I bought a couple pair of shoes, but the boots were still not marked down enough for me and they did have several pair of 11's, so I thought to give it another few days. The clerks were very nice and glad to see me. I tried on a few pair of pumps and sandals they suggested and even brought me a style list of items they are expecting to get in over the next few weeks.

Friday February 12 - I had a couple of small errands and decided to make it a heeling day. I wore a white turtleneck under an orange Tommy Hilfiger sweater, Limited 312 boot cut jeans, and caramel Nine West ankle boots with a pretty high block heel. The first stop was the bank, where the teller I usually talk to was training a new person, so I really didn't get to talk a lot to her. I did complement her on this great purple scoop neck sweater. She said her mom bought it for her and she has great taste in clothes like I do. Very nice complement I thought...at least they are noticing! After the bank, I stopped for gasoline and even though the station was full of pretty rough looking guys, everybody was quite friendly. Finally I stopped at a drugstore and bought some cards for Valentine's day. That was pretty uneventful.

Tuesday February 16 - I had planned an outing for the day before, but the weather prevented that, so I decided to go to Panera Bread for lunch. I wore a buff wool Maurano sweater, a tweed blazer, light Lane Bryant boot cut jeans and brown Bandolino "Astrid" boots. Again, I got a few looks, but the store was pretty hectic. I chatted with the clerk about the cold and got some coy smiles from a couple of young women working. I did some work, ate my lunch and came home to return to my new hobby - shoveling snow...

Though the outings were not very eventful, I did wear three different cuts of jeans and for the first time wore only boots...just seems appropriate somehow.

The only thing that bothers me about wearing heels in public is that I can't do it more often...

I had some time, so I played with some of the suggestions that many of you offered on my limited dress esnambles. Again, these outifts are more experimental than anything and with the weather being the way it has been in my part of the world (snow, snow, and more snow with a lot of cold thrown in) my heeling outfits have been pretty traditional. It was fun taking some time to play...

... and a pearl necklace that fits, not drapes, around your neckline...

...Replace the boots on 5/5 with the pumps on 4/5 and IMHO, you'd have a good outfit. Just not a fan of the heel shape on the boots in 5/5...

Image 16 is a redo of those images...black velvet jacket, black sheer nylons and Nine West "Thyme" pumps...

Images 18 and 19 include different sets of faux pearl necklaceses...

Pictures 7 & 8 for me. They work really well, would prefer a shoeboot...

Image 19 is a shoe boot (Bass "Alanis" leather/suede bootie) with natural nylons...

HF: My vote's for pic #6! Very sharp! Very stylish! Bravo! I think you can make that dress work with a pair of boots and a long coat for a truly dressy look!

Image 17 is a long wool coat with an Ann Klein black wide belt and Nine West "Blondie" boots...

...Did you consider trying the scarf as a belt or sash?...

I used a scarf as a belt in Image 18. The purple scarf to accent my purple Nine West "Nucio" pumps.

You have lovely legs (as the image #6 shows) so why not show them off a little more. Have you thought of going bare legged more often (esp. since you have peep-toes and matching your toenails to something else, eg adding a red jacket, red handbag etc?

Image 20 is bare legged with black Nine West "Tomcat" sandals/slides. I recently got a pedicure so my toes are gold once again (just had dark green removed). I used added a couple pieces of gold jewelry to for accent.

Personally, I'd add to the tunic-dress a bit since it's long. I'd go for a different scarf which would be more classic and long, beige-light gray. A thin leather black belt with a silver buckle would also be a consideration as well as a piece of jewellery such as a bracelet or a thin-long necklace that would add some color like amber for instance.

Image 20 I have a black lace scarf draped over my shoulders (I wanted to wear it as a belt, but couldn't get the look I wanted) and brought out a thin gold necklace. Images 17 and 19 feature belts with silver buckles, though they are wide.

I hope you enjoy the pictures. Either way, I am open to thoughts, ideas, etc. These combination are a bit over the top, so they likely will never see the light of day, but you never know...

I still have those in all black, but I'm planning on keeping them for the forseeable future!

Of course you are! They are very sexy shoes, and I know you enjoy them. We seem to have very similar taste in shoes...great minds think alike....

Way to work those store sales! Everyone needs a pair of black boots (heel or no heel) and you might remember I'm quite the fan of oxford pumps and lace-ups (no matter how in or out they are), so I'm giving two thumbs up on all three purchases!

Yes, I do remember! I still covet those Bandolino "Stefie"s that you were able to find. I missed getting those in black and white by one day!

Here are my three latest additions to my wardrobe:

Nine West "Florence" oxford/pumps - Soft black leather and a moderate heel. These will be fun heeling shoes! I bought them in black because the outlet has a pair of different oxfords in a tan that I am waiting on the price to fall a little more. I paid $30 for these.

Nine West "Striking" pumps - Low heel with a band that laces across the vamp. Not real sure the actual category of style, and I found them so ugly they were appealing. Again a great fun heeling shoe. I go them for $15.

Bass "Berlin" boots - black flat knee boots that I plan on wearing over jeans and maybe with a skirt. I wanted to get them last fall, but waited until now because they were down from $109 to $30. I will get them in before spring I am sure.

Smart outfit, Mr. X. I am not surprised that you didn't get noticed from my own personal experience. I too have played with long women's trousers and seldom got noticed when I have done that, no matter how high the heel. Your trousers, in addition to being to long look a tad to big as well. Keep experimenting with the look and don't be afraid to try a size smaller. Other than that, I really like what you have put together. Also, long trousers can give you the opportunity to try other styles of shoes - I know that you have said that you only wear boots and may be open to pumps for example. Longer trousers give you the option of trying other styles without much as much fear of being too obvious. As you build your confidence, then you can go with a shorter trouser. Just a thought!

I did a little Nine West shopping yesterday at the outlet store just south of Pittsburgh. I picked up a couple pair of interesting shoes for me and a couple pair of boots for a Valentine's Day gift. The clerks were very nice and even brought me a sheet showing all of the new shoes they are expecting to come in over the next couple of weeks. In fact, they are setting aside some size 11 sandals for me to try the next time I am in! Talk about great service...

What a wonderful look! I really like the purple dress, it is such a great color and works well with you skin tone. I too play around with purple a bit for something out of the ordinary and love what you did with it. The boots are gorgeous as well and the with the length of the dress and black tights give nice balance. What a great look for clubbing. I haven't been clubbing for nearly six months and really miss it. You are right, nothing is better than going out and making the girls jealous. In fact, I know that the more I went out in heels, etc. the more female attention I got, which just made it all the more fun. I know your frustration with lighting and photographs. I can be very picky like that sometimes myself, but I think your did well under the circumstances. I love your poses with the guitar and envy how photogenic you are. Great pics and outfit...and now you are giving me some inspiration...

Finally got some pics done. My wife saw the receipt from Nine West about a week ago and questioned it, (and knew she didn't buy anything). I just came back from Virginia and showed her the boots that I bought, dark brown leather Anne Klein riding boots with a 2" heel. She looked and was okay as she said they were "unisex." So, under pants is fine, but over the pants - no, they are "too feminine - people will think you are gay."

End result, I wear them over jeans when out by myself and under around my wife.

Those are fantastic boots! I know this is a strange thing to say, and frankly has nothing to do with heels, but if the way I am dressed makes people think I am gay, then I must be doing something right! Ironically, a typical gay man would likely never go for that look, unless he were a freestyler anyway. I have been looking for the right pair of flat boots for sometime now and those would fit the bill remarkably.

Not to make any comment on your wife, but it just seems to me that people really need to get over that "people think..." thing. It seems to occupy women more than men. Case in point, during a few outings I have noticed people, women in particular, laughing. I have always thought that was a strange reaction - like a guy who incorporates traditional women's clothing into their wardrobe is a cast member from Monty Python, Benny Hill, Flip Wilson, or John Bulushi doing Elizabeth Taylor. Just a random thought...and a bit off topic...sorry.

Great boots none the less. Would you mind sharing what you paid for them?

Here are my latest outings and outfits:

Monday January 25 - Since the weather had been a little better, well at least no snow on the ground, I decided to take my Nine West "Pangnotta" d'Orsay pumps with a moderate heel out for their first outing. Since they are fairly dressy, yet conservative shoes I went with a fairly dressy look: white turtleneck, yellow Oscar de Lorenta sweater, charcoal Lane Bryant "Lafayette" trousers, and beige tights.

My stops included Marshall's, TJ Maxx, and DSW looking to see if any boots had gone one major markdown. I spent about 20 minutes in each store looking at shoes and did draw some attention, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Since I wasn't having much luck, I headed for the mall where I visited Lane Bryant but nothing caught my eye. The staff always greets me nicely and always offer help and conversation, which is the main reason I stop in. I spent about half an hour in Bakers where the young sales clerk kept bringing me shoes to try, but all in 10s because that store never seems to get in 11's. At Aldo I tried a couple pair of boots, but the shafts were just too small for my calf. My last stop was Banana Republic where I tried on a pair of skinny jeans and even a couple pair of shoes the had on sale, but they were both a size too small, but quite close to fitting none the less. I thought that I would go back later and see if they were still there. I did get a lot of looks while strolling the mall and got a shout out from a group of scruffy 12 year-olds to "find some men's shoes." I did get a bit of a chuckle from that.

Tuesday January 26 - During my last round of outings, I bought a pair of suede pants at a consignment store so I wanted to take them out for an outing. The pants are brown, so I matched them with a tan, ribbed Claiborne turtleneck sweater and funky old Nine West "Paz" ankle boots in brown. I hit the Shoe Carnival, willing to settle for even cheap boots if I could find them, but no luck there either. I did have a nice conversation with one of the clerks. I went to Barnes and Nobel to check out a couple books on Photoshop, which I really want, but at the moment really don't have time to use. By the time I could get around to them, I could get them elsewhere for half the money. Again, a couple of glances but no real reactions.

Finally I went to Starbucks across the street. The place was relatively empty and I wound up chatting to one of the customers and the staff at the coffee bar. It seems that we all had done our fair share of travel in NE Ohio and new a lot of the same, obscure places. After getting my drink, I bought a paper and pulled up an easy chair near the door. Every customer who came in got a full look at the fairly high heel on my boot. Some people did the double take thing, like they thought they could stare without me noticing. Some looked, smiled and spoke. A couple looked and held back laughter. One of the women working came my way to clean off some tables and we chatted for several minutes about her job, her graduate studies, etc. That was a very nice interaction.

Friday January 29 - Pay day, so off to the bank! I have worn heels every time I have gone into the branch, the tellers are always nice, so now I look forward to my semi-monthly bank run. Since I don't want to disappoint, I wore black suede and leather Bass "Alannis" booties with my black suede blazer, red JCrew sweater, white GAP turtleneck and Limited 917 boot cut jeans. The bank was busy, which limited my interaction with the tellers, but it was still a nice visit. They really don't react one way or the other anymore. I stopped at Half Price books and picked up a couple of used book on graphic design and went to Starbucks, the same store I was in on Monday. The same girl I talked to then was working, and we chatted for a bit. Since the store was jammed that day, not only was interaction limited there was no real place to sit, so I left, hot chocolate in hand.

I decided to return to the mall. At the Banana Republic, the shoes I was eying were sold, all five pair! I was a bit surprised. I did try on a pair of skinny corduroys pants that were marked down a great deal. I thought about buying a pair, but since I don't like the few pair of tall boots I have and hadn't had any luck in finding new ones, I decided to pass. I browsed the Ann Taylor Loft, but no good sales in my size and looked around H & M. On my way out I looked at the Macy's shoe department, but they had no boots for less than $75. No real interactions save the pleasantries with the barrista in Starbucks and a very nice clerk at BR, but a nice outing none the less.

Monday February 1 - My major activity was getting a haircut. It has been quite a while since I have gone for a haircut NOT wearing heels. I started doing it because I was inspired by members here who do it, but also I found it to be a great was to gauge reactions. And besides, getting a haircut is about looking better and I feel that I look best in heels. Never the less, my outfit was understated - black turtleneck, yellow Nautica sweater, black Ann Taylor Loft skinny jeans, black tights, and black patent Bandolino "MacDougal" loafers with a block heel and a gold buckle. Frankly, I think this type of outfit work best for me.

Though I had usually gone to higher end salons for my haircuts, I recently started going to Supercuts, one of those strip mall chains because they offer a color treatment that blends in my gray. And they also do a nice job, and the price is quite reasonable. The stylist was friendly, but not terribly talkative. Like every other stylist I have ever had, she made no comment about my shoes (though I did have one tell me how wonderful I looked and what a great sense of style I had) While I was there, the store got quite busy. Some of the waiting customers did check me out and I caught a few staring. When I left, I did see a couple women get up and watch me walk away through the window. What fun!

Next, I went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few odds and ends. Though I don't do it often, Wal-Mart is a great place to heel because people seem hyper focused on shopping. In the parking lot, I did catch a few glances. Next I went to Lowe's to get some wood screws to help with adding some boards to attach drywall. I was amazed, I had four women clerks helping me find what I was looking for - almost like they were fighting over helping me. Finally, I stopped by Marshall's on my way home. I found a pair of black Nine West "Blondie" boots in the clearance. They were $40 but had a few scuffs on them. I pointed it out to the clerk in the shoe department and she marked them down to $25 for me! Never hurts to ask! I also bought a black belt to accessorize a few outfits and work on showing my waist, as per Thighbootguy's prior suggestion!

Tuesday February 2 - Sometimes I can't help myself. I know an outfit may not be flattering, but I do it anyway. This day was one of those times. I was going consignment shopping, and when I do that I usually wear something over the top. I had decided to take a short break from skirts, until I address a couple of fit issues, but I didn't take a break from going a little too close to the edge. I bought a pair of purple Nine West "Nucio" pumps a few weeks back and wanted to give them a try. I decided to match them with a black jacket and purple wool sweater, but I chose off-white Lane Bryant "Houston" trousers to go with it. Not that the look was too awful, the pants are a bit too big, and the wide leg with the cuff makes them just a bit unflattering. Since that outing, the pants have officially been "retired" along with about six other pair of LB size 16 trousers.

First, I stopped at a consignment store that is fairly high end. The store has two locations. The new one is where I bought the suede trousers I wore in my second outing. This store is more suburban and also a little more uptight. They had nothing even close to my shoe size and few things that I would ever wear. However on of the clerks was friendly and told me that I need to come in at least once a month and that a few weeks ago they had several things that I would have liked. She gave me a brochure and told me that she hoped that I would make their store a regular stop.While I was in the store I got many looks from the women shopping, mostly negative and giggles and covert "points" from a couple pre-adolescent girls. Poeple just don't get out much in the suburbs I suppose...

My next stop was my regular store. Though I had been in recenlty, there wasn't much new. I did buy a pair of Bandolino boots that were almost new for $15, though they are a size too small, but still fit relatively well. I talked to the owner for a long time about her business (she is thinking of closing) and other assorted small talk. She has a friend who comes into help her, who is about 60, attractive, but scatter brained. She was leaving at the same time as was and said she wasn't in a hurry because she didn't have anybody waiting for her. I said if that were the case, we should grab a coffee, if she wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with a guy dressed as I was. She laughed it off and said that I was dressed very well and looked quite natural so she agreed. We went to a Starbucks down the hill from the store and chatted for over an hour. She is a retired teacher, really into fashion, and had never been married. We talked about teaching and she was quite surprised to find out that I wasn't gay - almost disappointed actually. She lived in New York in the 70s and had a few great stories to tell, so I kind of figured she was an aging "fag hag" who was looking for a new friend. While we were chatting, several people took long looks, checking us out. We must have been quite an odd looking couple.

This is one of the great things that I have discovered about heeling - you never know what any outing will lead to!

Where have you gone JeffB...High Heel nation turns its lonely eyes to you...woo, woo, woo...

Next time you shop for another pair, you may want to look for one with a zipper in the back.

Similar to my sandals below...

I love those sandals and have tried them on in the store on at least two occasions. The back zipper is really a great feature. I hope you are getting a lot of wear out of those sexy babies.

I just ordered these, Aldo's "Summar". I saw these in the store, but were sold out except for the size 6 display model. They finally came down to $35, and couldn't resist, although I thought it was sneaky that right after I ordered the price went up to $50 again. Supposedly they'll be here tomorrow!

Very nice choice Dave! You and I seem to have similar taste in heels. As much as I love Aldo shoes, I just can't seem to find any great sales like that! Great find.

Majo - those aren't shoes...they are works of art!

Here are my latest two purchases:

Nine West "Blondie" boots - Found these at Marshalls for $40 but they had a couple of scuffs, so I pointed that out to a sales associate and they sold them to me for $25! Couldn't pass it up. These will replace the NW "Tornado" boots I bought last year, but were so uncomfortable I just couldn't wear them for more than a couple of hours, so I sold them on e-Bay last summer.

Bandolino "Astrid" boots - Great mid calf brown boots. I have one other pair of mid-calf in black, so these are a great addition to the wardrobe. I found these at a consignment store for $15. They are a size small, but for the price I couldn't pass them up. I am attempting to stretch them right now, and if it goes poorly, I am only out $15!

Recently, I bought this long top while consignment shopping. When I tired it on, I thought it was a dress, but it is just a tad too short. I loved it and figured that it would be nice to wear with leggings, but think it can be a little more versatile. It is nylon and the label is Chicos. I have thrown together a few outfits with it, but would love some ideas on how to accessorize or make the best use of it. Thanks. #1 - Top with black leggings and calf length black boots #2 - Top with black leggings and tall black boots #3 - Top with black stirrup pants (yes, I know) and black pumps #4 - Top with brown leggings and brown pumps #5 - Top with boot cut jeans and caramel slingbacks

Vagas

Ahh...I was wondering when somebody was going to say something about the skirt picture. Here were the three things I knew when I put together the outfit: 1) the skirt was way too short, 2) the sweater is not in style (with the elbow patches at least, and 3) I was taking a big risk wearing it with pumps instead of boots. Thighbootguy, I thank you for your feedback. You are welcome to post constructive criticism (and I agree whole heartedly that JeffB is a slacker). Seriously, your suggestions are well taken and quite helpful (though the link to the site doesn't seem to work) and you gave options and alternatives. This is exactly why I post here. Also, I am sure that many people read this thread to get ideas for their outfits. If somebody doesn't point out mistakes or even nuances for improvement, how will we learn. Thanks for the great feedback!

I agree Bubba that what you say is true about society. However, my critique wasn't based on society's perception, it was based on the authors logic. One of the problems that is inherent to society is group think - what ever society perceives as the proper opinion is accepted as fact. She is expressing an opinion about concepts that go well beyond her issues with men wearing skirts and extrapilating it down to one a single topic. This is not just a reasoning issue with her article, I think it is epidemic of the world today.

For example she reasons that men have been feminized by their mothers therefore boys behave more like girls therefore a guy who wears a skirt wants to behave more like a girl. She has no evidence to corroborate this assumption. She simply takes a popular thought, jumps on it, and backs it up with absolutely no logic.

The problem with opinion is that is exists for only a single person. It is not correct simply becuase it is a) society's accepted norm, because people agree with it, or c) becuase you shout it loud enough. For HER, it is true, but it has too many logical holes to be anything but valid when extrapolated to EVERYBODY, which she seems to be doing.

But Bubba is right. Guys who do something out of the ordinary face this mindset on an everyday basis. It also defines my view when we discuss "society" on this site. No opinion is universally held in any society. The thought may be held by a plurality or even a (vast) majority but it still isn't the whole of society. If 95% of people think that wearing skirts or heels by a man is deviant, then there are 5% who don't. The trick is to find the 5% and challenge the assumptions of the other 95%.

Again, this is endemic quality of society (which the author demonstrates quite well) is that people don't think for themselves. This is the true barrier that we fight - ignorance not intolerance. Unfortunately, well reasoned opinion is hard to find.