HHeeler

Very complicated answer boiled down to the basics: I like the the look, I like the incredible variety (all the way down to the fact that the exact same shoe in a different heel height, is a completely different shoe), what it does for the legs, and the way the shoes feels, even if that feeling has little to do with true comfort.

This Friday I found myself with the rare opportunity to wear my Highest Heel Hottie 6 inch stilettos, if only around the house all day. I wanted to know how long I could continuously wear them in the case I found myself with the opportunity to do so publically (although I am admittedly a long ways from that day), before I made a wobbling fool of myself, So, I wore them the better part of a 5 hour day. I had plenty to do around the house, and spent most of it walking and standing while doing the odd chore. Good news. Not a wobble. But the following day my calves, and particularly my quads, were as sore as I've felt them. My quads felt not like I had been wearing heels that day, but that someone had been kicking them over that 5 hour period. I was crazy sore. Still am the following Monday. To my great surprise, however, my feet were just fine. And - keep in mind, I run every day for an hour or so, so my legs are not out of shape. So, heels, particularly at that height, require a set of muscles that I am clearing not using. Felt like a work out to me.

I would have to agree that a "fashion reversal" is unlikely. What muddies this discussion a great deal, apparent even in this thread, is what one is even defining as heels. Can platform shoes, 70s style male heels, or gender neutral shoes with heels come into fashion for men? Maybe. Why not? But the true heel, the stiletto, particularly with skirt and heels, will remain outside the norm. The argument presented for fashion change usually revolves around earrings, trousers or necklaces. But I find these to be false comparisons, for several reasons, but one in particular. The same reason that, because of the nature of this site, is one that we often gloss over. It is the same reason that such a - admit it - radically impractical shoe can be worn so universally: Sexual attractiveness. Heels often trascend mere footwear and are strong symbols of sexuality and all that entails. Most men are visually driven. Ask any woman on these boards, or read through the threads on the subject, to see if they find more eyes upon them when in heels. They do. When a man co-opts this powerful symbol, it makes many uncomfortable. Again, men are visual creatures. They take their sexual cues from the visual environment. Men in heels creates a cognitive dissonance that many find unpleasant. And in the case of women's reaction to men in heels, there's a thread or two about that already.

Never been in a Payless. Purchased some of their shoes via Ebay, generally. But I keep reading how nice the employees treat men in the women's section. And not just here. I suspect not long after they started carrying size 12 and 13 on the floor they added a paragraph to their employee manual ... "What To Do When Men Buy Women's Shoes". I half kid. But only half.

Winde Reinstra. From the Netherlands. Makes cardboard shoes. I'm sure there's a joke about the Netherlands and wooden shoes, if I just look hard enough. Based on the foot positioning, they look fairly high. At that height, there must be more to the design balance and structural sturdiness than meets the eye.

Here's what I find amusing about this gay discussion: gay dudes aren't wearing heels with or without skirts in public in any larger numbers than straights. In my mind it would be better in some ways if it were a gay thing, because then it would actually be a "thing". That would mean people in numbers were actually doing it -as opposed to what it is right now, a one off here and there. The style would have a better, even if small, chance of filtering into the mainstream. And if gays co-opted heels/skirts as a style, do not discount how important that one degree of gender removal would be. It would be far easier explaining why one dresses in ways that seem traditionally gay, in spite of not being gay, than explaining why one dresses in ways that are seen as belonging in the realm of women. Since there is nothing wrong with gay, I could not care less if some one were to mistake me for gay, if it prevented undue attention being drawn to me.

Encourage? Never. In fact, I would hope that particular genetic/environmental trait passes my son by, and I would be perfectly comfortable in my hypocrisy. Because as much fun as heels are, and they are great fun, they complicate life and relationships for many (most?). And as a parent, I simply want the best, most uncomplicated life for my children.

I've noticed a lot of guys here are into skirts, hose, etc.

My question is do you want to be just a MAN IN HEELS or Enjoy dressing more like a girl with all the fem? Skirts, hose etc.

Myself, I just want to be a guy in heels with my blue jeans and t-shirt or (guy clothes).

I really get a kick out of the underlying premise here: there is some sort of masculine line, and it is drawn somewhere between a man wearing women's high heels and a man wearing other types of

women's clothing. This brings up all manner of questions: are cotton panties more masculine than silk? Are jean skirts more masculine than than spandex? Are pantyhose more masculine than stockings?

I wear a skirt and hose, but always feel like a man. Largely, because I am a man. The enjoyment for me is both visual and tactile. I enjoy the way my legs look. I enjoy the way they feel. Although exploration of one's feminine side is a legitimate pursuit, it is not one I engage in.

Solid review. But the irrelevant information added - marital status, male mode of dress while in heels - on top of your initial declaration of gender, was so distracting and out of the blue, that I can see where people would end up commenting on that bit instead of the review as a whole. In the context of a product review, they found that information unhelpful. Your being male could be deemed relevant to the product review. Your desire to inform the world that there are men who dress like men and wear heels, was deemed less so. At the end of the day: never matters what internet strangers think (and yes, I see the irony, and am amused by it).

It is an interesting change, but not a radical one. I also find it fascinating that subtle change in styles can date clothes. Men's styles in particular, move toward change at a glacial, nearly imperceptible rate. Takes ties (which have been my uniform for oh so many years) for example. Ties gradually grow wider or thinner over the years - we're talking centimeters - and pattern types come in and out of style. But a glance cut of suits and ties from 2012 look different than even 2008. Change in women's fashion moves at a much faster pace. If this catches on (emphasis on "if"), I will not be at all surprised to see curved heels be the "it" thing within a year and a half with the fashion trend setters, with another 3 years to trickle down to the rest.

JeffB makes a good point. One I think is important. Please note below I use "subsection". I am not pointing to the thought process of any particular individual. Reading between the lines of the posts I've read, there is a subsection that wants heels for men to go mainstream so they can point to others wearing them and, accordingly, wear their own. Join the crowd, so to speak. There is another subsection which wants heels to go mainstream to show others that their wearing of heels is not that unusual. Acceptance through numbers. ... and everything in between. I understand the reasons men do not wear heels in public. Those reasons are concrete and very real. But ... for those who are thinking about entering the fray, waiting for a mythical mainstreaming of heels should probably not enter the equation. You will be acting as an individual, not part of a larger, and at this point invisible, group.

I will try - and I like - all styles of shoes, but I always end up going back to the stiletto; be it pumps, sandals or something in between. In part because other styles, particularly wedges are rarely 5 inches or above in my size. I find the higher heights do more to flatter. I like 5 1/4 to 6 inch shoes. What is odd is, I have pairs I move around in, any direction, any way, any speed, with no problems and without a single thought put into it. There are others, which would seem to be very similar in height and make, but every step I take must be paid attention to. Walking in Stilettos Health Rule Number 1: Slick bathroom floors are death traps. Beware.

Couldn't really say if men generally would have better looking legs in heels and skirts than women. The sample size I've seen of men in that attire, in real life, is comparatively small: a few hundred men, many tens of thousands of women. What I can say with certainty from the hundreds of TGs I've seen around in my lifetime, that is the men and women's legs would fall under the category of "indistinguishable" by gender when seen in skirt and heels, with the noted exception of some TGs having a muscle tone that hints at more power and strength. I wear skirts and have done so in public on the rare occasion (checked into a large hotel in male on top/skirt heels hose bottom once. The desk clerks who are well trained not to blink or stare, did not. The other guests on the other hand ....) In any case. the well formed female leg remains the gold standard for what looks good in skirts. When I judge how I look in this attire, it is that standard that I compare myself against.

I'm a skirt guy. I always wear hose because they cover the slight imperfections in my legs from a life time being kicked, slide tackling, etc. while playing soccer. Hose also allow me to do things color or texture wise - like shimmering hose, that I find more interesting than the bare legged look. I wear them with pumps, sandals or open toed shoes.

My newest shoes, recently received in EUR 45 (it's big enough like many 46) from Andypola.

They are very light and confortable and fresh for enjoying this summer. Not the best manufacture and materials but it's not easy to get shoes in that size.

Own a pair. Haven't had the opportunity to do anything but just try them on.

It is not clear to me whether you ask because you are using the input as a part of a decision process, or you are just interested in people's college experience. I will assume the former: "Judge your student body". Now there's good advice. All colleges are not the same. Depending on size, location, focus and academic reputation they can draw students from vastly different population pools. I speculate of course, but I would imagine wearing heels at the The University of Mississippi may be a different experience than, say, Cal Berkeley or Julliard. That said, I feel - generally speaking - that youth lends itself much better to the look, and people concede youth a greater tolerance of fashion flexibility. For example a 18 year old Goth and a 50 year old Goth, are not seen in the same light.

Stylish comfort.

1. Depends on how many shoes really. Pack them in a box marked something innocuous, and unessential, like "underwear". Certainly not labeled something your family would be in a hurry to unpack to make your apartment feel "homey", like, for example "Stuff To Make the New Place Feel at Home". Or something similar. Use whatever stealth/delay/late unpacking tactics make sense at the time. 2. Footlocker.

Agreed. Madonna is tired. It has been a long time since she had her finger on the pulse. Videos like this show she no longer knows how to shake things up and/or is going through the motions. For me the issue of this video was never that men were in heels or how they were portrayed. It was just how run of the mill and tired the whole exercise was. Unfortunately for us all, Madonna will never piss off. We will be watching her try to shock in terribly boring ways for years to come.

Where is the "I like Amanda" button?

On the topic, i can't watch the video currently but i question their sexuality, why would male dancers in high heels be gay?

Not a Madonna fan. But in fairness, anyone who knows the male dancing scene at all understands that it is overwhelming gay. Proudly, unflinchingly so. Sure there are straight men in the profession, but not many. We can say what we want all day long, but it won't change that reality.

So .. it is not so much that act of wearing the heels makes them gay. It is that they are likely gay, and are wearing the heels. Although I do not feel she is successful, the vibe is intended to be "edgy". It is the juxtaposition of the men whirling about skillfully in heels that is supposed to be visually arresting, and the perceived ultimate flaunting gayness of their movement which is supposed to create a unease in certain populations, adding to the "edge".

As summed up perfectly in the original post: fierce gay men being fierce and gay in heels is both obvious and trite. But that speaks to failed artistic vision more than anything else.

No. In California, at least, the law protects the right to do so.

There are a few posts that are starting to get to the meat of the matter here. It is not a question of heels for men becoming mainstream. They will not. It is a matter of whether or not one is comfortable being outside of the mainstream.

... now see, if you'd been wearing a skirt with pumps instead of pants with boots, then no one would have questioned the shoes were yours. I kid of course. That sounds like a fairly uncool situation. As far as handling it better, it sounds as though you handled it as well as it could have been. I'm glad it doesn't deter you. But just to clear up a point, did the guy call security because he honestly thought the heels were stolen, or did he alert security because he wanted to give you a hard time?

In my opinion: No, heels for men will never go mainstream. While more men may wear heels than the world is aware of, I don't feel there is this untapped mass who could drive consensus if they were to just go public. As much as I may enjoy them, heels are impractical, limiting, often uncomfortable and take work to learn to navigate in correctly. Most men have no desire for that process, not to mention simply not fancying the shoe. Most men, broadly speaking, like to keep it comfortable and simple. And of the men who wear heels in private situations only, I don't know that the motivation extends to enlightening the world at large. This is a fashion site. It is driven by fashion thinkers and those who want to drive heels into the public arena. But how representative it is of the male heel wearers at large is unknown. The more sordid aspects of the "hobby" are (thankfully) filtered out, as are the ones irrelevant to fashion. But I wouldn't bet against those types of non fashion motivations, in which the wearer could care less about public heel wear, to be the majority. Would almost bet on it.

I would suggest there are as many reasons as there are men who wear them. Many here say it is a simple fashion expression. I take that at face value. Who am I to say what goes on in other people's heads? But I would also suspect, for others, it is far more complex, in some cases, unknowable because the driving force behind it goes unexplored. Going back and reading many of the threads on when some (I stress "some") of the guys here started wearing heels is instructive. The desire to throw on heels is fairly strong and -based on the ages I'm reading the desire started - certainly pre-dates any sophisticated understanding of fashion or the even more abstract concept of "fashion freedom". Lastly, heels, as an object, for some others seem to occupy a great deal of the brain space considering that they are in fact, a simple item of clothing. Personal example: I enjoy suits. Wear them every day. I feel I look good in them, I get complimented in them - and I am always looking for a good shirt and tie to compliment them. But suits occupy my mind in a very different way than heels. Even when professed to be simple, I think the reasons can be complex.