Shoeiee

Hello newbie!! WELCOME! 19 YO M wanting to wear heels and scared to do so...VERY MUCH NORMAL!! You are young and still have all the impressions society, friends, family and acquaintences have molded into you very fresh in your mind. I'm sure that most may present the impression of being rather straight-laced. However, they are JUST SHOES!! Fortunately for you, your generation is much more open minded about many things that in the past, even just a few years ago, would be considered taboo. The exposure to different cultures, ideals and fashion that modern communications has enabled is far superior to what most on this forum ever had at your age!! Not to date myself, but 'being onlne' when I was 19 consisted of parallel interface, 1200-2400 baud dial-up modems...Sometimes to long distance telephone numbers!! (I still remember being excited about a 24K modem...wow...)The ability to have access to a forum like this was unheard of back then!! Back then, MTV was in it's infancy! (Sorry, I digress...) It appears that most younger people are very much more open minded these days due to the media and communications influence. The very thought of two girls kissing on TV, (not to mention guys!!) was nothing more than a thought. Guys in media wore typical male fashion and 'stretching it' was Don Johnson wearing a pink suit on Miami Vice. Today these taboos are mainstream and your age group has never known anything different. Conservatism has yielded to liberalism in the media and this exposure has helped you (and all of us high heel wearing guys) tremendously I strongly believe. With that short dissertation being said you might be very pleasantly suprised at reactions your age group may present. Don't expect universal acceptance, especially when you start to open up about this, but time will allow you the freedom you desire. Something else to think about is girls greatly prefer a man who is true to himself in every way. If you wear heels confidently and as if it's nothing unusual, then the acceptance will be rather quick from your female peers. And no matter what the sex, confidence is sexy. It's 'in.' With the goth, transgendered rights, and homosexual rights movements, greater protections exist for you than have ever been present. To say this will protect you from verbal abuse would be absurd but people are generally trained to consider other people's feelings when speaking. You may find people say nothing to your face but watchout on your myspace or facebook page! (Or even on other's pages...) So if this is something you do not want the world to know about then be cautious. Digital photos circulate very rapidly!! Most importantly be observant of your surroundings. Just like women have been told for years, know where you are, wear what's appropriate for the situation you might find yourself in and be prepared to defend if needed. But that's true whether you're wearing heels or trainers. Most on this board will tell you they're selective where they wear their heels and this rings true no matter where in the world you live. With all that being said welcome to the wonderful world of high heels!! They're a truly remarkable accessory which I wish society would universally accept on men as they have men's trousers on women. Cooridinate your outfit, wear them with confidence and be yourself. You've got a great opportunity in today's age. ENJOY IT!!

Buying heels in real leather in your size is challenging for sure. However, a few years ago I purchased two pair of boots from USAShoes (demars and now sexy shoes for less) and they are awesome!! I still have all three pairs even though I need to replace one of the heels. Their boots are some of the most comfortable 5" stilettos I've ever worn!! Real hand-made and pretty high wuality at REAL WORLD PRICES!!!

Check them out!

http://www.sexyshoes4less.com/

Look under Ankle and Knee boots. One little tip though...I found the regular width a little tight so I know I need to order wides next time. They FAR surpass anything I have gotten from The Highest Heel or Pleasers.

I've been driving in heels for 20+ years...(Am I really THAT old!?!?!) and can honsetly say I've never had any type of incident because of high heels. Never. On the contrary, I have had a few close calls because of Sperry TopSiders getting hung up on pedals or slipping off the pedals. (Topsiders...Go figure...) I personally don't feel wearing heels while driving is anything to be more cautious about. The only exception is the possibility of being pulled over and questioned about the shoes by an officer... But I also feel it's a matter of experience as well. When new to driving build your skills and confidence, just like wearing heels. Once you have a very good idea how to control a car THEN experiment with other footwear. I've worn everything from 3" pumps and boots to ballet and 7" heels. I even tried a couple times with 3 1/2" platforms with 7" heels...(Those are a different story altogether!!) The platforms change the feel of the pedals too much for me so they're out for driving...I might wear them from and back to the car somewhere but change to actually drive...Same with Ballets. FYI...I can honestly say I've driven nearly 750,000 miles in my life (a lot of those in heels...) The vehicles range from compact coupes to land-barge Lincoln Town Cars, and Chevy Crew-Cab Dually's to 26,000 GVWR trucks...And of course, can't forget motorcycles!!

Hello Amanda, First, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us here. I certainly appreciate it when a gal joins us and shares her interest with the entire forum. Please, stay awhile and enjoy!! In reply to: "I would perceive masculinity to be exhibited by someone able to climb a mountain, fell trees, carry a heavy load up a ladder, drive oxen through a muddy field, push my car out of the road when it's broken, carry me upstairs, build a kitchen extension and run after and tackle that burglar. I just can't imagine any of this being done in stiletto slingbacks." I too would agree to a certain extent as I participate in many 'masculine' activities rather regularly. I'm a motorcyclist, father, electronics/computer/network technician, enjoy mechanical challenges, do home repairs, etc. However, when my wife and I go out I don't usually worry too much about many of these things. Or even as a family to many places. When I am participating in any activity that requires flats, I wear appropriate footwear but if my wife and I, or the whole family for that matter, are going out for dinner, a movie, shopping, etc., I will wear heels. It's nice to walk on both sides of the line, you know?? But as you said somewhere in here, everyone has masculine and feminine traits - it's all in how they're expressed. I also like similar abilities in women as well. I don't think any gal would go to a gym or park in 5" stilettos, and participate as the location dictates. They may arrive in 5" stilettos and change into appropriate footwear but that is just what I may do as well. Nor would I greatly desire a woman who wants to be in 5" stilettos 100% of the time, limiting her ability to participate in a nice hike or other flat-shoe-required activity. I prefer one who has the flexibility to engage in both seamlessly. One of the most amazing things I have experienced is being in the military with women. You see them day-in and -out wearing combat boots...Then they get dressed up to go party and it's a whole different side of them!! A total Jekyll and Hyde effect! Some look horrible in uniform but when they hit the streets for a night out, look out!! The reason I bring this up is are they any less feminine since they work in a very masculine world? I think not personally. It's a role they play. Women are societally allowed to transition from one role to the next without anyone saying anything...(except maybe a loud WOW!!! ) I personally long for the day when it is completely acceptable for a man to make similar transitions. The difference is women aren't labeled like men usually are. They're accepted for who they are in whatever mode they may be in. Am I jealous?? Maybe a little...But I'm also happy for all women because of this ability. And I love to have a woman who enjoys mudding, racing, horses, etc., and can go from one extreme to the other flawlessly. A true character trait to be admired! Glad you're here and hope you stay and relay more of your thoughts with us!! WELCOME!!

I feel that wearing heels may give a little insight to what women think about wearing heels...Same with clothes...You'll learn more about fashion overall. As for the rest of their thoughts, men are from Mars and women are from Venus!!! The only way to come even close to being able to understand a woman is to live with one for a LONG while...And then you'll get to wonder what she's thinking every day!! You might catch a little bit of her inner thought patterns...But still be just as baffled!!

One comment on something Shrimper said..."If you see a style online you can order it for pickup at your local outlet and if you don't like it you can return it there." I think this is a VERY important statement as you can bet that Payless tracks where what sizes are shipped to. This aids in shaping market demand and forecasting. If a particular store regularly received shipments of size 12's in one-two pair orders that would indicate a trend for that store, hence the bean counters *might* send some shelf stock there. I'm sure this concept won't fly for those EBay buyers who order 20 pair as soon as a sale hits online but the smaller buyers would indicate a trend for the shipped sizes in the area. I'm sure they also track shipments by address to judge demographic changes affecting their local stores. So if one store happens to have regular shipments of boots in larger sizes within a 5 mile radius I bet their shelf stock would get a couple more larger styles as well. Just a thought that makes sense to me at least :-)

LatinDancer, You're stories are truly inspiring!! I am SO glad you're having so much fun with your heels and outfits. And the responses you've gotten so far have mostly been excellent IMHO... I also like that you've got the cajones to actually confron and ask people what they think. That's great and the feedback you've posted here is definitely enlightening!! Kudos!! Thanks for sharing!!

Latindancer...Great stories you've shared here!! Thank you for posting your experiences!! Everyone else...This thread has taken a definite turn and I think it's a great direction...But I also feel it may warrant a whole new topic. The race issue is a fact of life. It will never go away unless we all become one ethnic group. We can all work to be tolerant and accepting of others but there will always be distinct differences between the varying groups. The various belief structures, ancestral history and general attitudes are historically stereotyped into everyone's psyche. This is both good and bad but I feel should be tolerated regardless. The same goes for heel wearing people out there. We all have our personal convictions and as mature adults, need to learn to look past this in daily life. It's a story of respecting and treating others as you would want to be. With that being said... I've found that black people are generally more expressive and less inhibited in public settings than most other ethnic groups. And it's not just in their criticism of people but in all manner of social interaction. They're just more willing to express themselves, especially if it is an expression closely tied to the group they're with at the time. The pack mentality is prevalent amidst a group but individually nearly everyone is scared to speak up. This goes for any race as well...There is power in numbers...And empowerment lowers inhibitions allowing for more raucous behavior. Hence they speak and act more freely - usually following what they KNOW the others in their group would accept and support. I've seen this mostly in less-educated and less mature groups specifically. It doesn't matter if you're a guy in heels, a CD/TV/TS, handi-capped or disfigured. You can quickly become a target for their expression...Especially if you're alone. With regards to heels I have found very little difference between the races in their reactions. I've heard both positive and negative from all ethnic backgrounds. Almost universally though, any negative or sheer laughter reactions are from the less educated/less mature group. They seem to be most shocked by a man in heels. When it comes to the best and most favorable reactions nearly all have been from older black women in all reality. It's like they've seen just about everything else so what's new?? Here's a neat story as an example... My younger son is 22 months and was due for his well-baby check-up. At the same time my older boy was sick. So we took them to the doctors office last Wednesday, Dec 26. I was wearing a pair of Jordache stretch-fit, flare leg jeans and a pair of 4.5" chunky heeled with 1/2" platform boots from a couple Payless seasons ago. Because the jeans are stretch fit I sewed a couple elastic straps in the bottom of the pant legs to help pull the pant legs back down after sitting. (It brings them back to the fashionable length for boots...) At the appointment no one said a word but some labs were ordered for my older boy. The lab was right upstairs so away we went. When we got into the lab there were two older (mid-40's) black ladies at the check-in windows. After the blood draws and x-rays we went into the reception office and had a nice little chat. One of the ladies immediately started with "I Love those boots!! I spotted them as soon as you came in here!" She asked to see them, commented on how great they were, etc... The other gal noticed the jeans and commented rather heavily on how they fit so nicely and how the overall look was great...(Except for the 9 month's pregnant look I've been sporting lately ) Both of the women pretty much demanded to see the boots (they're both admitted boot lovers...), commented on how awesome the straps idea was and were extremely positive about the fashion choice I'd made. Their overall treatment of me was as if this was completely normal attire for a man. No questions. It truly went from 100% professional to friendly and warm once the conversation turned to fashion. I expressed to them how I can and do wear stilettos in private but, with my current figure, I don't like pushing too much. I think a lot (I mean a LOT!!!) of people are afraid to admit it looks pretty good as an overall look. They're usually totally overwhelmed at the initial image but get over it fairly quickly. (You can usually tell a person's maturity level by how long their initial reaction lasts.) And then there are those who just can't come to grips with anything outside their perceived norm. Those are the ones who scare me... I suppose my greatest fear are the gangster types and less mature/educated people when in group settings. Inhibitions are lower in a group setting as noted above. This is completely race neutral. I've seen this of all races and they all strike me similarly, especially when they're with their buddies. They're also more notorious for physical actions to any reaction to their comments. Therefore I do pick my heel wearing locations rather carefully (heck...even when NOT wearing heels there's certain parts of town you DON'T go to unless you BELONG there...) It must also be said that personal perception and the 'danger feeling' plays in here. If you suddenly lose all confidence and play into their game they'll verbally attack harder. The loss of confidence shows weakness and a group will exploit that weakness to it's fullest. Even though it is very hard you MUST maintain your confidence when confronted. ALWAYS!! Waver one little bit and you're a target. Even groups can fear...And lots of confidence makes them wonder what you've got up your sleeve. It's a fear of the unknown. (I know several people that I would NEVER pick a fight with...because I KNOW them...But someone who doesn't has no clue they're former Special Ops/Jujitsu masters/black belts/whatever. ) If you show no fear then that instills fear in them. OK..Enough...Must get sleep...Folks, this is a GREAT place to share the joys of high heeling with other like-minded people. I love the global experience and wonderful stories. You are all awesome!! Especially to read my rants :-) To all I wish you a very Happy New Year!!

Hello all, Bubba, thanks for the kind words...The wife and family are doing fine...We added another little boy May 1, 2006. That makes a total of 4 kids...2 from the Elf's prior marriage and 2 from ours...We're now done with that business I try to keep up to date on the forums but time is rather limited with work and family obligations... High heels have been the norm for us from the onset of our relationship. I wear them all the time at home and almost always when out. Around the kids, mom & dad, brother & sister...You name it. My only limitations have been at the kids' schools and work. I am now out of the USN and working for Verizon. It's a fairly moderate work environment but about 60% of the ppl there are former military...(Something about the Hampton Roads region I suspect??? ) So since there are so many former mil in there I keep the heels extremely conservative (read not obvious as much as possible!!) I normally wear about a 2 1/2 - 3" wedge heel to work and no negative comments thus far. For those who are hesitant to wear heels openly and in public I truly can't blame you for having inhibitions. Society sees it as odd at BEST and anytime you step out of the 'Comfort Zone' of what's been trained into you (or society) as 'normal' the nerves go haywire. But believe me...If you wear them with confidence and appear as just a man wearing heels, most won't bother with you. They may say you're weird but that's THEIR opinion. If they don't like it then they don't have to look at your feet. It's that simple. Also, being with the wife and kids helps REMARKABLY!!! I used to think that being out with the kids would cause negative comments but it appears this only emphasizes that you ARE a man, who is not gay, has a 'normal' family life and just has a thing for shoes. I have NEVER been approached by anyone with a negative comment while out as a family. (Or ever in all reality...) As for wearing heels around the kids...It's really a non-issue. My family is used to it. COMPLETELY. The two step daughters have been exposed since they met me. The younger of the two (10) thinks it's awesome (because it gives her a sense of security that I "can relate to her issues better"...her words...not mine) The older is 14 and just feels it's normal for me. Period. Never even questioned...My oldest boy (5 in Jan) has seen me in heels since birth and it's normal in his eyes as well. The youngest doesn't have an opinion as of yet (20 Mos...) Overall the 25 years in heels has been a fun and challenging adventure that really blossomed when I met my wife. Before her I had gone through the typical purges, self-doubt, sexuality questioning, even to the point of self-hatred. By the time I had met her I was comforable with myself and had accepted that high heels were part of me. So I was 100% honest with her about them from day 1. No hiding anything or secrets. I told her flat out, this is me. They're a part of me. I wear them because I like to and that's that. At first she was a bit shocked and didn't believe me. However, the first time we met, I arrived wearing 3 1/2" chunky heeled boots and brought over 5" stilettos for each of us. It was something that she thought she'd be turned off by but quickly got over it. Like within 5 min. From there it's been normal. She's encouraged me to be more brave in my wearing and has chosen my heels for many a date. It's not uncommon for both of us to go out to dinner wearing 5" stilettos. HONEST!!! We've been to malls, restaurants, movies, shopping (everywhere!!) vacations...quite literally everywhere. There have been stares (wide-eyed, jaw-dropping stares...), giggles, pointed fingers, a range of comments (99% positive or neutral) and kudos. The best are from kids though...Had one experience, a LONG time ago, where a little girl saw us both wearing 5" stilettos in BJ's (wholesale membership club...) She grabbed her mommy's arm, pointed to us and said "Mommy, that man's wearing high heels!!" Her mom, very smoothly and nonchalantly, told her "that's his choice" and moved on with a smile :-) We all read those 'fashion' forums where the self-righteous belittle guys in heels but most of them are still soaking wet behind the ears. They don't really know what they like in a man or are brainwashed by magazine pics of washboard bellied, dark tanned, hairless bodied, ultra-macho looking guys. Anyone who doesn't meet that standard is worth bashing to many of them. (Wait until they meet THEIR man in middle age!! HA!!!) Some day they'll learn there's more to life than enhanced pictures of abnormally skinny, ultra handsome men wearing suits or nearly nothing. When they do they'll realize there are more fashion choices for men from BOTH sides of the store as well. Until then, teach them what courage is. Teach them that NORMAL is being WHO YOU ARE, not only what society says. Step outside the 'comfort zone' of societally dictated fashion. Wear your heels. It will open minds to a whole new genre of masculinity!!

Bluesman - Sounds like things are starting to come around for you on this subject!! Good luck and I hope to read more positive progress on your front soon!! Dressboots - On Dec 1 you stated in one of your posts..."I did say to my wife the last time we were on the subject that I was trying to rid myself of the boot "demon" (a strong word that I don't believe but wanted to define how she felt on the subject) and she said it was nothing like that and she never opposed my wearing women's boots. She swings back and forth on acceptance and rejection. It does have a lot to do with what her female buddies say and think." The part that I find most interesting is how her friends influence her thoughts on this and the impact it has on your shoe choice. As you know, it takes a LOT of courage and to wear heels as a man. This is something that can play in your favor in this regard...Something you can encourage her to tell her friends if they ever notice is "At least MY man has the courage to be himself!!" Or something along those lines...It takes great self-confidence and courage to do many things...Sky-diving, rock-climbing, any major sport...But those are all universally accepted as 'masculine' things to do. Imagine how quickly MANY of these top athletes would admit to being a whimp when faced with the challenge of admitting they enjoyed wearing heels...They'd MELT under the pressure!!! But you, on the other hand, can keep your cool and actually enjoy the experience. THAT is a feat of no minor proportions!! So have her use that angle when talking with her friends about it...Have her combat any negative statements with confidence, pride and a bit of arrogance that "MY MAN's" got 'what it takes' to be 'different'!!!

Ct03si, Welcome to the forums!! First off, you are a VERY lucky man!! VERY!!! You've got a GEM of a woman from what I read! You are NOT wierd. In fact, you're very normal!! See, to ME, NORMAL is individualistic. Being who you are is normal. Being someone you're NOT is NOT normal!! As for liking women's jeans and heels, I've found that women's jeans definitely make my posterior look much better too!! They also fit better and are more comfortable as well. Another benefit it they are usually a softer material with better finishing in the seams. This makes them much less abrasive on the skin than typical men's jeans. I usually wear women's jeans both with and without heels when out and about. The only place I wear men's cut jeans is at work...I like my paycheck and don't want to chance the income!! One more thing about women's jeans and heels...My wife approves 100%. ALWAYS. I digress...Your pics look great and I think that if your fiance' approves then ROCK 'EM!!! Think of it this way...99% of men will talk a super confident talk and push their chest out about their 'accomplishments' however, it takes REAL CONFIDENCE and TONS of COURAGE to buck the trend and wear heels in public. If your girl will go for it, enjoy your new found footwear and jeans selections!! And if she's afraid of what her 'friends' may say, she can tell them honestly, "My man's got more guts than yours" and smile a nice, arrogant smile while she's saying it too :-) I've been wearing heels for about 20 years now and, even though I have my times of insecurlty, I've never had a problem wearing them in public. What's even MORE amazing about that is I live in Hampton Roads, VA...The largest military area in the US. Nothing against the military (did 10 1/2 years myself...) but there are MANY ultra-macho types with minds narrower than a needle around here...I've had a couple of giggles, some jaw-on-the-ground stares and even a few WTF?!?!?! comments but nothing more than that. I have even been complimented a few times...By women of course... So, Welcome to the club!! You're embarking on a new, fun aspect of fashion and I encourage you to discuss your true feeling about the wardrobe changes with your fiancee'. I am sure you probably feel a bit confused but we're all here to help. If you have any questions go ahead and post them here. There's lots of very useful and helpful information on this board. Many people's experiences have been posted here for years and can help you through this journey!!

NICE!!!

I've only broken one bone in my life...My 5th Metatarsil...And it was wearing a pair of 1.5" wedge, slip-on shoes from Payless...August 2000. I was helping a friend move her apartment and we were about to be locked out of the storage facility. I had taken a load to the unit and then tried running back to the car to get another load. As my right foot landed the heel completely collapsed and my foot rolled outward. Since I had lots of forward momentum already the toes rolled under the foot in a rearward/inward manner placing all my weight on the outside of my pinky toe joint. I felt the "crack!!" and kept on moving. The next morning I was a hurting puppy and went to the ER. The swelling was so bad they couldn't X-Ray for a week. Nor could they cast it up or anything. During this time I found that the only way I could walk on both feet was with a 3.5" lift chunky heel. The weight distribution took the stress off the bone and I was mobile with nearly 0 pain. I spent 4 horrible months in a cast from this. When they removed that cast I had one regular leg and one chicken leg. To say the least, those shoes were tossed...AFTER a close inspection... The problem was the way the shoes were constructed. The lift under the heel was supported by NOTHING...Literally. The internals were soft to medium hardness rubber in a 1/2" checkerboard pattern. I found that if I placed my weight on the back of the heels they immediately collapsed to about .5" I did call Payless and report the injury but didn't pursue it because I was over the weight the shoes were probably designed for, was a guy wearing women's shoes and in the military at the time. Also, the Payless rep was not too keen about hearing a man saying he was wearing one of their women's styles...Could tell by the voice inflection. "Ok...I'll note that...Whatever..." Nowdays I feel the break once in a great while. 99% of the time this happens after a long day standing in flats and usually as the weather changes. I still wear my heels, more now than ever!! But I do take notice of the construction of the shoes before I wear them!!

Hello Seattleshoes!! That's awesome!!! What a great way to get the people used to seeing you in heels! I don't particularly care for the cover up but a bet's a bet, right?? And I don't think there's one guy who wears heels that's been 100% honest about them since day one... Hopefully this will open all kinds of doors for your heeling in the future. I certainly would love to hear more about your adventures, especially as you can't keep 'losing bets' with the same 'punishment' forever...One day, if you're going to keep wearing heels regularly, you'll have to own up to this but if gives time for a smoother transition IMHO. What would probably work best when that time comes is just simply saying "You know, these aren't all that bad after all and I've decided to just keep on wearing them. They're only shoes for Pete's sake!!" And then you've entire collection (well, minus the really fetishy stuff most likely) would be available for your regular enjoyment Wish you the best with all of this!!

I voted 5.5" because 5" is rather easy for me and I"ve done about that distance in 6". As others have said, make, quality, materials of the shoes make a huge difference!! I've got one pair of 5" boots from usashoes.com made of real leather that were my favorites!! (and will be again once I get the heels replaced...) Add a slight insole and I can walk all day in them!! I've also got a pair of Pleaser Domina-1010 boots that have a 5.75" heel that I can go quite a distance in...But I feel they're a little too small and kill my toes after about 30 min...If they were real leather I could do a mile - no problem.

The answer for Macy's choice to sell primarily size 10 and below is probably an economic decision. The company is looking for sheer profits, not supplying any 'niche market' group. And most women are still sizes 10 and below. Unfortunately...

Wow...Hiluc...Haven't heard that name in a LONG time!!! I do wonder how he/she's doing!! Regardless, I'm 36 and have been wearing heels since 14 ish?? So I guess I'm not too old but not too young either :-)

Hey guys, I had no intention to impose on ANYONE'S choices in ANY way. Please forgive if I have offended. As for FUN, I CERTAINLY understand that the Legs Contest is meant to be a fun event and hope it continues unencumbered. The point that I was making is that nearly every entry is rather feminine in it's overall appearance. And I am NOT advocating ANY rules to inhibit the contest so please don't take it that way!! PLEASE! The entries are all GREAT!! No doubt!!! It just shows that many of us here take our heels to a more feminine level than I originally thought. And that's just MY thought... One more thing...To those who have entered the legs contest, IMHO the ones with shaved legs or fully opaque tights look the best To each their own and the more fun you have, the better!! I was just a little shocked by how feminine the images were from the guys, that's all. Didn't mean to stir up an argument...

Good points Richie and New_look... I have to agree...Are we advocating the freedom to wear heels as men who want to BE men in heels, or full-on crossdressing in an attempt to completely blur the gender line and/or present as women?? Now don't get me wrong here folks, the entries in the Guy's Legs contest are fantastic!! But I see a predominant theme of skirts, tights and beautilful heels that are rather overtly feminine. In all reality I can't distinguish which legs are men's and which may possibly be women's!! (With a few hairy exceptions :-) ) The point is it really brings to the forefront how far we're trying to blur the gender lines on this forum. That's not a bad thing mind you, but myself, I just prefer heels and women's marketed jeans (they really are SO much more comfy than the 'mens' jeans!!) I don't shave my legs or wear skirts in public (or around the house for that matter...) but I do agree that if you've got the cahones to do it, then go for it!! But are you being a man or trying to be a woman?? And does it really matter?? I would presume that a full body shot, including face and hair, would tell much more where the outfits are going but I also respect the desire to maintain a certain level of anonymity on the internet. Regardless, what is ACTUALLY being advocated here?? High heels for men in general or full fashion freedom to wear what we chose and still retain our masculine traits?? And how far can men go before crossing the line from only wearing heels to being a full-blown crossdresser?? Just my thoughts on this and please, keep the posts and pics coming!! It's great to not be alone in the world of "Otherly Fashion" :-) P.S. >>> I PROMISE to post a few pics eventually and hopefully, with my wife in them too!!

How about the sizing of Target shoes?? I rarely see anything over size 10 in the stores but really like some of their styles this year!! The problem is bad experiences with Wal-Mart's sizings... I've bought a few pair from WallyWorld and they're all too tight over the insole. This is a BIG problem for me since I def. prefer boots and the latest styles are not laceable, so they either fit or dont. I've got two pair still that I haven't thrown out because I like them so much but I can only bear them for a few hours without severe discomfort over the top of my feet. How do the Target brands compare in this manner? Thanks, Shoeiee

OK...I KNOW most of you have already seen this on CNN.com since it was a headliner...But I just searched YouTube and found the clip of Miss USA, Rachel Smith, taking a nasty slip during the Miss USA PAgeant last night...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ_Iiz0moxk

I'm glad she made such an excellent recovery but this is one of those moments she, nor the rest of the world, will forget anytime soon. Poor girl!!

Just goes to show that even the most experienced heel wearers are susceptible to slick floors...

BTW...Beautiful dress and impressive heels..Too bad the floor was so slick!

Happy Heeling!!

That must be the cip...And I actually find it disturbing... It's a crying shame that they have to make men in heels look like fools...I too would have been laughing...If I didn't wear heels myself!! That guy was TOTALLY hamming it up!! Now, I would like to know what the reactions would be if he were trying a pair that he intended to wear and was serious about it...I bet not so many people would be making funny faces if he wasn't!! It's all a shock value gimmick from what I saw..."Hey!! Look at me!! Hamming it up in WOMEN'S SHOES!!! They're NOT FOR ME...I just wanted to make you laugh a bit!! For the hidden camera!! That way the whole world will know you're gullable!!!" Please...That's not anything we need if we're trying to make men in heels a fashion reality...It's not reality TV...It's goof-off TV...Hence, the title of the show. IMHO, the best TV spot I've seen with men in heels was the Pierre Silber commercial that was posted here a few months back...Just another guy, out walking his dog, wearing his heels proudly and socialising with the gals about them :-) Heels are for whoever wants to wear them. They're NOT just for women anymore!! Too bad shows like this have to pervade this fact and continue to instill that it's a joke...With these displays being done men in heels will never be accepted as anything other than a guy out for a laugh, resulting in the continued sterotypes that are commonly used when someone does something differently than what society deems 'normal.' JM2Cents on it... Happy Heeling!!

If I may answer for my wife... Definitely yes. She encourages me to enjoy myself when we got out together and regularly selects the shoes/boots I'll wear, and almost always are they heels :-) My wife love me in heels and I'm more than happy to oblige :-)

That's AWESOME MAN!!! I am SO HAPPY that you're wife has accepted your desires so openly!! This will open a whole new world of fun and excitement to both of you!! I just caution you to go at her pace though... Move too fast and it may scare her...But you're the one married to her so you know her best! My recommendation is to allow HER to lead the way with this...And enjoy the ride!

Hello HellOnHeels, To a certain extent I do agree with your statement. However I must also disagree to a certain extent... The problem with 'fetish attire' is that so many people do see it as dark. And unfortunately, many of them equate dark with 'evil.' This has resulted in the stereotype that anyone who is interested or involved in 'fetish attire' or the sexual side thereof, is substandard and demented...AKA a sicko or freak. To those of us who are open enough to share our thoughts on this forum this is obviously an untruth, as the vast majority here appear (at least on the surface...) to be fairly level headed, intelligent and responsible members of society, albeit with a twist. However, there are many people involved in the underworld of fantasy fashion are definitely fringe behavior manifested in many ways. My perspective is that the exposure of this attire by well known celebrities will open the eyes of many who view their works. Ballet boots will certainly be considered fetish attire and non-mainstream for daily use well into the future, however, this exposure will make them less sinister and ridiculous to those who have never experienced the fetish world. As such I am certain that many people will now be more able to express their fetishistic desires to their anticipated participants without hearing "Are you a FREAK OR SOMETHING!!!!!" followed closely by a slamming door... These venues open the possibility to sit with a potential participant, watch a NC-17 rated, mainstream music video, and openly express a desire to try, visualize and emulate what is being viewed without first passing through the www's various porn and hard-core fetish sites. But will these few artists make this fashion 'mainstream' and 'for the masses?' I seriously doubt it will get that far in the near future. However...Extremely tight fitting, nearly to latex tight, clothing is becoming more prominent every year. Women specifically have embraced very tight fashion of many textures. Women's jeans are an excellent example. Most are now produced with stretchable fabrics, containing latex, the enable the clothing to fit very closely to the skin. Skirts have had that hugging effect for years and keep getting shorter it seems. Corsetry has been seen in many movies and videos and is only increasing in exposure. The primary difference between previous videos and what we see in these videos is the primary material changing from satin, leather and PVC to latex. To those who appreciate the tight fitting styles, on either gender, this is a fantastic representation of what we would like to see and experience in a potential partner. These videos decrease their mystery to a degree but still foreshadow their true intentions; to stimulate the wearer, and observer, in a sexual manner. I sincerely hope that what is now a trend does not become heavy mainstream but rather maintains the mystery of seduction...only to a wider audience than ever before!!