Lime15

Those are smart shoes, Lime.   In England, men's two-tone shoes (black/white or brown/white) were quite popular in the 1920s-40s but had a rather 'racy' image and were not considered suitable for gentlemen to wear.   They were usually referred to as 'co-respondent' shoes as they were allegedly favoured by a man having a relationship with an adulterous woman (and who risked being cited as the co-respondent in divorce proceedings)!  

 

I don't know the derivation of the 'spectator' name.   Possibly because this style of shoe was originally intended for wear on informal occasions, such as attending sporting events and the like.

Thanks, Puffer!

Nice shoes, Lime!  But I have to say, the cut of the Renetti heels is more appealing to my eye - I prefer the lower cut vamp.  That being said, I might have to try some of the Pleaser line, as these look pretty nice!

Thanks, RonC!  I agree, I like the lower cut vamp of the Renetti heels a little more as they show just a tiny bit of toe cleavage, which I like on a classic pump.  Nice to have a bunch of different looks though!

Do keep in mind with Pleaser / Demonia / Funtasma (and Ellie / TenThirtyOne as well as Pleaser's Bordello and discontinued PinUp Couture lines) that a good number of their shoes tend to run a full size small.  If you are a half size definately go up to the next full size.  It's extremely rare for me to find shoes from this manufacturer that run true to size, which is why I was surprised these fit so well.  I've actually had a pair of Funtasma chunky mary jane heels that I had to go THREE sizes up in, so I wore a US16 in that style.

Additionally the same Pleaser style may have a differently cut vamp depending on when they were manufatured.  I've seen quite a few of the "Seduce" line with a high vamp, low vamp, or pointed vamp depending on when they were made and who was selling them.  If you're set on a very specific pair of their shoes and are ordering online, confirm that the shoes in question match the Pleaser stock image the retailer / seller is using.

Those look real nice Lime15.

Thanks, blackpatent!

I may have said so before but if so I will say so again, mlroseplant, I love those oxfords!

I have not bought any other shoes yet so I do not know if my size 10 in mens means an 11 in womens every time.

It'll fluxuate depending on manufacturer and style, just as with any other piece of clothing.  I'm a US11.5 / US12 in men's shoes (usually Puma sneakers which have always ran just a hair small in my experience, so generally a US12 with the exception of T.U.K. creepers where I'm a US11 as they conform to their old sizing when everything was bigger than marked, but even that varies due to some retailers using their unisex sizing and classifying it wrong) and tend to wear women's US13 in heels.  Sometimes a little tight, sometimes a little loose, but as I would be a barefoot men's US11.5 - women's US13 is my jumping off point when I buy heels.

Lime: Love the new shoes! It's not every day one sees spectators, and those look super sharp. Well done, my friend!

Thank you very much!  I really can't resist a pair of spectator pumps.  I only wish I had an easier time finding blue or red ones in my size, same thing with spectator oxfords.

Lime : Those look real nice. How long do you think it will take to break them in ?

Probably a few wears.  The right shoe has already loosened up quite a bit from wearing them today.

I lucked out and was able to find a pair of the Pleaser heels that I missed when I bought the Dolly-50's at the beginning of the month.  I had to get US13 rather than my usual Pleaser / Demonia / Funtasma size of US14 as the brand tends to run a size small in my experience unless a specific style or wide.  However these fit pretty good other than the right toebox being a little tight and were less than $20 out the door so I can't complain.  Style is Seduce-425 and they should break in fine.

These are almost identical to a pair of leather Renetti pumps I have with the exception being the vamp on these is higher and the footbed is a little wider - which I like as the only complaint I really have about the Renetti's is they feel a tiny bit too narrow.  Of course the leather of the Renetti pumps means they've conformed to my foot better but these have really good arch support and are pretty darn comfortable for 5" "exotic" heels.

I for one have never been out at such an ungodly hour of the night in heels, it's just too damn dangerous. While I'm an advocate of heel wearing in broad daylight (trust me on this, 99 percent of the people you encounter either won't notice or won't care), if you're uncomfortable with that, try going out early in the morning instead.

Yup, that's when I tend to go out on the rare occasion I do, early in the morning.  There are a number of office parks that are empty on the early morning hours just before / around sunrise on Saturdays.  No one is out so I can heel close to home and more importantly I'm comfortable with the area.

Further echoing what has been said, you both look great NewfieGuyInHeels.

Jeff and Lime thanks. Got them at Nord Strom Rack. Only 20 bucks. Wife got a black and tan pair.

Thanks for the info!  Unfortunately I rarely hit the "Nordstrom Rack Lottery" these days.  Even worse the stores local to me have pretty much tapped out at 11W after remodeling.  They still have a 12 and 12W section but it's half a shelf, the size the 13 section (my section) used to be before they got rid of it entirely.  At least it's all self-service now so you don't have to wait at the counter for the other shoe but I haven't seen anything there for at least a year.

It isn't too often I'm able to find a "lost" pair of heels.  "Lost" in the sense of a style I saw at one time that went discontinued or a style I discovered long after it was no longer available.  Well a few weeks ago one such pair came up for sale on eBay but they were outside of my budget, if only just barely.  Even though I sold a few pairs recently (to keep me at the "healthy" level of footwear I like), I just couldn't justify spending the money.  So the auction ended with no bids and the item was resisted as a fixed price lower than the original auction starting price.  The new price was in line with what I wanted to spend so I went for it, about $35 all said and done.

These are I believe from the second run of shoes Christian Siriano did for Payless, I believe the style is "Pearl" from the Gold line.  Olive green faux crocodile synthetic uppers with a square toe.  A gold studded bar loops around the front and a slight hidden platform.  The heels are square and have kind of a doubled area at the top.  What surprised me most is how supple the uppers are.  While not leather they have a quality feel like the man-made offerings of Aldo and the like.  Everything about these feels great and even though there is a platform, it is angled in such a way that these feel like single-soled heels when wearing and walking.

I had only seen these in person once, when the local Payless mall store was closing down and I thought they only went up to 12 - surprised to see a pair in 13, they fit great.  When the weather cools down I think I would do well with these under slacks or jeans as they follow that classic yet contrasting style of heels that I like.

I really like those, blackpatent!

Wow, those look great, SleekHeels!

Lime: Well done on your latest pictures. Black and blue is quite a dynamic color combination, one I've been wearing a good deal myself of late on my outings, and I've liked how that combo looks on me, and, from your pics, it looks good on you as well. Now, if you were to pair your skirt with a black button down shirt and a necktie that matched the blue on the skirt, it would be even more dynamic. By all means, give that a try and see what happens.

Thanks JeffB! I've actually been looking for a tie that matches the blue of that skirt but I haven't been able to find one to my liking.  Always either too light or too purple.

I haven't been heeling much lately due to simply being to busy and out and about at a moment's notice.  Had some time so I changed that today.  These are Fioni "Joy" pumps, a staple of Payless many years ago that I was able to find secondhand awhile back.  I've said it before but when I see what Payless used to offer (tons of colors, all kinds of heeled patent oxfords and spectator pumps) it makes me wish I had thought to buy heels there years ago.  These actually made a bit of a comeback with a higher heel as the "Landry" mary jane last year but I unfortunately missed out on them - always looking for a secondhand pair though.

The skirt is new, from Nordstrom, and this is the first time I've worn it.  I went with a 14W and it fit me perfectly, hanging out right at my natural waist.  I'm sure most skirting guys have the same problem I do, in that most skirts in our sizes tend to want hips to hang off of.  Finding a skirt that I don't have to wear up higher than usual or keep an eye on the waistline of is a great thing.  It's also very light and soft but still feels thick and substantial.  I think it's going to be a wardrobe regular for me and I'm looking to buy more of the same.

Overall look this time was blacks, obviously.  Simple and professional, I let the charcoal colored chevrons on the skirt  be the contrast and what pop this outfit has.  The very small sliver buckles on the heels also stand out a little.  Simple black tie with a tight black stitched dot pattern this time, so not even that overpowers the subdued pattern on the skirt.

I REALLY like that last pair, saudade!

I've been trying to save money but couldn't pass up a good deal on a pair of platform mary janes I've wanted for awhile.  These are Pleaser Dolly-50's although I was sent the Dolly-50 from their Demonia line - same shoes and no big deal as I like the Demonia boxes better as they tend to be smaller and closer to the exact space the shoes take up.  These were about $25 all said and done.  I did order up a size, US14 in this case, as Pleaser / Demonia / Funtasma tend to run a size small in my experience unless a specific style or wide.

I'll admit that these were pure fetish / kink when I ordered them but now that I have them I think they'll also look good with some of my business skirts and maybe even with slacks - I'll have to see.  A friend of mine has a bunch of this style and has said many times they are the most comfortable shoes she owns.  I'll have to agree, they are very comfortable and easy to walk in with plenty of toe room.  Going a size up was smart as they fit pretty much perfectly.  Due to the size of the platform I do have to keep my wits about myself at first since there's so much more material beneath the footbed which affects how I step off but after that I can glide around as usual.

My only disappointment is the retailer I ordered them from got a ton of Pleaser / Demonia / Funtasma styles back in stock in my size for a pretty heavy discount.  However it looks like a reseller swooped in and bought them all.  Guess I should consider myself lucky for getting this pair before then.

Wow, those are amazing mlroseplant!

Awesome, SleekHeels, I really like that style!

Love that first pair, inquisitor.  Nothing beats a classic pump.

Thanks 4608.  

Lime, shoes are hot. Please tell us about the quality once you get them.

Thank you.  I've had them since I took the above pictures.  The quality is.. well, it's Torrid quality in line with their current offerings.  So the soles are reasonably hard and the heel shafts feel like they were made in a rapid prototype machine - very light weight mid/low quality plastic.  That said, the uppers are much nicer on these than a lot of the other Torrid heels I've seen in the past year or so, kind of that lightly textured but still smooth and flexible faux leather.

The zipper detailing isn't all that great, having bowed open a little on one and missing a couple zipper teeth on the other.  The "open" part of the zipper on the outside of each shoe also curves outward, which is where the nylon catch comes into play.  I'll probably end up gluing that back down flush though.  None of that is visible unless you're holding the shoe up close, however.  They're not worth the $45 - $50 that Torrid tried to get for them new at retail.  For the $20 I got them for they're fun, cheap heels that I'll get a lot of wear out of. Sizing is the problem as Torrid is usually all wide in their re-branded heels or medium in most of their licensed heels.  Torrid re-brands and internal products usually go up through US13 while the medium sized shoes tend to stop at US10.  As US13 is my regular size, purchasing from them can be a bit of a crapshoot.  Additionally they do not stock size 13 in their retail stores (which I never shop anymore anyway due to limited inventory - not worth the trip).  Lately myself and a lot of others that have been ordering 13's off the Torrid website have been sent 12's or 13's with odd discrepancies.  For instance I ordered a pair of black patent spike pumps off their website, 13W.  I received a pair marked 12 (meaning 12W for Torrid) on the outsole, one of them was marked 12W on the inside while the other was marked 13W on the inside, with a sticky tag on the underside of each saying they were 13W.  Both shoes were exactly the same size as one another and exactly the same size as a pair of 12W's I was going to return to the store.  However both pairs fit SLIGHTLY differently in a way I couldn't explain.  It seems lately this is the rule rather than the exception, going by what others have said on their site reviews and Facebook comments.

For these, they are truly wide and due to the shape of the toe box they JUST fit me but could be a hair longer.  I don't really need the width but these being wide isn't a bother and unlike some of their other styles earlier this year, the vertical size of the toe box is correct and fits right.  This was a problem a few of their styles had as it was just way too high.

Thank you Shafted, bluejay, Steve63130 and SleekHeels!  

I like that panelled pencil skirt style, us guys are usually too slim in the hips compared to our shoulders, but this kind of skirt maybe breaks up the vertical lines and re-balances things. It looks well-proportioned on you Lime15, and the length of the skirt suits the height and style of the heels.

 

Personally I think the black tights (which appear kind of grey/silvery in the pictures, almost like a black & white photo) look a bit wintery and could work well with a grey blazer (with the black shirt and one of your famous ties in blue, or perhaps a blue shirt and no tie). For the more summery look with the short-sleeve shirt, I wonder if maybe sheer tan tights would match nicer with your arms, or if your legs are tanned then bare legs would look great too (and would avoid the zip detailing on the shoes snagging your tights as you mentioned in your other post).

An auto camera setting makes the black pantyhose look grey, I keep forgetting to turn it off when not necessary.  When I'm going for a natural look I tend to wear the same sheer energy pantyhose but in suntan instead of black as it matches the usual skin tone of my arms.  In the summer I usually can't go bare legged as during the commute to work and home I get just enough of a tan line around my ankles where my socks end under my slacks where it stands out in heels.  

It's nice to hear that you wore your heels out and about and seemed to enjoy the experience. Getting some of your boldness back indeed.

Thanks.  I'm probably going to head out again next Saturday morning as I'll have some time and I'm comfortable with the route and time of day.  Might wear these as they look pretty smart with dress pants as well but I need to break them in a little more.

Today I decided to break in my new Torrid faux zipper heels, which end up perfectly matching a skirt I've had for awhile.  I ended up buying these as a treat after going through all my shoes and getting rid (some sold but most donated) of pairs that I no longer wore or weren't attached to.  That way the closet doesn't get out of control and I can keep new styles rotating in. I also wore heels out for a couple hours last week but nothing so bold as today's outfit - no pictures unfortunately as the day got busy when I got home.  I wore a green polo with black slacks and my American Eagle "Kim" black mary janes.  Went out just before daybreak and walked to some nearby offices that I used to do some business at.  Pretty deserted at that hour (I'm usually out just before sunrise anyway, so it's a comfortable time for me) but I did pass a couple people on the way there - nothing said.  Walked about the complex for awhile, mainly noticing how vacant it all has become over the past few years, then headed home.  Sometimes it's just nice to put a couple miles on a pair of pumps.

Recently I went through my heels and had a bit of a shoe purge, but the good kind where I sell or donate pairs I haven't worn in at least six months and don't have an attachment to.  It allows me to clear out some space for new shoes, so I decided to treat myself to a new pair as the price was right.  These are from Torrid and were less than US $20 all said and done.  Size is 12W but they fit pretty nice as they are JUST long enough to accommodate my feet.  It seems Torrid is shipping people size 12W's to those who order 13W's.  I've had that problem with them in the past but that's why I was able to get these at such a good price.  Really wish they would just stock standard sizes up through US13 but guys in my size can't complain.

They feel pretty solid and have an interesting shape that I wasn't expecting, kind of pinup-ish, which are the type of heels Torrid used to sell years ago.  Do need to keep on top of not snagging your hosiery on the faux zippers however!

I agree.  Wearing heels a few times every week has made my knees, ankles and legs (not to mention my back) less prone to tightening up.  I've always been pretty agile but wearing heels has without a doubt increased my range of motion.  I don't wear heels exclusively and tend to put upwards of 10 miles on a pair of "dress trainers" almost every work day but I think that helps to as my lower body is always being flexed and worked differently.  Medium support pantyhose also make a pretty big difference from my experience.

Thanks gentlemen!

Thanks Mr. X and bluejay! Been away for awhile but was feeling exceptionally put together this morning so I snapped a couple shots.  These are the Christian Siriano LaFemme platforms from a couple seasons ago at Payless.  I really wish Payless would bring back more of the almond toe pumps and platforms that I thought they were going to migrate back into.  With Torrid jumping on the "frumpy old lady" footwear bandwagon last season, I need somewhere I can get my classic heels fix in large sizes.  

You look great as usual!

Lime15 : Those red shoes arent bad. Good choice!

Thank you very much!  

I like your new red pumps, Lime15. I have the same style, from Target, that I got on sale, last fall. I like the red look and they fit me well.

 

Enjoy wearing your new red pumps. I know that I like to wear mine!

Thanks!  I've been looking for a pair of red pumps for awhile and when I saw these in a style I had (and purged away) years ago I knew I had to have them.  

Cool pumps, Lime15! It takes a special brand of boldness to wear red shoes, and yours are sharp! Bravo!

Thank you as always my friend!  

Lime15, I dig that style too. I have them in black patent and blue suede. On the day that I decided that I was going to start wearing my heels out and about I took a long lunch, went to torrid and bought the blue suede pair, and went to go have coffee in them.

Thanks!  I think I actually read a thread where you posted about that a long time ago when I was an HHPlace lurker before registering and joining in.

Finally got around to getting a picture of my Oxfords that I bought.

I have a pair of those as well and they are awesome "everyday" type oxfords.  Great choice!

Mr Lime….  How you??  Like your sandals!!  They look really nice.  I have pair of sandals similar to the black ones, thin strap across the toes, very minimal.  They look nice and are fun to wear.  

Haven't heard of Shoe Show.  I checked their site, they have some nice looking shoes there.

Have fun in your new sandals, I was out today in a pair of wedgie t-strap thongs - fun….  Take care sf

…..and….  are you going to write a review of you new sandals???  

Thanks SF!  I'll get around to reviewing the Payless heels eventually.  Their website is irritating me right now so I have less desire to push business for them at the moment.

I also got another new (to me anyway) pair of heels yesterday which surprised me as I wasn't expecting the shipment to arrive until sometime next week.  These are Torrid platforms from a few seasons ago in red patent. Earlier when I was commenting on how much I used to like Torrid's styles these were the type of shoes I was referring to.  One minor scuff on one side of the uppers but other than that they look as if they were brand new.  It's not all that uncommon for new orders from Torrid to have damage like that so it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case.  These are 12W and fit really well and are quite comfortable. Torrid could be getting my money for shoes like these instead of me buying them second-hand.

A couple new pairs of sandals came in today.  It's strange how my preferences change over the years as not too long ago I detested heeled sandals or even most open toe heels for that matter.  I've embraced the style more and more and as long as I think my feet look good in my choices of said style, they're a type of shoe I don't see leaving my closet. First pair is from Shoe Show.  I liked how these look and always wondered how this type of minimalist heeled sandal would feel to wear but never cared to purchase a pair.  With a combination of a sale and coupon code these were less than $13 shipped so I couldn't say no.  They're a tad bit tight around the toes but have already loosened up quite a bit and aren't bad at all.  I probably won't wear them a ton but when the first heat wave rolls around I may change my mind.

Second pair is the Brash "Meridian" sandal, a shoe I was taken by the first day it was available on the Payless website.  I went for the cognac color as opposed to black and as pictured on the product page, the finish is a little blotchy.  Not a huge deal but I do wish the dyeing was a little more consistent.  What surprised me about these shoes is how soft and supple the straps are.  These are easily some of the most comfortable heels I've ever worn.  I hear "they feel like flats" about certain heels a lot but with these, at least for me, that's exactly what they feel like.  It's like wearing a pair of trainers.