hhboots

Well, it's just the way of the world, the media always focuses on the most eye catching images that will sell the most, and its the mass consumer that eats that crap up. For those events, perhaps the drag queens take it as an excuse to dress up as slutty as possible to get the most attention and have fun in being as extreme as possible and enjoying the looks they get. Whatever the reason its everyone's right to do what they want I guess. Sure it probably is not good for this community, or even for everyone in the gay community for that matter to get that kind of attention. I know this web site has a very broad spectrum of men, we have one commonality, a love for shoes (even our opinion on shoes can vary greatly), but beyond that even this small community shows how diverse the world is at large. At first glance, someone might try to categorize us on this site with one title, but there are TVs, TGs, CDs, bi's, gay, straight, fetishists, married, single, closet this, openly that, and everything you can imagine in between. We are all unique and all feel differently about things we see around us. So yes there will be a wide range of reactions to these events, we can't all be happy about or even agree about everything. But again, its just the way of the world and we all have our own unique views about the world. I bet even that parade itself, they have a huge range of participants, those pictured are probably in the minority there too. Not sure I even made a point there, but there you have a 30+ second ramble from me on this matter

I've been shaving again for nearly 5 months, having decided that having legs hairer than your average monkey didn't look/feel right with heels. Tried one of these a couple of weeks ago, and haven'y been near a razor since.

First go was not very pleasant, but top-ups are significantly easier, and significantly less frequent than shaving. Comes highly recommended, especially if you need to shave daily, as I did.

Thanks Freddy, I am going to have to try an epilator.

I would be tempted to try the Tria hand held laser that Amanda uses, but that price is pretty steep for me. What I've used in the past, is a facial hair trimmer to make my hair really short (1/8-1/4") over all of my body, this is not itchy, it avoids known stubble regrowth issues related to body shaving, I don't have to do it as often, and doesn't look too obvious that I am "almost" shaving. More recently I started to use a body groomer, to get a closer, more consistent trim, and so far it works very well. However, the epilator sounds interesting and is very affordable, well worth a shot at least.

Oh I have a pair just like those, might be the same brand. Pleaser Domina 2000 if I recall correctly. A very fun pair to own and easier to walk in than you might think. Congrats on your purchase.

Hey spikeheels, welcome... Your current shoe collection sounds fun I have a collection of a similar nature for wearing around the house. However, If you do ever wish to venture outside in heels you can try as I have done this past year, buy a few more less extreme (3-4.5" height) and less obvious heels (chunky or wedge heels, round toe), and covered with long wide cut jeans. Yes, they are not quite as fun and sexy as the "at home" collection, but its a great first step and I feel great in them, they are comfortable to wear for many hours, and I can walk just as I do in flat shoes. Gives you the chance for much more practice, and to be able to wear them in public without the "look at me" feeling. Maybe someday I will be brave enough to wear the more extreme and fun collection outdoors, but for now, this is doing just fine for me.

I dont exactly like the shoes in the picture, but I for one would love to see a much more unisex and broader selection of 3+ inch wedges for men that do not look so feminine. Since this is the realm where most of my street heels reside, it sure would make things easier for me when finding the right shoes. Other than that, seeing a gradual broader acceptance of heels on a man would be great as well.

Name: Dan
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Location: Western US
Occupation: IT
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 205lb
Shoe size: 10 womens
What's your favourite heel style: Stiletto
What's your favourite shoe style: Boots
Do you wear your heels outside: about 1-2 a week
What is:
(a) Your favourite heel height: 4-5"
( Your highest heel height: 7"
How often do you wear:
(a) Your favourite heel height: 2-3 times per week
( Your highest heel height: rarely
Do you wear socks, hose, stockings or bare feet with your shoes: stockings
Anything else you wish to add: Love stiletto heels, but never worn in public, I prefer avoiding attention so I wear wedges and chunky heels

I voted yes and I have a pair of ballet boots, but I can only walk in them for about 5 minutes though. I can keep them on for a few hours if I stay off my feet.

I have been wanting to get a more pony style ballet boot like these http://www.snaz75.com/pl-femme-2020-l.html, mainly because they look a little bit easier than my extreme ballet boots to walk in, but they are rather expensive (more than 2 times as much) in comparison to the regular ballets, so I will just have to wish on...

For a long time I only had about 4 pairs that were for strictly in-house wear only. Those are the more extreme 5"+ stiletto type heels. Since this past year I have started street heeling and for the most part do it fairly low key, I have expanded my collection to about 15 pairs. Most of the newer ones are unisex looking round toe with chunky/wedge 3-4" heels. Almost all of my collection are boots of some sort, with only one exception of loafer/mule type. I am excited that the wife has started venturing more into high heels since I have started street heeling, she used to only wear 2" or less, but has started wearing 3-4" heels this past year as well.

I just joined this last month, so I didn't know about this last gathering, but sounds like it didn't quite go off after all . Anyway, I would probably come if you plan another one as I am relatively close to BC. ... Oh I see September in iloveboots' message, that is a possibility for me, we'll have to see how the next couple of months go ...

I really am liking the shoes many of you are daring enough to wear in public. I envy a lot of you for your boldness. I feel more comfortable in public with a more unisex looking rounded toe, chunky and/or wedge heel and my wife is happier with me doing that as well. Dont get me wrong, I really like the look of pointy pumps, strappy sandals, and all of those very feminine looking shoes. But for me, I just like the feel of wearing heels in public without getting the attention. So it ends up being a more conservative look for me. Just wondering, for those that are doing the stilettos and more obvious heels in public, was that something you did right off the bat, or did you start out more subtle as i am doing now and work your way up? Just wondering so I might be able to predict if I will eventually end up going "full display" as many of you are.

Probably was interested in trying it from my earliest memories, though I think the biggest thing that got me started, was my best friends sister. I was in love with her for many years starting about the age of 11, she was a year older than me, eventually she became my best friend for many years to follow (wrongfully replacing her brother as my best friend probably for all the wrong reasons), but thats about as far as it went. We even went to the prom together, but only as friends (lame). I lusted for her and she was totally oblivious to it. Anyway, she always wore the hottest shoes and had perfect legs, at least in my eyes. I guess since I couldnt have her, I probably unknowingly wanted to emulate her (yes maybe should have considered therapy at that point ). I "borrowed" a couple of pairs from her vast collection that I knew she would never miss, and kept them for several years. That was what started me down this path I think. Also had two older sisters, which probably didnt help much for my hobby.

Very nice stilettoscot, very bold move, and even further so by posting a full picture of yourself on the net. That goes way beyond what I am able to do. I feel like I am taking baby steps compared to some of you guys. I've only this year started doing covered wedge boots in public, but I recently acquired a few new pairs of block heel boots (with no wedge), that I am hoping to try streetheeling in the next few weeks. Still not a stiletto pump or sandal, but like i said, only baby steps for me.

Although I am married straight guy living a mostly "normal" life, and never had an attraction to men, I do sometimes however think I might have made a better lesbian than straight man. I love women, and everything about women, but perhaps to an extreme -which is where this all comes from I suppose.

Funny you should mentin that. Just yesterday afternoon, I saw a young man in a popular strip mall area crowded with shoppers. No more than 20 or so, he sported a black leather jacket, jeans so tight they could've been spray painted on, checkered sneakers and, the finishing touch: a spiked mohawk that was light brown, almost blond and was easily a foot high.

Oh, sure, that kid got plenty of stares and double takes, but nothing more than that. That got me to thinking, that if those same people saw that kid, then me wearing heels, who would entertain more derision? Chances are, probably me as society is used to goths and headbangers, but not men in heels? That's going take a while to sink in with the public I'm afraid.

I like how this was stated and fully agree. I am gradually building confidence to go out in heels more often, but as I have said before, I do it very low key. There is no way I am ready to do a strappy stiletto on the street, maybe someday eventually, but I cannot picture myself doing that anytime in the near future.

Yes, unfortunately, the extreme goth punk looking guy is much more accepted than a man in stilletos at the mall and that is due to a bit more prevalence of his look (about 1 in 100 in my area, maybe more, maybe less depending on your area). I very rarely see any other man out in even stealthy heels (less than 1 in 5000 I would guess, maybe that is just in my area). So I would be an extreme exception being seen in obvious heels out, just not ready to be that bold.

To me, it's not the quantity of time spent in high heels that I appreciate most, but the quality of time. I for one have never gone beyond six or seven hours during an outing at the mall in four inchers and was very satisfied afterward because I enjoyed myself and never felt any need to go beyond that particular time frame. Ten hours? Twelve hours? Longer? Sorry, I just don't see it, but that's just me.

Almost mirrors my sentiments. I enjoy the nights out or the trip to the mall in them and the satisfaction of getting away with it, but not that interested in doing a full day in them.

I had multiple votes - I guess its fine for a woman to have that hey look at me sound, but for the guy that is not ready to advertise his choice in footwear to the masses, I prefer no clank. I guess I have a small amount of bitterness in that it is actually harder to find women's shoes that do NOT clank. I would estimate almost 80% of womens shoes (not counting sneakers or similar shoes) are designed to clank. I guess that is on purpose, but not sure I am happy about that

Good discussion, I agree with points made by several people. I am new to this site, but do feel much more comfortable talking about this topic here than anywhere else, where as women can talk to any of their friends openly in most cases about their fashions, so would not really need to come here so much I would think. I mean, at least I do have my wife to say some of this too, and while being very understanding and supportive of my thoughts in this area, is not the same as talking to guys in my same situation so openly. So, I am quite happy that we guys are so welcome here and that this forum exists. Since I have not been here that long, I don't know how many more women used to post here historically, but that is unfortunate if there has been a decline. Hope there can be some sort of way to rebound the female numbers here.

Well depends, if i see a man wearing them in public, kind of low key as I am (and not in a "hey look at me" kind of way), I would probably briefly want to say hello and congratulate him on his choice of footwear (unless he looks as though he wants to avoid extra attention, as I usually do). Anyway, that's as far as that would go.

On the other end, i do love to look at any beautiful long smooth slender legs in a pair of high heels, there are few men that I have seen that can be included in this category. Again I am hetero as well, but for example, this guy http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/559014746XTGWWj, has some damn nice legs that I cant help but admire. I have only run across one very convincing looking TV in public, that was absolutely amazing in every detail, and had some awesome legs as well, and I guess I couldnt take my eyes off them.

What can I say, a nice pair of legs is a nice pair of legs, and I love legs.

You truly are blessed with some awesome legs. I also noticed your gallery and web blog site links. You look incredible, and on top of that you love corsets! What an absolute dream.

Awesome to hear, Patent Heel! Congrats!

I definitely wish you the best, I really hope she supports you. You might mention that you have tried and tried to get over this habit, but it is something you will have for life, and you have gone through many ups and downs, including disposing of the collection I think she will understand that you have done your best to try to shake this. It is difficult, I have never been happier since telling my wife. I know not all wifes are as open minded as mine, but I think if they truly love you, they should understand. You are not a bad person, its just a part of you, and because society doesn't agree that its "normal", you get labeled as such. We are in a difficult position, there is no denying that.

Folks, you just have to be careful enough and smart enough, and it can be kept secret. In my case, I kept it secret from my parents for more than 10 years, and now I am doing the same from my wife

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Btw, what's next if I told my wife and she would magically understand it? She still wouldn't want me to wear it outside b/c she would think I would ridicule myself. And then ... should I always hear from then on "did you do it again?" when I come home? Heeling in the house gets old very soon ...

Ahh sorry, disregard my last posted question to you heelma, after reading this other post from you, I think I can understand your situation better, without the support of your significant other, I think perhaps it would get rather old/boring to only do this in secret after many years.

In my case, I didn't have a desire at all for more than 8 years. Then it came back for about 1 year, with interruptions, and it got less and less interesting. Same will happen now, I can tell. I am already less interested than 1 month ago, when I started again.

I read this and one other person on this forum say the same, that the desire comes and goes for long periods of time. I find that interesting, as my desire never seems to go away in fact as I get older I think it keeps getting stronger.

So perhaps we wear them for different reasons, I like the way they make me feel, I like that they are way more interesting looking than men's shoes, and in many cases I think they are even more comfortable to walk in than my "normal men's" shoes.

So just wondering, why do you feel the switch goes off and on for you? What are your reasons for doing it anyway? Just want to understand how some here seem to have an on and off mode and for some of us it never seems to go away ever (and for some others here on the other extreme who want the full package). I guess I consider myself middle of the road on the spectrum of guys here.

I have only truly street heeled away from the office unfortunately, and that was a relatively recent thing for me (this past year). In the office, I do specifically pick casual men's boots that have the highest heel I can find them (which is usually 1.5-2"), and I make sure they have some adjustment room so that I can add a lift inside, this brings me to 3-4" inches safely wearing a very conservative looking shoe. I know its cheating, but I don't want to risk blowing it at a job that is solid, pays well and where I have been for almost 10 years now.

I have a pair I bought years ago that I have not been able to wear much lately. I can wear them for several hours continuously when NOT walking on them (just sitting/sleeping), but can only walk short distances in them unfortunately. I have tried gel pads, thick socks, etc, but still my longest walk in them was a few minutes at most and it got very painful after that. I am thinking of trying to create somehow a solid insert for ballets that would help support the foot from the ball of the foot, that would fit under/behind/between the toes if you can picture it would establish a kind of platform for the ball of your foot to sit on ina way. So essentially the bulk of your weight would be transferred to the joint part of your feet just above the toes. Just a picture in my head really, not sure how I could possibly create something like this, or if there is even enough room inside the shoe to make something like this work, but in my head, it seems like it could really work.