HappyinHeels

Bubba136 and others, I watch Fox News a lot, it does better because it is more entertaining, doesn't slant so far left like the other channels and above all...MAKES A LOT MORE MONEY for the network. Yes, the girls (Jamie Colby always has on great heels) do look great. If you want a virtual hit parade of way-above-the-knee dresses and 5-6" heels all the time you should check out the Spanish-language channels "Univision" or Telemundo in the United States or on satellite elsewhere. The news desk has an open face so the camera shots always show their legs, dresses, and the fabulous heels they wear. Check it out!! HappyinHeels

danielp6404- Yes, the "Julee" ankle boots are quite comfortable and make the expected clicking sound as you walk across the pavement. We're in the precise time of year when all these ankle and knee boots are on sale or clearance as store change their inventories to spring merchandise. The only question is will they have sold out of your size?? Being in Canada you may have a few more weeks before the stores there flip their merchandise. HappyinHeels

Heelguy, Well, for someone so new to crossdressing by the looks of your cute shoes and nice toes, I'd say you are off to a good start!! If you have the confidence to dress and live in an area wher you can enjoy doing it then feel to show your toes!! Real girls do it all the time! HappyinHeels

EXcept for a pair of neutral-color Steve Madden loafers with 4" wedge heels I use to go into malls, big stores and the like without looking obvious, the rest of my shoes are 5" and up. I love wedges for walking in the grass and I adore stiletto heels. A few years I attended a fetish Halloween party sponsored by, no less, a shoe store. I wore an ABS metallic gold wrap dress, large hoop earrings from Kohls, a Pierre Cardin dress watch, long acrylic nails polished a fuschia that matched my toes, an ankle bracelet, and some gold irredescent Sunset Strip platform sandals with 8.5" stiletto heels. A step outside to have a cigarette with the other girls and everyone was commenting on each others' heels--nobody in the group had on anything under 7" so I'd say we were all "extreme heel" lovers! HappyinHeels

Was at Bakers in Milwaukee a couple of weeks and picked up these fun-looking ankle boots called "Julee". Very easy to pop on in the car. I got gas a few nights ago with them on under my jeans-fantastic!! I encourage everyone to shop Bakers if you have one close by.

http://www.bakersshoes.com/product.aspx?c=445&p=141119

Their sizes only go to US11 however.

I recently was in Charlotte Russe and noticed they have a sign saying that size 11 is now available in select styles. I saw a pair of pumps with a thicker heel that interested me but I'll wait until the weekend and go to another store and buy from a sales associate that used to work at Bakers.

One more place to try!!

HappyinHeels

Heelguy, I'd like to know what else you're wearing with your peep-toe pumps?? I agree with pussyinboots that a ruby,burgundy,copper, or silver should look great with that color of blue shoe. I recently bought a closed-toe pump called Victoria with a 5 3/4" heel from Bakers in exactly the same electric blue as your shoes. A few days later I went to a store, that caters to crossdressers, in 6" cork wedges under jeans and turquoise toenail polish because the dress I was looking to buy there had both electric blue and turquoise in it and I later did my own nails and painted them the same turquoise as my toes. I bought the shoes first and then got an outfit to match the shoes and figured out what finger and toe nail polish combo would work best. If you really want to have fun try matching your nail polish, lipstick, and eyeshadow for that all-coordinated look if you take it that far!! Otherwise just follow the advice in this thread but to wear open-toed anything without nail polish diminishes the open-toed high heel experience. HappyinHeels

What Jamie001 said is pure MUSIC to my ears!! The barriers men face wearing women's articles of clothing are merely concocted mental demons. Genetic women never asked genetic men's opinions nor did they apply to a nonexistent government agency for permission and certainly did not get the United Nations to sponsor a resolution on the topic. Since women are not governed by their egos then it explains why they tend to listen very well and are quick to spot the positive rather than fearing the negative. HappyinHeels

Mr. X, After reading the origin of the thread about looking for a real woman's opinion on men wearing heels I realized that is another perpetuation of the double standard since the "real women" never asked the "real men" what we thought when they started wearing men's cowboy boots or men's polo shirts or etcetera. They just went ahead and DID it and VOILA...a new fashion idea is born. The validation or acceptance or tolerance that most of us seek, but have trouble finding the exact word in English, comes when our confidence allows to express ourselves without any mental hindrances. Maybe, in this case I'll go north to Quebec and use a word from my father's tongue and say what we seek is "la joie de vivre" the so-called "joy of living". La joie de vivre lives right next to "laissez les boons temps rouler" or let the good times roll. It's about living and enjoying life to its fullest because we all have an expiration date. Wearing high heels is something so important that it gave rise to this entire forum, for women and MEN alike, it's just who we are. It's a part of our joie de vivre. HappyinHeels Talone(e) et Contente(e)

Welcome back NH Heels!! I enjoyed reading your "heel highlights" or maybe it's "high heellights". I recently went to a Nine West outlet store to go a half size bigger on wedge boots I had bought my wife for Christmas and wore a pair of 4" wedges in there myself. The manager like the neutral color and asked me what brand they were and I said Steve Madden. I had always heard good things about Nine West but have yet to buy heels there for myself. You're right about Target, it is always a good place to check for heels and they always stock up to size 11 which is my ideal size but I can take a 10 in some styles as well. I have bought heels, tops, and dresses there with NEVER a comment. Besides, I know the corporate policy of the Dayton Hudson Corporation is very GLBT-friendly anyway. And they are hardly alone in that regard. Wear your heels and show 'em your money---it's as green as any other customer's. HappyinHeels

To ALL-- I've been following this particular thread a while now as it seems to be something of "a confidence indicator" or I'll call it a "heel-o-meter", a scale on which we measure our own progress in understanding, and ultimately enjoying, this aspect of our lives. Trying on shoes is SOOOOOOOOO far preferable to just grabbing and running to the register w/o trying them on. Finding places and building a rapport with the sales staff does two things immediately; it builds a retail relationship on which to build and lifts one's confidence. Places where I have personally bought and tried on (or know to be very friendly to guys buying heels) are Bakers, Payless, Aldo, DSW, Target, Skyscraperheels in CHicago, and NineWest. This should provide those wondering about this topic some places to start with. There are others I'm sure of like all the shoe stores in West Hollywood or the ElectriqueBoutique stores in the Dallas area. This is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. If you can incorporate some heels into your daily wear when you shop it can add yet another dimension to the experience HappyinHeels

Well, I was in high school and right in the middle of the disco era. The question that krazykev poses really is rendered moot because the men's platform shoes of that era looked nothing like the ones he's portraying from the current time. The shoes DID look like those from the Flagg Bros. store (same place Billy Joel sung about) although there were also some taller platform shoes, basically large wedge heel closed-toe shoes more like Kiss used to wear and in wild colors. I tended to see these though only worn by guys with really long hair or that were music-related. I originally came from a farm background so this high-heel era for guys sort passed me by. Besides, the first pair of heels I ever wore my Mom's 6" stiletto D'Orsay-style pumps in 1971, much sexier than the men's platforms that would come a few years later! HappyinHeels

DBlair- Welcome to our forum!!!!!!! How nice to see yet another caring woman accept her significant other "AS IS" and embrace your love of heels..that's why WE ARE ALL HERE!! The way you put it was classic give and take- you offer to do something for her and you get something out of it as well. Well done!! I can only imagine we'll be hearing about shoe shopping trips later this year!! All the best! HappyinHeels

I spent a lot of time in different malls in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas over the Christmas shopping season and probably complimented at least a half dozen women on their shoes. Consider these reasons; 1) You love shoes and so does the woman you're complimenting, 2) Women express themselves through their clothes and complimenting them shows appreciation for that expression 3) Life is a one-shot deal...shop a dozen malls and you'll probably never see the same people (except the merchants) twice so you'll also nearly never see the same heels either. It is utterly stunning how many opportunities there are to say something nice but they are lost to "overthinking the moment". Say what you mean and mean what you say-women will notice! HappyinHeels

little.dan, Hey, welcome to the forum! I used to curse my height ( 5' 8.5" 174cm) but realized two things about a dozen years ago; 1-That I turned out to be a very effective football player in high school at free safety and not bad either as a backup quarterback so height didn't matter just mental toughness, and 2-My height actually turned out to be a blessing since I love heels over 5". Probably the best combination you could find is a girl who only somewhat taller than you but one who accepts and supports you wearing high heels this way you can enjoy it together-the more things you enjoy together the better all of life's experiences can be!! HappyinHeels

Krazykev64, Your poll looks intriguing enough but believe it is flawed as it assumes that a woman will have some sort of built-in advantage walking in a high-heeled shoe over a man. One might think that if you assume most or all women wear them and that no men do. Sure practice and experience do play a role but more so is one's own proportions and sense of balance. I have a incredibly reliable sense of balance and rarely fall..ever even on ice. Could be I'm only 5'8.5" tall with just a 30" inseam or I just am very aware of my surroundings. I've been told by a number of women SELLING high heels that I walk much more easily than they do and am very obviously a guy. I wager a fair bit of cash that members like roniheels among others could outlast most genetic women. It might be interesting and fun to watch but I don't think anything definitive would come from it, too many variables. I do think your shoes with the wider heels (or my favorites for walking store-to-store are wedge sandals) would work the best for what you want to do. HappyinHeels

I take a US 10-11 in women's (EU41-42) and one size above this for boots.

Despite the abundance of wisdom and experience among those in this forum--THIS may be the hurdle we cannot help this person to conquer as it is beyond ( I'm taking the proverbial long sip of a fermented beverage now) the scope of what we can reasonably expect to do. Like Bubba136 said, ask him what he was doing at age 26--hell ask most of us what we were doing at age 26 and you'll all be reaching for a cold one I could suggest several different things here but I think there is a more basic issue--like spreading one's wings and leaving the nest! And besides, one can't possibly wear high heels when one lives in a bubble anyway. HappyinHeels

Overall I like a shoe with a stiletto heel the most as nothing sets off the feet better and accompanied by nicely-painted toes as the stiletto heel. I like a thicker platform as it usually comes with a higher heel and I really prefer shoes with at least a 5" heel. I also quite like wedge-heel sandals for driving or walking on paths in the woods or in the yard. Seriously high platform heels are more for clubbing and fetish parties. HappyinHeels

Trevor, Another Bakers explorer!! I am regular Bakers customer and have a "B" card good for 10% discounts and also am a verified reviewer. I have reviewed the "Eryn", "Kambodia", "Stacey", "Carey" and just today, the "Victoria". Just click read reviews and look for Denise S. At $59 this shoe is at a clearance price because it isn't a best seller (not among their top 25) and they want to move inventory ahead of the 2010 spring stock which will start hitting stores in February. While I wished Bakers had their shoes made in the USA they nevertheless have the hottest styles out there in the $69-89 range and 4.5-5.75" heel range. They only go to size 11 but really size 10 in the stores. I always go in drab but nealry always am wearing some heels myself. The girls always know I am shopping for myself and are very helpful. I have written the corporate office in St. Louis a number of times complimenting the helpful staffs I have encountered and it is readily passed on to these specific stores. I highly recommend them to all in this forum. You'll be glad you wen there!! HappyinHeels

Larkofam, I wore jeans much like yours with neutral-color wedge loafers with a front that is similiar to your shoes and a 4" wedge heel that is barely visible when walking. I did a fair bit of Christmas shopping in various malls with these shoes on and it IS a blast!! Wearing hose under girl jeans is very comfy and is also practical if you wader into a shoe store and want to try on some heels..slide in, take a few steps, and slide out. I wonder what it would be like to like match hose with your shoe color to cover your toes to try and wear open-toed wedges or other style shoes with your same jeans??? Maybe another possibility since I've seen that black hose seems to be worn with everything and in about every circumstance. Keep on heelin' and let us know of your experiences. HappyinHeels

It is amazing how high some of these heels that women wear to work are getting these days. Today I happened to be standing next to my boss on the elevator. I know that she is 5'8" barefoot and I am 6'1." Well, we were looking eye to eye! She might have even had a quarter of an inch on me. I looked down when we got off the elevator and she had some really big spikes on. I am able to joke with her, so I made a comment about it, and she said, oh yes, the heels are five inches! She said most of the new styles are in the five inch range, and that the technology keeps getting better so it is easier and more comofortable to wear them. I never thought I would feel short, but I kind of did today.

Yes. it is amazing indeed but even more so when you are a GUY and 5' 8.5" like me and CAN'T wear 5" spikes to work like your coworker does. Like beatztheelz says it is very very good that women are wearing higher and higher heels these days but it'll be an even better world when MEN can wear them too!!!!!! I no longer curse my height since I love heels 5" and higher but I do curse the double standard of fashion that is changing but only slowly. But there are trailblazers like roniheels and others out there that turn society's double standard upside-down and make it easier than before.

2009 was a year when I bought more heels than any other. This year I bought one pair of ankle boots from Burlington Coat Factory, four pairs of pumps from Bakers, two stiletto-heeled platform sandals, and two pairs of wedge sandals. All these 2009 purchases have heels in the 5-6" range. This was also the year I discovered that I can fit into a size 10 in some styles!! Who knows what 2010 will bring!!

Sounds like the typical American answer for most things...just pop a pill! Forget it, flush the pill, and embrace liberty. I like who I am and you all should too!! Happyinheels

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukkah, and a Great 2010 to all. May we all grow,as people, as "strangers" who have found the union of shoes, clothes, etc. and we have become "friends" over the cyber network. 2009 was the year I found this great forum a relaxing place to be as I welcome fashionable friends (and their feet) into my home. Wishing you the best of these holidays from Wisconsin--where December pretty much always looks just like the Christmas cards-snow on the houses and trees-kids making snowmen, and people skating on their frozen ponds. Then comes January..... HappyinHeels

Imroter, Like I said earlier on you can't fool the vast majority of sales associates as they know who you are shopping by how you appear in the store. Women, in general and around the world, are very attuned to their surroundings and notice these things. When you are approached by an employee just say what you are looking for-now the pressure is off and this sales agent can now help you, which is exactly why they are there. If you wear a pair of heels under your jeans or however suits you then it is obvious to them and they SHOULD treat you like any other money-carrying customer. What others have said here is important---you have to show CONFIDENCE and the world will respond in kind.