"Shower shoes" now there is a memory. The military has a way of transforming the way many once spoke. Everyday things like toilet, bathroom, and vending machine became shitter, head, and geedunk after going into the Navy. "Geedunk" for those scratching their heads is the proverbial sound the coin made as it went down into the machine and dropped into the metal box inside. If you're organised you are "squared away" which is a very good thing to be especially at sea. Bubba's right, shower shoes outside to/from the bathroom was a no-go or a no-no. Same thing. Getting used to seeing so many guys in later years wearing shower shoes gave me post traumatic sandal syndrome but I'm okay now. My therapy was wearing high heels  HappyinHeels

C L O U D

mlroseplant,

Pretty nice you got exact replacements of your favourite mules. And I know you love your mules! I do remember when Bakers was in business they would tell me a number of their pumps, especially the "Victoria" series needed to be broken in and I found that to be true. I believe I have only two mule style sandals. One was an tan mule sandal from Target which my wife actually bought for me in 2007 and the other is a 7" platform sandal I got at my friend's store in Chicago. Mules look good on you and you look fearless doing any range of chores in them.

I have never bought replacement shoes but have at least twice bought two pairs of a style I really loved knowing I'd eventually get to the second pair one day. HappyinHeels

Whilst it seems premature to be seeing this as the snow has barely left and the ground just thawed out in many northern locations I nevertheless think it is on time. One has to consider the design time, plans to get it to manufacturing, and then the staging at the different fashion shows. This seems about right for an item which could be on store shelves in about 120 days or so. These shows are designed to create a buzz. The more buzz the more likely something on the runway will make it to a retail store.

The OTK green boots were seriously sexy but most of the rest did not peak my interest. I saw some truly hideous designs in here.  HinH

GREEN LIGHT

As a Midwesterner mostly (I do have some ties to Pennsylvania as well) I can back up what mlroseplant has said. Guys didn't wear shorts or sandals especially in the rural areas except when you went swimming. We had a backyard pond so it was often. Wearing sandals around the farm was NOT a good idea. Manure from animals, the odd nail or fence staple, or even stuff that surfaces from frost heave each winter like some old barbed wire will make a mess of your sandals and your skin.

My parents were always concerned about reasonable safety. My Dad excavated the back yard between the house and pond with new sifted dirt and new grass which looked like the type used on a football field so that we could get a running start and use the rope swing to splash into the pond. I didn't go barefoot except on that patch of our yard. 

As for California I did once live there in 1981-82 and remember lots of sandals there year-around. I also remember how cold that Pacific Ocean was especially Monterey Bay. The weather is warm but the water is not. The warmest beach water in California is normally around Venice Beach in Los Angeles/Long Beach and that usually peaks at just 70F/21C. Lake Michigan usually peaks at 75F/24C in its southern end. Lake Superior is a whole other matter! HappyinHeels

I think the easiest op-ed piece to write is the one each one of us can write when we step outside and let the world see us. As for P08C I appreciate your post about the article. As some members have already indicated it seems to be the same old fashion equation; man+heels = gay. Which is fine if you're part of that community but most of us are not. Getting reasonable people to believe there are more straight men than gay men who wear heels is exceedingly difficult when nearly all of the print is dedicated to gay-oriented causes. There is another reason I believe your post wasn't well-received. Though concise and well-meaning as it relates to a "pep talk" (third paragraph) I must take your challenge and raise you one more. That is your challenge is to POST MORE so we personally know of your experiences. 30 posts in 6.5 years will not possibly inspire enough people to even remember who said it. This is a live forum with dynamic dialogue. People need constant positive reinforcement. I've done all of the things you described and discovered one inescapable maxim. That is it is not what someone knows about someone else which makes one afraid rather it is what one knows about oneself. There are plenty of members here who "get on with it" and take their strides at a higher level. There are more watching and reading and getting gradually inspired. YOUR increased participation could be instrumental in seeing that happen and not yet another actor in the all-too-familiar "Agenda Theatre" starring the latest gay guy in heels. Always constructive and never malicious. HappyinHeels

18 hours ago, P08C said:

I just read this fascinating article by a military man who wore a pair of heels to a military function. The man in question is gay and he discusses his life experiences as a homosexual Male in a very alpha male type environment. Although the article discusses his homosexuality it is most definitely centered around him wearing heels to make a statement about equality. 

 

The biggest thing I took away from this article is that no matter who you are, or where you come from, this thing that we like doing isn't easy. It's a challenge every step of the way. Your fears are validated and there's nothing wrong with being scared. Don't let your fears control you. Even though it is okay to be scared you can't let those fears dictate how you live your life. Be the best you that you can be, and live your life the way you want. 

 

I challenge all of you, "out" or "closeted", to put on those heels, acknowledge your nerves, sweat a few bullets, take a breath, and do that thing you've always wanted to do in heels. This guy is living proof that you can do it, and you don't have to be ashamed. Push yourself to new heights, and challenge yourself to be happy.  

  

Happy heeling!

 

BOEING ALBATROSS ....hmm what could it be?

Your over-the-knee boots are merely a sideshow to the main event; your vocabulary! Sometimes I go to play the word game and see you're the last post and my jaw just drops . I just defer in awestruck wonder; "Who IS this guy???"  It's my sidelong scratch of the head HinH

flavio,

Muito bem meu amigo! I hope your time in France if you have moved there is rewarding. Just over five years ago we moved to a new house to get away from a new Amazon warehouse near us. During one of the visits to see the new house a man came to the door who turned out to be the son of the owner. It was only when I saw him duck under standard door openings (normally 80" or 203cm) when I realised how tall he really was. He is 7'3.5"/ 222cm tall and told me he was also teased as a kid. I had him do a project here at this house as he has had a bad year and we have become friends. His mother, the lady we bought the house from, is 6'4"/194cm tall and his (late) father was 6'10"/209cm so these are some tall people indeed. 

You own the tall boot look! Thanks for posting these photos. Muito obrigado. HinH

Cali,

Oh yes, the "Owney" boots we talked about! As for the word "cute" I think it's simply part of a woman's DNA these days as it seems ubiquitous. It's the fact you are getting compliments which is very refreshing I'll bet. HinH

I have several pairs of womens jeans which will need replacing and plan to replace them with ones I find at a thrift store. It seems Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul have quite a selection and the chances of finding a pair with decent front pockets are much better too. I have browsed while in the stores for other things and thought this would simply be a more frugal option as well as a more environmentally-friendly one. I think I'll make some shorts out of at least of them. The cutoffs I wear tend to be quite short indeed but that gets me more sun while doing yard chores. HinH

I N T E R A C T I O N

Does New York State ever get tired of being one of the nation's worst tax hells?? I guess the answer is no. No wonder the center of U.S population keeps shifting westward. Good to hear you have your share of self-serve vegetable/fruit stands though. HinH

Tech + p1ng74 et al,

Well said. There is simply no substitute to getting out into the world. I am not an "easy on the eyes" man by any stretch but it is amazing how, after wearing heels for a few years, I started to get noticed and complimented. That can't happen when one is penned up in an apartment or house. And once any of you who have been hiding indoors take that first step outside you will ask yourself, "why the hell did I wait so long?" Then  you'll realise all the money you've spent on shoes or other things you wear with them only for an audience of one and ask yourself, "What the hell was I thinking?" From my perspective I first met members Spikesmike and benrheels and iloveboots at a Chicago restaurant in 2013 followed by Steve63130 and mlroseplant and Cali in years after that and have seen how they enjoy life OUTSIDE the confines of the apartment or house. They have seen me as well and we all know the pleasures of interaction away from the mirror. Why should what we already know be limited to a few when so many more could get out there and "get on with it"??  We should measure 2019 here at HHP by the number of members who finally stepped away from the mirror and out into the world where they belong. Let's see how many more will break out of their shell and discover what we already know. That may be the enduring legacy of this forum indeed. HappyinHeels

And it is a beautiful and iconic area indeed!

All,

I figured I'd chime into this curious conversation by including some source material from the online Merriam-Webster dictionary which is an indispensable tool for anyone learning English as well as we native speakers;

L I B E R T A R I A N

Cali,

That's because Oregon is one of just two states (NJ is the other) which does not allow people to pump their own gas. My reference was to a time when there was no self-serve gas anywhere. I guess your town still holds onto some reminder of simpler times while the rest of the Golden State is sadly quite different. HinH

RonC + Shyheels,

I think you're both right. Millennials today couldn't fathom a time when one could motor around the Midwest, or rural New England, pull into a filling station and pump your gas before paying for it.  One could then use the bathroom, pick up some free maps, sip a soda, and then chat with the proprietor whilst paying for one's gas all in one shot. Nobody had to calculate how much gas they would need to pump as there was no pre-pay in those days in those rural areas. The last station I remember filling up without paying first was in Kansas last year. Of course this Midwest region is still a place where we have self-service vegetable and fruit stands. There's one within walking distance of my house here in rural Kenosha County. HinH

Though it doesn't pay anything another hat you have literally worn is an SF Giants cap. I guess that is a hobby and a pretty relaxing one at that. HinH

I think too many are falling for the trap of trying to find a label for an activity to check a certain box. Who gives a damn if it's a "hobby", "pastime", "chore" or whatever. It is something which we share in common and that's the focus. There is a certain truth to the notion that considering wearing certain items such as heels anything more than dressing will certainly not lead to acceptance by mainstream society. Whatever we wear must be done confidently and with the unmistakable optic it is part of our identity. We demand the same common courtesy which is afforded others seeking their place in the world. How many times have I said it????? Life is exceedingly short so quit wasting time on checking analytical boxes and get about the business of enjoying the life before you. If you don't put the proverbial heel to the pedal you'll grow old and regret not having done everything in your power to enjoy everything you imagined but found ways not to do it. Should have, could have, would have are mantras for losers sitting in taverns, pubs, and cantinas who fritterred away the opportunities life gave them. Successful people of vision and determination pay no heed to them for their goals shall surely never be reached. We all took a step in the right direction by coming to this forum. We all need to continue taking steps in deciding exactly how we'll go about enjoying our life, interacting with others, finding our own style, and just doing the sorts of things all people do.

As I said in another thread on the value of meeting other members here I met or saw again three different members in 2018.

I saw Steve63130 and his wife in August and had a great time talking with his neighbours who are all 70+ years old and none of them judge him and care about labels.

I saw Cali in California and saw his style and see that he is a free spirit living the dream on the Central California Coast. He loves how he lives and doesn't give a damn about labels. He just does his thing.

I saw mlroseplant in Iowa and had a good time sharing a meal with his family. He does his thing and is completely unafraid. His mules are as normal a part of the background in that town as a cornfield.

They are all quite different from me yet we share enough in common I look forward to seeing all of them again. The words hobby, or pastime, or chore would have little significance. They do their thing and hurt nobody in the process. Now that's  something we all should strive to have in common as well. That's my view from the slowly thawing Wisconsin countryside HappyinHeels   

The bicycle trip reference brings back memories. I remember my first long bike ride of about 14 miles (24km) one-way from our farm near Kansasville, Wisconsin to Antioch, Illinois. Crossing a state border is a big deal on a bike when you're a kid. That was in 1970 when I was 9 years old. Later when my father's job moved us to Pennsylvania I discovered much of Central Pennsylvania from a bike seat. I still remember hitting 60mph (96kph) down a 17% grade on PA state highway 74 coming down a mountain and thanking my stars I had good brakes on the bike...and with no helmet! Yep, we sure had lots of mobility at such a young age back then. Drive a car in the countryside at 12 years old and nobody stared at you. Of course country kids learn how to run all sorts of equipment at an early age. Nothing quite like cruising with the windows open and listening to music from the likes of the Stones, ACDC, Led Zepelin, the BeeGees, and so many more. I can still remember pulling into filling stations and seeing two uniformed guys come out to fill the tank and check tires and clean the windshield whilst we went inside to sip a 10-cent soda in a returnable bottle and could pickup free road maps which were printed by the oil companies in those days.  I kept some old maps from those times. I have a 1961 map of Illinois and it sure is different from today. Trips back then were much more hands-on. Ah, the memories!!  HappyinHeels

j-1986,

As Shyheels said a very positive development indeed. Perhaps this is the pivotal moment you have sought. Just keep talking and listening and things are bound to get better between the two of you. HinH

LovinHeels,

I adore wedges and have an Aldo pair very much like yours except mine have a "Y" type ankle strap. They are my go to warmer weather style and form the largest part of my shoe collection. Get those toes ready for your wedges! HinH