Steve63130

Mal, Wish my wife and I could be there. It sounds like a blast. Actually, friends of ours in Bendigo have a son who was just married to an American girl here in the states. The Aussie celebration will be on the 13th of February at a barbie on the Yarra. If we had the time and if the exchange rate were more favorable for us, we'd be in the land of sunshine and Vegemite instead of freezing our buns off in Ohio! Enjoy your day in heels. We'll look you up next time we visit Oz. Steve

You're assuming that the heels we wear in bed are also worn in other parts of the house or outside. I don't do that. I have several pair of sandals that I reserve ONLY for wearing in bed. They are clean and have never been worn except in bed. Nothing disgusting about that. Steve

I did the test and my ideal height is 3", which is exactly the height I feel most comfortable in. I thought that might be more than coincidence. My wife's heel height was 2.5", but she rarely wears shoes more than 1.5 to 2 inches in heel height. Anyway, I provided a lengthy but positive comment on the article and mentioned High Heel Place (without the link, as it's not permitted to do so); let's see if they review it and publish my comments. Steve

I really like sleeping in heels. My feet get too hot in pumps and boots are out of the question, but 3 to 4" sandals are ideal. I prefer the kinds with adjustable straps so that I can fasten them snugly and keep the sole against the sole of my foot. I tend to wake up once or twice during the night and I'm conscious of feeling good about being in heels. I have never torn sheets or kicked the wife, so it has become a very enjoyable experience for me so far. Try it before you knock it. Steve

Welcome to this great forum. Thanks for sharing your outing experience. Those are excellent boots for street heeling, and we're glad you didn't fall. Be careful but get lots of practice in, so you can handle the heels easily. It takes time and effort to be good, but it's worth it. We look forward to many more good posts from you! Steve

2009 was a good year for me. I acquired between 2 and 3 dozen new shoes, including my favorite Clark's Octavia clogs (in several colors). I wear them openly including around friends and family, and I am continually amazed that no one ever says anything about them being for women, even though the heel is 3" and clearly tapered thinner than a block heel. I even traveled with them on planes through airports and not a second glance. I'm wearing what I like and it's very liberating! Happy New Year to all. Steve

Well, there's Elvis's "Blue Suede Shoes." For pump fans, there's "Pump It" by the Black Eye Peas. And of course that children's song, "Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me!" And certainly there's a ton of "sole" music out there. Ok, that's enough. I'm not sure if those last three really count... Steve

HappyFeat, If you're going to visit Johnie and Ruthie, send me a private message telling me when and if I can, I would love to join you. We should all get together again. Too bad the October heel meet didn't work out this year. Steve

I am with you there. I love clogs/mules - they are my favorite style. It's easy to slip them on and off, and in a backless shoe like that, I can wear a US woman's size 11, for which there are a lot more choices than in a 12. I have acquired most of my shoes on ebay at greatly discounted prices, cheap enough that if they don't fit, I can resell them at very little loss. My current favorites are Clark's Octavia. They have a 1/2 inch platform and a 3 inch tapered heel. I've never gotten any looks or questions. I have worn them everywhere, in front of friends and family. The funniest experience was last summer when I wore them to a neighbor's party, and another female neighbor there wore the same shoes. They all thought it was such a hoot. Nobody asked if I was wearing women's shoes. I had a great time at that party. Clogs are great with boot cut jeans or pants. They're unisex in appearance, I feel totally confident wearing them, and I enjoy the fact that I'm wearing high heels. Steve

We have already started to see this trend happening in hosiery for men. As many of you know, in 1998 I started to develop a line of men's tights, pantyhose, stockings, and socks, made very similarly to women's products, but made for men's dimensions and anatomy, and made with better quality materials for better durability (men think their clothes should last forever, but women are used to the idea that pantyhose are disposable). There are a lot of guys today who will dare to wear their legwear exposed, either under trousers (uncovered by socks) or even more exposed under shorts. They, too, realize that society's acceptance will only change if the public sees the trend and is exposed to guys in hosiery over and over, just like with earrings, starting twenty years ago. (For more on the parallels of the legwear trend in fashion freedom, see www.nylongene.com and www.activskin.com ).

There is one major difference between hosiery and heels for guys: hose can be worn for fashion or for benefits (compression, leg health, chafing protection, warmth, etc.). High heels are primarily fashion. More guys are comfortable with the idea of wearing hose publically for the benefits, because if they're asked, they can state they're wearing for the benefits, and feel more legitimate doing so. Fewer are willing to admit they just simply like the look or feel. On the other foot, with high heels, it's mostly look and feel. The benefits are fewer and less convincing, mostly perhaps because guys in general don't have to be taller. ("I'm wearing them so I can reach the cookies on the top shelf without standing on a stepladder, dear." - doesn't carry a lot of convincing truth, does it? LOL).

So we have to suck it up and admit that we like wearing heels for the looks and feel, and if society doesn't like it, too bad, get over it. We like it and we're not going to stop wearing what we like.

Steve

Ellar, G'day and welcome. I happen to know that Hog in Heels, in the post before yours, is from the Gosford area, also! You guys need to get together and meet in person! Who would have thought that Gosford is the high heel capital of NSW? LOL Well, there are at least two of you there! Good luck! Steve (in Ohio, USA)

Killing your feet? Why? Pain is not required in order to wear hh shoes. If they hurt, either modify them so they don't, or get a different pair that feel good. Don't do any damage to your feet that you will regret in later life. Pain should be the first indication that you are doing so! Steve

That next step ought to be shoe shopping together. Or have you done that yet? Good luck! Steve

Keels, You could try mary janes, heels with an ankle strap, clogs, loafers, and oxfords. If you're limiting yourself to traditional pumps or court shoes, though, I have no other suggestions. Steve

Xa, TMI! Steve

The only cosmetics I ever buy are Sherwin-Williams. Steve

But I would argue that "ridiculous" is in the eye of the beholder. Who defines it? What's ridiculous to one person may not be to another. Some people might find any woman's high heels ridiculous on a man. Others may find just stilettos ridiculous. Or platforms. And it depends on the build of the person wearing the shoes, too. There are so many variables. Steve

Bubba, There are a lot of people out there who think men in hh are strange! Everyone draws the "strange/not strange" line in a different place! Steve

It all depends on whether you cause an accident or not. Please drive carefully, especially if you're not used to driving with heels. Take extra precautions, leave more distance behind the car in front of you, don't race to make that yellow light before it turns red, and be extra careful in changing lanes and making turns. I think I speak for everyone here that we don't want to hear how your wife HATES your driving in heels because you couldn't do it safely. Steve

I frequently go to NC on business. Count me as available. I'm usually in the Greensboro to Winston-Salem to Charlotte part of the state. Steve

Activskin knee highs (both sheer and opaque) are made for men, sized bigger and they are more durable (better yarns and less stress). They last almost indefinitely. I know. I designed them and I own the company!

Steve

Yeah, but at that age, little girls don't have far to fall, so they won't hurt themselves! Steve

I am impressed with the outfits and the outings, but what impresses me most is your calm attitude and self control during the unpleasant encounter with the "boors." They were out to get a reaction from you and you ignored them. If you had reacted with a shout or gesture, you would have given them what they were after; but they didn't want to be ignored. Sometimes it's very difficult to take that high road and ignore a taunt, but it's exactly the right response. Congrats on having the self discipline to do that. You got the upper hand and you played the scene very well. Steve

If it were made "okay" then I think that many gals would dig having a guy around that shares their interest.

Larry

Your last sentence intrigues me. How does it get "made" ok? Are you sure it isn't "ok" now? How do you measure "ok" anyway?

Things get "ok" because they get commonplace. Back 20 years ago, when a guy wore earrings (or a single earring back then) it was uncommon and when you saw him, you stared and tried to make sense of it. Maybe you laughed. Sightings were few and far between, so next time, you did it again. But after a few sightings, the novelty wore off and, although you continued to notice, you no longer stared or paid much attention to it. Who even bothers to notice anymore? It's very common. Why? Because enough guys do it so the public is exposed frequently and it's no big deal.

We here are pioneers. We're in the very early stages of this effort and we are trying to start a trend. It isn't common to see a guy in heels yet, especially feminine or dressy heels (stiletto) and if you venture out, you can expect to get noticed, stared at, and laughed at. It's normal at this early stage. If enough of us do it often enough, it eventually becomes commonplace and people stop noticing. But if we don't do it, no one else is going to declare suddenly that it's "ok." It isn't automatic and it will not happen spontaneously. We have to "earn" the approval by doing it often enough and being seen by the public.

I could also have used the example of women adopting pants as part of their wardrobe. It wasn't acceptable at first either, but the more they did it, the more commonplace it became and the more "ok" it was (well, except for those of us who like to see legs!).

Steve

I have a different @$$h0le...er, opinion. I think the juxtaposition of very masculine and very feminine bothers me. It's jarring, not a smooth mix. From the waist up, the shirt and your mustache are very masculine. From the waist down, the skirt is feminine casual. And the hose and shoes are feminine dressy. I like all the pieces, but I don't like the mix. My guess is you don't want to lose the mustache, but for wearing femme things, it would really help your face to look less masculine and more neutral. You could photoshop the picture to erase it and see what you think. Post it if you do and let us see it. I think the shirt and skirt, both on the casual side, go well together. Wear nude hose and more casual shoes (loafers, clogs, or oxfords) to make the entire outfit more casual and blend together. I'm not sure about boots - it depends on the boot. Western boots are casual and would be ok, but not stiletto heeled boots, which are too dressy. Or if you want to wear the dressy black hose and shoes, wear a black skirt instead of the more casual denim (and lose the mustache). You have a good looking body and some great pieces to wear, but a different mix is needed for a more consistent look from head to toe. I hope HappyFeat and JeffB weigh in on this thread. They have a great eye for clothing ensembles that work. Steve