Steve63130

Nice choice! Wear them well. Practice a lot so you're comfortable in them, and strut your stuff in confidence! Have fun!

Steve

James,

Thanks for the kind words. I think the nail color goes very well. Nice shoes, too!

Steve

5 hours ago, Henri1942 said:

You guys keep wondering about the shoes/boots.  I want to know who's in them !!!!

Henri

She's the lead guitar in a heavy metal band!

Steve

I recently bought two pair of low-heeled shoes from Clarks.

Their "Rosalyn Belle" is a pump, which I bought in brown (as they didn't have 12W in black), but it turns out I really like the color, so I'm glad it worked out. The second pair is "Rosalyn Wren" mary janes in black. Both of these have 2" block heels, are real leather, and are amazingly comfortable. I rarely buy shoes this expensive; both list for $110. The Belle I found on 6pm.com (Zappos' clearance outlet) for $45 and the Wren I found on ShoeMall.com for $76. I got an email confirmation from both companies and got the Belle right away, but didn't hear anything from ShoeMall for a couple of days. When I went to the web site to check the status, I was horrified to find out they cancelled my order! Just like that! No email, no notification as to why, no apology, no nothing. I was really dismayed. On ClarksUSA.com and other web sites (Zappos.com and Shoes.com for example) the Wren don't qualify for the 30% discount or whatever they offer, for some reason, so I was glad to find that on ShoeMall they gave me the discount. Then they took away the discount AND the shoes. No 12W were available any more. I was really irritated to be treated so badly so I wrote them a nastygram to complain. No reply yet. I ended up buying the Wren at Zappos.com and paying full price with a $5.00 discount. So for that price, I figured I better be impressed.

Well, it turns out I really am! There was no break-in needed. The Wren fit like a glove and are very easy to walk in. I've worn them all day several times. Today, I went with my wife to attend a hearing in Columbus at the statehouse, and of course, nobody noticed. We went to lunch, to a museum, to Starbucks, and walked all over. These are great shoes for walking and for all day wear. The Belle pumps are great, too, but are a bit wide in the back for me, so at first they tended to slip off my heel. But as I've worn them they have become more flexible and now stay on much better. I wore them all day yesterday, to the office, to lunch, to the pub for drinks before dinner, and to the dining room for dinner. I really like the looks and how they feel.

I know most of you who love stilettos or 5" heels won't be impressed, but these shoes are a first for me in an important way. They show the top of my foot fully exposed (save the strap on the mary janes) and I've never dared to wear such heels in public. Everything previous was clogs, boots or loafer pumps which covered the instep. What prompted me to push my envelope is that in recent months I've added some ballet flats and flat mary janes to my collection and have worn those in public with no comments or iDrops from anyone (at least that I noticed). So I've become much bolder than before, and that's a big step (and a big instep!) for me in my journey.

So if any of you want to take the next step like I have, I highly recommend Clark's shoes like these. They are a wonderful addition to my wardrobe! 

Steve

That would be a lot of trouble going through airport security! LOL

Steve

Thanks for the endorsement, JKrenzer. I've been thinking about getting one, too. I've always wanted one and I would have other uses for it as well as heel repair.

Steve

Nice outfit! You have the body shape and legs to rock those stiletto pumps!

Steve

I can attest to Shoeshow.com being a decent company. Their footwear is ridiculously cheap, but what I have bought is of decent quality for the price - on the same level as Payless. Sizing is all over the place, though. I have bought size 12M that I can put both feet into, and size 12W that fits like a glove. If you buy online, you can return to their brick and mortar stores and save return postage, if there is a store near you. In the store I found the staff helpful and non-judgmental, but the selection of larger size footwear is meager. Online is the way to go. I have bought some booties and some flats from them, and I like wearing them a lot (some photos below).

Hi to TBG. Glad he's still breathing.

Steve

Many of us have made the mistake of going out in heels that didn't fit right, caused blisters, caused pain, were too slippery on marble floors, etc. Most of us survived such temporary ordeals, but it's risky and could cause both harm to yourself as well as embarrassment. If you don't think your family and friends would approve of you in heels, they probably wouldn't approve of seeing your name and photo in the newspaper in heels either! Pick your footwear carefully. Wear heels that fit properly and are comfortable. Practice a lot on all kinds of surfaces. Wearing heels should be safe and enjoyable, not risky and dangerous! Please take care of yourselves! You want to strut your stuff with confidence and be a role model!

Steve

Spoken like a true photographer! And, I agree!

:-)

Steve

I've tried it once or twice, but like others, my feet got too hot and I took them off. Even sandals reflect heat back from the bottoms of my feet, so I don't do them either. Nice idea, but not so good in reality.

Steve

Good advice, Cali. Jeremy, when I first came out to my wife in the late 1970s that I wanted to wear heels, she said fine, do it when you're alone, because I don't ever want to see them. After pushing the envelope for 20 years or so, I finally got to the point where I could wear heels around her and she didn't mind. I did it without fanfare and frequently enough that she got used to seeing me in them, and decided that my hobby wasn't really so bad, compared to going out drinking and playing around or other things that guys often do. The biggest thing I did that let me make progress was to keep focused on her, so she didn't experience insecurity and so she knew I was comfortable in my role as husband, and wasn't turning gay or going after a sex-change operation. As she became more confident and less insecure, more opportunities to wear heels ensued. Once we moved to our retirement community I could wear heels (and women's flats) every day, and I have. And nobody has EVER said anything to me, unless I asked my gal pals on the staff for their opinions. It's been a long and challenging but fun and worthwhile journey. So my advice to you is don't rush it. Enjoy all those minor victories and keep your attention focused on your wife and kids. When she does something nice, like wearing heels you like, shower her with presents and attention. She'll eventually figure out that if she wears heels, she gets rewarded, and that will make your bonding so much better. I think you have the potential for a fabulous long-term relationship. Take it slowly and carefully! And keep sharing your experiences here. That's how others learn.

Good luck!

Steve

I like women's boots, pumps, sandals, loafers, and flats. I usually love whatever is on my feet at a given moment. If I don't like it, I generally don't keep it. More and more I try to buy things that I would wear in public, not just around the house. And I find that most people don't care or say anything.

Cali, I like those platform sandals. They're a little too steep for me, both physically and monetarily, but I think they look good. Be careful of a platform that high, though, as a small pebble can throw you off, resulting in a fall, sprain, or both, not to mention embarrassment.

Steve

I wear flats quite often, especially when I have to do some walking. I find that wearing them in cold weather is much more comfortable with opaque or sheer hosiery. Whether people notice less or not, I don't know. I've long stopped paying attention to how others react to what I wear.

Whatever you wear, have fun doing it!

Steve

We have no shortage of them <sigh>.

Steve

They look great on you!

Steve

Yep, both. Definitely. Looking good!

Steve

And then there is the disappointment from a pair of Naturalizer "Vitality" pumps I've had for quite a while. I hadn't worn them since last winter, as they are too warm for summer wear. I put them on the other day and discovered to my horror that even though the uppers are genuine leather and in very good shape, the interior is vinyl coated fabric and the vinyl is flaking off in hundreds of tiny pieces, sticking to my feet and everything. What a mess! I bought those shoes new and paid $80 for them. So even though they were leather and well cared for, the interior was not leather and it has disintegrated. And in a lot of leather shoes it is the same way, so beware! A leather upper doesn't guarantee long-term bliss.

Steve

The trouble with polymers is that they often lose the plasticizer, the chemical that keeps them supple and flexible. The plastic gets hard and brittle, like old rubber bands. They lose their flexibility and disintegrate. If they are a patent leather surface like the first photo, they can peel off and leave a bare spot. Or if they're the sole material in the second photo, they can crack and fall apart. 

Going for more expensive shoes like leather usually improves durability, but at a cost of maintenance. You have to take care of leather so it doesn't crack and look bad. Some cheap leathers are worse than plastic. And some plastics are more durable than leather. Also, I'd much rather have a non-skid rubber sole than a slippery leather sole that will be treacherous on marble floors. I prefer leather uppers and a non-skid sole.

Steve

Looks like a great idea to me! Very well done as far as looks go. And if it functions appropriately, you have a great solution.

Steve

I was a goofy character there myself, back in the early 70s as a student. It was a wonderful place to be. Heels on guys were high back then!

Steve

Ok, you're hooked now! LOL Glad you got a compliment. That goes a long way to building confidence. Some people DO notice, but it's likely that comments will be positive (except for teenager in packs, but they don't count). Wear with pride. It's addicting!

Steve

Walk along the main shopping drag in the University area and you'll look better than most of the goofy characters you see there!

Steve

Pointer, thanks for your story. I'm glad you survived, but I would have been very surprised if there were any negative reports. Most people honestly do not notice, but we are so focused on heels that we think the rest of the world is like us. They aren't. And if they do notice, they usually don't care. The main exception is that teenage girls in packs will giggle. 

It gets easier each time. You'll begin to wonder what your concern was all about, and probably kick yourself for not having the guts to do it sooner. I know I do. But I'm glad I wear publicly now, because someday I may be too old to do it!

Keep pushing your personal envelope! Keep wearing heels! Practice outdoors so you become really confident and comfortable in heels. And keep on posting reports of your progress. Every successful outing is a small victory!

Steve

Good job! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. It gets easier each time, and pretty soon you'll be wondering why you're not getting noticed! Where are the compliments? Truth is, people don't notice or if they do, for the most part they don't care. There are a lot weirder things out there than a guy in heels.

Keep on with the outings and post about your progress! And practice walking outdoors so you become proficient. It's not the same as walking around in your house. The more graceful you can present yourself, the more confident you'll become!

Steve