Steve63130

RonC, What's the Aerosoles model name? We can look it up on Shoe Carnival's web site. I love Aerosoles. Steve

Charlie, Now THAT'S a good reply! I'll have to remember it. Steve

Jabble, It was worth a shot! (get it?) Steve

I didn't find anything particularly attractive there either. They had quite a few Size 11s, but nothing that I wanted. I did fall in love with the Eurosoft Dakota clogs, and as I had a $10 off coupon, I bought them! Steve

Amanda, I'd like to explore your opinion further with you, since in part I agree with you and respect you. Please bear with me while I explain. There are a number of features about footwear that we are programmed to interpret as "feminine." Among them are: Heel thickness. I think a big man (as well as a big woman) can look "silly" (or at least precarious) perched on thin stiletto heels. (I'm sure I'll catch flak with that statement, but I've looked at myself in the mirror in stilettos and I just don't like the look on me. I'm not fat, just stocky, a little bigger in the waist than I should be for my height, and I could stand to lose a few pounds.) In my opinion bigger people look better with thicker heels to support them. Thinner people look right in thin heels. Wedges are problematic if they're thin (in width), too, but better if they're wider. Platforms, if they're about a centimeter or so thick, don't look particularly feminine to me. But thicker plats could be, depending on the configuration, especially the multiple layered plats and stripper heels. Instep. I think another feature that can look feminine to me is the amount of instep, or the top of the foot that is revealed. Pumps/courts with a low throat that show toe cleavage are especially feminine. Boots, booties, clogs, and even loafers are at the other end of the spectrum, because these cover the instep, and thus make the overall appearance less femme. Thin straps, such as you find on sandals, slingbacks, maryjanes, and even boots (for decoration) look feminine to me. They make the shoe look dainty and less capable of holding the foot in place than a thicker strap. Frilly fabrics, such as lace, knitted fabrics, braided straps, transparent gauze or clear plastic can make a shoe appear feminine. Shiny patent leather, PVC or polyurethane can also look femme. Accessories that catch the eye, such as buckles, bows, flowers, jewels, sequins and shiny metal pieces, or other decoration, can make a shoe appear feminine. So when you say that you think guys look silly in high heels, please pause for a minute and consider the overall appearance of the shoe you have in mind. Are you thinking about shoes that have one or more of these feminine features? Please consider this. There are a lot of (women's) shoes with high heels that don't have the above mentioned feminine features. Examples of some are shown below. Do you agree with this distinction I've made? Could a guy dressed in heels like those below look "not silly" but rather "all right" or even "attractive" to you? Or in your opinion do most guys in high heels, no matter what the shoe looks like, look silly? I'm not being anal - just anal-ytical. Not all heels are created equal. :-) Respectfully, Steve

Jeff, I totally agree with you on the usefulness of a shoulder bag. I've been carrying one for many years. Years ago I just got tired of changing all the junk in my pants pockets when I changed pants. And half the time I'd forget something like keys or wallet or pocketknife. Now I just grab the bag and it's all there. Plus a lot more! I keep nothing in my pants pockets anymore. I have a small bag with a wide strap that doesn't look particularly femme, and I rarely get any comments about it. I keep a lot of stuff in it - "the junk accumulates to fill the available space" is a well-known law of physics! Good on you for carrying a shoulder bag - it looks great! More guys should do it! Steve

If you are patient and wait until the polish is dry and hardened, it won't be ruined. Steve

Mick, We found the Aerosoles store on Market Street was small but the staff were nice enough. They were busy at the time we were there. My wife tried on a pair of sandals but they didn't fit well, so we left. We never made it to the store on Sutter Street up by Union Square. I would have liked to have gone into their store wearing Aerolsoles sandals just for the grins and giggles! The DSW on Powell south of Union Square was nice enough, and I'm glad we went there; that's where I found the Eurosoft Dakota clogs I've fallen in love with. But don't overlook the Macy's on Union Square. The women's shoe section is the biggest I've ever seen! Next time we're in the area, maybe in 2012, we'll have to arrange to get together. Steve

My wife and I went to get our nails done (manicure and pedicure) at the salon tonight, and just got home. I was keen to wear my new Aerosoles Platonic sandals, and she was a bit hesitant, but I promised to give her an extra paper bag to put over her head in case mine came off! LOL She knew how much I wanted to wear them after doing so in San Francisco (see my thread on here), and finally gave her approval. Well, the nail technician went wild! Turns out she's a shoe-holic herself and was wearing a cute pair of Naturalizer open toe stilettos that looked great with her dark nail polish. She said Aerosoles has become her favorite brand and she loves the fit and styling. She really went ga-ga over my sandals when she saw them. And she let my wife know what great taste I had! LOL So the three of us had a fun evening discussing shoes and lots of other things. It was a lucky break for me - if the nail tech were really turned off or even neutral about a guy in heels, the evening would have been a dud. So I really came home beaming! And by the way, our nails have never looked better. We both got a very light pink polish on our fingernails (looks practically clear). I got the same on my toenails and my wife got a bold coral color on hers. And the artwork was perfect! Steve

Walking uphill is no problem of course. It's going downhill that's a challenge. I managed to cope with steep hills in 3 inch heels though; it wasn't as bad as I expected. Anything higher would have been impossible, I think! FYI, we went down Lombard Street, but took the steps on the north side. No problem at all. For those who don't know, Lombard Street is known as the third crookedest street in the world (after Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue). It has a series of 8 switchbacks to allow cars to cope with the treacherous slope. It's quite a tourist attraction. The attached photo, taken from the bottom of the crooked part, shows the stairs on the right, and the cars coming down. Steve

Great post, Daniel! Thanks for sharing it. You'll quickly get over people who disdain your choice of footwear. If they are that narrow, they don't deserve to be your friend. It's their loss, not yours. As you quickly found out, at the other end of the spectrum, there are women who are awed by your confidence, and find confidence very sexy. High heels are wonderful. Keep up the great public outings and continue to boost your self-esteem. Good luck! Steve

WhyNot, I'd love to be of help to you, but I know zero about leather goods. I don't own any leather jackets or coats. Sorry. Maybe others here who are into leather can advise. Good luck with the Naturalizer Glassy boots. Let us know how you like them. Steve

I'm slowly morphing from privacy to discretion...But am now looking at boots with a higher block heel to wear around the house, with the intention of taking them out and about in San Francisco. I don't think I'll ever wear anything like pumps out in public, I'm thinking the wife would prefer those stay indoors.

I said that a few years ago and find myself going out in pumps and sandals now and then, even though I mostly stick with clogs. It's a slippery slope and when you get momentum, you won't want to stop. The more you wear in public, with both you and the wife noticing that few people notice or care or say anything, the more confidence you'll have to continue to push the envelope! Good luck!

Steve

Granted, it's not in the middle of Macy's, but at times there were a few other shoppers.

Funny you should mention that. On our San Francisco trip with our friends from Scotland last week, which I reported on in another thread, we actually did go to Macy's, and I have never seen a department store women's shoe section so big - and with a huge number of size 11's in clearance. I almost got a pair of clogs there, but I found another pair in DSW that I liked better. Anyway, the place was jammed with customers, and I was glad I didn't see anything I wanted to buy, as it would have been a long time getting waited on, I suspect. It was a circus! Anyway, we spent far more time there that we expected, and had a blast doing it!

Steve

Thanks for the comments, Happy. I used to work for a company in the Bay area back then, too, and made frequent trips to their plant in Santa Clara. We would fly into SFO or better yet, San Jose when we could - smaller airport and more convenient, and just a stone's throw up Central Expressway to the plant. We always found great restauarants on El Camino in Sunnyvale or Mountain View. Usually once a trip we'd make the trek into SF and do Fisherman's Wharf. Sometimes we'd go down to Santa Cruz and take in the municipal wharf. I have always liked SF. It's a great place for being different - you blend right into the throng of weirdness and thus become invisible! This was my first time there in heels and it was great! And yes, I was thrilled that my wife was comfortable and accepting. Steve

It depends how feminine the heels are, I think. I happen to like the more unisex styles, such as clogs, boots, and loafers, and with a thicker heel, they don't look so feminine. I think it's a great look for guys. If you're willing to wear such shoes, I think you can get away with it very easily. If you get any ribbing, just joke along with the gang. Don't take yourself seriously. Show you can laugh, too. Leave the stilettos home for now, and test the waters with something more conservative. The confidence you'll gain from the experience may propel you to wear heels a lot more often! Good luck! Steve

Thanks for your comments. Mick, Aerosoles have become my favorite brand overnight (literally, since I often wear them to sleep in!). I had some so-so Aerosoles some years ago, and they weren't impressive, but the Take-A-Pow and especially the Platonic sandals (illustrated in my post above) fit so well, feel so comfortable, and are so walkable that they are my number one sandals now. I recently reported on going shoe shopping at DSW with Radiodave, and buying Aerosoles Rottery Ticket sandals (photo attached - don't you just love their creative names?), and wearing them to drive home. They are fantastic sandals also. We stopped in an Aerosoles store on Market Street in SF, and although I was wearing different shoes at the time, I wished I were wearing the Platonic sandals. I probably would have weirded out the sales staff and other customers there (maybe not - it IS SF after all), but it would have been interesting to see their reaction. There is another Aerosoles store on Sutter Street, near Union Square, but we didn't get there on the day I wore the Platonic sandals. Bad timing. Steve

Part 2.

The highlight of the trip was one day when I wore my new Aerosoles Platonic sandals. These fit just perfectly and I really enjoy walking in them. I wore black tights with them (as in my new avatar), and they were practically invisible. Neither Doug nor I nor our wives detected anybody noticing them. (Note: in the attached photo, I'm sitting and my jeans are pulled up to show the shoes to Doug's camera. When I stand, the long jeans fall to about 2 inches off the ground and cover more of the shoe and heel.) We walked a lot that day, too, so my feet were a bit tired, but they would have been tired in any shoes. I was amazed that my wife would let me wear shoes that femme in public, but she did, so I wore them! I bought them from Amazon, on sale for $30, right before we left on our trip. I didn't know if I'd prefer a size 11 or 12; they had both, so I ordered both, at my wife's urging, with the intention of returning the one that didn't fit as well. I wore both pairs a lot the week before we left, and couldn't make up my mind. She told me to keep them both, then, as my feet tend to swell a bit in hot summer weather and shrink in spring and fall. So I am. Is that great support from her or what?!

In the evenings, in the hotel room, drinking wine or liquor and talking about all sorts of things, Doug and I were usually dressed in our Aerosoles Take-A-Pow sandals. Doug and his wife each bought a pair of these in brown last year when we went to Boston with them. I decided not to buy them, and quickly regretted it when we got back to their hotel room that night. But the store had closed and we were flying home the next morning, so when I got home I went online and found a black pair in my size (11) which was $7 cheaper, but I had to pay shipping, so it was a wash. Anyway, I love them and recently bought a brown pair because they're discontinued and nearly sold out. They go by a couple of different names on various web sites. Sierra Trading Post calls them Waterspowt (yeah, spelled like that). I've actually slept in these shoes quite often, they're THAT comfortable! And in the airport on the way home, I spotted a woman in capri pants wearing a pair! I think they look very attractive and they are one of Aerosoles' best shoes ever. The heel is too thin for me to wear in public. I need to be thinner myself to look good in them, and after too much sourdough bread last week, that ain't happenin'.

The only shoes I didn't get a chance to wear were my Naturalizer Vitality pumps/booties. I got these last fall just before a trip to Washington, DC, in late October, and wore them all over the city. I just didn't have the opportunity to wear them in SF. Maybe next trip.

In summary, we had a wonderful time in SF. I enjoyed the opportunity to go heeling in public with my wife's approval and support, we had fun with our heeling friends, and we have lots of great memories of a great vacation.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventure!

Steve

Note: I'm posting this report in two posts, since I have more than 5 attachments and a lot to say.

My wife and I just got back from a week in San Francisco, where we had a great time. We were there with our friends Doug and his wife from Scotland, who wanted to tour SF. We've been there many times, so we were their tour guides. We went everywhere in the city, including all the tourist sites, plus north over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and Muir Woods (big redwood trees). We took cable cars, sightseeing buses, city buses, streetcars, and taxis, but mostly we walked. A LOT! And there are some serious hills in that city - whew!

Doug is a fellow heeler (and lurks on this forum frequently) but wears heels only in private. He's into hosiery, too, like me, and wore pantyhose with shorts a couple of days in public. Anyway, he and his wife are fun to be with and we enjoy traveling with them. We have done it every summer for the past 5 years.

Before we left Ohio for SF, Doug and I were chatting online one day, and I found a nice pair of bronze color sandals on Ebay (see attachments). Doug fell in love with them, so I bid on them and won, and had them shipped to the hotel we were staying at. They fit him snugly and he liked wearing them. In time they'll stretch just fine.

San Francisco is a great place for heeling, and has a reputation for unusual outfits, so a guy in heels would hardly be strange in that context. I took several pairs of shoes with me, the main ones for walking being the Calzuro rubber clogs (only a 2” heel). These are my go-everywhere shoes - they're waterproof, comfortable, they breathe well, and I like them better than sneakers because my feet stay cool and dry in them. They're especially comfortable with thin nylon hosiery.

I took along my trusty Clarks Octavia dress clogs, which I wore only one night to dinner but expected to wear more often. I love these clogs and have several pairs in various colors. They have a 3” stacked heels and I can wear them everywhere. Even though the heel is obviously not male, I've never been asked if I'm wearing women's shoes. My wife is fine with them, so I'm happy. I once went to a party wearing them, and a neighbor lady had on the same style in a lighter tan. We got a good laugh out of that, but she never questioned if I was wearing women's shoes. I guess she thought I was wearing the “men's version.”

We went shoe shopping several places in SF, and one day in DSW I found a pair of Eurosoft Dakota clogs that fit perfectly and felt wonderful from the very beginning. I wore them all the next day and walked a lot in them. I also wore them on the plane on the way home. Best of all, my wife liked them, too! I highly recommend this clog.

If you've read this far, keep reading - it gets even better!

Steve

I can't wear shoes with a heel higher than about 4 inches. My feet just don't bend to a high enough angle without pain. So I am quite content to wear shoes in the 2.5 to 4 inch height range. I don't consider the limitation serious - there are lots of great shoes available in that height range in which I can walk gracefully and enjoy the experience. Steve

I wear heels quite a lot at work, not every day, but very often. I work for myself in a small business, selling men's legwear (opaque tights, sheer pantyhose, stockings, socks, lingerie, etc.) online at Activskin dot com and have done so for 13 years, since 1998. I have a female office manager in her 50s, who is not into heels. In fact, I've never seen her dress up. She has never said a word about my shoes, whether heels or not. Her husband also works here, but part-time, he is used to seeing me in heels, too, and like his wife, he never says anything, good or bad. So I'm completely free to wear whatever shoes I want. We just never talk about it. I'd be happy to discuss it if they bring it up, but they never have, so I don't make it an issue either. Mostly I wear clogs, boots, loafers, booties, and occasionally sandals and pumps – always with a thicker heel because I don't think I look good in stilettos – my build is too stocky and thicker heels look better on me, in my opinion. I usually wear heels in the height range of 2.5 to 4 inches. I can't stand or walk in anything higher, and I don't care much for platforms. I sometimes wear heels walking to work as well (half mile). I usually go out to lunch a couple of times a week with some male buddies; they have seen my odd footwear but have never asked about it. If they did, I'd just tell them the truth – I like heels. Steve

Hey, WhyNot! Those are Naturalizer "Glassy" boots! They look great. I bought a pair last year and love them. Very cool and easy to street heel in. Enjoy them and let us know what you think when you get a chance to break them in. You got a great price on them. They were regularly $179 I think. Steve

That's a really good strategy! I'll have to remember that next time I have the opportunity. I never thought of it, but just saying "nice shoes" is just not the same as a real compliment aimed at the wearer and her fashion taste. I wonder if it would work in reverse. My wife has a friend who usually wears plain and unattractive flats and slides. What if I told her, "Excuse me but I just wanted to say you look really ugly in those shoes! Have a lovely day!" I believe I'd get my head handed to me. What do you think? Steve

I've heard that they are doing quite a bit of belt-tightening in these tough economic times, and they will soon be changing their name to Eight West. Steve

Bluejay, Got a photo to post? Or a link? Steve