Steve63130

I can comment on this, as I know something about the hosiery business. Most tights and pantyhose that are made for women are too short in the legs for most men. Obviously there are lots of exceptions, but men find they have to go to a larger size to get the leg length to fit. But larger women's sizes means bigger in the panty, so the waistband comes up to the armpits (and the legs still go south on you). A better choice is pantyhose for men. They are made to fit men, feel more comfortable, and last longer. Google "men's pantyhose" and you'll see a number of choices. I won't list our brand, because I don't want this post to seem like spam or be self-serving. If you're interested in learning more, PM me. Wearing heels with nylon legwear is much more hygenic than going barefoot, except perhaps for open toe sandals. Your feet and shoes won't smell bad because the nylon permits your skin to breathe and lets moisture escape so your feet stay dry and comfortable. You'll decrease your chances of blisters, too, which means avoiding pain and worse, avoiding the inevitable limp that accompanies blisters. You can't look confident when you hurt! And best of all, if you wear support hosiery (with some compression) your legs will thank you if you stand or sit or walk for long periods of time. Compression enhances blood flow to your leg muscles and increases stamina and endurance. Do your legs a favor and wrap them in nylon-spandex fabric, especially if you're getting over 40 and can see some leg problems (vericose or spider veins) starting to occur. And getting back to the subject of this thread, you usually are expected to wear the disposable nylon footies that shoe stores provide when you are trying on their shoes. Why not just get some good-fitting and comfortable sheer hose and wear them to the store (preferably with your high heels, so that the store salespeople know you're a serious shopper). You'll be more welcomed that way. Take care of your feet and legs and they'll take good care of you! Steve

Shafted, you're absolutely right. It's not "normal" for a guy to go walking in a park at 3 am (much less in heels!) and that in itself could create more trouble than it's worth. In an urban park, you run the risk of getting mugged and beaten up, especially if it's by a gang who's homophobic. That's if a police officer doesn't catch you first (most parks are closed after a certain time). It's a risky proposition to go out alone at night. Suppose you fall because of your new heels and break an ankle? Hope you have a cell phone and a good excuse when the ambulance arrives (and maybe the reporter who hears the medics tell the dispatcher what the guy was wearing!). Instead, go to where you'll be invisible. A crowded mall or city center is best. People are too busy, wrapped up in their own thoughts and challenges, to pay any mind to a guy in heels. For example, RadioDave and I went to a mall last week, and I was amazed at how little attention he got (just once from a tween and her mother with phone cameras). Other than that, he was never noticed, much less approached by anyone else. We were in a restaurant, DSW shoe store, and a busy mall. He walked gracefully like he belonged in those shoes (wedge sandals). Well, he did belong in them. They were his, after all! Another example - JeffB. He's gone out on over 100 weekend outings, and how many photos of him have we spotted on the internet? Just one that we know of! He wears his heels with confidence and people just don't pay much attention. I hope we never hear stories on here about guys who go out alone at 3 am and get caught for suspicious behavior. The risk isn't worth it. Go public in busy places and you're much better off, from both a safety perspective and from an invisibility perspective! Steve

I don't mean to hijack this thread, so pardon me for a brief interruption. HappyFeat, it's great to see you back. We've missed you! Please visit more often and post as much as you can. You're an inspiration, too, just as JeffB is, so don't go away for months on end! Thanks, now back to your regularly scheduled thread. Steve

Bern, Thanks for that. Looks like you got quite a pair of shoes, too. RadioDave and I saw those at DSW the other day. They're Sam Edelman's, as I recall. Looked awesome, but I thought they'd wear out the carpet in the car if I drove in them. Wear them to the next heel meet, Bern. They look great and being as you're a tool and guy kinda guy, those bit and pieces on the heel fit right in with your line of work! LOL. Steve

Aw, it's too bad that the rendezvous didn't work out this time. Hey, Bern, ya can't let yer biz interfere with yer hobbies! Get yer priorities straight! LOL Just kiddin'. Steve

Congrats on the new instrument. I hope you enjoy it as much as you expect to! You should get ALL your nails done, not just the four. And while you're at it, get a pedicure. Yeah, it can be pricey, but treat yourself for a special occasion (like getting a new guitar for instance). It's an incredible pampering experience. I did it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and have no regrets. My finger and toe nails have never looked better. My wife has never had a professional pedicure and I even talked her into signing up for one next month! Good luck with the new toy! Steve

The other day, RadioDave and I got together, had lunch and went shoe shopping. He wore Jessica Simpson black wedge sandals with about a 5" heel and 1" platform, with a wide criss-cross strap over the foot. I wore Naturalizer sandals in midnight blue with a 2" block heel. They had two wide straps over the foot. After lunch at Panera's, where nobody seemed to notice us, we walked over to DSW in the same strip mall. We were greeted cheerfully by the staff, and asked several times over the next hour whether we needed any help finding anything. Dave said he usually is recognized by the staff there, but this was a new crew he hadn't seen before. Anyway, we browsed the store for about an hour or so, looking at all the women's choices - lots of gorgeous shoes. Good thing I'm not a woman or I'd have a house full of shoes and no bank balance!

I finally decided to buy a closeout pair of brown suede BOC clogs ("Aimee" with a 3.5" cuban heel) for half price and a comfortable and very walkable pair of Aerosoles sandals (Rottery Tickey - http://www.shoesgotsole.com/Aerosoles-ROTTERY-TICKET-002-ARS2749.html ) in black. Dave didn't buy anything there. I had no problem trying them on in the store before I bought, to make sure I liked the fit, which I did, very much. While we were in the store, Dave and I both spotted a tween girl and her mother taking phone camera photos of us. No big deal, but it would be nice if they asked first.

So I made my purchases and we went over to Macy's nearby, looked around there for a bit, walked down the mall to Dillard's, looked around there, and finally returned to Macy's where Dave bought a nice pair of gladiator wedges in black. He can tell you more about those if he wants. We were tired from all the walking, so we went back to his place, hung out till a rainstorm was over, then I left, driving home in my new sandals. All in all, it was a great day, lots of fun shopping, getting far fewer looks than I expected, and each of us getting some new shoes we loved. And trying them on in the store was definitely the way to go!

Steve

Hang in there, Rob. It DOES get easier. Look, mate, you've trained your feet for almost your entire life to walk in flat shoes. You're not going to master walking gracefully in heels (especially ones that high!) in few hours. In fact, for any new endeavor, educators know that it can take a minimum of 160 hours of training to master the task. Yes, that's right, twenty 8-hour days! It's a long, uphill learning curve, so stick with it, focus, practice, and persevere! You'll get there in due time. Your ankles will learn new motions and your muscles will recondition themselves for different posture. It will be worth it but this kind of thing takes a lot of practice - more than we sometimes expect or want. Remember, most women have probably practiced in heels for countless hours to walk as gracefully as they do. Did you ever watch young teens try to walk in heels for the first time? They are awkward and ungainly. But time and practice and patience and persistence are what it takes. Good luck, and post again! Steve

There are two more related articles:

http://hubpages.com/hub/High-Heels-for-Men

http://hubpages.com/hub/Walk-in-Her-Shoes

Plus these:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Mens-Tights

http://hubpages.com/hub/Mens-Pantyhose

Obviously her agenda is men's fashion equality!

Steve

Watch out for the doorways! You might consider wearing a hard hat! LOL Steve

I think maybe there should be another category on the poll " I'm a GUY and I think we're experiencing MORE than the gals"

Hey, that's a good point. Whether we wear thigh high boots, knee high boots, pumps, sandals, loafers or clogs in public, what we're doing takes a fair amount of courage (or stupidity!) and the exhiliration that comes from conquering the demons in our heads, PLUS the thrill of wearing what we love, together probably DO allow us to experience more than the gals. I like the way you think, TBG.

Steve

Hey, Bern and Stiletto, now that I've met both of you, I think you really ought to get together and meet each other. You guys would hit it off well, I think. And you're in similar lines of work, too, so you've got a lot in common. Do make the effort. I doubt if you'll be disappointed, and you could develop a nice friendship. Go for it! Steve

Puffer, Sleekheels, and RonC, I appreciate your comments, and I can see your point of view. I think I was careful to note in my post above that it has to be clear that the stranger in question was either trying on heels or wearing heels, so that it was obvious that he was a person that may belong on this forum or may already be a member. I guess my personality is less reserved than yours, and I have no fear of approaching strangers and starting up a conversation if it's obvious that we have in common a passion for heels. But to each his own, and I respect your opinions. Steve

Charlie, I agree with you completely. The nice thing about that fashion trend was that there were lots of choices available in the market for new and used shoes that were suitable for guys. The choices today are more limited and you rarely see block heels anymore. Most of today's fashions are limited to stilettos, platforms with stilettos, and more femme looking styles with bows and ornaments that say, "Look at my feet!" While I like today's styles on the right woman or thin guy, they're just not suitable for my stocky body style. Steve

Rob, Thanks for bringing that thread and that particular post to my attention. I've stopped reading the women's forum - I just don't have the time and I can't comment there anyway, so when something good like this comes along, I'm glad to take it in. You're right - it's an excellent post, and very well presented. The author has as much poise and grace in writing as she has in walking! Steve

I wear heels just so I can associate with all the great people on this forum! <wink> Steve

Johnie, Good idea! I'll be glad to take on the challenge! Sounds like fun. I'll look at the calendar and post something soon. Steve

W6ISH, I don't understand your comment. Was it directed at me in response to my post? Steve

There is good advice here. I'll add one more item. Consider your wife's level of security or rather, insecurity. If she were totally secure, she'd brush it off and tell you to wear anything you want on your feet. Most women fear the unknown. "What will my friends say if they knew you like high heels?" "Will somebody commit a hate crime and beat you up?" "Will people laugh at you/us?" and of course, "Are you gay or do you want a sex change?" You know your wife best. If she's the least bit insecure, you need to keep that foremost in mind and pitch your discussion accordingly. I told my wife about my heeling about 4 years after we were married. I was nervous, but insisted on telling her "something important." After I showed her my stash, she basically said, "Is that all? I thought you were going to tell me you were having an affair or wanted a divorce." I breathed a sigh of relief! But she did say that although I could wear whatever I wanted in the house, she didn't want to see it. It took me 20 years to push the envelope slowly to the point where she's ok with me wearing heels in front of her. The main thing all during that time was to continue letting her know that I loved her, that I really was grateful for her understanding and letting me wear heels, and that I was trustworthy and true to her. Her insecurity evaporated and I got to wear what I wanted. We've been married 36 years (so far!). Steve

Majo, I've had times where, especially after eating salty foods, my body retains water and my feet swell, to the point where some of my shoes feel tight, but never to the point where I couldn't get them on. Here's what I suggest: soak your shoes in water for a few minutes to get them softer and more pliable. Then wipe them with a towel, and put them on. Wear them all day until they dry on your feet. They will conform to the shape of your feet and you should find them I much more comfortable. All it usually takes is one time. It won't ruin the shoes (the leather got wet when it was on the cow after all) and it's a technique I've used successfully for decades. It works on non-leather shoes, too, but not as well. Give it a try. Steve

Johnie and Spikesmike, I am really glad to hear that you two have behaved as honorable gentlemen and patched up your differences in a dignified way. You're both good guys and it tore me up to see you not getting along. So let the bygones be bygone and let's move forward, together! I look forward to seeing you both again soon! Let us know the date! Steve

RonC, I don't mean to be critical, but I want to use your post as an example. When we see another guy either shopping for heels for himself or wearing heels, even though you may feel awkward in approaching him and striking up a conversation, I think it's important that you overcome your shyness or inhibitions and forge ahead to introduce yourself: "Hi, my name is ____ and I see you like to shop for (or wear) women's shoes/boots/heels, too. I love them myself." And show him your footwear. That should break the ice so you two can get acquainted. He's likely to be as shy and reserved as you are. If nothing else comes out of the encounter, at least give him the URL of HHPlace so he can visit here and see what he's been missing (if he's not a member). We need to be ambassadors to the great unwashed masses and introduce them to this forum! Steve

Not to be critical, but there is already a thread for posting new shoes and another for posting new boots. It would have been better to use them instead of starting a new one; and without photos, the descriptions are pretty sketchy. Your post would have been more meaningful if you had waited to get the photos taken, or at least posted links. Guys are visual and need illustrations. Steve

If all you've done are back-of-the-envelope "what-if" calculations and just have the kernel of an idea, you are almost certain to fail. You will need a full-blown business plan to ask all the right questions. If you don't do that, you have no idea how much you don't know! You can get info on how to do business plans from your library or the internet. Don't risk any money until you are sure you know what you are doing, have all the important questions answered (or at least considered), and know the risks. Steve

You're right - many of their styles feature a chunky (or at least a thicker) heel than we have seen in the past few years. I hope that kind of heel is making a comeback. I think it's a more appropriate look for my body type than thin stilettos, and I'm more confident walking in shoes with a stable heel that won't get caught in grates and pavement cracks. Nice selection. Thanks for posting. Steve