Firefox

The environment certainly caters for all tastes. As well as the heels there are people who spend all their time walking around as Klingons, stormtroopers from starwars or various furry/Tolkein type creatures like elves/hobbits etc. I could even be a fox if I wanted

It is like real life in that some people actually work inside the game earning virtual dollars (for example, building things, putting on shows, modeling or dancing with their characters) and then they transfer it to real money (there is an exchange rate $270game = $1real life). Someone has already made $1 million real life dealing in virtual property! However, 95% people just bum around in the world, exploring, shopping, chatting, listening to concerts and shows, so all that activity is playtime really. The difference between this and real life is that someone could wear the shoes of their dreams in a crowded high street or bar looking like any person they chose to, interacting with people along the way. It's great for people who don't have the confidence to wear the shoes of their dreams down a crowded high street, and I think there may be quite few of those here. It's like watching a movie with you starring, and you can watch it from any angle, inside your "head", from behind, in front, to the side, zoom in on the face or the shoes etc. It also offers the opportunity for sophisticated body morphing. Think of the ideal type of girl or guy who would most turn you on, and with practice you can recreate exactly the look of that person. There are 150 controls to change the shape of bodily and facial aspects, each through 100 different graduations. And you can get them wearing what you want too. No more grumbling from the girlfriend she's not wearing the 6" stiletto thigh boots you bought her! It's not a substitute for the real thing but a different kind of experience.

For those of you who don't know "Second Life" is a massive virtual real life simulator with millions of members.

Basically, you customise your own character and then make your way through the huge world spaces interacting with the other members, buying, selling things, building and chatting just like in real life.

How does this differ to the old MUDs, MMORPGs or even Twinkies? In a word, the shoes!

http://shinythings.wordpress.com/

http://yourtoes.blogspot.com/

These two URLs give you a taste of the fantastic virtual reality that can be achieved. And the shoes can come with sounds and scripts to make your character's feet and legs behave just like real life feet and legs wearing such shoes. These scripts can be automatic or partly user controlled using gesture commands.

Some of the features have to be seen to be believed! And it's getting closer to the real thing all the time as technology advances. I was never into these RPGs but I would highly recommend this. Be warned, because of the high levels of functionality, the methods involved in building your character and getting hold of the shoes/clothes are not easy to learn. I would put it on a par with learning a big package like Excel or Paint Shop pro. The user interface has tons of controls and it's not exactly intuitive either. Also, getting hold of the shoes and honing them to fit your character is not completely simple. You either have to know where to go to get them free, earn money in the virtual world to buy them, or make your own (advanced 3-D modelling skills required).

But, give it a try. If you have any questions, I'll try to help.

Here's the main URL: http://secondlife.com/

I actually found that when I wore heels in public I didn't lose any friends. And I've made lots of new ones since then too. To be honest, If I had have lost certain friends over it, they wouldn't have been worth keeping anyway. Something to think about.

Women who see me wearing 5 inch heels have said, That's a pretty shoe, but I can't wear anything with that high of a heel.

Exactly. Some women aren't flexible. There's no anatomoical difference in the ankle joint between male and female. Flexibility is due to practice and stretching. Many more women have the reason and opportunity to practice hence you'll see many more women who have developed that flexibility. But it's wrong to conclude from that evidence that there is an antomical difference betewwen the sexes.

Well, by bowing down to fears of rejection or facebook campaigns you're helping to perpetuate the foundations of such fears. Now in 1950 there may have been place for a facebook campaign (if they ever had had facebook back then!!) about a certain guy wearing earrings. In 2005 the campaign for such a matter would be laughed off facebook. The reason; because guys have been brave enough in the intervening time to claim earrings for themselvbes if they wish to wear them. You need to think the same way about shoes. Think of what you are doing for the movement of fashion acceptance. The time will come when "Someone says, Haha, guess what, I saw a guy wearing heels today." And his mate says "So what, I saw one yesterday. Must be a trend" End of conversation. Facebook smear potential = 0.

^ Yes, what he said. Anyway, I'd think I'd go crazy if I started worrying about CCTV and the like. Just accept it. If you're not comitting a crime, you'll be OK.

Nope, doesn't worry me at all. By the way, if the picture are presented in a defamatory context, you have the right to have them removed, and the webhosts will do this, so the "facebook" scenario shouldn't arise if you know what you are doing.

The problem with a lot of the "men in heels" sites is they are bedroom pics and bedroom wearers ie The guys have no intention of wearing them outside. That doesn't really interest me very much.

being indiffeent doesn't necessarily mean they don't have a negative impression.

It does mean they don't have an negative impression. That's what indifferent means. It means they don't have either a negative or positive impression ie They don't care either way.

I suppose you are right in one sense originally saying people "don't approve" in that they don't actively encourage it, but the words "don't approve" can also be taken to mean positive oppostion. The latter doesn't generally ocurr, but many people are insecure in themselves. They have a constant need to seek approval, and confirmation from other members of society. Heels for guys are not for the sheep.

While every male high heel wearer on the face of this earth knows that the general public really doesn't approve of their practice.

This is wrong as a general global statement. It may be true in certain parts of the States, but in many other parts of the world, the majority are actually indifferent.

Probably. I think I should be OK. Funnily enough though, I'm the exact opposite to you lot. I prefer to wear heels in daylight. There's so many groups of feral drunken yobs around town centres after dark these days.

Wit the best sentiments in the world, I don't think anyone would describe Xaphod as very tall, but otherwise the description fits (It wasn't me either )

Razors never used to have a gender label until they realised they could sell more to women if they made them pink and called them femshave or something. Otherwise it's exactly the same product.

LSB closed down about three years ago now I think,

I wouldn't say it's common in England. It's still something of a rarity but it does happen. The problem is that shops don't sell heels in the mens section. You have to get them from the women's section. Unfortunately the majority of the size 39-41 size male population is unable to think for themselves. They don't go by the motto of "if the shoe fits, wear it". They go by the motto of "I can't wear it because it's not marketed for me". Most people are just like sheep; sad but true.

The first. But only because I don't like the heavy platform on the second. I don't really think my opinion matters though, it is what you like that counts. If you prefer the second pair, they will be worth saving up for.

Great photos, love the hair.

Well, I did say the information was second hand I don't live in the states, and have only been to NYC for two weeks but I saw one person round Tribeca who looked like a guy in heels. If an occ. visitor like me can spot them, so can you. It happens quite a lot in London Uk, you just need to keep your eyes open and be aware.

Loads of times in London. I have told by those in the know that areas like Texas are not very good areas for this kind of thing. They are are populated by many rednecks, republican voters, and a lot of inward looking people. You'd probably need to go somewhere more free thinking like California, Florida, or New York.

Great stuff! I believe wedge heels would be easier though. That's what I've used.

I'd be willing to do Brighton sometine, probably in the summer. But, there's a good train service to London. Get a cheap day return and you can be at Oxford street in 90 mins

Personally I've never bothered. They don't look any different to ordinary shoes and one isn't taking advantage of the opportunity to increase public awareness of male heel wearing. It's a bit like an alcoholic pouring whiskey into a coke can and drinking from that so people wont know. If you like doing something there's no point living a lie. The sooner you face up to it the better.

I wear cotton/lycra ankle socks usually. Otherwise it is sweaty. I've noticed some people on the net have a huge interest in women wearing shoes without socks. I think this has something to do with sweat/smell.

95% positive. This is obviously skewed as people don't tend to make negative comments to your face, they are more likely to do it behind your back. However, my guess at women's feelings from those who I have met are 20% are interested and very supportive. The vast majority (75%?) are indifferent and there's a small perentage (5%?) who are quite anti. This latter group are either jealous, ignorant, or brainwashed of rational independant thought (eg by religion). (I should add, Im excluding giggly teenage girls in this anlaysis. These people are quite likely to giggle at heels, but they they may well giggle if you are wearing the wrong brand of trainers, or they may even be giggling at themselves, so it's impossible to make any logical analyisis of their reactions)