Firefox

You know what, all this data gathering doesn't worry me in the slightest. I don't induldge in illegal things apart from the odd bit of speeding and connecting to open wireless networks, so I've not too much to fear from big brother. People are welcome to collect all the data they want about what beer I drink and what heels I wear. And if they want to send me some promotions for free beer and heels, so much the better! They can also take photos of me in the street and post them on You Tube or flickr for all I care. Life is too short for me to worry about all that crap, I've got more interesting things to do

Heels for All

(and do up to size 45 for the guys too!)

I've worn stilettos in public, as many people on this forum will testify. I don't think they particularly suit me though. For me there is a difference in what heels I like to see on women and what I prefer wearing myself.

In what respect Guys wearing heels (this forum), women wearing heels, or just generally?

Yes we have the store loyalty cards too. Tesco Club card and Sainsbury reward card to name but two. You get a 1% discount. They never worry me too much. Just get on and shop, life is too short! If you don't want to be tracked, pay cash and don't use the card.

Well it's somewhat of a nebulous concept. Say Mrs X buys some heels and then sells them a week later. I buy them off ebay or a charity shop. Am I going to be getting tracked a-new if I wear them, or will Mrs X still be receiving spam based on her purchase. Will she need to register change of ownership of her heels rather like you reregister a car. I don't think it's much to worry about.

Anyone care to suggest a name for the daughter of Mr and Mrs "Nisgobbler" ?

Latindancer, keep on wearing your heels in public places! I would have thought at a dance club you could easily wear 2-3" heels. Just practice your dancing in them and show them your best! If you don't wear it won't be so. If you do, others may be encouraged too.

I just put it up as a link so people can see the multiview and some better specs. If you look at the sizes they list 40 as a 10 US. 40 is usually a 9 US so if they run big so if they did a 41 I think they would fit all the 11 US or 9 UKs anyway. I'm not sure if they do a 41 though. Zappos seems to have a restricted range on those.

The worm will only turn so far. It is better to be realistic in that, than hold out false hopes. If anything I think acceptance has turned back slightly since the year 2000. The turn of any century has always been the time of broadened horizons, and I think the millennium was even more so in that respect.

To go back to the original post, I don't think it's a parallel to wearing heels because I don't believe most people would notice jeans, or care one way or the other. But whether it's jeans or heels, you shouldn't make an issue of it with your partner or friends. Most people are happy to accept what you wear, but if you keep on bringing the subject up, then they are liable to get tired of it or think you have another agenda. Unless of course, you know they have the same interests as you. Generally people don't go around making conversation about their own clothes or shoes. If other people pay a compliment, or take an interest, that's different, but otherwise there's no need to emphasise the issue.

If you check out Zappos,

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/32182584/c/126149.html

You'll see they have them in stock in 38,39, and 40. You can also get multi view on the boot. Zappos is good for that feature.

If I owned a pair of these, I'd probably paint the heel black and also darken the silver. Sacrilege I know, but they could be worn in more places.

What do they evoke for you.

What feelings and images are conjoured up?.

Chavs, tarts, slappers, and Essex Girls.

If you click "on add to basket" in a larger size, it works, but I think they just put a standard size chart for unisex on every pair, mens or ladies. It's a strange way to set up an online shop, letting you add things to your basket they don't actually stock!

Yes, no need to be sorry. It was a good expression of your view. If you take some extreme gender blurrers like the Thai ladyboys for example, these guys look just like women, in fact look "better" than most women. When faced with that kind of scenario, the normal order of soceity as in boy meets girl is short circuited. That's why I feel there's an inbuilt resistance to gender blurring. That and the tribal determination of many men to remain at the top of the pile. Not that I fear any consequences personally, but it's as well to understand the forces you are up against in changing acceptence of certain cultural behaviour. I was watching television at a friend's place recently with some young children, and an advert for some make up kit came on. I jokingly suggested that one young guy should have got that for his birthday. He immediately retorted in all seriousness "ewww no, that's for girls!" He was only just 4 years old so behaviour is programmed/brainwashed at a very early age. Another example I can remember from a few years back was where a young lad (maybe 5 ?) saw the 4 inch cowboy boots I was wearing in the street and said to his gran who was with him. "Granny, I want shoes like that." She immediately went into repetition mode to him. It wasn't loud, but I overheard it. "Oh those aren't for boys really, not for boys, those shoes aren't really for boys are they, John?"

Nerve pain can occur on the top. middle or bottom of the foot. And the pain itself can be somewhat remote fom the actual source/damage, because the nerve is itself carrying pain signals. Probably the best thing is to consult a foot pysician, and get their opinion.

I just take the photographs. In the UK it's legal to take photos of people in public places, including faces if they happen to be visible. And you can share such pics on the web or in a book, provided you don't use them in a defamatory way. If you use the pics to advertise, you have to have a signed model release from from the person.

Yes we have done that before on heel meets. My problem is I am size 7 or 8 UK whereas most of the guys are 9-11. If you are going to swap, you need people your size!

Your symptoms closely match those of Morton's Neuroma:

http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/mortons-neuroma.htm

It's possible you have irritated or damaged a nerve. See the link for more details.

The Dollar is going to take a further hit against sterling because of the drop in interest rate, but it's likely we'll have to drop the UK rate to lessen possible recession, so it's only a temporary situation I'd agree the Euro is likely to take over as the most important world currency. It now has a much broader international and financial base behind it. If Britain ever joined the Euro, that would be another nail in the coffin for the dollar.

Yes, it's true, wearing 4 inch heels you only get 2.5 to 3 inches taller. Not many people realise that especially in the casual fashion magazines where they often talk about people being "4 inches taller in their heels". It's due to the rotation of the foot forward as well as up. If you look at some of these fetish 6-7 heels, the heels is actually going up behind the foot. The heel bone is not going any higher. It can't because of physical limitations. This does have an advantage though. If you are looking for a height increase with shoes, then wearing 2-3 inch block heels gives you almost as much elevation as 4-5 inch heels. And 2-3 inch heels are much more practical for continuous wear.

Kind of old news

http://www.hhplace.org/discuss/everybody/7930-adjustable_heels_again.html

I wrote about them in that thread. They were selling them for $300 a pair which I think was overpriced. "Inventor" is flattering word to use for Sophie - I saw almost exactly the same thing elsewhere a couple of years back!

I just spoke to Heelfan recently and he says Mel IS still operating the shoe business from the back of the antiques shop. They've still got plenty of stock so get along there and check it out!

Large Brittany indeed Je crois que j'ai meilleur compris les mots Francais!

• The international heel meet is this a meet primarily for members of this great group or is it a meet advertised to all into wearing heels? What was the number of attendees last year? And how many are expected this year?

It's a meet advertised for all into wearing heels. Mostly guys who wear heels come, but there were about 3 or 4 women last year too. I think last year there were about 28 people, and this year there will be 40-50

• This next group of questions is aimed at men who want to wear heels but still dress in normal male apparel. Where is this trend at; are we just a few who have decided to break the norm and go with what we like, or is this trend growing and gaining acceptance both among people and the fashion industry. If the trend is growing is it a fad or do you believe that some day men will wear heels as a part of everyday dress?

It's a trend for a few who break the norm, but since the 1970's there has been greater and greater acceptance that it is a fashion alternative. It will definitely become more popular but never mainstream in the same way that men wearing earrings is not mainstream.

Having lost trousers to the women and long hair/jewelery to the men, there is tremendous resistance in society to retain at least a couple of things that are more or less exclusive to one sex or the other. Heels and skirts for women and closely cropped hair and ties for men are the last bastions of the battleground for those who want to retain some elements of differentiation in dress. If this differentiation goes completely, many people, mostly men, fear the breakdown of society with its inbuilt male dominance. In the same way there is resistance against gay people, TV's, and pushy executive high-flying women.

• If the fashion and footwear industries actually pushed this trend what type of high heel shoe do men want marketed to them. Example if Florsheim Shoes took their current line of shoes and offered the line with regular heels or high heels say 2” to 4” would you be interested? Or do you want the footwear companies to make the women’s lines available in men’s sizes.

I'd be interested in anything that I liked the look of. It might be a style designed for men or a style designed for women. I tend to wear thicker heels and cowboy boots anyway because they suit me. Some guys who wear heels hanker after the women's styles because they think of themselves partly as women. In fact they are probably transgendered, so they feel better with women's styles just because they have been "designed" for women. It's all down to personal choice, so I don't care if they produce women's styles in larger sizes or styles marketed at men. If I like it, I'll buy it.

• The last question is if high heel fashion for men became the “NORM” would you still want to wear heels. If so why and if not why.

Yes, some of the time, like I do now. I don't wear them necessarily to shock but for a fashion alternative, and a bit of extra height too (I'm 1.73m without). Although it is interesting sometimes to get looks and play with people's minds a little, it's not my prime reason fro wearing them.