Thighbootguy

I stopped in our local Goodwill (thrift store) at lunch today. They had a pair of Nine West flat heel, round toe, suede, knee high, lace up boots for $15 that looked like they might fit me (couldn’t find a size marking). A year ago I would have bought them and tried them on in the car but today I just tried them on, and laced them up. My definition of fit has changed too. It used to be, “my foot went in”, now the shoes/boots have to be comfortable. Unfortunately, this pair of boots crushed my toes so I put them back. One size larger and they would have been great.. Trying them on was a lot of fun, and saved me $15. Wish they would have fit.

I went shopping at Bigg’s and Sam’s on my way home from work tonight. I was wearing olive slacks, black turtleneck, tan suede jacket and black thigh boots with a 4” stiletto heel. It was cold and raining so I had my jacket zipped closed.

In Bigg’s I was wandering around and taking my time as usual. I spent some time gathering produce my cart with getting kind of full. As I wheeled into the meat department a woman I don’t remember ever seeing before walked by and said, “I remember those great boots”. She was past and gone before I could say anything. I’m not usually at a loss for saying thanks to such a complement, but I was speechless. I don’t know if the glow I felt showed, but the 4” heels felt like 7” with platforms.

At Sam’s, again I was taking my time, no one was paying any attention to the guy in thigh boots. In the back of the store three folks were shopping in the restaurant supplies section as I came through. As I passed, one guy came over and in a very sheepish manor said, “Hi. You look great in those boots”. I thanked him for the complement, then the lady with him said, “But you know you do”. I guess I was still glowing. Then the guy said, “I really mean it” then, referring to the other guy he said, “He has a pair too” and the second guy said, “But I can’t walk in them like that”. The whole encounter lasted a few seconds and the situation did not lend its self to my offering advice on wearing thigh boots in public. I’m not sure the second guy was ready for that public announcement that he had a pair of boots. Anyway we parted with lots of smiles.

What an evening!

I really think in the past couple of years that peoples attitude about seeing someone dressed “differently” have become more tolerant. I also think that really believing “these are my boots and I can wear them” comes across. If you don’t act like anything is unusual, most people just go along with you. It’s all a head game that you can win.

Dr.Shoe--

Thanks for the advice. The boots now look great.

For all who enjoyed corsair's adventures, he has several more posted in another thread.

http://www.hhplace.org/hhboard/viewtopic.php?t=4183&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20

Enjoy

Corsair

Welcome to the forum.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts. Since I wear a 14 in a high heeled boot I can’t just pop into a store and try a pair on but lower heels in 12-13 range often fit so I should start looking more aggressively. The closest I have ever come to trying clothing was buying a pair of suede women’s slacks at Wilson’s without having the nerve to ask if I could try them on. I’ll ask next time.

Sounds like you really had fun. Thank you for sharing.

Some of the snow has melted, at least in the parking lots that have been cleared so I was able to venture out. My car was stuck again and I had to dig a path out so I started off with my flat heeled thigh boots. This snow was full of salt . If anyone has a way of cleaning salt crust off leather boots, or advice on the damage it does, please let me know. I went to the Art Museum and the parking lot and front steps were cleared so I changed into my white thigh boots with 5” heels. Please appreciate that each trip to the museum is a different adventure., there is always a different crowd, today there was a different guard crew. I was sitting on one of the little folding stools the museum provides for sketchers and working away. Several people stopped and watched me, commented on the sketch, and went on. These are low stools to start with and with my legs, now 5” longer, they are a little cramped. Anyway, when I stood up I realized my leg was asleep (no feeling). I quickly realized walking on a 5” heel was not an option. All I could do was to stand there until the circulation and feeling returned. At least in a museum standing still in front of a painting is normal. The museum has a visiting Monet exhibit. I just stood in that room for a long time staring at one of the “Lilly Pad” paintings and talking with some of the other viewers about the painting. In another gallery I was sitting on a bench and sketching away when a lady sat down beside me. She looked over and said, “Those are some boots. Where did you find them”? I had my legs under the bench so I’m not sure she had seen the heels so I moved one leg out so she could see the whole boot and said that I had found them on E-bay. A minute later she left. I think she had rested and the group she was with was moving on but she didn’t appear to be uncomfortable. Normally when I’m done sketching I leave but today I went on a tour of the rest of the museum. The 5” heel is comfortable but they do make a lot of noise. After the museum I went to a Payless shoe store. I had to switch to my flat heel boots because the mall parking lot still had a lot of snow/ice. I was looking at the women’s 12/13 shoes (which, in this store, are in the front of the store) and the clerk asked if I needed any help. I asked if a pair of ankle boots were on sale and she said they were so I tried them on. They had a 4” blade heel and a long square toe. I really didn’t like the look so I put them back and went on my way. Further down the mall was a shoe store so I went in and was looking at the women’s boots. Again, the clerk asked if she could help but I said I was just looking. There was only one pair close to my size and they were more expensive than I could afford at the moment. My next stop was a Thrift store, also in the mall and I wandered around looking for any boots they had. My last stop was a drug store where I wandered through and asked the clerks for help. I think I would have worn a heeled boot into the stores but not the white pair I had with me, at least not into the shoe stores. These boots have an ankle zipper are too hard to take off and put on to be changing in a shoe store. Either a pair of pull on for full length zipper would be better. All in all a great day, only positive comments and a few glances. Bubba136 and DawnHH I have no idea how the man would have reacted to my heeled boots. He seemed like a nice guy so I don’t think it would have been negatively. At best he would have said the same thing.

bootsrkewl

Welcome to the forum.

You discovered the key, “I acted like it was a normal thing! “.

Have fun with your boots.

I have been wearing thigh boots with 4” and 5” stiletto heels outside my jeans in public for over a year. (see Thigh Boots in Public) The stiletto heel makes them fall into the “High Heels and Obvious Ladies Shoes”, but I also wear flat heeled thigh boots. I have a great time wearing the stiletto heeled boots. I get some reactions (nothing seriously negative) but as Firefox has said about wearing heeled boots, “9 in 10 don't notice and 9 in 10 of those that do don't care”. With thigh boots it’s more like 6 in 10 don’t notice but the public has generally been very accepting. I wear thigh boots as a guy and have worked hard to get past the “wearing ladies shoes” thinking. I’m wearing my shoes/boots. There are some who would argue that thigh boots with 5” stiletto heels are not ladies shoes but that’s another discussion. Mostly, I wear my boots when I’m driving, shopping, at restaurants, and at museums. The style may not be for everyone, but I’m having a hoot.

Diana High Heels

Wish I could go shoe shopping like that but, alas, most stores aren’t carrying size 14 yet. I would be interested in the advice you got from the sales lady about the thigh boots when, “she even showed me how to pull them on correctly”.

My part of the world is caught in the major winter storm that has hit the USA. There is a LOT of snow and ICE. We have 10”-12” of frozen white stuff and where I work got 22”. Considering a normal heavy snow around here is 4”-6”, the police are ticketing anyone they find on the streets. Currently it’s -2F (-19C), definitely boot weather. After the roads were clear enough to get out, I went shopping. I was wearing my black flat heel thigh boots but I took my pair of 5” white boots with me. After digging my car out, I drove to the store and put on my white boots while in the car out in the parking lot. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I realized the only thing that had any traction were the heel tips. My balance on heels is Ok, but I wasn't not going to try walking down a slanted ice covered parking lot in 5”, slick sole, thigh boots. This is the first time I ever thought “I’ll break my neck in these things”. I don't mind "breaking the ice" but not that way. My next step was back to the car where I put on the flat heeled boots. In the store I got a comment from a guy about my age, smartly dressed in a long coat, “Now that’s a pair of boots” (and a smile). I smiled back and said “Thanks” Everyone have a good Holiday season.

I actually started with women’s gloves. When I was 12 or so I used to take my Mom’s gloves into my room and wear them. I never tried her shoes because I’ve always had big feet and they didn’t fit. I finally bought a pair of nylon opera gloves but it took me long time to discover where to buy them.. Back then department stores had a full time glove counter. Anyway, my first pair of boots were when I was about 14. Knee high boots were just coming into fashion (at least that I noticed) and I went into a store and bought the largest pair they had (. There was only one style and it had a very low block heel. Of course I hadn’t tried them on and they didn’t fit at all so I cut the shafts off and attached them to my regular shoes and wore then under my pants. I also remember when stretch thigh boots first made the scene when I was around 16. I bought a pair from JC Penny’s catalog. These were skin tight and I had to wear them under my jeans or with shorts. I found lots of other boots and gloves in thrift stores but never ventured out in public. After a stint in the Army, I found a pair of suede over the knee boots with a high (at least 4”) chunk heel. I had never seen boots that tall in a shoe store before. I had a great time with these boots and wore then until they fell apart, but almost always under my jeans. I made my first pair of thigh boots by sewing together the leather shafts and attaching them to a pair of boots. I remember wearing these outside, but never in public. I found my first real pair of leather thigh boots in a discount shoe store in Dallas Texas (business trip) about 20 years ago (wearing them right now). Its just been the past 3 years that I started wearing thigh boots like regular shoes in public. I still love opera length leather gloves but haven’t worn them in public without a coat. Sorry this was so long but it brought back a lot of memories.

I ran across this article on Wearing Thigh boots

http://www.expressandstar.com/articles/features/women/article_68265.php

Substitute jeans for the short denim skirt and it could be for me except I'm way past 18 .

Several years ago when I was riding my bicycle on a regular basis I would go out with a pair of thigh boots on. One pair had 3” stilettos heels and the other pair had 1.5” block heels. I wore the stiletto pair on early morning rides when no one was around, and the block heel at other times. I only remember getting one comment from a couple of girls about the block heel boots, “Hey look at those boots” (lots of smiles).

Sadly, I have been at desk too long and have gotten away from riding my bike.

Here is a fantasy image I made back then.

Season's Greetings

Nice boots. I’m glad you discovered wearing them in public is a hoot. Remember to be cautious, just don’t let it show. Looking forward to reading about your outings. Have fun

I stopped at Biggs and Sams on the way home last night and tonight. Both nights I was wearing black thigh boots with 4” stiletto heels. Last night was totally uneventful. As I was leaving Biggs a young kid in front of me noticed what I was wearing. He looked back ans down several times and it was hind of fun watching him process the information - "that guy is wearing high heeled boots" Tonight I stopped in the Goodwill (thrift store). I walked around the store for a while and as I was leaving I stopped at the shoe rack. Two women walked by one loudly spoke to the other, “Those sure are high, I’d break my neck on those heels”. I looked over and smiled and said “There fun”. They went on their way talking loudly about something else. When I was at Biggs, I wandered through the store. At the checkout, the cashier (young female) asked me, “Weren’t you in here last night”? I said I was and asked ,“Are the boots that memorable”? She looked at me with a puzzled expression and said, “I didn’t even see your boots, I just remembered you”. At he register the counter was blocking her view of my boots but…. I was speechless. This is the second cashier that has remembered seeing me in that store on the previous night. If I’m that memorable, my career as a bank robber is over before it started. I’m still not sure what astounded me the most, remembering me, or not noticing my boots. At Biggs and Sams when people would notice my boots I would just return a pleasant smile and generally got one back. I really do feel comfortable wearing these boots. I’m starting to think I can wear them anywhere. But I keep remembering don’t get complacent, pick your places carefully.

bluesman

Welcome to the site. As heelRus points out, this is a good group.

Business trips are certainly fun in a pair of boots/heels. I’m looking forward to reading about yours.

Mantorok

Welcome to the site. Don’t worry about being “the odd duck”, we all fit into that category.

If your going to buy heels anyway, why not get a pair that fit you. If you find the sound of heels a form of communication, join in the conversation. There might be a lot to be learned by “standing in the other persons shoes”.

Enjoy

I left work at noon today (after having worked all night) and stopped into Biggs and Sam’s on the way home. I was wearing black thigh boots with 4” stiletto heels. At Biggs I got a real double take. The guy noticed my boots, looked up at me, his eyes got bigger, he looked back at my boots and heels, his eyes got bigger, and he looked back up at me, and he kept on walking away. I haven’t gotten one of those in a long time. In the checkout line there were several ladies behind me that were in their seventies. They didn’t say anything but they keep looking at my boots again and again. Everyone else just glanced and gave no reaction or didn’t notice at all. I really thing if I have a shopping cart, may people really don’t notice that I am wearing thigh boots with stiletto heels. Often when I go to Biggs, I don’t use a shopping cart and just carry a hand basket (I also spend less money that way). Sam’s was a typical wearing my thigh boots shopping experience. Hardly any reaction at all. Now that winter is here, it’s also cold that wearing thigh boots doesn’t seem as out of place as it does in the summer time. (I don’t believe that for a minute, but it sounds good).

I had another fine afternoon at the art museum. I wore cream stretch jeans, a dark turtleneck, and white thigh boots. I’m finally over the flu and was able to walk with a 5” stiletto heel with no problem. The jeans are high waisted, and the leg is tight enough to pull the boots over and the leg stays in the boots. It produces a very long looks which looks and feels great, close to what bootish has shown us in Stiletto jeans surface again. I wouldn’t wear those jeans without boots but they are exactly what I want with boots.

The museum has a large guard staff that rotates duty. I think a lot of them are part time. There are a few I see every time I am there and others I only see occasionally. The guard at the door (female) is full time and she gives me a big smile when I come in. We usually chat for a minute about what’s going on at the museum. While I was sketching, one of the guards (male) I hadn’t seen for a while asked me if I panted in gouache (type of water color paint). He said he remembered talking with me about it in one of the galleries several months ago. After a minute I remembered the incident and we talked about painting for a while. I’m sure what triggered him memory was that I had a gouache painting in my sketch book and not that I was wearing thigh boots with stiletto heels .

Today people seemed to notice my boots and seemed to be more puzzled than anything. There were no bad reactions but no really good ones either.

After the museum I went to Sam’s and went shopping without incident except for a nice smile from a lady in the parking lot. I really think most people don’t see past the shopping cart.

Looks like the images from bootish are not there any more but here is the style I am emulating:

Look a lot like a pair I ran around in for a while. See:High Heeled Sneakers

My WHITE boots arrived! I bought them from Bob and Angie on e-bay (great transaction). They were advertised as factory seconds that were not a bright white. They are more of a bone white or off white and I think they will be better than if they were bright white. I broke them is at Sam’s. I wore my tan suede jacket, black turtle neck, and off white slacks and the white thigh boots with 5” stiletto heels. As I was shopping I didn’t get any reaction at all. One lady looked, smiled and went on, but she worked there. When I was done at the checkout I asked the clerk if these were too much for the season (and indicated my boots). She glanced down, back at me, then looked down, and I turned my foot so she could see the heel. She smiled and said, “I kind of like them”. The clerk at the door was giving me a cool look as I approached so I asked her the same thing and made sure she saw the heel. She also smiled (warmly) and said “I’d break my neck in those”. In the parking lot several ladies looked and went on their way. I think the boots and the slacks blended so well they didn’t make an immediate visual impression. You had to look to really see what I was wearing. I saw my reflection in one of the freezer cases and thought the combination looked good. Later that day I had to go to Portsmouth Ohio. Folks on this site have mentioned that people that are used to diversity are more accepting of it. Portsmouth is not used to diversity. I had to go to Lowes hardware. This is a big warehouse store like Sam’s. The parking lot was full of muddy pickup trucks with rifle racks in the rear windows. I wore my flat heel thigh boots. Several folks turned and stared. Nobody said anything though. Later I had to go back for an additional part. The parking lot didn’t have all the trucks so I went in with my black thigh boots with 4” stiletto heels. No one seemed to notice. Go figure. All in all it has been a fun day. I’m really looking forward to wearing my WHITE boots.

Sunday was another museum day. I was wearing my blue thigh boots with 5” stiletto heels. After the museum I went shopping at Sam’s.

The whole time I was out it seemed I was getting more attention than normal. Several times people turned and stared and there were a lot more double takes. People seemed to have a look of stress when they went by, as if they were uncomfortable. Oh well, maybe my armor was a little thin, or there really was a different crowd at the museum, it wasn’t quite as much fun as it usually is.

I also noticed I was dragging a heel on the floor when I walked. I thought that was going to the 5” heel from the flat - 4” heel I had been wearing most of the week. I had to make a conscious effort to not have the heel touch the floor when my foot came forward. I also noticed I was walking more slowly and deliberately than normal. My sketches were poor to bad (normally there fair to good). I finally dawned on me --- you have the flu.

By the time I got home I was running a low fever. I took some Thera-Flu (great stuff) and went to bed. I’m feeling better now and considering ripping several pages out of the sketch book. AHHHHH I hate having the flu. I’m going back to bed. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz………

Dawn HH

I don’t think of wearing thigh boots as an act of bravery. It’s having armor thick enough to not to react to others. It’s all a head game. These are my boots, and I enjoy wearing them. But, as I have said over and over again, I am cautious about where I go when I’m wearing them.

Mickey S

The shaft of the boots in your avatar seem to be too tight (I’m sure they feel great) to wear over jeans. A boot that is not skin tight would be a lot easier. For me, once I got past wearing a stiletto heel, the boot height didn’t make any difference. The logic for stiletto heels thigh boots went something like this:

If the heel is visible, so is the shoe.

I like boots better than other shoes, so I’ll wear boots.

If I’m going to wear boots, why not thigh boots.

Mickey S.

Yep, I wear them over my jeans and clearly visible, just like my current avatar. Look back at the beginning of this thread. I’ve chronicled a lot of how I started wearing thigh boots with stiletto heels in public.

I have had very little negative feedback while wearing them.

It’s all about being comfortable and enjoying with what you wear.

In my part of the world, people seem to be very tolerant of what I wear. Sure folks notice, but that’s part of the fun. Moderation should always defined from your side, not the rest of the world’s. If you think flat wing-tips are moderate, they are. If you think 2” block heels are moderate, they are. If you think 4” stilettos are moderate, they are. First you have to be comfortable wearing whatever you wear. Second, at your option, you can consider other's definition of moderation.

JeffB is right. You do need to “built up that defensive armor that allows them to shrug off any and all reactions to the footwear they choose to wear”. This works for me. Admittedly, it took a while to develop the armor (it’s all mental, and that’s the hard part) but after a while it gets there.

Moderate means not doing something that rocks your boat too much. But just to keep alive, you should moderate moderation and rock the boat every once in a while.

I have been stopping at Biggs for the past two nights on the way home from work. Both times I wore light blue jeans, a dark turtle neck, tan suede jacket, and black thigh boots with 4” stiletto heels. It’s not that I’m that bad at planning shopping trips, the second trip was just an excuse to go somewhere wearing boots. Both nights were cool, rainy and dreary. People in the parking lot didn’t pay any attention to me. The first night, I did avoid parking around a cluster of young males but that was my only concession. When I got out of the car, I made sure my boots were pulled up all the way (they tend to ride down) and across the lot and into the store I went.

The first night I wandered around the store from one end to the other and had a good time looking at “stuff”. I left my cart sitting, and went to the deli counter and got to stand there for a bit while I was waiting and being waited on. This is where most people noticed my boots. I was away from my cart so there was nothing to get in way of their view. No one said a thing, just a few glances. After I filled my cart I went through the checkout line. The clerk noticed my boots but didn’t say anything.

The second night I really didn’t need anything but that didn’t stop me. I wondered around again, and went to the deli again. This time I saw a guy that works in a different build than I do. I has my cart in front of me and I said “Hi” he said “Hi’ back and went on his way. I’m not sure he even saw the 4” heels. I really expected a comment but he appeared to be in his own world. There were lots of families with kids in the store. I try to avoid those groups, but there was no chance to do that. No one said a word and the kids hardly seemed to notice. After I went through the checkout line (and there are 20 of them), the clerk asked me, ”Weren’t you in here last night”? I said I was and she said, “You were in my line”. I really didn’t plan that but, I think she really did notice what I was wearing. I’ll have to ask her next time.

I think I’m getting close to believing “these boots just being my boots that I can wear wherever I want”. I’m still not throwing caution to the wind, but I’m a lot more relaxed wearing them and having a lot of fun.

raccoon

Jimnj3

Dawn HH

Thanks for the comments. I WILL keep you posted on adventures in my white boots. They haven’t arrived yet (only been 2 days), but as soon as the get here I’ll break them in.

I really try moderation in most things. JeffB said,” I think everyone has to find their own level of moderation and stick with it”. For me, thigh boots with 4” heels is moderation, the 5” heel is pushing my limit.

You should be in control of the image you present. Do with it what you are comfortable and enjoy doing.