Thighboots2

Hi Lauren,

According to NEXT they say:-

Heel heights are taken from centre back of heel (see diagram) and are only intended as an approximate guideline to assist you in choosing a suitable height of shoe.

Hope this helps (and this is the way I thought heel heights were measured anyway.

TB2

Name: Simon Age: 49 Gender: Male Location: London Occupation: Engineer Height: 5' 11" Weight: 190lbs Shoe size: EU43 What's your favourite heel style: Need you ask - Stiletto on a lady but although I enjoy the feel of them, they are not for general use, so for me the ideal is cuban or lightly tapered. What's your favourite shoe style: Ankle Boot Do you wear your heels outside: Sure do What is: (a) Your favourite heel height: 4-5" on ladies ( Your highest heel height: 3.5" How often do you wear: (a) Your favourite heel height: Used to, but not these days. ( Your highest heel height: Daily Do you wear socks, hose, stockings or bare feet with your shoes: Ladies socks, they fit so much nicer than mens and don't fall down! Anything else you wish to add: So glad it appears the fashion for mens heels is coming back as 2" mens heels are appearing in the high street. The only way is up.

Guys & Gals,

NEXT seem to have updated their web catalogue today and increased the number of shoes available.

For example

Nice 4" heeled boot available upto EU43 and also in Wide fitting. Next size EU43 are generous as I have found out from previous purchases.

Might well be one for the cooler months.

TB2

Yup, it is the Apple Quicktime format if you wish to see it. Wonderful thing - standards, there is just so many of them!! TB2

Barney; Thanks for the tipoff. Downloaded the trailer and I can see this will be a very funny film. From the makers of Calendar Girls, so it will be good British humor. I expect it will cross the "pond", and it does make a change for us Brits to get something first TB2

sscotty727 said:

I wanted to pass that on to other married men here that if you go slow and let her accept things at HER pace, you just might be pleasently surprised in the end:)

I put my regular guy shoes into the menders on Friday and found that all I had to wear home that could pass were a pair of lofers with a 2" heel that I keep at work and wear as and when I feel like it (no one at work has commented on them ever). So home I go. Sitting having a dring with my other half, she noticed the shoes and said they were nice but that she hadn't seen them before. Of course not I replied, I keep them at work, so when I go in on the motorbike (often as it beats sitting in traffic jams) I have something to change into. So a 2" heel is accepted. She knows I used to wear heels in my teens ( that 70's thing) so she knows I feel comfortable wearing them, and so is comfortable with me wearing them. Indeed my Cowboy boots are 2.5" and a nice pair of zipup boots from Jones the bootmakers have a 2" heels. It will soon be possible for me to introduce 3" heels as being the OK, but she will draw the line if they are too narrow, but the goal is to introduce these which are just wonderfully comfortable to wear.

Change takes time, don't rush it.

TB2

Kneehighs: That is a very interesting discussion you have found. Kind of sums up what we all know, If you like it and you look good in it, do it. Applies to anything in this life really. TB2

Thighhighs, VERY nice. Hope you enjoy them as they will be super under a nice pair of jeans. TB2

Spikes, you lucky lad. I bet the model knew exactly what her shoes were doing to all the red blooded males round the shoot. As to the lunchtime chat, it depends upon how well you know the female associates, as you could appear too "keen" and thus they could label you in the way you don't wish them too. The only possible thing you could have said would have been on the lines of a compliment that they would look just fine wearing similar shoes. I would suggest that you did the right thing there. TB2

Yet another trip out today in my Next Ankle Boots (pic in previous post on this subject). Trip into Next of all places The menswear dept in this store is upstairs, and Next do like this wooden look floring that is very niosy. As I expected, there was no reaction from the few people on the shop floor and as they have a nice long mirror, I could have a good "goosie" at my trouser/boot combo. It looked just fine. So out with my purchases and into WH Smiths for a book. Finally found this after 15 mins of searching and then back to work. The 9cm (3.5" in old money) heels are just a comfortable height for walking. The stroll to the shops is 1/2 mile each way and very pleasant it was too. As an aside to the title of this thread, I have been wearing the boots all day at work without any comment-look etc from fellow employees. So to draw a conclusion to my experience, I would suggest that if you wear heels and trousers just the way ladies do these days, ie hem 1" above the ground, wear heels that are not too high for comfortable distance wear, and most importantly just go about your business as if you were just wearing flat shoes (NB flat does not necessarily mean mens) and therefore not concious about your feet, you will pass without the world noticing. TB2

Whilst Bluewater is a bit of a hop for me to come out for lunch, I should be able to do it. I would prefer Lakeside just the other side of the river, it also has LOTS of shoe shops, and lots of places to meet up and water ourselves at lunchtime. TB2

TBG, Sounds like your Corn Farmer is as into his corn as we all are about heels Nice job though, maybe his wife will did around in her closet tonight and see if she can get him thinking about something other than corn TB2

Today was another excursion at lunchtime. I needed to get an adaptor for the video output port on my Laptop. I had been wearing the following today for about an hour before lunchtime, and was half way to the car before I remembered I had them on.

So into the Petrol station to fill the car before gooing to the PC shop. Wearing the grey trousers of previous posts which leaves 1" of heel showing when not walking and whatever when I am. No looks whatsoever there. Into the PC supermarket to browse for the bit. Again, no adverse reaction from anyone.

Now that thighhigs in another thread ( society and heels) has seen and posted a link to "dior homme" where you find 6.5cm heeled boots for men, I like the brown zipup boot, the fashion trend is now set. They will be copied. It shouldn't be too long before moderate heels are fully in for us now (ever living in hope)

Certainly wearing these heels out and about is not an issue for me, and should anyone ever wish to remark upon them, I would say that as a young chap in the 70's, heels for men were all the fashion, I just haven't moved with the times.

TB2

Thighhighs: VERY nice indeed. Will look forward to your report. Enjoy. TB2

Dr Shoe: I was wondering when the next London outing was going to be. I'll be up to meet you for lunch if its a weekday, maybe a little shopping either side, but I can't stay too long 'cos of the job. Shame TLSB is no more as the pub next door was quite nice, but Leatherworks is close. How about a browse in a NEXT store since they now do eu43. Not around from the 24th onwards. TB2

Barney,

Good find. I'd like a pair of those too. I am just a little concerned about the UK/USA sizing thing, especially as exchanging will be a lengthy and costly process. I usually take a UK10, Next's latest range runs to UK9 and I find those fine, but then toeboxes are a lottle longer in current fashion. Would be interested to hear your comments on sizing, toebox room and so on when you receive the shoes.

dr1819 wrote:

You know what I'd love? I'd love it if ANY manufacturer decided to offer a lace-up court shoe in a 3-1/2 to 4 inch heel with a rounded, instead of a pointed toe, and in real leather, which conforms to your foot, instead of patent leather pointed toes, which simply lead to serious foot problems.

That's exactly what we had in the 70s. It is certainly time that fashion trend returned.

Nick:

I add that its nice to see you back around too. GL with the venture. You said

and it is nice to have an ear to the ground of the deigners

remind them about the early 70s fashion, some of the Italian designs from those days were just superb.

Regards,

TB2

A little while back Kneehighs wrote:

But when a man (part of the group in power) seeks to assimilate with a woman (the group not in power) by wearing heels, society views that as scary.

So what was it all about in the early 70s. I, and almost every male were strutting our stuff in heels daily. Indeed 3" heels were considered LOW

All that is needed is for a designer in the upcoming London Fashion Week to put stylish heeled shoes with regular guy clothes, a celebrity or two doing the same, and bingo, we would have nothing to talk about.

It has been tried having male models strutting the catwalk in stiletto heels, but that is never going work. Shock tactics like that are to draw attention to the designer who is trying to get noticed.

People generally hate change, however, it is our nature to change, but usually change is steady and progressive. The re-introduction of heeled shoes for mens has to be a steady process, like the total acceptance of men wearing earings. It takes time.

I just hope, not too much time.

Someone else said earlier that some teenagers laughed at his quite appropriate heeled "work" boots (very nice BTW). I would have said to them that as a teenager, that was normal footwear for girls and boys and it's what I grew up with, and anyway, wearing a jacket or coat off the shoulders so far its half way down the back, wearing jeans so baggy that an entire football team could wear them at once, trousers/jeans so long that the hem is all frayed and scruffy, holes punched through various bits of their anatomy, all looks completely ridiculous to me and I would never be seen dead in such a state.

What on earth to the teenagers of today think they look like!

In the meanwhile, be yourself, be comfortable with what you wear safe in the knowledge that either you are a fashion leader, or like me, been it, seen it, got the T-shirt.

Happy heeling.

Joenj, Good choice. They will go totally unnoticed. Have fun in the village. TB2

Firefox: "English" humor, nice example. TB2

Nigel,

www.tallgirls.co.uk

Have cowboy boots. Have a look. I have a black pair and should get myself a brown pair too. 2.25" heel. The heel is solid "chipboard" so there is no hollow sound to it. The supplied rubber heel material will wear out quite quickly, however, the shoe menders will put on a proper thick rubber heel for you in minutes.

Highly recommended, and Tallgirls give a good service too.

This is heeling, albeit low, that ANY guy can wear with jeans and NEVER raise an eyebrow. Now put on a cowboy hat and people will stare (in the UK that is). Wear spurs with jinglebobs to complete the picture

Enjoy.

TB2

Well there is certainly an outbreak of boldness in this thread, so let me add experience.

Sunday, I was going to a company reunion BBQ so jeans and cowboy boots were the order of the day. I got my boots from tallgirls and they have a 2.25" heel. With me I also had my trouser boots and when I left home, I changed into them to help in the wearing in process whilst I drove. I had a 3 hour or so drive to the party.

I needed to stop off for some beer and food to cook at the BBQ and stopped at a large supermarket. I had a quick debate with myself about changing back into my cowboy boot (which no one has EVER commented on except to say they like them even if they are not current mens fashion). The very recent postings on here flashed through my mind, so I felt it was time to test it out myself. My jeans were long enough to look right in the heels. The hem finishing just 1" above the ground.

So I got out of the car and found myself a trolley and headed formt he store. The store was busy, not overly so, but busy enough. I made my way through picking up the things I needed for the party and through the checkout. Took about 20 mins in all, then back to the car to unload.

Nice thing about supermarkets is they have nice big windows that are perfect mirrors, so I could see what the heels looked like from the side as I walked. When standing, my jeans would leave about 1" of heel showing, but as I walked, the heels were nicely visible. Best of all, I didn't hear any comments.

Round to fill up with petrol and still no comments or looks I could detect. Amazing. So I carried on my journey. I had to stop for a call of nature at a service station and repeated the exercise again with no apparent reaction.

All this is happening in broad daylight between 12pm and 3pm.

For those of you who have not tried this, give it a try. It beats the lonely midnight walks.

TB2

Gang, Glad u like the boots. I agree with Ionic that the first pair with the slightly tapering heel are very unisex and I have no problem with wearing them out and about. When u look from above, the sole also projects from the upper and fake stitching is moulded into the top surface giving and even more "Guy" shoe look. This is plainly visible from the top shot in my photo kink in my first post on this matter. Ionic, to answer your question, yes I find the size 43 to be generous as I would normally be ordering size 44. The width of my choices is OK for me, but I may just try one of those that are offered in a wide fitting. Lets hope that where Next lead, others follow with size 43 and even size 44 as there are many women these days who have feet this size (my niece for one). The second pair are still nice to wear, but already I have had to replace the heel tip . The plastic they were made from was very soft and so wore and deformed easily. I hope the next set wear better, but with 13.5 stone or 187lbs bearing down on them instead of the usual lady weight of 10 stone or 140lbs (being cautious here), I guess its not surprising. metal tips would be sensible to get longevity, but then they are not so quiet. Doing stiletto heels in public is one thing, but that lovely metalic sound just doesn't help you blend in. Happy days. TB2

Well in the 70's when every man was street-heeling I bought a super pair of Italian black shoes with a 3/4" platform and 3.5" heels. I walked down to my friends house a mile away from mine with about a 200ft drop in the first 1/2 mile, a gentle slope realy. However, I do remember that I felt that was hard and much easier coming home again afterwards. Mind you we had beeen in the pub in between :drinking:

I had a second brown pair of heels and between the two pair, I lived and died in them. Never had enough money left after going to the pub :drinking: to buy any more.

As I posted in another thread (lunchtime shopping) I just got a pair of shoes from Next in size 9 and will wear these now for social work. They go nice under trousers or jeans and no one will care, and if LuckLad is lucky enough to have feet no bigger than EU44, they will work for him too. Jeans/Trousers 2" longer than usually worn with the shoes sold as mens will look super and be totally normal to the rest of the world.

Happy days.

TB2

LuckyLad,

Well done for going out. You'll enjoy it even more next time. Don't be surprised that you see more wear on the soles and heels of the boots as the sole is smooth adn the heel small in diameter. I see your in the UK, so goto http://www.stiletto-heel-tips.co.uk and you can get some replacements to fit yourself. Probably would steer clear of metal tips for the noise issue.

TB2

Jim & Dawn, Indeed the first pair are very suitable for being out and about in. As I say, I am looking forward to the next time the UK heelmeet comes to London and I can take a long lunch and join the guys for a bite too eat. The second pair are also nice to walk in, but you do have to watch out for inperfections in the surface, ie gaps between the paving stones on what we call the pavement (aka sidewalk). The heel on them is 8mm D shape. I did think the heel being so much further forward would make them strange to walk in compared to the block heels, but actually, it is just fine. They'll be in for new heel tips long before the block heels TB2