Thighboots2

Further to post#1282 above, I have posted these shoes on The Fashion Spot to gauge both M's & F's reactions to cuban heels. Thus far it is only positive, one F especially so. Simon

HF, Like the 1st pic of you in skirt, hose and heels. I do like the waist gender divide. Very Dale Milleresque. I prefer your knee length as Dale always wore above knee skirts often with pleats and his legs weren't as good as yours so looked wrong. His build would have suited a kilt more. Personally I don't think guys who try this style should do so with above knee skirts. Plain pencil style works well, also a calf length wrap would go well too, especially with those patent heels. The wideleg pants, in that picture anyway, IMHO don't do you any favours. Keep it up though, especially your experiments with skirts. To me, they give your best shots. Simon.

Interesting how this poll is shaping up. The two most popular answers are very similar, but by inference one restricts to private wear. When this poll started, I would have thought the "as much as possible in private" would have won hands down. How wrong I am, as I am going to assume that the "as much as possible" includes public wearing. So it would appear we have many more who wear their heels in public than you would generally assume from the board. I guess many are like me and just get on with it, then again would you really consider me a heeler? 7cm cubans aren't exactly pushing the envelope these days. Simon.

Shoegirl, You just cant beat the elegant high heeled shoe that you link too. There are lots of shoes, but that is a real classic. Simon.

Hosiery and peep-toes/sandals is just fine as long as they are sheer toe and not too high a denier, so the nicely painted nails show. There is nothing worse than pasty looking legs (to me at least) and until the ladies get a bit of tan going, the shading from hosiery looks the part. Simon.

Shoegirl, I'm with bad robot on this. A difficult question and although I am a dedicated heel wearer, they are cuban styles that dont have issues with grates and so on. I take it by "HEELS" you are thinking of stiletto or similarly slim styles. I would suggest that were you (or I for that matter) wearing a pair of stiletto heels and faced with this dilema, I would probably have a pair of those little fold-up slippers that would take up virtually no space in my bag. Wearing the appropriate footwear is essential. My wife keeps a pair of loafers in the car just in case the situation demands. Just means you have to carry your shoe closet around with you. Simon.

I would agree with Dr Shoe.

Recently purchased these from Archie Eyebrows. Needed something to go with my evening dress, aka Black Tie and these just said "Wear Me", so who am I to argue. £175. 7cm Cuban heel. Part patent/ part kid leather. Patent laces. So comfortable, it like wearing gloves for the foot. They dance well too. Nothing but good feedback from both sexes when worn. I have asked Terry de Havilland (whom I met when I purchaswed these) if he will make me a pair of all leather Amechie as the patent is a bit too flash for office wear. He said he would. Both he and Liz his wife are delightful people and just love shoes. I know they are intending to bring out a complimnetary range for women, but with a higher but still cuban heel. I also suggested that going higher with the mens cuban heel would not be out of place. Simon.

Thanks Magicheels, For sharing this with us. I'm sure it was a Happy Birthday and many more are still to come. Simon.

Jeff, Certainly you are having great fun pushing the envelope. However, I do disagree with the "wearing the sort of outfit usually seen on women" only because whilst you may see many women wearing mini-skirts, you will find very few out and about in thighboots. I was thinking about the mini-skirt thing and perhaps the shorter the skirt hem, the closer it gets to where shorts would sit. So maybe the skirt kinda gets missed. Obviously the stiletto equipped thighboots do not get missed, but in your experimentation with various hem lengths, do you feel you get less attention from the long or short hemlines? You do have Political Correctness on your side for all this and whilst I am no great fan of PC, it does have its uses and this is a perfect case in point. Simon.

Happy feet,

Wow, Megapost. Still an nice read and I do agree especially with this quote:-

The problem with a blanket statement either way is that most women have never actually thought about it. I meet women who may be taken aback at first, however once they talk to me they think it is pretty cool that I do what I want to do.

It is the case that the general perception of the word "heels" will be the current fashion, mostly stiletto. The respondant will picture their favorite heeled shoe on a man and it won't work in their mind. I too would probably agree with the picture they have in their mind's eye. However, show them a picture of a man in heels and a well co-ordinated outfit and most will then tell you if the whole look works rather than focus on just the heels.

This thread http://www.hhplace.org/girls/2272-take_2_-_what_your_real_take_concept_men_wearin-3.html#post167591 we find the girl "JAMIE 2" posts the following (repeated here to save to clicking away) which backs up my witterings.

My first reaction would be that I think it is weird. I've never actually seen a man wearing high heels. I'm picturing pumps and sandals, but if we consider other high heel types like clogs or shoes with chunky heels, maybe it would be okay. I guess if I saw a man wearing cute high heeled shoes, I might like it. At least we'd have something to talk about.

Simon.

Oh Hiline, It is so much NOT a big deal. A man buying stuff from the ladies section is not an issue. Yet another mind game. What if you really were shopping fro your girlfriend then would you feel you could do this without the concience? Don't get me wrong, I (and many here) empathasise with you, but once you have shopped for a woman, and you realise its no big deal, then you will do it for yourself and not have any close calls. Simon.

Cool Lady, I hope this board gives your hubby the inspiration he needs. The single biggest hurdle is the support of your wife and as he has that, there should be no stopping him. Welcome to you both. Simon.

We are talking "designer" and those guys really know how to charge. Their business model is the complete opposite of the high street shops. Sell a little at vast profit, whereas the high street is all about volume at timy profit. Realistically, no one here would consider paying that sort of money for a pair of boots, but they are not aimed at the likes of us. We recently saw a designer put models bot M&F down the runway in identical heeled footwear, because he wanted the boots for himself. Cant remember who it was, but have they become available anywhere yet? Simon.

Kikepa,

Interesting things to consider, however the following quote

"women pay more attention to the fashion of other women than they do men's fashions"

I must disagree with the initial statement you make. Women very much pay attention to mens fashion as the way a man dresses is the initial key. It is this fashion statement that serves to allow the man to make an approach or not. Get the look right and the man will be able to progress to the next step and engage in conversation to see if that backs up the look. Shoes are totally irrelevant, but they will be noticed and by choosing heels, it will generally intreague and so the door opens. Women who reject the idea are probably of a closed mind and so probably not the sort of woman you wish to talk to either.

It is identical the other way round. The look of a woman is the first thing a man takes in, but if she has an aweful voice, then she is unlikely to progress further.

Too no-one in particular - Heels are just another tool men can use in the dating game. The few on here who have realised this have told you time and time again just how effective they are to break the ice, they must be bored of telling you.

Simon.

Buy - Wear - put away. Its so much cheaper.

^ It was just an editorial.

But it's the SECOND time that the New York Times has exposed the public to the concept of men in heels. The other was the article on androgynous dressing, with a photo of a guy in 4" Zara stilettos.

And people here keep waiting for the next big break to happen? We already have Marc Jacobs and Rick Owens (2 of the biggest celebrity names in fashion) wearing heels and rising star Rad Hourani wearing heels.

We already have multiple well known fashion institutions giving their okay to men in heels: Dazed and Confused Print with it's edgy London individuality gave a thumbs up, Paris Vogue's fun loving spiritous depiction of Andre on the cover in heels, Elle.com's thumbs up to Rad Hourani's heels for men, Glamour.com's thumbs up to heels for men, I saw a well known stylist for Vogue U.S. wearing 4" Rick Owens heels (they were not chunky either as some argue is the only way to assimilation).

Positive media coverage already exists. Remember Evangeline Lilly's statement that she "doesn't mind a man in heels"? And her then boyfriend Dominic Monaghan admitting he liked wearing high heels? Remember when Pete Wentz publicly admitted to the media his pleasure in wearing Jessica Simpson's heels? That was sincere. So that effectively covers the celebrity segment of the population.

So what are we waiting for? Are we going to sit on our roofs and wait for the Second Coming? For some type of revolution to get swept up in? It's just not going to happen like that! We have two of the most influential celebrity fashion designers repeatedly making public appearances wearing heels, we have beautiful celebrity females saying on National TV how they like guys in heels...heck we even have male celebrities admitting to the media how they like to wear high heels.

Yet we still have people waiting for the next big break. Frankly, I think we are already there. There is this big myth that if only we had this, or we had that, then we would have public acceptance. Acceptance is already there, and it's waiting for you to tap into it, one person at a time. We have to accept where we are right now, and that means working with what the world has already blessed us with.

Long may Heelfan wobble along in his charisma and charm, long may johnieheel continue to pioneer personal progress among family in rural Ohio, long may Shafted continue to wear his stiletto boots in rural Maine. I think these guys understand that the acceptance we want is already there, they know that it's tapped one person at a time and on an individual level.

"Oh, that's Johnie, yeah he wears heels"....

....as for me, it's time to explore Stockholm next week! Woohooo!

Kneehighs,

I hear what you say, but for many the choice of footwear is just not there in their size. Bear in mind that the majority of womens shoes are not available in above EU42 and B witdh as well. This really does exclude and awfully large part of the male population. This really is a major issue as you see stuff you want, but cant wear. Gets fitted nasally if you know what I mean.

I would also say that whilst you can do 4" stiletto heels in London, try that in Glasgow or Newcastle and you won't feel nearly as comfortable, especially once the alcohol flows and inhibitions fly out of the window. No, it really is still in its infancy and hopefully more "A" list celebs take it up. If "Posh" got Becks into stiletto heels then it would be a done deal.

There is a time and place for stiletto heels. Get it right and you will have a great time, get it wrong and it may put you back years. After all, do you wear stiletto heels all the time? On your stockholm visit, which I sincerely hope you have a great time, will you wear your trusty 4 nine wests for your daytime tourist activities, or will it be a comfortable pair of sneakers and the 9west saved for hunting in the evening.

But you are so right, if you want to do it, and you think about the whole outfit as you do, then the time has never been better to able to wear stiletto heels as part of a mans outfit. Its even easier if you are happy to wear cuban heels in place of stiletto heels as I do (then it really is a no brainer).

TTFN

Simon.

Its taken me a little while to track down a photo, and sorry its a bit small, but it was all I could grab. Like many I keep my eye out for the "heels for men" trend and so far we have seen Gucci, YSL and recently Archie Eyebrows. So here are the Rick Owens heeled boots. The heel is certainly much higher than normal and more typical of a womans "sensible" ankle boot. A Plat is provided. All in all a 70s platform boot but the heel is slimmer than it was back then. The whole look is really unisex and easily worn by both men and women in a more relaxed situation. I do like them, but the price is $1150, so I won't be rushing out for a pair. Now I thought $700 for a pair of YSL was a bit steep, but over a grand is just too much. However, it does show that this has gone from being just a runway item to catch the attention of the press. Simon.

untitled.bmp

Max, Excellent look - all about fashion and nothing to do with heels. Nice dip into the female side whilst making it distinctly masculine. Kneehighs would be right with you on this look. I'm sure I have seen him post a pic of similar attire but in darker colours. I like the white/tan combo it is very striking and not somber. Good job - you should try it on hotornot. Simon.

It is a mental hurdle but by extending your comfort zone you can get over it. It's very much about extending your comfort zone. It's very clear from my pant length I'm in heels. I look & feel good in 'em -- and it shows in my attitude & confidence.

GTMHP

Indeed it is a mental hurdle, the height of which is determined by your location. Central London - Manhattan are two places where the hurdle is really low and you would have to be a limbo expert for it to stop you getting out in some sort of heel, but it isn't universal. Some places your whole body is not welcome, let alone what you have on your feet.

Its why I am such a devotee of cuban heels, these are a good half way house.

Simon.

See that too Jo, Maybe site taken down for a quick revamp.

As I said before, the idea is fine. The execution needs to be very careful to avoid the obvious pitfalls and so the original idea is diverted from its target.

In any case, I will be wearing my heels all week, IF 7cm cuban heels are classed as heels around here.

Simon.

Hiline,

I guess your boots have a distinctly feminine heel so covering them I can understand. At 3" high, your walk is hardly altered, and if necessary you can run just as you would with a 1" heel, but it is the limit for proper running. If the heel is slim, then running will not be an option either.

Despite what Kneehighs, Stilettoscot, Maximillian, Happyfeet, and JeffB plus others may say, it is HARD for most guys to get over the hill of wearing heels and especially as it seems to be all about wearing of stiletto heels which our programming tells us is either pervy or fetishy and its a real mind game to get a stiletto heel to the fashion for man thing. It is so much easier with a cuban heel though.

I've been there and I am so glad I found 7cm cuban heels in a mens range from Archie Eyebrows. I wear heels ALL the time. They are stable, strong, sufficiantly high ehough to know you are wearing heels, and get nothing but positive remarks from both women and men. What I would like is to have them made in 8cm, 9cm, or even 10cm. I will have to drop Terry de Havilland an email about this.

BTW, if a 9cm or 10cm cuban heeled zippered ankle boot (Lenny) http://www.archieeyebrows.co.uk/collection.htm who would be interested? I might as well know. BTW, the price n the website is wrong. It isnt £240, its £175. Sure its steep, but over half the price of my Avatar Johnny boots. They are full leather and properly made by craftsmen. Worth every penny.

But whatever heel you choose to wear, do NOT try to hide it all under your trousers/pants. It looks so tacky to have the hem of the trousers/pans dragging on the floor. You only hide it because you are not confident enough to wear the shoes. Gain confidence in lower/cuban/block heels 3" high first. You will be so surprised how quickly you will find you wear them wilt the heels in view. Save stilettos for evenings and fun times just as the ladies do.

It took me a long time to find my comfort zone and the heels I was happy to wear. You could take this as me saying I don't like stiletto heels. nothing could be firther from the truth. I do not see why men cannot wear them if they want to. The man may not look good in them, but that should not mean they shouldn't wear them. I would lke to incorporate them into my wardrobe, but right now it is something I am not ready to do and maybe I never will (dressed as a man anyway) but I am happy to be using mens cuban heeled boots and also womens heeled boots with thicker heels and no fine pointy toes either as often as I wish (my SO refers to these boots as my dyke boots).

BR, glad you found some my post useful. Its not about finding a suitable town/city to heel in, rather it is about finding your comfort zone in what you are preparred to wear and have others see you wear. That will become your baseline. People soon get used to wearing heels and once that is done, and your confidence is sorted, then you can add variety and start selecting from the female side to add spice.

But whatever you wear, enjoy it.

Simon.

Shoemaniac, A nice idea - with some reservations. Why are the only pictures on the site featuring guys wearing stiletto heels? To participate in national high heels week must a man wear stiletto heels? I hope not. I feel you should bring some balance into the site so that other heel styles are represented. Why not ask Firefoxif you could borrow some of the pics he uses on his heels site as that way will bring some balance. Also, why not International as opposed to National. This is an International board. Sure there are lots of UK members, but be inclusive as there are prominent heel wearers all over the world. Get in touch with Bryan boy, he is well into heels & fashion and would maybe asist in spreading the word via his very well read blog. Kneehighs offer of the facebook is excellent too, just what is needed. I'm not trying to pee on your bonfire - certainly not, but balance needs to be struck and just highlighting the extreem will not do any good at all. I agre with Bennos final statement. Simon

Discretion is the better part of valour, so I stick to wearing boots with jeans and about a 1 1/2 inch heel in public for the present time....maybe I will brave a Higher Heel in the near future

BR, you should brave a higher heel, upto 3" and in full view, unless it is overtly feminine (aka Stiletto) of course, you'll find that no one will bat an eyelid as long as you just go about your business as if there was nothing whatsoever out of the ordinary. Gets tougher once you go above 3".

Of course this doesn't mean don't wear stiletto heels, far from it. If you have the confidence to do so, then what are you waiting for. However, most guys don't and so the blockier/cuban heels are a much better and easier to wear without feeling you've got a big neon flashing sign over your head saying - "look at me wearing pervy girls heels". We know they are not pervy, but it is how we and society at large are programmed to think - sadly.

I have to take my hat of to the guys who wear stiletto heels out and about. They do fly in the face of public perceptions, and are certainly taking a risk because anyone who is different is a potential target and you only have to be one block out to go from safe to unsafe. Still the more it is done, the more others in the safe zone will see and join in and so it spreads. I just like to not have to worry about where I wear heels and if they have to be cubans to wear them wherever I please, then so be it.

Simon.

Kikepa, This has been my point for some time now. Generalising as you must, the male body is just too large to look aesthetically right & proportionally correct when on top of a pair of stiletto heels. Its not about the height of a heel, it is about the proportion and its ability to do the job. Sure a stiletto heel can easily cope with being worn by a 200lb guy, but it looks too fragile. Change this to a cuban heel - same height - and it just looks right. If it looks right, then it is right. Women do like men who wear heels, but it has to look right. Slender guy can wear slender heels, normal guys have to wear cuban heels. Simon.