loveheel

OK, being from the US side of this board, I have no idea what these duck shoes are, and you have all made me VERY curious. Pics please !

I find more and more that there are quite a bit of supporting women out there that like the style a guy project in HH boots. I recently went to a store to buy some shoes and got compliments from the sales person on my boots. We talked about shoes and shoe stores and in the end she mentioned that she would love to see my collection ! I didn't follow up on that one since I am married. Bought some great stretch boots and sandals on sale. The lady even gave me a $25 coupon off my next sale.

I must say my experiences with Bakers are excellent (though I always buy in the store, never over internet). It is true that their sizing is not always consistent, but I have found it to be no different from other stores. This is the reason why you have to try on the shoes in the store. Because women's shoes have more variety in shape and style than men's shoes the fit of a particular size can differ from style to style.

I have has great experiences buying at Bakers. At least around here, it is the kind of store where you find sales people that really love shoes. I have had many great shoe conversations in Bakers stores. Only this week the sales women complimented me on my boots (4" Tobacco colored boots from Candies) as soon as I walked in. We matched our heel heights and chatted about many of the shoes in the store.

I have the Cheetah Stretch Boot in Sz 10. I usually wear an 11. The 10 fits, but is on the tight side, so I guess the 11 would be true to size.

SF, It is good to hear that it works for you. I thought that this summer I have been seeing a lot more guys with exposed toes. I saw a lot of guys with flip flops, even on the street. I like the idea of clear nail polish. WIll try it. Just go to convince my SO.

I think there are a few parallel discussion going on. It is true that some part of the male population will accept new fashion trends, and even wear items that are thought of as more feminine. Jeans with a flare, ear rings, etc. are all good examples of that. But I would call none of these even now mainstream fashion for men. In many lines of business the dress code for men is extremely conservative, and any hint of extravagant behavior is seen as a negative. Conservative dress radiates power in business meetings. Prejudice based on clothing is remarkably strong, both against women and men. it is just that the "acceptable norm" for women is much wider than for men. I too have gotten nothing but compliments from women, when I wear women's low-rider jeans. On occasion I even got compliments on my HH shoes. But all this proves that we can look good in what is considered women's fashion. I don't think this at all indicates that this will become mainstream fashion. In my environment, even a three-button jacket is considered frivolous.

Yeah Scotty. There are several Steve Madden stores in the Boston area. I have tried on shoes there several times. Most of them have nice and helpful sales people.

Thanks. I feel a lot better

I am not into the extreme heels, but if you want to do any other good shoe shopping in the downtown area, try the Washington Street area near Quincy Market. There is a rather large DSW, and Aldo, and a Parade of Shoes, all in close proximity. If you walk further down Washington street towards Chinatown (away from Quincy Market), you will see a store on your RHS that sells the more sexy heels (stripper type stuff and such). I don't know if they have large sizes. There are a few shops in Harvard Square (Cambridge) that have good heels, but the shops are all rather small. Good luck. let us kow if you bought something.

I am just curious how many people have had a similar experience to mine recently. I had been drooling for several weeks over a great pair of boots at DSW. They were Nine West boots on sale: 4" blade heels in natural color. They looked and felt awesom but were still rather expensive. So i could not get myself to buy them. I went back to the store three times in a span of a few weeks, trying them on and hope that there price would have been reduced. Recently, I deciced to go and buy them anyway since I liked them so much. But when I got to the store they were gone !@ Aaargh ! Any of you ever waited too long to buy, just to see the shoes disappear ?

I have a similar experience with Payless. I always buy directly in the store after trying on the shoes. Some shoes are really poor, but I still regularly find a nice shoe for very little money. Around here, you can definitely find 4" heels at Payless. High heel slippers and sandals are usually very good buys at Payless. But for the shoes and boots i want to wear more often, I go to a store with higher quality shoes.

Scotty, that is a nice boot. I have seen it in Steve Madden stores around here. Is the sole all rubber ? Is it not too flexible ? My feet hurt when the sole bends too much.

Firefox is absolutely right. You can't really go by size alone. I found that in women's shoes sizes seem to vary even more than in men's shoes. Maybe that is because there is more variety of design and how th foot fits into to the shoe. I now really like the experience of trying on shoes in the stores and getting advice from the sales people. This is to the point that when I see shoes in a self service store that I like I still go to a store where they serve me to buy them ! It is just so much fun

Need to be a little careful with ALDO. I found that there sizes can be off considerably. For example, a 42 Euro size is usually an 11 US size, but at ALDO it is a 12.

Sounds like you got the right approach. Always wear the shoes you plan on wearing with pants when you actually go and buy the pants. This is one of those things not to compromise on. I have found it strange how pants that look really well with one shoe, just don't work with another one, even when they are similar height. Guess it is just a matter of matching styles, height of the instep etc.

THe outlet in KIttery has been gone for a while I think. I usually take an 11, but some of the size 10 boots and shoes at Candies I have been able to wear. Some of my most comfortable boots are a $20 pair (on sale) from Candies. I will miss that store. Always nice slaes girls. Very helpful. It seems like this is one more industry where the evolution is towards a few big giants.

Emery, Thanks for the great story. I was glued on the screen hoping there were more installments coming. I have always thought of trying to do this myself and go and work for some weeks in a shoe store. As a college professor I get "sabbaticals". I wonder thought what I will say when my colleagues ask me what I am going to be doing. Thanks for the great story. I hope i get to visit this famous store at some point.

I LOVE baby dolls. Don't have a pair yet, but I am sure they will be one of my next purchases if i can find a pair. I have been looking for a pair that is not in patent (shiny) leather.

For the folks that live in the Boston/Providence area of the US, you may be interested to know that Candies is going out of business. They are being taking over by Steve Madden and are putting ALL shoes and boots on sale. I was in the Wrentham store today and got some awfully good bargains. I hear that over the next month they will be emptying their warehouse and sell everything discounted in the stores.

I have a pair exactly like the ones Heelfan suggests. Mine are Franco Sarto's (Remo is the name). I don't know if these are the same brand. They are a little narrow, but my experience with Franco Sarto shoes is that stretch. These are the kind of shoes nobody pays serious attention to. I have worn them under falred jeans as well as regular pants. Overall a pair of shoes that you can get away with even in the most conservative environments.

I wear flared jeans quite regularly with 3 or 4 inch heels. Sometime I think the jeans draw more attention than the shoes. All my evidence for this is purely anecdotal, but I have walked through places with heels fully exposed and nobody stared. When i wear flared jeans, there often seems to be that minor stare.

Hey Ionic, I love those Mary Jane's that you have under your name. Where did you get them ?

These mules can easily pass. I doubt you would get any serious stares with these.

I wish my wife would buy me heels ...

Hi Scotty, Like you I am an East Coaster. Actually, the Boston area, which is super conservative (Kind of like they stepped right of the Mayflower). But I have had very nive reactions, just like the kind of interactions with sales people Heelfan and Firefox describe. This is just too much fund to pass up. The shoes I buy in those stores always have that special thing going for me. I know what you are saying about kids and their parents. As a rule I don't shop for women's shoes in the town where I live or very close buy. My daughter goes to school here and I would not want her to get any repercusions or teasing due to my hobby. Just go and do it. Here is EXACTLY how it usually works. I browse the shoes. Someone comes and asks if they can help me. I ask if they have a particular shoe in a size 10 and 11. When the girl (or guy) returns with the shoe, I ask if I can try it on (Sometime they even askme if I want to try it on !). Noone blinks an eye. Half of the time that is it. The other half I strike up really fun conversations with the sales people about shoes. Thrust me, you don't want to miss this. I have met the girls that have over 20o pairs of shoes. There is a reason they work in a shoe store. They LOVE shoes. Good luck with it. Thanks for sharing your stories on the board.

Scotty, this is one reason I try to buy slightly more expensive leather shoes. Even if in the beginning they are a little tight, I break them in slowly, wearing them for short times only, and after a while I find that they form to my foot. With the plastic shoes that one often finds a Payless that does not happen. Having said that I have been seduced a few times buying shoes at Payless. It is hard to resist getting a good-looking shoe for $10, even if they are plastic.