Puffer

The flat-fronted heel is the traditional stiletto and I prefer it to any other shape, particuiarly if it is set properly under the shoe, i.e. not too far back. Although any high and thin heel is (these days) commonly called a 'stiletto', there are other terms in use, e.g. 'pencil', 'cigarette'. I question whether either of these applies to the all-round style; does anyone know? And is there a distinction in name between the thin all-round heel that tapers out to the back at its top (as with a traditional stiletto) and one that is straight most of the way up, often made in metal?

Does anyone here at High Heel Place like the leather Oxford shoes as seen in photos from the 1950s?

I am not certain that the answers given so far have taken proper account of the original question (as above). I suggest that respondents had in mind the fetish-style lace-up shoes with very high, thin heels (as worn by Bettie Page etc) - scarcely everyday wear. Leaving them aside, I cannot recall any Oxford-style women's shoes in the 1950s that had anything other than a cuban heel of around 3" maximum and a rounded or slightly tapered toe - essentially a man's shoe with a heel added and having an overtone of domination.

The latter was a very traditional and rather conservative shoe; one move away from the flat lace-ups that were still commonly worn by women of all ages in an everyday 'working' context. Cuban-heeled Oxfords (or courts) were popular with women who were unable or unwilling to adopt the less clumpy court styles that began to predominate from the mid-50s, especially after the stiletto came into vogue. Teachers, librarians, nurses and ordinary housewives often wore black or brown Oxfords like this; indeed it seemed an integral part of the uniform for the more senior nurses (sisters, matron) and some servicewomen.

Personally, I don't care for the Oxford style on men or women, with or without a heel of any type - principally because it reminds me of the drab pre-stiletto era. But I can see that an Oxford (or loafer) with a modest cuban heel is a good shoe for discreet male street-heeling and a pointed stiletto version can (like any stiletto) look good on a woman.

So, which of these 50s Oxfords did Leo have in mind - the 'housewife' or the 'pin-up'?

... I wear a 46 in men size. 10 years ago, I could enter any mens shoe shop and have my size in a number of models. Today, you hardly find a size 45. On ten shops, one have one pair in 46, and nine doesn't have any.

And I know many men that wear this size.

I'm surprised at your experience; I assume this is in France. I am in the UK and usually wear a UK11 (45) shoe, sometimes a UK12 (46). Forty years ago, no normal high street shoe shop in England would stock anything bigger for men than a size 11, and then only in limited styles. But, since then, size 11 has become standard stock and it has been increasingly easy to find many styles in size 12 and even 13.

I haven't detected any reversal of this trend owing to the recession (or other commercial excuses for poor supply) and I am sure that it recognises that (a) men's feet are getting bigger; and ( the younger men needing the big sizes want to wear fashionable, non-boring men's shoes (there are a few around!) so cannot be ignored by the manufacturers or retailers. (I'm not complaining; I can buy better men's shoes off-the-shelf now than at any time since c1960, when winklepickers and cuban heels were mainstream fashion. )

I am rather worried that there might be something wrong with me. I feel sexually attractive to women most of the time, with not a heel in sight.

But I have to say also that I feel more sexually attracted to women when they are in heels.

She fell over.

I am obliged for the translation - but I do wonder why James did not say so in the first place.

... A while ago, I saw a pretty girl stack it in her stilettos at the station. ... James xx

Nicely alliterative, James, but what do you mean - in English, please?

... the notion that all heel will break loose in the store if someone sees a guy trying on women's shoes ...

Well, if the man is overweight (or the shoe is poor quality), one might expect the heel to break loose, eh?

... I wear normally a size 45 - 46 but this sizing is very stange . Some models fit small , other ones have a wider fitting ...

Prutske255

There is no doubt that his sizing does vary with his off-the-shelf boots. This must really suck for those who order across the pond... I too had to return an off-the-shelf pair that I absolutely loved the looks of because for a size 9 U.S., they were just too small in the vamp. I wound up exchanging them for another pair. The other pair was a size 10 and they too were small, but within the realm of being adjusted with my various boot stretchers. These are one of my favorite pairs of 4" heeled boots now and fit like a glove. I wear them all the time to work. For barely a few dollars more and a reasonable wait, he'll do custom boots from several foot measurements that the buyer provides. The custom boots I bought from him with the 3.5" heels are the best fitting boots I've ever had. I wouldn't consider anything else but custom boots from Miguel if I had to have them shipped overseas. ... Charlie

Prutske255 has exactly the same size feet as me - and an enviable collection of boots, too! I am amazed however that he can get into Miguel Jones boots in sizes USM9, 9.5 and 10 when he (or I) would normally expect to require a USM11.5 or 12. He certainly took a chance in buying Rob's 9.5 'misfits' - I would have tried them if I had thought they were remotely likely to fit me!

All seem to agree that Miguel Jones sizing is a lottery - and Charlie is quite right in that it would obviously be both risky and potentially expensive to order anything ready-made. The trouble and expense of returning boots for exchange from overseas is a very real disincentive. I wonder why MJ does not get the sizing right; he is obviously a craftsman with a quality product? I do hope that Rob's new made-to-measure boots prove OK in fit (and are otherwise wearable); no doubt he will keep us informed.

You are showing Omano boots in your avatar, Prutske - do you have these or other Omanos? If so, how do they fit, please, and are they comfortable to wear and of good quality?

Size 11 and yes I intend to wear them to college 3 days a week.

Just my size! If you don't like 'em, let me know!

Count me in as another one who would like to hear how they come out.

I wonder if they could make them without the heel sticking out past the rear of the boot. At least to me, throws the look of the boot off. Almost seems like the boot was meant to have interchangeable heels (great concept), but this one never slid all the way forward.

I tend to agree about the projecting heel; it rather upsets the lines of what is essentially a plain men's ankle boot with a high (cuban) heel. I have seen a slightly more exaggerated version of this 'rear ledge' on some Western-style boots; I think it is intended to support spurs - a knowledgeable cowpoke here will doubtless explain.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280490922222

I just bought these a couple of days ago, but it could be a couple of months before I get to wear them, since they are handmade to order! If I find them too easy to walk in I will get thee 5.5 inchers

I'm sure there are several of us here who will be very interested to learn what you think of these Omano boots when they arrive, Leyland, and how you get on with wearing them - please do let us know. What size have you ordered? Do you intend to street-heel in them?

Those aren't 7". The video is squeezed to take them look higher.

http://www.orientvisual.com/6inchforever/shoepage.php?querytype=id&searchstring=VQA_HYBRID

Yes, there is some horizontal compression, which makes the arch look a liittle steeper, but they are still very high heels and must be at least 6.5".

The other videos from the same source (with same girl, I think) are a mixed bag. Her walking seems very awkward in some of them (especially when wearing ballet boots in a shopping mall sequence, with lots of attention from shoppers) but more accomplished in this long walking sequence: http://www.youtube.com/user/nomoresecrets1#p/u/8/TBpR9k6W6FM But just look at the way her heels bend - I expected them to break at any moment!

5 inches - I'm impressed, Rob! You must let us know how you get on with them. The heels certainly don't look that high and I agree that the overall appearance - shaft, heel, welt and toe - is essentially masculine, as well as being smart and sharp. It's really only the height of the heel (if exposed) that takes them out of mainstream menswear. But that is the point, surely - we don't want to be stuck in 'mainstream' forever!

Very nice boots, Rob! The general styling is certainly masculine and must be good for street-heeling. How high are the heels, please? The only thing I slightly dislike (although it is a true 'cowboy' feature) is the wide border (welt) around the nicely pointed toe.

What did you get stung for in UK customs duty, VAT and fees? (Always a disincentive to import from the US, unless one is lucky.)

US sizes are typically 1.5 more.

UK 8 should be US 9.5, so your order should be, and was, spot on.

No - I don't think so: US men's sizes are usually only a half-size smaller than UK, so if Rob is a UK8 he should fit a USM8.5.

She is eldest of three. Her younger sister & her have same size feet so lots of shoe swapping goes on. The heels they have between them are all 'functional' rather than sexy in my opnion. The trends seem to be for military & cowboy esq rather than spikes at thier age. ...

Thanks, plasmaboy. Quite a nice collection of rather masculine styles there! I expect you wish you could borrow them for street-heeling!

She has done ok & is being sensible about not wearing them everyday. She claims to have been fine walking in them. Her regular school wear over winter months (since Sept.) has been a pair of boots with a 2" wedge:

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s130/topgeardog/DSC04004.jpg

Its very subtle. Those mixed in with regular flats gives it some variation. I think the 'trainer' style is fine for a teen of her age. If it were a more adult or suggestive style then indeed things may be viewed differently.

Your daughter sounds sensible enough, plasmaboy! I can't think where she gets that from??

The shoes and boots she is wearing to school are not very elegant or feminine - which, as you say, is probably just as well. But does she like or wear other footwear in a 'more adult or suggestive style', e.g. stilettos? If so, do you encourage, tolerate or discourage her? (I am curious as I only have 5 sons/stepsons, so no idea how one relates to or 'manages' a teenage daughter.)

Yes, dww, I do understand what you mean - and have experienced it to in 40+ years of driving in most of UK, inc London. Lighting at night is a question of balance: sidelights alone can (as you say) get 'lost' - but even dipped headlamps can be equally irritating when they tend to swamp what is around (and blur outlines of vehicles etc), especially when it is raining. I can't speak from experience when towing but any driver obstructing another's safe and legal overtaking is being, at best, anti-social. There is no need to hog a lane in these situations.

Drivers who drive on sidelights, fog lights in the rain, sit in the middle lane of a motorway, need I go on?

Do you mean driving with sidelights in daytime when visibility is good - or instead of headlights when headlights are not essential (e.g. on a lit road in a built-up area?) The former is unnecessary and wasteful (although I think it about to become a legal requirement for all new cars) but headlights used unnecessarily are also wasteful and can dazzle other road users. The bright halogen headlamps are the worst culprits.

Sitting in the middle lane does no real harm if traffic can still overtake, but hogging the outside lane on any road is a real pain. I sometimes wonder why the A12 (for example) has an inside lane - no-one uses it much!

My pet hate? ... Also hate the

advertising slogan "the soup that eats like a meal". Hopefully, you would eat the soup, and not vice-versa.

Quite right - and US English has too many verbs used wrongly in the active sense, e.g. you 'graduate' your students (although they are not instruments!), 'terminate' employees (rather than their employment) and you allow a ship (rather than its passengers) to 'disembark'. (But don't start me on criticising your countrymen's abuse of my mother tongue - I would be here for hours! )

... I have always been interested in the thigh boots but I don't know that I would ever wear them out?

I dress corporately - skirt suits etc, and I do have the confidence to publicly pair up super high heels and very short skirts but I just don't know that I could change a pair of high heeled pumps for a thigh high boot?

Could it be because I'm just used to having bare legs? I have thought about it and I would need to evolve what I wear to suit such boots, I know I can't wear them with my suits, and fitted skirts. ...

I'll stay sitting on the fence at the moment.

rgds

Heel-Lover

Heel-Lover – ... I think thigh boots look great with jeans or a short skirt but I see no reason they wouldn’t work with a more conservative business suit. It is all about how you want to present your legs. You might try starting with a pair of opaque black legging and see how that works for you. They do make conservative looking thigh boots and I am suggesting black leather boots rather than a colored leather or shinny paten.

Try a pair, it’s a lot of fun.

How interesting! Heel-Lover is uncomfortable in thigh boots and TBG is uncomfortable in pumps. Meanwhile, I enjoy wearing both! HA!

While I enjoy showing off my legs, I can't resist the temptation of thigh boots, and I've been wearing mine more and more lately. There's a certain sultry style to such boots that's positively delicious, whether paired with tight jeans or a short skirt, and I should know as I've done both. I would agree with TBG that thigh boots are worth a try. You might like them!

An interesting set of exchanges and, as implied, much scope for some 'cross dressing' experiments by two of the three contributors.

Heel-Lover might consider wearing thigh boots with a slightly longer pencil skirt with a back slit (perhaps in denim). I've seen that on women sometimes and it can look very smart (indeed, quite formal) - with the observer wondering just how high the boots are under the skirt, tantalising clues being visible through the slit. And, as TBG suggests, it might work similarly with a formal business suit too.

I also suggest that H-L would likely find thigh boots more comfortable than a skirt and bare legs if he is indeed determined to 'stay sitting on the fence' - with less risk from splinters too!

... I also agree that seeing people wearing 5-6" heels is quite commonplace now but not so in the mid 1990's. ...

Yes, there are plenty of 5 - 6" heels around now, but invariably the shoes have a significant platform and the true arch is rarely more than 4.5". In the 1990s, single-sole shoes with 4.5 - 4.75" stiletto heels were quite common - just as high a rise and more elegant.

I doubt that platforms will go away for a while but it would be good to see more non-platform shoes with high stilettos. Just look at the 5" 'Lois' court by Schuh (now seemingly discontinued) of which the wearers invariably give rave reviews.

talking in circles around an issue instead of getting right to the point really irritates me.

.. and unnecessary repetition annoys me!

Hi

I never went for the boots as i was quite thin back in the 70's but I did have a pair of shoes with 3 inch block heel in brown with a latice like patern of brown and tan across the top and the toes were plain brown and bit bulbus in shape they were very heavy but good quality along with that i wore matching brown wide trousers with about 10 large pockets on them and a tank top

never did it enter my head at the time i was wearing heels higher than my mum it was fashion men wore heels no one looked and stared at me or my mates

sadly if i still had them and walked up town now people would look and stare and think weirdo

Yes, stevey, I think they would - and so would I (sorry!). Not because you are a man in heels but because they are not remotely in fashion at present. (And I hope they never do come back in - truly ugly, clumpy shoes, imho. Their only merit is that they might - just might - demonstrate that heels on men are normal/acceptable.)

Thanks mate,

How did you find the link for the cowboy boots as i couldnt find them navigating through the evans site normally.

BTW i have also got a pair of the priceless boots in your link in a UK10 and yes they are generously sized, also they mention in some of the customer reviews about the shaft being quite baggy too.

I regulary trawl both the Evans and Big Shoe Boutique / Priceless sites for shoes but unless I really must have them I wait a while as they inevitably some down in price quickly, although on a couple of occasions some models were so popular they had sold out in certain sizes before they had a chance to be discounted. If you are patient though some real bargains are to be had:yummy:

Is this directed at me, barney?

If so, I'm not sure which cowboy boots you are asking about - is it the ones you and I now have? They can be found on the Evans site by going to SALE - Sale - Shoes & Boots - Page 2. Does that help?

I agree with you about the discounting. Don't forget that Priceless, BSB and also Discount Shoe Store are all Stylo Barratt companies selling essentially the same range, but you might find stock levels are not identical, and prices/offers can vary too. Worth looking at all three.

Thanks for the heads up Puffer, ordered myself a pair in the Brown size 10 (taking into account what you said as I take a 9/10) and as you said £8 plus £4 delivery...Bargain!

Thats saves me at least £17 on the cheapest pair i've seen on ebay so thank you very much, very good spot!

The other boots aren't really me, reminded me a bit of the clogs they wear up north for dancing ...

Priceless only a £10:

http://www.pricelessshoes.co.uk/en/wide-leg-high-leg-boot-180204

Size 9 perfect fit. Heel is actually just over 4". Nice.

Well done, barney; glad you got the Evans boots in time! I see now that, although the 20% discount has finished, some other ‘regular stock’ items are being discounted – not that I am trying to tempt you further!

I agree with you about the ‘clog’ boots – not my style at all but I suspect they would appeal to others here. Plenty in stock at local branch yesterday too at same price (£15).

I like plasmaboy’s boots too, although the shafts look very wide – too wide to wear under trousers, surely? They are certainly wider than the similar pair I got from Priceless this time last year: http://www.hhplace.org/attachments/guys/8451d1263145185-decisions_decisions-pbpt.jpg Those are a generously sized UK11 with 3.5” heel and very comfortable, although I have yet to pluck up courage to wear them outside.

I notice too that, almost without exception, longer Evans boots have wide shafts which will ‘bag’ even when worn over non-skinny trousers and can be more difficult to conceal inside them. Perhaps Evans and Priceless women customers with larger feet are expected to have chunky legs too, but that is surely not universal? It would be good to find affordable boots (ankle, calf or knee) that are closer fitting on a ‘normal’ male (or female) leg – I make no claims that mine are particularly shapely but they are certainly not elephantine.

Love the boots fancy a pair myself, doubt if i will get them ass cheap as you got yours.

I went mad when evans had their sale and bought 5 pairs as they were heavily discounted, those models they didnt sell out have gone back to full price and are not must buys now.

Here are what i bought:

The Green and Tan boots look a bit wacky but they are now my favorite boots, well worth the £20 i paid for them , they are now back upto £40.00

The laced ankle boots are very nice too but mine are in olive, would love a black pair too, very comfortable and like the kitten heel as make them easy to walk in. £20

The laced shoe boots i got in black and brown and look great with jeans, nice cuban heel gives height but stability due to thickness, paid £15 each

The short zipped boots i got in olive for £10 love them.

I found them all generously sized and really should have got them smaller - they are all UK10

So next i am going for a pair of the cowboy boots that the OP got, i have seen some on ebay but will only buy at the right price about £20 tops.

Glad you like my Evans boots, Barney; I like yours too. Right now, the black boots are only available in UK11EEE at £10 (less a further 20% finishing today). The brown ones are also still on sale (same price) in 9, 10 & 11EEE, see here:http://www.evans.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&langId=-1&storeId=12553&catalogId=33054&parent_category_rn=&categoryId=209557&productId=1907849

The size 11 I bought were certainly not generously sized - I found more room in a pair of size 10 Evans boots tried in the past (and my Priceless size 11s are definitely roomier). ; same price. With fairly thick socks, you should have no trouble with these.

You might like these too; £15.00 -20% up to size 10W: http://www.evans.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33054&storeId=12553&productId=2042501&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=209557&parent_categoryId=209439&sort_field=Relevance&pageSize=20&refinements=category~[209565|209557]&noOfRefinements=1

I am also sending you a PM.