dressboots

I feel better. I basically dumped those heels I was not interested in anyway. Being back on the forum is also very encouraging. Everyone is so nice with kind encouraging words.

I wonderred why my neighbor was "lookign sideways" at my Uggs recently. My wife gave them to me years ago and thinks nothing of them being women's wear as she worries about other boots I have that are women's. I wear them out walking the dog on those cold winter nights when I am tired of having cold feet. Guess like "campus boots" they are out of fashion for men. I did find traditonal Frye "campus boots" for men on Zappos web site so I ranted too soon. However, as you stated they are not men's styles to most anymore. Give me a break!

Remember "Frye boots" in the mid to late 70's? Frye boot came to be almost a generic term to describe the tall clunky heeled boot popular at that time though many manufacturers made them. I still have a pair with 2" chunky heels that I seldom wear now. They have a lot of miles on them and pretty much worn out. I was excited to see the style resurrected recently, as "retro" and did not care that they are now advertised as "campus boots." Then became very dissappointed to discover now they are no longer a unisex style. The new ones which look just like the unisex syles of 30 years ago are now marketed for women's wear only and I have not found them in a women's size larger than American 10. So, men wearing heels takes a step back in my life time. And these do not really look like women's boots, even by today's standards other than they have a knee high shaft which seems to be a style feature reserved for women. Any other guys miss the style? Anyone know of source for them in larger sizes? dressboots

I have just the opposite problem. Virtually all tall boots are made for people with more generous calves than I have. It is those very rare boots with narrow calves I will always keep and prize. I always thought it had to do with a male wearer trying to wear womens boots that are designed for women which naturally have fuller calves. Guess not! Seems to be a relation that the larger the boot size the wider the calf. I figure the photos in catalogs and on the web must be showing a womens size 8B (American) not 12B or 12W that I take even as they offer that size in the style! Have learned to avoid the catalogs that carry footware aimed at larger sized women.

DawnHH, Thanks for the encouraging words. I already did what you suggested yesterday just to "stomp" around the house. You are so right.

Definitely stop purging and take a look at why you are doing it. I know from experience denying one's interest in heels does not make it go away. Denying the interest to make someone else happy will not make you happy in the long run. You will be living a lie (I mean no disrespect). Eventually you will want to return to heels. The person you tried to please will in turn feel betrayed as they wrongly believed you had controlled the interest. It will be impossible for you to make it seem like the interest popped back into your mind randomly. It is better to have one's interests known early in a realtionship. dressboots

There is a parallel universe for sure. Rather than continue my own thread this one explores so much of what I have been thinking the past year and provides new ideas and insight. Fortunately I came back to the list before my purge was complete. I too cannot afford to replace a large shoe collection once it is gone. As part of my soul searching I have not purchased a pair of boots in over two years. In retrospect I should have bought a pair of that Sudini Brand boot called "Silver" as the reviews on the Zappos site indicated it would have been an excellent fit for me. I love blade heeled boots and still do not have a pair and now that style has disappeared. Yes, always lots of visual remminders of what you like out in the world. Part of the marriage vow is to respect your wife (spouse). In this sense respect does not mean blindly do what they tell you to to but to hear their concerns, input and thoughts, and consider them in respect to their being a part of the loving partnership of marriage. Bear with me. I am going somewhere with this. My wife's buddies are very opinionated about what shoes a man can wear and still be a heterosexual man. She wants me to buy a pair of Crocs (hideously ugly rubber clog shoes that I do not want to wear anyway) but she would never let me buy a color like red as those are girls colors and that men who wear red or yellow are definitely gay looking, though the manufacuterer provides those colors in sizes large enough for men and she has seen men wearing them. Some of her friends say that any man who wears whatever Crocs even a "guys colour," are homosexual looking. These opinions are expressed and I have considered them realizing that my women's boot collection had grown to disproportionate occupation of my thoughts thus the weeding out of those that were not so important but with an ultimate goal of having none left. On a different vein (I am sure there is thread about the "Kinky Boots" movie here that I missed) a line in the movie that spoke volumes to me was when the main character stated that out in the world in high heels he felt confident and with no worry but dressed in men's clothes he was a nervous wreck. I realized it was the sensation years ago I had when I street heeled. Being a very shy guy, making the leap to go out was like "OK so what if people look? People look at each other anyway, so what?" My wife loved the movie but I do not want to embarass her in the community by going out in heels. See the above comment on (loving) and respecting one's spouse. Many of her friends are the hecklers portrayed in an early scene in the movie. dressboots

dear jmc Point taken. Maybe that is that nagging voice in the background that keeps saying you will regret this action later on. Have been trhough this before and still regret some of the heels thrown away that time. Threw away all that ime. Saving favorites this time but greatly reducing size of collection. Still, much to consider. dressboots

Hello posters. I just signed on for the first time in over a year. I did not realize it had been that long! Thanks to one of the moderators for emailing me to let me know the site had been changed (improved). The last few times, sometime ago, I tried to log on I failed and concluding I was wasting time I forgot the whole deal. I was never the most prolific poster nor probably a memorable one to many but I enjoyed my visits. I am presently reducing my boot collection but think I will hold onto two pairs as they are classic styles from the late 1980's and fit me well. Though the style pendulum swings back and forth and the boots I have look dated I would hate to part with them as finding a pair that fits has always been the greater challenge. My boot wardrobe/collection had gradually gotten out of control over many years. I have ditched all of my flat heeled boots realizing that the only reason I had such were because they were women's boots and a type I could go stealth out in public. High heels were really the only reason I have interest in women's boots. Womens boots come in high heels so flat heeled women's boots equaled a "safe" alterantive. Women are very style conscious for the most part. Men are not from what I understand, so I am a bit of an inigma. However, wearing heels where I work would never fly - against dress codes. I had worn athletic shoes to work for years - very boring - and I hated the style but wore them anyway. The last pair I had ended up hurting my feet big time. I started shopping for alternatives. I have landed on Merrel Moc type shoes. Their clog in particular, I am very pleased with in style. Not your typical men's shoe and they are comfortable to boot. Wearing a men's shoe that I like has tempered my quest to wear women's high heeled boots. It has been years since I had a pair of men's shoes I liked the style of. My wardrobe/collection of women's boots had growin in size over the years of many times simply purchasing a style due to its being in my size 12 rather than because I liked it. The scarcity of styles in my size 12 created a famine-like response whereby I pounced on a new pair of boots because of the size rather than the style. In result many of the boots I have thrown away where easy to part with. Years in boxes in the attic had not done them any good either so they really needed throwing away! I had never liked them other than for the high heels. That is the brief history of where I have been and am at present. I expect I will always be a big admirer of high high heeled women's boots. I will keep a few pairs and may add a new pair in the future but will do so more thoughtfully. dressboots

Am too reducing my heel collection. Am down to 4 pairs of high heeled boots. Not sure if I will stop at this point or go completely to zero. I find I am still looking. Interested to see how it continues to go with your experience. My size 12M to 12W is a bit easier to find nowadays.

Am back to those icky wegdes. Am happy the forum is back up and running, however! Small price to pay.

Always encouraging to hear that sales staff are not freaked out by a man buying women's shoes for himself. If it becomes enough of trend as you propose maybe men's stores will start to carry lines of heels deisigned for men! A t the very least womens shoe shops will have offical policy to welcome all gendered customers. Good news that Nine West is expanding size offering. It has been my frustration with them in the past that their top sizes were 9 or 10.

I agree with you. My favorites are boots with heels. The higher the better. I have a pair of kneeboots with a 4" heel,chunky,which I have been wearing to work for several weeks now and thoroughly enjoy. My wife isn't real happy about this but is getting by . I have another pair with a 3" blade heel which I wear out shopping and such without comment. I too love seeing women in boots! Too bad the winter season will be ending soon. Jim

firefox: I agree totally on tall shaft height being unisex. My wife's recent stance caught me off guard as until then, she had been perfectly accepting of my "flats" boots. We have some very narrow minded neighbors - maybe that is the source of her concern. What she means is that tall shafted boots are for women as a fashion statement that guys wear such only for and during professional or sport reasons: equestrian, motorcycle law officers, cowboys, etc. Tall shafted boots for their own sake, are not daily guy wear. I doubt she would go for me wearing men's (very expensive) equestrian boots at this point. Another case of a men's fashion being hijacked by the women's designer world. I loved that brief period in the early 1970's when men's boots came in high heels with tall shaft and zippers.

My feet are narrow for a man's. Wider at the front. I think the term "combination last" is used to describe shoes made to accommodate the difference in size widths. I am 6'2" tall and take a men's 10B. Still a hard width to find in men's shoes but more out there in women's. As other's have observed it depends a lot on the manufacturer. By the two size rule I shoudl ahve to go for D width women's shoes but B fits well with many women's shoes. Those tend to be the styles with more rounded toes thus the answer to the original question is made for me.

micha, Years ago the USA government attempted to convert the country to metric but the populace resisted and the idea died a quiet death. I find that using sysetms of conversion is useful for mathematics or science but simply using a measure day in and day out is the best way to to develop a sense for the size/quantity that is being described. The metric system is much easier to use mathmatically and scientifically but people hate (and are afraid of) change. Isn't that what us heal wearing (or want to wear) guys are up against?

When I am admiring a womens boots, I do wish I could wear them! Is it that obvious I am doing a "gay" thing? Gee, I am definitely sending the wrong message then. Sometimes people find it easier to laugh along with a crowd or maybe the joke is on us. I recall that not much of anything was "sacred" to the Seinfeld gang.

Don't know why I like heeled boots, but I do. Flat heeled boots I wear in public are second best in this regard. My wife recently has gotten on my case about wearing flat (much less high) heeled boots publicly so that is on hold. She says the tall shaft height is too femine even though I wear them under my pants. The more feminine the style Re. high heels, tallshaft, the better I like the boot. Side zippers are definitely a feminine feature I love in a tall boot. Not only are they useful they add to the attractiveness. When I see women wearing boots I love the style of, I want to get that style as soon as possible or conversely am thrilled to know I have something similar in my collection even if I cannot wear them publicly.

If I tried them on and they fit perfectly, foot, shaft, etc. as well as a style I found attractive, I readily be willing to pay $200 for a pair of knee boots. It is so rare for me to find such a boot, I guess scarcity makes for perceived value.

6"2" Seems by the poll results that most high wearers are not paying attention to the admonishment (often directed at tall women) to not hwear high heels if you are tall! I love seeing a tall person in heels.

I realize how luck I am as I read this. Never had any problem from my parents on the subject of wearing feminine boots other than caution about appearing in shoes/boots obviously intended for females and the teasing that it might engender, but no name calling or indication that they would freak out if I did so. In fact they did not freak out when I did so in high school - only the "Are you sure you want to go to school wearing your new boots (which they purchased for me)?" query but allowed me to exit the house when I assure them I did. The boots were the stretch crinkle patent type so popular in the early 1970's with 2" heels. Wore them all year - much to the amusement of some but only a tiny fraction of the student body that bothered to make the energy to say something. Wish you the best of luck in your mother softening up to a "problem" she perceives. Guess I cannot offer advice other than maybe a professional viewpoint. Talk to a counselor that she trusts and can talk to as well. I know that this is likely impossible for what sounds like now is that any couselor who says it is nothing to worry about, she will disagree with. Some parents have a preconceived idea of what their children are going to look like, do, be etc. when they grow up but cannot handle it when the mold gets changed by the free thinking mind that goes with their offspring. It can be a troubling transition to allow that one's childiren have ideas of their own that do not always agree with theirs but that (in most cases) they will not self-destruct because of them. Recongnizing it often creates a much closer bond between parent and (grown) child.

Maybe I am wrong, but thought there are lots of heeled boot styles made for the winter weather. It is the time of year that boots really come into fashion! It's fun to walk in falling snow. You leave those heel prints that only a high heel can make, but it will be erased/buried within a short time. When people are bundled against the cold the "danger" of someone "noticing" will be much less unless the conditions warrant wearing your trousers tucked into your tall boots! (Zipped entry for tall boots makes this wear much easier!) Everyone is still bundled up...

I love the look of a high heeled boot* peeking out from under jeans. To me it is a contrast of terms. Jeans were originally for work doing heavy, dirty things. High heels though originally functional, are far more greatly removed from that heritage and now are for walking, as fashion. Many of the modern styles are way more evolved awy from the original heel thatn jeans have from the work pant. *Tall boots that is. I think the short boots sold for wear with trousers look bad when the person sits down and the top of the boot pops out from under the bottom of the pants. There is an exciting mystery in not knowing how tall the boot goes.

I too have gone on night time adventures but soon tire of them for this reason. I just want to wear whatever shoes I wear as a matter of course for the day/occasion/etc. It is to say going out on a night time foray at first is a great experience but soon it comes down to that the only reason I am doing this is for the heeling. In daily life there are times when wearing shoes/boots is the thing to do so why not (heels) style of one's preference. The "heeling" is no longer the reason for being out in the world. It feels right. Don't get me wrong, however. I completely understand that some cannot go about their daily lives in heels, for reasons of family, emplyoment or other reasons. My job requires a conservative presentation - one that would likely cause problems for me if I were to show up to work in 2" or higher heels (aside from cowboy boots made for men which I could probably get away with but would still raise some eyebrows of the management - cowboy boots are not my style anyway). Remote location heeling is good practice. As has been mentioned before what better way to draw attention to oneself as doing something odd than to look like wearing heels is foreign?

I agree with FireFox. Shoes and boots only for outerwear, that is me. More power to each person's style choice! I prefer some women's boots and shoes as such style are not marketed for men but wear training shoes and/or work boots sold for men as they serve their purpose perfectly fine. In addtion to high heeled boots the equestrian inspired styles also suit my taste but the "genuine" horse riding boot that are made for men are 1. can be very expensive and 2. do not come with zippers which the women's styles for fashion/street wear do as well as boots made for actual horse riding. Buying shoes and boots that are "unisex" in design generally results in such that are the traditional men's fashion charateristics but also carried in sizes small enough for most women to wear as well. It does not meet the quest for styles aimed only at women. Even the equestrian styles which can be viewed as unisex, are not aimed at men for every day street wear. It is a prime example of a style orignially worm by men and later adopted by women - "making it their own" as outlined by an earlier contribution to this thread.