RonC

Personally, I'm not a wedge fan, so I wouldn't enjoy seeing someone in that shoe. But that's just me. It does look like a decent combo, however.

I have been shopping a couple of times over the past two weeks, and have tried on several pair of heels and boots while out. Boots with 3" heels at K-Mart, along with a pair of Mary Jane type black patent pumps. Walked around the shoe section in the boots trying to figure out if they would be comfortable enough. I was seen by a few people. Also slipped on a couple of shoes in Target. It's more difficult there as the shoes are all tied together with a damn string. How are you supposed to be able to walk around to test fit and feel with the damn things teid together. Can't step more than about a foot of so! That's aggrevating! Also tried on a pair of high heel boots at Carson's (a department store). ALl told, I can't tell you that I'm willing to sit in the middle of the store casually trying on heels, but I am at the point that I'm not buying if I don;t at least get to slip the shoes on at some point. Too many shoes that didn't fit has cured me of that malady!

I like the original combo better. Actually, I liked the brown shoes with the buckle the best. They are quite feminine and attractive. Personally, I am not a fan of the long, pointed toe look, especially when the vamp is fairly high. Just me, but I think it makes us big footed people look like we are wearing ocean liners on out feet...lol Just can't see wanting to extend my size 12 into something that looks like a size 14 or so!

Interesting pair of shoes. Very feminine style, yet with a somewhat blocky heel. I guess this is the coming trend.

Yes, I certainly have noticed the lack of larger sizes, and it is not only 12s, but also 11s in many places. We need to thank Barbara for her efforts here. Wondering what we could do to help. Certainly, we should all consider her store if we are looking to purchase shoes on line (or in person, I know they do have a store, and I also have seen it mentioned that they have absolutely no problem with guys shopping for heels in-store.) I just don't get the manufacturers. Certainly they know how many pairs of a size have sold in the past, and I can't imagine it could take that much more in resources to make at least some stock in the larger sizes. So why are they willing to give up sales????

Thanks to all that posted regarding my recent purchase. I also find that heel height to be both reasonable in terms of comfort and attractive on the foot. And of course I really like the style of the shoe, with a low cut vamp and the cut-outs, etc. And Steve63130, I agree that the heels, being slightly thicker, looks better on a larger sized leg! Now if I could only gather up the courage to go walk the local mall in them...lol!

Ron,

I understand what your saying about these shoes not being a real stiletto and I guess you had to be standing right in front of her but the whole look of her today is stunning... She really has some awesome legs and curves...

thanks for the reply... and one day she will wear some true stiletto pummps....

Higheeluv

Higheeluv, I should just keep that stuff to myself! Sorry, sometimes I just can't help but spout off! You are lucky to have found someone that has a love of heels and is willing to share that with you (and us) in pictures. Keep up the good work!

Very nice. I am areal fan of straps and cut outs. I think it adds more life to the shoe.

Thanks Johnie, we obviously agree on that point!

Anyone see Jennifer Aniston on the Conan O'Brien show last night. She had on one of the sexiest pair of sandals..very skimpy straps with about 41/2 inch heels. And she kept spinning her foot around and flexing her ankles, showing us the bottom of the shoe and the full height of the heel quite often. Whoa!!!!! What an incredible woman, especially when one considers that she is not 20 something any more!

Those are quite nice. The cut of the shoe is what makes it look so elegant. I personally would go for the non-platform version, but either is quite nice. On the retailers web site is a pair called peep-toe bow pumps. I'd personally would love a pair of those! Very sexy!

Just my own opinion here, but if I saw a woman with those shoes, I sure as hell wouldn't be taking pictures.....man, (again, just my humble little opinion) but those are pretty bad. Ouch, my eyes...lol. Hopefully, she will eventually live up to Stiletto Vixen, 'cause those sure aren't stilettos!

While it is most often not my intent to purchase 4" heels, most shoes advertised as 3" heels, by the time you get to a size 12, end up being about 4". So I voted for 4", though for the most part the shoes I purchase are advertised as being 3.5" or so.

I just picked these up from Payless yesterday. I know the heel height is not what many of you like, but they are comfortable, and I love the delicate bow and cut-outs. Very feminine on the foot, which is what I appreciate.

Most know when a guy comes in to try heels they have an automatic sale provided they hav the size in stock.

That used to be the case for me. If they had the size, they made the sale. Lately, however, I find myself enjoying just trying things on, and I do not buy as often. I guess it really comes down to wanting to experience a wider variety of shoes without incurring the cost of paying for them all! I have now shopped in many stores and tried things on without making a purchase.

Greetings RonC :-)

Most salesgirls I know are early 20's and are very open minded.

When I visit them wearing "normal" or low heel shoes, they look at my feet and say

"You are not wearing heels today ?" and "I hope you will wear heels next time"

So I guess age has nothing to do with it. I'm sure it will be better next time you visit them.

And after all, a sale is a sale...

You are right. I guess I just wasn't in the mood to deal with two clerks with nothing better to do than giggle at the old bald guy trying on heels. I'm sure it would have made their day when I left! Next time...

I rather disappointed myself yesterday. I was out and about and stopped at an outlet mall that had a Nine West shop. There was no one shopping at the time, which for me is a big plus, but there were two clerks standing around chatting, both of them young, nice looking girls. Rather than take advantage of the no shopper situation, I found myself shying away from trying on shoes because of the young clerks. Just feeling too self conscious I guess... I did try on some shoes in other stores, but they had little I liked and few that fit (really need a 12, but 11 was about the top of the range in most shops). Better luck next time I guess.

Bubba, I was with you until the raping little girls comment. That is bad, and if anyone does that, they should be judged, because without lines being drawn somewhere, we have no civility at all. I don't get your comment there. In fact, forcing oneself on anyone, be them young or not, is what I would consider a "judgable" offense. Geeze, I hope I misunderstood what you were trying to say there.

Thanks for the input. I understand the 40s-50s connection, but the shoes then, while having some platform, were not as extreme as those you picked. I don't mind the small platform, it's the overly thick ones I'm not fond of.

The wife and i plan on getting a few pairs from ellie penthouse collection

http://www.flirtcatalog.com/p-69810-575-inch-two-tone-platform-sandal-with-bow.aspx

http://www.flirtcatalog.com/p-89763-gingham-platform-sandal-with-flower.aspx

http://www.flirtcatalog.com/p-69779-double-strap-studded-platform-sandal.aspx

these are for me only, she doesn't really like wedges

http://www.flirtcatalog.com/p-89761-lace-trimmed-gingham-stiletto.aspx

I like thses as a house slipper

http://www.payless.com/store/product/detail.jsp?productId=65813&catId=cat10088&lotId=071437&selectedSegment=Adult&width=13.0,Regular&size=13.0,Regular

What can i say we love platforms

Sandalcrazy, can you explain what it is about the hugh platform shoes that you like? Is it a matter of being able to have a much higher heels that creates the attraction? I am curoius, because I just don't see how having a thick slab under the front of the foot is all that attractive. Maybe it is because I knew people in my youth that had one leg shorter than the other, and wore a thick soled shoe to compensate, and that is about all I can think of when I see that slab of stuff under the forefoot. I know, it is simply my opinion, but I'd be interested in hearing from all platform lovers (there seem to be many here!) as to what it is about that style that you like?

Thanks, and please, I'm not trying to be critical, just trying to understand.

I have been out shopping a few times recently (on one of those quests for a new pair of heels!). I stopped at a local Payless that still does carry at least some size 12s, and tried on about five different shoes with no problem from the staff. I also went to Sears where I tried a couple things on, but the store was a bit crowded for my taste. The next evening, I happened to be in a K-Mart looking for golf balls, and lo and behold, they actually had some decent shoes for a change. With the store being rather empty (a common theme for this particular K-Mart, I don't know how it stays in business) I had the shoe section to myself. I tried on a couple pairs of pumps, but none really caught my eye. I also tried on a pair of boots that were ankle height with about a 2.75-3.0 inch thicker style heel, and actually walked around the store in those for a bit. Didn't buy them at the moment, but probably will eventually, as they fit nice and provided the nice heel sensation while still be low key enough for me to consider wearing out in public. If I can find a picture, I'll post them here. Anyway, I just wanted to indicate that, if I can do this in public, anyone can! The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Just got these today. They are by Colin Stuart, which is the "house brand" for Victoria's Secret. I bought them on-line for a very reduced price (about $15) at a place called mjrsales (there website is mjrsales.com). While US 11 is as large as they get, they do have some shoes at very reasonable prices, as they handle only clearance stuff and returns. The fit on the Colin Stuart shoes is, according to a few other posts I have read elsewhere, a bit more generous than some others. WHile I typically take a 12 but can wear the occasional 11, these seem to fit ok, but they are open toe, which provides more leeway than a closed pump would. I think, though, that they are going to cut at the toe opening some. As I am at work, I can't exactly put them on and trot around the office at the moment (though I know some of you would...lol).

Wow. I just had the chance to put these on and walk in them, if you want to call it walk...lol. They have a 4 1/2 inch heel, and I could never walk in these shoes for more than a short distance! My ankles don't bend down that far! When I put on a pair of shoes like these, I really appreciate what the ladies go through. Comfort is not a word that describes walking in a pair of heels that high! And doing it gracefully, well, not me, that's for sure. I have 4" shoes that are not a problem, but that extra 1/2 inch changes that picture totally...lol.

While I say yes, it would have to be a store that, at a minimum, carried sizes to 11 so I could at some point have my fun trying things on (I'd likely volunteer to open or close shop just so I could have the time to do so!). However, I would qualify my statement by saying that I would work at a store, but would prefer it to not be one where the staff had to fit the shoes on the ladies, because for every nice looking lady with clean, un-smelly feet there would be be 15 women that didn't look so nice, had ugly, stinky feet, or were looking to buy the worst looking shoes in the store! I don't think I could deal with that. And also, I'd probably get in trouble for try to sell 4" stilettos to every good looking girl that walked in the store to buy some frumpy flats...lol. In addition, the earlier posted that mentioned his obvious excitement when fitting the hot girl with a great pair of heels would also be a problem for me!

I recall being quite young and having some fascination with my Mom's shoes. I can remember an older cousin (female) that, when she was probably the same age, would come to out house to visit with her parents and ask to wear my Mom's heels because they were the right size for her at that young age (my Mom worn a very small size 5 1/2). It probably wasn't until I was 9 or 10 that I actually tried on some of Mom's shoes. Given their small size, it was a struggle even then, so aside from a few pair that for some reason ran large (and one pair of suede pumps that I actually split trying to get my feet in them..she never did figure out how that happened), I rarely got to try heels when I was young. She did have one pair that I recall was white and was leather, but was a mesh type shoe. Those did stretch some and I wore them whenever I could. I remember her finally throwing them out, commenting to my Dad that they were "all stretched out". If only she knew why! It wasn't until I was of driving age that I bought my first pair. While I went in to buy a nice pair of black patent sling backs with a bow on teh toe, those didn't even come in a size 10 at that time. The only size 10 they had at that local Thom McAn store was an ugly two-tone brown pair that I didn't like, but bought anyway, rather out of embarassment at the moment. My second pair was black patent t-straps that I got through a catalog pick-up (I believe Aldens was the retailer). Man, I loved those shoes. About a 3.5-4 inch heel, and they fit me almost perfectly. Unfortunately, at that time I really had no where to store them, so I didn;t have them long. That began a long run of buying shoes, wearing a few times, and then disposing of them when I didn't really have a place to keep them that continues in to my 58th year on the planet! Nowadays, I try to make sure that my discards don't go in the garbage, but at least into a used clothing collection bin where hopefully some charitable group can at least benefit from them (and some lucky guy can find a real inexpensive pair of heels in a re-sale shop somewhere .

Just got these today. They are by Colin Stuart, which is the "house brand" for Victoria's Secret. I bought them on-line for a very reduced price (about $15) at a place called mjrsales (there website is mjrsales.com). While US 11 is as large as they get, they do have some shoes at very reasonable prices, as they handle only clearance stuff and returns. The fit on the Colin Stuart shoes is, according to a few other posts I have read elsewhere, a bit more generous than some others. WHile I typically take a 12 but can wear the occasional 11, these seem to fit ok, but they are open toe, which provides more leeway than a closed pump would. I think, though, that they are going to cut at the toe opening some. As I am at work, I can't exactly put them on and trot around the office at the moment (though I know some of you would...lol).

ftbt, that is a great list of larger shoe retailers. Thanks!