RonC

Well, I am certainly not alone! That doesn't make me happier, however. Hopefully it is just economic based, and things will return to the way they used to be. I think we all need to e-mail, write, etc to the manufacturers (or retails, I guess, as most actual manufacturers actually produce numerous brands of shoes) and bug them about the lack of larger sizes. If they hear it often enough, they will then realize that there are sales to be made. And it is then that they will return to carrying large sizes!

Hi everyone! I think I made a New Year's Resolution on here in January that I wouldn't be lazy and not post pics on here. Well, since it's now September, I think I should post one! (We'll work on procrastination next year!).

I picked up these Pelle Moda open toe pumps on eBay a few weeks ago. Funny part about these is that they were listed as unisex. The female seller was brutally honest and open minded with her description of the item:

"I bought these for my ex to wear but he only agreed to wear them once (on carpet) so the shoes are brand new and super sexy...These shoes are perfect for women or men that just want to look and feel more Fem and sexy!!"

Our kinda woman, eh?

I got them and they were a perfect fit! They are exactly what I wanted - a sexy casual heel. I've been breaking them in and they are ready to go. Hope you enjoy them and I "promise" to post more pics of shoes.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/canadianbeaver17/pelle1.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/canadianbeaver17/pelle2.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/canadianbeaver17/pelle3.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/canadianbeaver17/pelle4.jpg

I saw that offering and was tempted to bid! They look like nice shoes. Wish that was my wife/so!

Those are very pretty and they look very comfortable. They look like a shoe that you could spend all day on your feet wearing them.

Thanks Roni. They are not as comfy as I had hoped, but maybe it's just my wide paws causing the problem. As noted, however, the uppers are pretty stiff.

Thanks, HappyFeat. I guess in the past I never paid much attention to the fact that the patent shoes are often more stiff. I think if you actually get patent leather, they are fine, but the synthetic shoes are thicker and certainly more stiff. And to think of all of the patent shoes I bought for my wife which she wore without complaint!

Just got these yesterday. One of the close-outs from Shoe Trader. Not the hottest I've ever owned, but for $16 delivered, I couldn't pass them up. Decided to try and 11 WW, and they still fit a bit on the snug side. May be the patent leather just being stiff.

HappyFeat, I also vote for Door #1. The color is fab! I would like to find a similar pair but maybe with a bow. I am a sucker for bows, as nothing (besides the heel that is) says feminine like a bow!

I had to say yes. As the last post put it, the things that have occurred over the past 40+ years have been a test on many levels. Actually, if the internet would have been around when I was young, I may have gone a different route all together in terms of marriage, etc. If I had known that I wasn't the only man out there that enjoys wearing heels, etc, I probably would have made sure that the woman I married knew of my desires and was fully ok with it. Life would have been much easier. Who knew??? Now. with what you can find on the web, well, there is a whole 'nother world out there. Now, it is too late to go there with my wife of more than 25 years, and I also have no desire to have my adult children see dad in all his high heel glory! Actually, it wouldn't be so bad to have the fetish for heels if I kept it to having the woman in my life wearing them. That I can handle (though physical problems now prevent even that from happening, but that is a whole different sad story). So unfortunately, while it has brought me pleasure over the years, if there was a pill, I would take it in a second. Kinda' sad that we even have to think about something so simple as to who wears an item of clothing, but the expectations of the world make it so....

A UK mens 9 is the same as a US womens 12 and a Woman's 9 is equivalent to a US 11. This is only because of the width.

To answer the original question it does vary according to manufacturer and where the factory was. Italian shoes tend to be narrower whilst shoes made in the UK tend to be wider. I hope this helps.

So I hope what I am reading is that UK shoes tend, and I emphasize the word tend, to run a bit wider than the US sizes. I can easily wear an 11 if it is wider, but most US styles I have to go up to a 12. Thanks for your input!

Hi all, I have heard in a few circles that the European and UK womens shoes tend to be slightly more generous in width than the typical US styles. Has anyone purchased from both sides of the pond, and if so, can they report on any type of possible "trend" in sizing. If a UK 9 is supposedly equivalent to a US 11, would the overall fit be similar or slightly larger or smaller? Input would be appreciated, as I am thinking of buying some shoes from the UK to be sent to the US.

www.sexyshoes.com

Thanks, though I am now hesitant to buy them if the fit is narrow as you indicate. I actually have a fairly wide foot to begin with, so thay may not be right for me. Too bad.....

Here are my latest addition to my collection. These are Banana Republic "Riley" peep toe slingbacks. On a recent outing, I wandered into a Banana Republic store and found these on clearance. Originally they retailed for $140, but I bought them for less than $10! They may very well be the highest priced (at reatil) shoes I have ever owned. The sides are a soft gray leather, there is a gray patent highlight across the vamp, an very nice wooden stacked heel. I think they can either go dressy or casual. I do love the unique color.

So, can you tell the difference between these and some lower (list) price shoes? Does the price seem to be worth it if you had paid the $140 vs the typical $70 or so for a Nine West or Bandolino shoe? Just curoius. Also, I have stopped in BR before and never found anything close to an 11 (which I what I believe you have said you wear). You were fortunate.

I too have noticed this trend, our local Wal-Mart used to carry up to a size twelve in many of their shoes now your lucky if you see a size ten. I also noticed the Payless trend as well and found it quite disheartening. However has anyone ever ordered from Old Pueblo Traders (shopopt.com)? I had the chance to see one of their catalogs and from there checked them out on line and found that quite a few of their shoes go beyond size twelve and they even carry double wides!

I just thought I would share this with everyone.

T&H

My wife gets the catalogues from Old Traders. They do have a great size selection, but I can't say much for the styles. A bit on the old womanish side. We are also losing a great sourse of large sizes (in a wide variety of styles) in Shoe Trader, and on-line source that is closing up on 9/15. You may want to check out what stock they have left, as they are selling out at about 20% of original price. I just bought a pair of heels for less than $20 shipped! They still have many styles in larger sizes available, though it is getting to the point where the stuff is quite limited. www.shoetrader.com

My guess is that because of the crisis the shops reduce their stock severely.

I was told this by a sales lady in a big department store in Amsterdam. The result

is that in the 'marginal' sizes there will be very few items and when they are sold

out there will be no more (of the common sizes they have extras in the back room).

Whether it works like that in other countries I don't know.

Y.

I suppose that makes some sense. One would think that offering some shoes in sizes that not many others are carrying would provide some additional sales opportunities.

I am wondering if I am the only one to notice that there are fewer and fewer large sizes available from the retailers in the US. First it was Target, who at least in their on-line store had nearly every style available in size 12. Now, if you go there, there might be three or four styles available (none of which I would be interested in either...lol). Places like Sears would at least stock most styles in an 11 in the stores, but now for the most part all you see are 10s. Macy's always seemed to have a decent selection of 11s, but the stores now seem to have very few. While the local Nordstrom Rack store still carries many size 12 shoes by sheer numbers, the range of styles has shrunk substantially, so it tends to be many pairs of the same, mostly unattractive, styles. The local Payless stores used to have most every style the store carried in a 12, but now many are completely doing away with the 12 section. And finally, and this one does hurt, I just went to the Payless web site, where historically every womens shoe was available to at least a size 12. Now, many of the dress styles (i.e. heels) no longer come in a 12, and several now stop at 10, especially in the designer styles. I wonder what the deal is. As far as Payless goes, I always had a difficult time finding 12s in the dress heel styles. Most often, the 12s would sell out quite quickly, as they would only have a pair or two to begin with. So if they are selling, why would they stop carrying them in the larger sizes. Is it that, with so much of the public having less disposable income, fewer guys (men typically being of the larger shoe size) are indulging themselves with new heels that, in many, many instances, will never get worn outside of the house? Or maybe with the economy being down, girls are eating less and, therefore not growing as much, their shoe size is shrinking...lol (that's just a joke, please don't take that seriously at all!). Does anyone have any insight into this situation? Do we by chance have any shoe industry people here that might help answer the question. Am I the only one noticing this? I have been contacting several of the retailers, and have yet to receive a real answer. It would be nice to have someone explain the situation.

Just bought these, they look good.

Were these the ones you just recieved and found to be too narrow? I really like this pair. Where can they be found?

I can do stairs in 4" heels, but I will at least keep my hand in contact with the railing. No need to take chances, as I likely could fall down stairs in my stocking feet! It is interesting that at first, I would catch the trailing foot heel on the edge of the stair. Now I guess I just make sure to pick that foot up a bit, and it doesn't happen.

well i try to go shopping for heels when the store first opens that way i can on heels without the kids seeing me.

Opening is a bery good time to shop. Unfortunately, I also am at work at the time the stores open, so it is a rare occassion that I can be there at opening. I even had one clerk tell me that it was a good time to shop!

Was in a Nine West outlet last week. Tried on one pair of heels, but they were too tight in size 11. The only 12s in the store were quite ugly in my opinion. Even size 11s were not very abundant. I'm sure, however, that the sales clerk noticed me trying on the shoe, and she had no problem with that at all. Other stores I went into had a few things I would have liked to have tried on, but it is back to school time, and there were just too many kids and teens about for me to feel comfortable trying on heels. I need to wait until after school starts!

Happy, I love those new t-straps. I haven't seen those at Nine West. Are they a current offering or maybe a past season style? Have to see if I can find them in a 12! I was in a Nine West outlet the other day and didn't really find much I liked. Tried on one pair of 11s and as usual, they were a bit snug for me. Only 2 pairs of 12s in the store, and both were butt ugly! Wish they would give us big foots more 12s in the stores! Hope the new place is great!

Finally added to my collection (pair number 5)! Had been looking at these for months and managed to get them on sale last weekend.

http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10001_19587_828557_-1

Alba, those look great! I love the bow detail. They have several pairs on that web site that I like, but alas, none in size 9, which I would need at a minimum. I take it you can wear less than a 9?

Been on another shopping trip.

Those are really nice. Looks like a fairly high heel on those. Love the satin look.

HappyFeat, I love both of those new Nine Wests! You're speakin' my language with those shoes!

Interesting question! I'm not really sure just how I would react. On one hand, it would be great to see someone that has the same interest. But I'm just not sure what I would think of someone in a public setting. I know I read and enjoy HappyFeats' adventures, etc., but it is only imagined, as I'm not there to see it. Presented with the vision of a guy in heels (and I'm talking about someone actually wearing feminine type heels, not cowboy boots or a an obviously man's shoe but with an elevated heel), I think my first reaction would be some level of unease, because that is how I would feel if in a truly public place in obvious feminine footware. But I think that I would be likely to make a positive comment, just so the person knew I approved of his choice and would stand up for his right to wear whatever shoes he pleased. Geeze, I think my answer is as convoluted as are 4my thoughts of the situation. lol

HappyFeat, I love those red Mary Janes! Great look with jeans imho. And once again, the new photo format is great! Thanks for posting.

Phew..thanks, guys, at least I wasn't totally off base there! I have worked with a few gay men, and my wife's office is almost all gay men (and a few gay women as well), so I am not speaking from inexperience when I say that most straight women will readily interact with a gay man when they might not be nearly as open to a straight man. I guess it takes away all the pressure!