jmc

. . .Short of starting a fight, what could I have done, to banish this irritating clod?

Sounds like you did the best thing you could do in that situation.

From "out of the blue" -- seems like fate, doesn't it? They are nice.

. . .Could it be because they are so narrow minded that the everyday people they meet wont date them?

How's that go . . . "She was so narrow-minded she could look through a keyhole with both eyes." (I think that's somebody's signature around here.)

Hmmm, I wonder -- how many heels do all the plethora of manufacturers sell every year? (And they'd sell even more if they made them a couple sizes bigger. . .) Sorry Marilyn -- you may not like 'em but they are wanted by a whole bunch of people.

Great news, Dawn! Welcome back and we all wish you well in your recovery. Happy birthday to Mickey too.

You might consider training in more substantial heels as well -- block heels or wedges. Go to stilettos only when you are ready for them. Block heels tend to be more tolerant of minor "indiscretions" while wedges are far more so.

. . . It gave me a right buzz and will be doing it again. Ive taken my first step. Whats next?

It is a tremendous rush! What's next -- build your confidence, maybe branch out to different styles, wear them more and have fun. . .

Welcome to HHplace!

Vroom, Vroom!

Well, I'm not female but I can give you some insight. It's all in the cut of the shoe -- specifically the cut of the vamp. You have to look for very low-cut vamps that expose toe cleavage. For some rather extreme examples go here: http://lovelypumps.hypermart.net/ and look around.

Personally, I am not sure I like some of the examples shown on the "lovelypumps" site. I think they go a little bit too far but to each his/her own.

There's a thread on this here: http://www.hhplace.org/discuss/everybody/2041-toe_cleavage_pumps_very_low_cut_toes.html

. . . One more thing.. Maybe what i've heard before is true. Maybe the guys have a tiny bit of a feminine side, as women have a tiny bit of a masculine side. . .

More than that -- the concepts of masculine/feminine are more of a continuum -- not a binary-type thing where you are 100% one way or the other. We all have both masculine and feminine characteristics, both men and women and each of us has our own unique place on that continuum.

Sounds like a real time-saver! You waste a lot of time positioning the ladder, then climbing up and down. And when you're on the ladder your feet are basically trapped -- if you can't reach something you have to go back down, re-position the ladder and go back up.

. . . One more thing personally I cant stand the show what not to wear, who gave them the rules on how someone should dress, and were did these rules come from? . . .

Ahhh, the "Fashion Police" with their arbitrary rules . . . you're right, why should we care?

Sounds like a real let-down. I hope you can get it all sorted out in time. (Although in all fairness, the "Brazil" model looks like it has its share of charm. It is definitely much more flashy with a metal heel and it has a higher heel than the "Babydoll".)

Davros, welcome to HHplace! (. . .from another ex-lurker) As far as working up courage, you have taken the first step by registering here.

tessellation

Who says heels are impractical!

Obviously, heels are extremely sensual and that characteristic is not lost upon we male heelers when we try on our first pair. In most cases that sensuality was a big part of what drew us to heels in the first place. When we work up the courage to step out of the house in them, the rush is palpable. We (at least I) wear heels outside because of a desire to wear them for longer periods and in regular, everyday situations. But as time goes on we become more accustomed to them and the sensual aspect fades. They become "our shoes" or "our boots" rather than "our high heels". They become less "taboo" as we find ourselves generally accepted in them. As has been posted elsewhere, when you reach a point where you no longer have to actively think about your heels, when they are just an extension of you, then you are truly accustomed to them. Thankfully the sensual aspect does not disappear completely and in some ways, wearing heels enhances our appreciation of them. When we see a person walking with confidence and dignity in a pair of heels, we know exactly what that person is doing.

Hey seth_nj111 -- Good job! Quite a rush, isn't it?

Well, r1g0r, an interesting idea, and very sexy! What about the rest of you out there? Don't you fantasize about silver rings snugly fitted around shapely ankles of a man or woman in heels? Do anklets look better on bare feet? Why is wearing toes rings and pumps silly? What about shoes with ankle straps fastened by padlocks?

As far as toe rings and pumps go I can see a couple of issues -- 1). Nobody can see the rings inside closed-toe shoes. 2). Most pumps are a bit tight in the toe area and the rigid band of a toe ring would likely be uncomfortable. I wouldn't necessarily characterize it as "silly" though -- if it turns your crank then go for it.

As far as locking shoes go, there are a couple of threads about that around here.

I do think ankle bracelets are nice. On women, something fine and delicate but we guys need something more substantial -- the beaded "dog tag" chains sound interesting. One of my favorites is those Italian-style charm bracelets -- just get enough links to go around your ankle comfortably and they look pretty smart. If you make the bracelet fit snugly it will ride fairly high on your leg, around the thinnest part of your ankle. Add a link or two and it will ride a little lower so you can control the look.

. . . I got the idea that the party outbidding me was the seller -- effectively taking them out of play because they hadn't received the price they wanted. Now, I wonder if this is even possible? (I stopped bidding on any items placed for sale by these people because I never could win an auction at the lowest price I offered.)

This practice is called "shill bidding" and is not permitted under eBay rules. Should this seller get caught in this activity, he could get banned from eBay (meaning, of course, that he would have to establish a new account under a new e-mail address, new financial info and a new mailing address to continue).

You might consider reporting your observations and suspicions to eBay.

If they don't fit right, it would be best to send them back and put the money toward something that does fit well. Being a male heeler I am usually faced with the opposite problem -- too small, either by a little or (more often) a lot. Either way, ill fitting shoes are miserable and if you keep them they will wind up in the back of the closet and then on a yard sale in ten years.

Where do viruses come from?

Just try to imagine the power trip someone would get by seeing his (and most virus writers and script kiddies are males) little piece of malicious code bring millions of computers to a standstill -- and such reports are often disseminated by the major media outlets. Since so many boxes run Windows, that OS becomes a very large target (as well as -- because of design issues -- a very easy target).

At one time, most viruses were legitimate attempts to expose weaknesses in computer security systems -- if "Company A" succeeded in breaking into "Company B's" system then the flaw that allowed that to occur was exposed and fixed. Now most viruses come from people who just want to make our lives miserable or have an "axe to grind" with a major software vendor -- and who is the biggest target of them all?

Hmmmm, looks like a far more interesting version of Maxwell Smart's "shoe phone" to me!

Of course, if they sound as beautiful as they look they will be the best speakers in the world!

Well, Magickman, as a die-hard Chevy/GM guy I have to say it sounds like you had an interesting experience. May your lovely lady find a car that will serve her needs well into the future and may you continue to enjoy your fashion freedom!

I really prefer to make as little sound as possible. While I dearly adore the sound any decent heels make on a hard surface I really have little desire to actually make that sound myself. Like most of we heelers I am "fine-tuned" to receive and recognize that luscious sound while I am well aware of the attention it elicits from me. On a deep level I have no desire to attract that kind of attention. My heels are for me -- for my enjoyment and sensation and not really for anyone else. If anybody else notices, that's OK but I don't really want to advertise "Hey I'm a guy wearing high heels!" Maybe this is significantly different from the reasons why women wear heels but that is quite irrelevant to my situation.

I know some of our members frown on this practice but I prefer to wear my heels under long pants, hidden from casual view. I am of the opinion that they are "my business", exclusively. I am not out to further a cause, nor to make a statement -- just to feel good. Happy feet = happy fellow. Further, I prefer wedges, at least for now because they are more discreet.