The Happy Feats of HappyFeat

[Thighboots2]

HF, Like the 1st pic of you in skirt, hose and heels. I do like the waist gender divide. Very Dale Milleresque. I prefer your knee length as Dale always wore above knee skirts often with pleats and his legs weren't as good as yours so looked wrong. His build would have suited a kilt more. Personally I don't think guys who try this style should do so with above knee skirts. Plain pencil style works well, also a calf length wrap would go well too, especially with those patent heels. The wideleg pants, in that picture anyway, IMHO don't do you any favours. Keep it up though, especially your experiments with skirts. To me, they give your best shots. Simon.

[JeffB]

HappyFeat: Once again, you've greatly impressed me with your sense of style, especially that first pic of you in that blazer and skirt! Tremendously sassy! Bravo to you, my friend. You've certainly done well. By the by, I recently bought a blazer and plan to pair it with a skirt for a future outing. I'll keep you appraised!

[HappyFeat]

HappyFeats, I like the cleavage on those Maddens. If you typically wear an 11 and they are tight, I'd be in trouble, as most any manufacturers shoe in an 11 is snug for me. The Bandolino's are snug for sure with bare feet, not so bad with nylons. One of the pairs I tried on actually did fit quite comfortably in an 11. I just didn;t like them as well. If I was actually intending to wear them out and about for an extended time, I would have bought the comfortable pair. But for brief outing, the pair I bought is bearable.

Steve Maddens almost always run small in larger sizes, though I have heard they actually run a little large in smaller sizes. If Bandolinos ran a bit snug for you Steve Maddens would defiantly be out of the question. However, Steve Madden does make some styles in 11's and even 12's in wide width, but I have encountered them only on rare occasions is less than attractive styles. Like you say, for a breif outing, they are bearable.

As you know, this is absolutely what it is vital to try shoes on in the store. People think I am crazy when I say this, but I have tried on the EXACT same shoe (size, material, color, etc.) and have noticed a difference in fit.

HF,

Like the 1st pic of you in skirt, hose and heels. I do like the waist gender divide. Very Dale Milleresque. I prefer your knee length as Dale always wore above knee skirts often with pleats and his legs weren't as good as yours so looked wrong. His build would have suited a kilt more. Personally I don't think guys who try this style should do so with above knee skirts. Plain pencil style works well, also a calf length wrap would go well too, especially with those patent heels. The wideleg pants, in that picture anyway, IMHO don't do you any favours.

Keep it up though, especially your experiments with skirts. To me, they give your best shots.

Simon.

Thanks Simon for the advice and input. I also love the gender divide at the waist, which is really a look that I have always gone for. OK, I have worn a couple of dresses, which is mainly just because I can and never considered a regular part of my rotation. I also agree with you about the wide leg pants, they do have a tendency to make my legs look as wide as my shoulders and give me a bit of the monolithic, walking wall look. I will likely wear them on occasion, but they don't give me my "best" look.

I don't know if I will ever be a regular "skirter," so to speak. I do tend to make the bottom portion a bit to feminine with fairly high stilettos etc. It is a fun look for me on occasion, and I am really having fun working it out. I do agree that the knee length is about perfect for me - and for my taste most anybody. I would like to try something just a bit shorter, but only an inch or two - just to see how it works for me. I have tried on a couple of pencil skirts, but have yet to find one is actually in a size I can wear. Form my initial observation, I think I look GREAT in them and can't wait to give them a try.

I really think my style is coming into focus. Since I started my gallery, which keeps my outfits easy to access place, I have noticed that my most common look is jacket, jeans or trousers, and pumps - more of the "guy in heels" look with a very slight feminine twist.

Thanks for you input and please keep your critiques comming.

HappyFeat: Once again, you've greatly impressed me with your sense of style, especially that first pic of you in that blazer and skirt! Tremendously sassy! Bravo to you, my friend. You've certainly done well. By the by, I recently bought a blazer and plan to pair it with a skirt for a future outing. I'll keep you appraised!

Jeff, finally a blazer! I can't wait to see your results. Plus as I have said many times before, the pockets are fantastic for heeling if you want to leave the bag at home. Sassy, I like that...it is actually a pretty accurate critique of my personality (my grandmother did try to knock the 'sas' out of me, but I have a pretty hard head...) and is really how I feel when I am heeling, especially in a skirt.

Also, it has been a year since I started my very first adventures thread : http://www.hhplace.org/guys/10811-2008_-_summer_happyfeat.html . Looking back on that, I am amazed at how far my heeling as evolved. Wow! The good ole High Heel Place has been very good to me. I have a couple of new outings to post in the next could of days that have been way too much fun.

[JeffB]

I don't know if I will ever be a regular "skirter," so to speak. I do tend to make the bottom portion a bit to feminine with fairly high stilettos etc. It is a fun look for me on occasion, and I am really having fun working it out. I do agree that the knee length is about perfect for me - and for my taste most anybody. I would like to try something just a bit shorter, but only an inch or two - just to see how it works for me. I have tried on a couple of pencil skirts, but have yet to find one is actually in a size I can wear. Form my initial observation, I think I look GREAT in them and can't wait to give them a try.

You know, I've been kinda wrestling with that question myself, wondering if I plan on wearing skirts full time on my fashion freedom outings, but it's damn hard to resist them because they're so much fun! And yeah, like you, I truly believe skirts, especially short skirts look great on me. My recent outing on Sunday permanently confirmed that belief. In the beginning, I was somewhat apprehensive about wearing skirts because I had no idea what to expect from the world around me, but now that I've discovered that it's no big deal, I can't get enough of them as wearing pants or jeans seems so, well, boring!

Jeff, finally a blazer! I can't wait to see your results. Plus as I have said many times before, the pockets are fantastic for heeling if you want to leave the bag at home. Sassy, I like that...it is actually a pretty accurate critique of my personality (my grandmother did try to knock the 'sas' out of me, but I have a pretty hard head...) and is really how I feel when I am heeling, especially in a skirt.

Well, I've already come up with a couple of ideas of outfits to pair my newly bought blazer with, one casual, the other dressy. I've been thinking of taking the latter on a test drive this weekend, just haven't decided where yet. The added dynamic of a blazer with a skirt should make for a highly interesting combination. And YOU were my inspiration because of how great you look in a blazer! I'll keep you appraised!

[HappyFeat]

So what's going on in your world? Part of the reason I even bother to update my thread is because your regular updates inspire me to do so.

Since your adventures in Sweden are only something that I can dream about at the moment, I better keep my updates coming. Besides, I am pretty sure that there are many others who enjoy living vicariously through your adventures, I am posting an update to keep you inspired to share your experiences.

As for my world, I had a pretty decent week of outings last week. However, the holiday weekend has prevented me from updating, so this post may become a "wall of text." I apologize in advance.

Last Tuesday was a pretty awesome day for me. I made it out twice in pretty well conceived outfits, at least by my standards.

Tuesday Afternoon - Since the weather is turning pretty nice, I decided to take my Nine West "Fredita" platform sandals out for a spin. They have a very nice stiletto heel (over 4 inches) with a small 1/2 inch platform. They are brown with some orange in them and are quite comfortable. I matched them with Lane Bryant denim trousers, a yellow dress shirt, and a brown suit jacket. The trousers are quite long and have a wide leg, which cover the shoes quite well, even with the tall heel, but my toes peep out quite nicely. All in all I was pretty pleased with my look.

I went to a shopping area in Pittsburgh called the South Side Works. It is a pretty trendy area with higher end shops (at least for Pittsburgh anyway) and the corporate headquarters for American Eagle Outfitters is located there as well. My first stop was a small bistro for lunch. It was just at the end of the lunch rush, and as I came in I passed several very well-dressed, young corporate types. I felt like my attire, though a bit more casual, fit right in. The hostess looked me up and down and smiled at me. I winked to confirm that "yes they are heels" and she blushed a bit. I had an enjoyable lunch, though the rest of the meal was without incident.

Next, I went into Nine West. They really didn't have too many 11's, though the clerk brought me three pair to try. She said she had the Freditias in black and loves them. We chatted about shoes and shopping for a few minutes and she suggested that I try Ann Taylor, which was having a "huge" sale. I told her I would do just that. However, my next stop was the Steve Madden store across the street. Again, not much in an 11, but the clerk was helpful and did look for a few styles for me.

Next, I was off to Ann Taylor. The store was pretty busy, I guess word on the sale was out. Though I have a fairly extensive "women's" wardrobe, most of my stuff came from Lane Bryant, so I am used to a specific type of service. LB is quite open and even supportive of men shopping, where as this experience was not as friendly. I did find a cute skirt, but I thought that it might be too big. I asked if I could try it on, the dressing room attendant said she would have to ask the manager. I waited, she never came back to me with an answer, so I figured it was a no go. The skirt was less than $5, so I went ahead and bought it, thibkng if it fit I would know my Ann Taylor size. Nothing to lose really.

My final stop was the Donna Karen shop. They had a few nice things, but nothing on sale. There was only one person working and I wanted to ask her if I could try something, just to see basically, but she was very absorbed in her activities. Customer service really isn't what it used to be. It was a pretty enjoyable afternoon.

Tuesday Night - A woman from work invited me to go to the Bruce Springsteen concert. I have mentioned her before, I actually had dinner with her once while I was wearing heels. She is one of those women that I think may be interested in me, but always seems to play hard to get at the moment of truth. Anyway, I like her, she likes me and occasionally we do stuff together. The dilemma is that she is only 5 feet tall. Though she is OK with me wearing heels, it makes it kind of awkward if she isn't. Anyway, I wore heels to the concert!

Again, I was pretty proud of my outfit. I wore a Levi's denim jacket, a crinkled white shirt with French cuffs, gold cuff links, Lane Braynt boot cut jeans, and black Nine West "Rhythm" ankle boots with a square toe and a 3 1/2" block heel. Not only do I think the outfit was well put together, it was also a PERFECT look for a Springsteen concert, in my opinion at least. The concert was amazing, I still didn't close the deal, but we did have a lot of fun. Though the boots were pretty simple, it was the first time I wore heels to an event like this and I am glad i did.

Thursday - Karoke night! I don't know the last time I went to this bar and didn't wear a skirt. I wore heels there for years, which became an expectation of the regulars, and not a skirt is becoming equally an expectation. I wore the skirt I bought at Ann Taylor on Tuesday afternoon. I matched it with a red silk mock turtleneck, off white nylons, and red Bandolino "Rianna" peep toe pumps. The Ann Taylor skirt is a little shorter than what I normally wear - slightly above the knee - but when I sat down I showed a lot more leg. It was a slightly different look, and I think it agreed with me.

I chatted with a few people I hadn't seen in quite a while. For them it was the first time they had seen me in a skirt and they all seemed to like it. Later, I was chatting with a young woman, who told me that I was the "prettiest girl in the place." We shared a drink and had a few laughs. I danced with a couple of young women and left after a couple of hours.

Friday Afternoon - Again, another shopping trip. I wore a black dress shirt, white Polo painters pants (yes, men's pants), and Nine West leopard (gold and black) "Accolia" sandals. The sandals are probably to dressy for my outfit, but I thought they worked quite well.

Since I liked my Ann Taylor skirt so much, I decided to go pick up another one. There was a nice navy blue skirt with some red in it, that was on sale for about $15. I since I have let the hair grow back on my legs for the summer, I need to wear darker nylons to keep it covered. I know, I should just shave year round, and I may do that, but I am not committed to it quite yet. I have several pair of navy nylons that would match it perfectly. However, when I got to the store there were two other skirts for less than $5 each, so I decided to pass on the blue and get a red skirt and brown skirt. With additional discounts, I got both skirts for $7.15.

Afterward, I went to Starbucks where I sat, wrote a few notes and listened to a couple of high school girls talk about whether if it cheating on their boyfriend if she is with another girl. High school must be quite different now than it was 20 years ago. They both saw my heels, though they didn't say anything, but they did keep looking.

Friday night - Just one last chance to wear heels before being relegated to guy shoes for the weekend. I went out to a neighborhood bar near m house. The crown here is usually young people and I had worn heels there before. This night I wore my 3 inch Ann Klein pumps in camel brown, Lane Bryant boot cut jeans, and an olive sateen dress shirt. The event was uneventful, nobody really noticed, but I did get out again in heels. The remarkable thing about this outing is that I am pretty sure that it is my 100th outing I have posted here. All of this in just over a year!

The other thing that my many outings have shown me is that it is time to shake about 25 pounds. Looking through my pictures, I am getting a bit to chubby for my liking. I'll be sure to get right on that...

Here are my five outfits from last week. I will post a picture of my shoes when I get it put together. For those of you who made it through this post...I hope you enjoyed!

[danielp6406]

Great outings again HappyFeat ! I like the sandals in picture #1. Perfect match with the outfit. Curious to see what will happen with your female co-worker...

[JeffB]

HappyFeat: Great pictures all, but the very first one I clicked on was the skirt pic which I thought was sensational. You certainly did keep busy with your outings, wearing a variety of stylish yet tasteful outfits that allowed you to blend in well with your surroundings. Bravo to you, my friend! I look forward to reading more of your exploits!

[Mr. X]

Very nice pictures! I especially like the all denim one.

[Bootking]

I agree with Mr. X - the denim set has my vote!

[HappyFeat]

...I like the sandals in picture #1. Perfect match with the outfit...

Great pictures all, but the very first one I clicked on was the skirt pic which I thought was sensational...

Very nice pictures! I especially like the all denim one.

I agree with Mr. X - the denim set has my vote!

Thanks for the comments guys! I am glad that the variety of outfits seemed to have different ones that appealed to different people. Truth be told, these were my three favorite from my last set. I was particularly proud of them myself.

I am posting the shots of the shoes I wore for all five outings last week. On a technical note, I am still trying to come up with a way to post better quality pictures in a way that makes them easier to view. Stay tuned...

[RonC]

The attachment here works well for me. It is large enough to get a good view. I'm usually not one for prints, but I like the animal print sandals!

[danielp6406]

HappyFeat :-) Your pictures are always clear and the resolution is more than enough. Glad to see a close up picture of the sandals you wore with outfit #1. Again, they are very nice.

[JeffB]

HappyFeat: Wow! What a wide variety of styles from one outing to the next! Most impressive indeed!

[HappyFeat]

Here are my latest set out outings. Also, I am trying a new image format. I have been playing with Photoshop a lot and have come up with a format that displays two poses (one standing, one sitting) and a closeup of my shoes. The files are a bit larger, but they are still smaller than two or three separate pictures of the same outfit. It should make viewing easier, plus give a really decent perspective of each outfit.

Tuesday evening - Karaoke night. I wore one of my new skirts that I bought at Ann Taylor last week. It is a winter skirt in brown plaid and would have looked fantastic with boots, but I decided to mix patterns a little bit and wore brown mesh tights. I matched the skirt with a Clayborne V-neck pullover and a camel jacket for a very "preppy" overall look. For shoes, I went conservative and wore brown, patent Bandolino "Carlynn" pumps.

The evening was rather slow, but I did run into a former student of mine. I really wish I had taken my camera with me because she was wearing really great sandals from Bakers. I wound up shooting pool with her and her new friend most of the evening. It was the first time I ever shot pool while wearing a skirt.

Wednesday evening - I decided to build on my "all denim" look from last week. This time in addition to my Levi's denim jacket, I wore skinny jeans from Avenue, a mint green dress shirt, and Sam and Libby "Throwback" round-toe pumps with a low three inch stiletto heel.

My evening activity was a trip to the bookstore. I got a lot of second looks, a few WTF glances and even a couple of smiles. I probably spent an hour browsing before checking out with a book on photographic lighting. Afterward, I went to the bar I was at the previous night, chatted with the owner and had a couple of cold ones.

Thursday afternoon - I liked the feeling of the skinny jeans and heels and after being a in fairly public place as I was on Wednesday, I wore my Calvin Klein straight leg (women's) jeans a tweed blazer, and a silk Murano short sleeve silk pullover. Since I am trying to work with my skinny jeans, I wanted a lower heeled shoes. I like to keep the heel height 3 inches or less with straight leg trousers personally. My options in that range really aren't that abundent, so I wound up wearing navy blue Bandolino "Sneakpeak" pumps. Though the outfit wasn't my favorite, I felt OK with it.

First, I had some work to do with my computer so I went to Panera to take advantage of the free Internet access. I spent about an hour in the store during the lunch rush. I was noticed by a lot of people, even getting a smile and a wink from a women working at at table in the corner. In fact, when I came into the store two young women saw me and basically had their faces pressed to the glass as I walked by. Ironically, while I was in the store and not far from them, they never really seemed to make any effort to look. The funniest thing was several employees swept the floor very near my table during the time I was there. I must be a real slob...lol

The rest of the day was spent traveling around town checking out various consignment stores. I looked mainly at bottoms and shoes, but the selection in 11 was quite limited. I think in the five or six stores I visited, I found three pair total. I did buy a pair of used Aldo slide mules with an interesting vamp and a cute 3 inch stiletto heel. They were $10 and a size 40, but I thought for the price I could deal with less than an outstanding fit. I was really surprised when the woman checking me out made absolutely no comment because she watched me closely the whole time I was shopping. The only comment that I got was from a lady at the last store I was in. When I was walking out of the store, she asked me my shoe size and I told her an 11 and she said they may be getting more in so I should come back.

Friday Morning - I wanted to look *nice* today, but not overdressed, which I have the tendency to do on occasion. I went with a pair of black Lane Bryant "Lafayette" dress slacks, and a crinkled white oxford shirt. I wore my Levi's denim jacket to juxtapose the the dressy look of the trousers and shirt. I wore my Enzio Angoli "Mylsit" peep toe sling backs because they may be the trendiest pair of black shoes I own. I was a bit worried about my toes which are in rough shape - my pedicure isn't until next Tuesday, but since the toes just "peep" I thought it was OK.

The reason for this was I wanted to go back to the "Footloose" store and see if I could just bump into the exotic brunette I talked to a couple of weeks ago. However, since I got an early start, I went to Starbucks, had some oatmeal and steamed milk. Though my shoes were peep toes, my trousers covered them quite well. A few people noticed, but all in all I didn't notice any extra attention than a normal heeling adventure.

When I got to the store, she was working. She didn't recognize me at first, but once she did, she was very friendly and helpful. I wanted to get some quality time so to speak, so I browsed the shoes and found a very nice pair of patent t-strap Boutique 9 sandals and told her I wanted to try them. This store doesn't have chairs- it has sofas. I took a seat and trued the shoe. It actually fit quite nicely so she offered to get the mate. When she brought it back, she sat down next to me while I tried it on. Leaning into the corner of the sofa as I modeled the shoes she told me they were very nice, but would be best for "going out." The left shoe was way too tight however so I decided to pass on them, but i told her I might be back to try them again. She even said that she really liked the shoes I was wearing.

For the next 30 minutes, we sat next to each other on the sofa and talked about our lives. She was quite excited to learn that I wasn't gay and we discussed the possibility of me contracting with the store to design a Web site and database. We talked about my wearing of heels, about other male customers, and she even told a story about her 10 year old son wearing her friend's heels the other day (she was cool with it). I learned that she is the shoe buyer for the stores (they are local stores), she is from NYC, vacations on the Jersey shore, has a son, has a pool, and spends a lot of time with friends. I asked her if she would like to have lunch and discuss the Web site and she said to check back next week. Which I will do.

All in all it was a very exciting week - good conversation and a good chance to experiment with different looks. Can't wait to see what's next!

[JeffB]

Bravo, HappyFeat! BRAVO! You sure know how to style and profile! The first pic was terrific as that outfit was sensational, especially with the tights which worked perfectly with your skirt. Liked the pumps too! I don't mind saying you've taken your skirt wearing in directions that hadn't occurred to me----at least not yet! Heh! Your other outfits were great too, pumps works to so well with jeans and you demonstrated that very well. I'm envious of how often you get out and about and of the outfits you sport in your travels. Once again, BRAVO!

[danielp6406]

Greatings HappyFeat :-)

Another nice week you spent wearing heels and nice outfits !

Bravo for the skirt and the brown mesh tights: You got a lot of nerve !

It is always nice to see someone wearing what he wants where he wants.

I like the denin look too. Your new image format is a very good idea.

Happy heeling !

[roniheels]

Greatings HappyFeat :-)

Another nice week you spent wearing heels and nice outfits !

Bravo for the skirt and the brown mesh tights: You got a lot of nerve !

It is always nice to see someone wearing what he wants where he wants.

I like the denin look too. Your new image format is a very good idea.

Happy heeling !

The only thing I can add to this is to please keep sharing the many different combinations of wardrobe and high heels with us. You have inspired all of us, not only those of us who wear high heels in public, but those who are thinking of doing so. Congratulations on a wonderful week for you.

[RonC]

Happy, I like the new photo format! Much nicer to have several shots to browse through! Good luck on the web site deal (and of course, with the "exotic" lady! lol.

[HappyFeat]

I thought I was going to see a pretty big reduction in my time to heel, but that still hasn't materialized, so here are my latest outings!

Saturday Morning - Just a causal day out in heels. I had some morning errands, so I decided to do it in heels. The big deal for me was that I went to my bank branch in heels. I never did this before because I never knew how they would react and I see them a lot. I just don't care any more. One teller did give me a long glance and I am sure they talked about me after I was gone. Again, don't care. I did my grocery shopping and went to he post office. I don't know what kind of reactions I got because I just didn't pay that much attention.

Oh, my outfit was a burgundy Clayborne pullover, Lane Bryant wide leg khaki trousers, and brown patent Bandolino "MacDougal" loafers with a 2 inch block heel.

Monday Morning - Again another errand running outing. The big experiment was to go back to the bank in slightly (very slightly) more obvious shoes. I wore a black short sleeve pullover sweater, Lane Bryant Khaki trousers, and black Nine West "Appaladay" loafers with a 2 inch stiletto heel. Far from over the top, but they were obviously not from the men's department. Again, a couple glances at the bank and a smile from the woman behind me in line. The same teller made an effort to look. No comments, but that doesn't surprise me. I went to a couple fo drug stores afterward without much incident. Of course I was far from obvious in my attire.

Tuesday Afternoon - I had an appointment for a full spa treatment - haircut, manicure, pedicure - at least for me that it. I didn't wear heels to the appointment, choosing the more practical flip-flps to wear post pedicure. I got a very nice subtle pinkish brown color on my toes. Very neutral and nice for summer. Afterward I went window shopping. My outfit was a silk and cotton pullover shirt, black linen drawstring trousers, and for my heeling, gray (warm clay) Nine West "Dipurhips" slide mules. My shopping consisted of an hour or so trying on shoes and visiting at the Nine West outlet, browsing Ann Klein, Lane Bryant and Jones New York outlets, and having lunch. The most exciting part of the day was talking to the JNY store manager as I shopped. Though she wouldn't let me use the fitting room, she was very helpful and never once was uncomfortable.

Tuesday Night - Karaoke night. Spent most of the evening drifting between three different women. One was with her boyfriend, a bit too tipsy and really pissing him off. Though she was very beautiful, part of our conversation was that she couldn't get a job due to a felony conviction and serving 3 years in the joint. If Bubba thought I ran with an interesting crowd before, this is ought to get him rolling. The woman I spent most of my time with was a fascinating Asian woman who was very fun to talk with. She is a big "Twilight" fan, and is even going to a convention, not to mention could sing the entire Pretenders catalog. Though we flirted heavily, danced a bit, she is married and was just out for fun. Being a gentleman isn't always so bad...

My outfit was far from typical for a gentleman however. I wore a white pullover, black knit skirt, black footless tights and black Nine West "Tomcat" sandals (had to show off my ped, even thought it was really quite chilly).

So that's it for now....more to come!

[danielp6406]

Again, nice outings Happyfeat ! What a nice treat your offered yourself at the spa ! (I should do that someday..) Your outfit at the karaoke night is quite amazing. Will you "reach the limit" soon ? Did the 3 women or others made any comments about your "special" outfit ?

[JeffB]

More stylin', more profilin'! Once again, you've impressed me, my friend! Those were all cool looking outfits you sported on your latest outings. You certainly do know how to make outfits pop. Big ups to you, HF!

[HappyFeat]

Again, nice outings Happyfeat !

What a nice treat your offered yourself at the spa ! (I should do that someday..)

Your outfit at the karaoke night is quite amazing. Will you "reach the limit" soon ?

Did the 3 women or others made any comments about your "special" outfit ?

Daniel, I highly recommend a day at the spa. If you have never had a pedicure, it is a truly phenomenal experience! Not to say other services are not wonderful, but a treat for your feet is the best. Though a relaxing or deep tissue massage is wonderful as well.

As far as reaching my limit, I think I am getting close. Like many other guys, my desire to heel comes and goes and since I have been on a pretty remarkable run, I am feeling that I may be taking a break for a few weeks. But this happens to me from time to time, so we'll just see what happens.

Actually, one thing that I have noted is that women seem to be much more "forward" or "open" to me when I am wearing heels. I did get a comment from one women about how much they liked my shoes, but didn't get any comments directed to the rest of my outfit. To me it is a bit of a conundrum - am I more approachable,outgoing, etc while wearing heels, or is it that women are actually attracted, or at least curious enough to talk to me while I am? I don't have an answer to that, but I figure its is a bit of both. Anyway, it is just nice to do what I want to do.

Thanks for the feedback and support!

More stylin', more profilin'! Once again, you've impressed me, my friend! Those were all cool looking outfits you sported on your latest outings. You certainly do know how to make outfits pop. Big ups to you, HF!

I know we have discussed this before, but it can never be said enough: Heeling for me is a lot more about the whole look than just slapping on a pair of shoes and heading out. I know that you do the same thing...like to plan the look in advance, match shoes and clothes, etc. As I do more and more, I just keep trying to develop my "look."

Maybe this is one of the reasons that I am getting ready to slow down a bit - it is a lot of work trying to put together something that is different than my last outings. Anyway, I do love "stylin' and profilin'!"

Thanks for the wonderful support Jeff!

[RonC]

HappyFeat, I don't want this to come out sounding wrong, but I think maybe, just maybe, the reason women tend to be more open and forward to you when you are dressed and wearing heels is that they may think you are gay. And for some reason, women seem to be very open to gay men. (boy, am I stereotyping here! lol). Needless to say, they quickly find out you are not, but I would imagine that the initial impression is often that a man dressed at least partially in what is traditionally womens clothing and footwear may be gay. There is no insinuation here at all, but I think that may be the reason that they are more willing to talk and more open initially. Your thoughts?

[HappyFeat]

Actually, RonC that thought has occurred to me. On occasion, women do ask me if I am gay during the course of conversation. Usually when I explain that I like women, they are more than pleasantly surprised. So, I agree that there is a certain icebreaker effect to women thinking that initially. In fact, one of the women I was talking to the other evening is a self-described "fag hag" - a straight woman who socializes a lot with gay men - and said that I should do very well with similar women. That is neither here nor there, but if it helps me meet attractive women, they can think I a space alien for all I care...LOL On the flip side, gay men don't really know how to take me. Most are friendly and quite social, but I am still difficult for people to pigeon hole, so to speak. I have had more than one man tell me that I would be gorgeous if I lost the shoes. I just smile and thank them but say that I don't like to go out barefoot. Anyway, I do not have any umbrage at all about your comments. People have often thought that I am gay, even when not wearing heels. Not to contribute to the stereotype, but if people think I am gay I must be dressing nice at least. I guess it is just part of who I am - I really don't care what people think about me one way or another, on the surface at least. Part of what's fun about heeling is the initial curiosity people show and talking to the people who accept it. The rest is just conjecture and fluff...

[danielp6406]

Daniel, I highly recommend a day at the spa. If you have never had a pedicure, it is a truly phenomenal experience!

Greatings Tom :-)

I had a pedicure twice until now and one massage another time but no complete spa treatment yet.

I will certainly try it for sure !

HappyFeat, I don't want this to come out sounding wrong, but I think maybe, just maybe, the reason women tend to be more open and forward to you when you are dressed and wearing heels is that they may think you are gay. And for some reason, women seem to be very open to gay men...

Greatings RonC :-)

I was going to reply exactly the same way as you did and I am glad you did it before me.

I noticed that since I wear "un-conventional" clothing and shoes, womens are more "opened"

and willing to speak to me. I'm sure because they think I'am gay, I will not try to "cruise" them.

What a surprise for them when I sometime do (just a little bit...not too much) and they realize I'm not gay !

And I must admit that I like to speak with women about subjects other than sports and cars.

I find it very refreshing and relaxing at the same time. They see our world a different way than we do.

[Dawn HH]

Happyfeat:-) Since I have been off the web for about 6 weeks for surgery, I have had a lot of catching up to do. Especially on the Happy feats of Happyfeat. Your outfits look fantastic on you and show that you undoubtedly have spent much time working them up. I particularly like the white blazer skirt combination with the tall heels. Outstanding on you. I also like the new way that you are presenting your pics. A much nicer way of doing them. Congrats. As you said, (or someone said), a lot of us live vicariously through you and a few others here on the Board. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[RonC]

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!

[JeffB]

As far as reaching my limit, I think I am getting close. Like many other guys, my desire to heel comes and goes and since I have been on a pretty remarkable run, I am feeling that I may be taking a break for a few weeks. But this happens to me from time to time, so we'll just see what happens.

Well, I hope you won't be on the shelf for very long, should that come to pass. Because my outings are so few as I only have time for my jaunts on weekends, and even then, I can't always take advantages of those few opportunities, so I've yet to reach my saturation point and, as a result, my passion remains fresh for me. Like that old saying, "absence makes the heart grow fonder".

I know we have discussed this before, but it can never be said enough: Heeling for me is a lot more about the whole look than just slapping on a pair of shoes and heading out. I know that you do the same thing...like to plan the look in advance, match shoes and clothes, etc. As I do more and more, I just keep trying to develop my "look."

Oh, most definitely! I think nothing of spending upwards of an hour or more most nights working on clothing/shoes/handbag combinations to put together for future outings as I never do anything on the spur of the moment. That's just plain foolish. Heck, sometimes, I even take notes of what combinations I think would work in public and what wouldn't. Having spent twenty years in the military taught me the value of preparedness, so I've taken what I've learned to heart when it comes to my fashion freestyling. To me, getting there is half the fun. Here's a lesson to all the newbies out there: Wearing the shoes is nowhere near enough! You HAVE to put together a full and complete outfit from top to bottom. If you're going to wear heels (or, in my case, heels and skirts), you HAVE to look the very best you can in order to present a proper image while in public. Bottom line, if you look good, you'll feel good!

Maybe this is one of the reasons that I am getting ready to slow down a bit - it is a lot of work trying to put together something that is different than my last outings.

"Work"? Good grief! For me, that's pure pleasure! HA!

[HappyFeat]

First, DawnHH it is great to see you back. I am hoping the recovery from your surgery is going well and I am also looking forward to reading your psts once again now that you are with us again.

These are my four latest outings:

Wednesday - A bit of an impromptu outing, and my most casual of the week as I wore my Lane Bryant bootcut jeans, a black linen shirt, a gray wool sports coat, and red Bandolino "Anthem" red Mary Jane pumps. Much of my last post was written while I sat in Panera using their Internet connection. Though I didn't pay much attention to those around me, when I did take a moment to look around, I was getting a fair amount of attention. Though I am paying much less attention to the world around me while I am heeling, I do try to watch some so I can report any out of the ordinary reactions here, but other than getting a few long glances, some strange smirks, and the occasional giggle, I didn't notice much. I sat in the middle of the crowded restaurant, in plain sight of everybody, and made no effort to hide my red pumps. It was a very relaxing hour and a half that I just worked on my computer, drank enough iced tea until I felt liquid and went back home. It is just wonderful to go out when you know you look really good!

Thursday Morning - Thursday morning was much more of a planned outing for me. Continuing on my theme or over the top shoes, I wore my red patent Bandolino "Rianna" peep toe pumps with a hidden platform. I matched it with a white cotton pullover and a pair of gray Lane Bryant dress pants with a wide cuff. These pants have a regular inseam which gave a lot of exposure to my shoes. Though I didn't wear it in my photographs, I did wear a short black jacket for some of my outing because it was fairly cool that morning.

My first stop was Wal-Mart. I really hate going to Wal-Mart in general, but specifically I hate going to Wal-Mart for a specific item. On a Thursday morning, I was quite suprised to find that the store was very busy, mostly with older people, but a few women with children were also in the store. When I got there, without hesitation I went in, headed for the pharmacy and started looking for my item. Of course the store is huge, there were many different places it could be and there was nobody to ask for help. SO after about 20 minutes, I left. A women was leaving just after me, she followed me with her cart, a turned to see that she was having a giggle as she followed me. In the parking lot, she ran past me, acting quite coy. I felt glad to give her something new to challenge her horizons.

After Wal-Mart, I went to Walgreens. I knew that I would pay more for my item, but I could at least find it or somebody to help me. Again, in the store without hesitation. The store wasn't busy so I asked the pharmacist for help. She was a very attractive women in her late 20's. I asked her for help in what I was wanting, she told me the aisle, then said in a soft voice that she loved my shoes and asked me where I got them. I thanked her, told them what they were and where I found them. She said "they are great," I said i loved them then went about my business. I was really surprised she saw them because she was behind a counter and I didn't see her until I approached the counter. Just goes to show that people see things even when you don't think they do. After checking out, I went on.

My next stop was a day spa that has a discount on massages. I haven't had a massage for ages and stopped in to schedule an appointment. Again, the receptionist sat behind a very high counter. She didn't see my shoes I am pretty sure because I had to repat my phone number three times before she got it right. She was a young woman, maybe even still in high school much more interested in her Facebook chat. You will have that.

I had decided that I was going out later that evening so I wanted to look for some accessories for my outfit I had planned. I stopped at a consignment store that I visited the previous week. The woman working greeted me with enthusiasm and told me they had gotten a lot of new things in. I went and looked, but they really didn't have much new in my sizes. When I was leaving, she asked what my sizes are, and I told her. She told me that her "other friend" wears a 14 shoe. So, not only does she have another male customer, we are now friends I suppose. She told me that they are open late on Tuesdays and they weren't busy if I wised to come in then. I said that I might do that, not sure if she wanted to be of more help or didn't want me scaring away the female customers or if she thought that I just may be more comfortable in a less active environment. I asked her if I could bring in some things to consign, and she told me that would be great since she really didn't get much in larger sizes. I will likely do that to test these waters.

After a few more stops at second hand stores, all uneventful I pulled into Starbucks and got a Frapachino. I was behind a very tall, thin young woman wearing yellow green peep toe pumps with a matching bag, a black top and a denim knee lenght skirt. She was very "Type A" and stayed focused on ordering. I knew she didn't see my shoes or anything since she seemed to be in her own world. While we were waiting for our drinks, she remained focused, standing at the counter staring tat the barista making her coffee. I got my order before her, and said to her as I was leaving that I loved her shoes. She turned smiled and thanked me then went back into her zone.

Finally, I found what I was looking for at a second hand store near my house silk scarves. I got two in black and white patterns. The store was busy, they really had nothing else that I wanted, but the women checking me out was very friendly and told me that I should come in every now and then. Obviously, she knew who I was shopping for.

Thursday Night - Again, a trip to Karaoke. However, I was really in a mood to go even more over the top than normal, so I pulled out my third and final dress from my collection. This dress is a bit different than my other two I have tried. It is just a black straight, crew neck, short sleeve, above the knee knit dress. Very simple. It is actually more like a long tee shirt. When I tried it on, it actually looks like something a roman gladiator might have worn, so it even has a bit of a masculine cut. I put my black patent belt with it to give a littls shape, and after watching several You Tube videos on scarf tying, I added one scarf around the neck for a bit of accent. While dressing I ran two pair of black nylons and eventually went with a pair of silver shimmery pantyhose. I finished the outfit with black Nine West "Gillman" sling backs.

The scarf got a lot of complements. I chatted with several people, got many complements, and danced a little. The evening was pretty par for the course, but I did like the way my dress worked this night. I am planning many different ways that I might wear it.

Sunday Afternoon - The owner of the bar where I go for Karaoke invited me to a pool party at her house. Since it was a nice summer day and we were going to be outside, I wore a red silk cabana shirt, khaki linen draw string Lane Bryant pants with red vertical pin stripes (clown pants), and brown Rampage "Madyson" thong mules. However, I did spend some of the party barefoot around the pool.

Many of the people I knew from the club, but there were a few I hadn't met. I mingled, sat a table and chatted with some people and just had a relaxing Sunday afternoon. Since most of the people I talked to had only ever seem me while I was wearing heels, there was no real discussion of my shoes or attire. It was just very nice to be in a social situation like that while dressed they way that I prefer to dress.

So, looking back at my outings with week, each an every one of them had a special component - red shoes, peep toes, sandals, a dress. In many ways it may be my best week yet, even if nothing "huge" happened.

[JeffB]

HappyFeat: Great pics all around! Once again, you displayed a truly fine sense of style, and the way you accessorized that dress was absolutely amazing. Bravo, my friend, bravo!