heeling and airports

[jwhite44]

At the airport recently, it's amazing the difference perspective it has after reading HHP for a month or so.

At my gate, I saw two great pair of heels (both on woman). The first was on an older woman (based on her face, I'm guessing around 60). However, she had a fantastic outfit on, sort of an upscale early-Madonna outfit: leggings, lace gloves, very attractive. She had I'm guessing easily 5" heels on. They looked black suede, couldn't tell if they were pumps or ankle boots (she never moved). She was sitting in a chair reading: one foot (and heel) on the ground, then other leg crossed, with her heeled-foot dangling. Just an awesome scene.

The other woman had 5" black patent pumps, rounded toe, with it looked like a 1/2 platform. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to approach them and comment them on their heels. I ended up getting moved to a different flight, so I also never got to see them walk in them.

Neither looked like the type to take off their heels during the flight, which made me wonder what it must be like to wear them in a fairly-tight coach seat for hours. Also, unless they were walking up & down the aisle during the flight, no one was going to see them, which meant they were pretty much wearing them because they enjoyed them (though they were both flying with male companions). That's committment!

While in the airport (ATL specifically), waiting for our flight, I realized the following:

1. an airport concourse is a great place to watch for heels:

a. you have wide, well-lit aisles

b. there are comfortable chairs on both sides of the aisle

c. if near the middle/end of a concourse, pretty much everyone has to walk by you.

2. it also looks to be an idle place to walk in heels:

a. when it gets crowded, everyone is just interested in getting where they are going, not other people.

b. there's enough (human) traffic noise that any noise a man walking in heels makes is unlikely to be noticed.

c. there's plenty of distance to walk. You'll be in the flow of departing people walking towards a gate, and arriving people coming back.

d. it's an adult, civil crowd. Unlike say a mall, you're highly unlikely to run across someone / a group that would make a comment to you.

While going thru security, I realized, "Wearing heels to the airport wouldn't work, since all footwear needs to be removed." My thought was maybe a small travel bag, with the heels, perhaps also bootlength pants, would be carried thru security. [i know the shoes you are wearing needs to be put into an open bin, I'm not sure if ones you are carrying can remain in their luggage.] I'm not sure if a security official would have any reason to question them.

I'd have to think about the layout and flow of my home airport to see if it's worth the effort to clear security (buying a fully refundable ticket you never fly on) to get access to the airside area. Onviously that's cheaper (just gas & parking) for me than taking a flight to ATL (not where I live).

I'm curious if anyone has worn their heels thru an airport, and if you have similar observations.

[hhboots]

...My thought was maybe a small travel bag, with the heels...

This is exactly how I have done it several times now. I wear regular men's shoes up through the security checkpoint and have heels in my carry on bag. Once through security, I am off to the restroom and on with the heels. Works very well in fact.

[Dr. Shoe]

I would probably not bother with the travel bag and just wear heels through security in any case... So what if you have to take them off? If they're a gorgeous pair of boots so much the better!

[johnieheel]

hhboots and Dr.Shoe have very good points and suggestions in my opinion.

[jwhite44]

hhboots, what type of shoes do you typically wear (pumps, boots, etc.)? Are they just on in the airport, or do you wear them on the plane as well?

Also, they don't bother to open the bag, do they? I'd be curious to see what my boots look going thru the xray machine!

[marhil711]

I do quite a bit of airtravel for business. For the last couple of years I have always worn heeled shoes of all kinds, sandals, pumps, boots etc. depending on the season. Last week I wore 3,5" pointy boots through security and sure enough the beeper went off. I was asked to take of the boots for x-ray and manual metal detector inspection. Got a few shewed looks from the security guards but otherwhise they acted professionaly neutral, as one might expect. I had other heeled shoes in my back pack that went through x-ray. What you can see on the screen is a the outline of the shoe with all the metal plates and reenforcements in it, also the metal rod inside the heel. The guard in front of the screen normaly won't know that this is your bag when it appears on the screen. As it might as well belong to any woman in the line they don't mind. I've never been asked why I have "woman" shoes in my bag!

[JeffB]

I don't fly all that much, if at all, but if I did, I'd opt for pumps, easier and faster to take off at security, easier and faster to put back on afterward.

[Bubba136]

I just returned home on Friday from a trip to Chicago. And, Yes, airports are a great place to people watch and see all of the great shoes women wear. I waited at my flight's departure area for more than an hour where I could watch passengers arriving and departing. Not may pairs of heels in proportion to number of women traveling. However, I can say that while I did see several pair of very nice pumps and boots, I never spotted two pair alike. All styles were different. I wasn't wearing heels myself but I was wearing a pair of women's black loafers with 2½" heels. And, no one batted an eye -- even when I had to remove them at the security check point. Just slipped out of them, put them into the tray and put them back on after they passed through the machine. In fact, while I was slipping my feet back into them, a lady behind me handed my jacket to me and just smiled when I thanked her. Absolutely uneventful trip as far as reaction to a man in women's shoes.

[B-booted]

I was on holiday in Florida last sumer and during the holiday had bought a pair of brown knee length boots with a narrow four inch wedge heel from Leather is Wilson. Buying these was interesting as someone had muddled up a pair of 9s & 7s so first of all I had to search for a pair of 9s. Then when trying them on the (male) assistant told me they were women's boots. I smiled and said I knew who they thought were intended for. Needless to say we were tight for packing things into suitcases and I asked my wife if she minded me wearing these home (to UK). She didn't agree so I put the boots in my hand luggage and almost forgot all about them. We were the last flight out that evening and when only our flight remained I asked again if I could wear my boots. She agreed and off I popped to change in the toilets. I had just returned when they called the flight early so there was no chance of changing my mind / chickening out. On to the plane was no problem, depite a long walk - I didn't notice any comments from behind. On the plane was no problem though I only got out of the seat a couple of times. However Gatwick was fun... The baggage handlers were at ther best - a two hour wait, standing, till the baggage came through. Not much of my heel was showing and there were no glances or looks. Mind you, by that stage jet lag was hitting hard and attention was directed at the mis-information board! Then came the hardest part. Contolling a fully laden baggage trolley in four-inch heels is awkward! But we made it to the airport hotel via a bus ride. My children (12/14/21) either didn't notice or didn't care. I've alway kept me heeling conservative around them and the occasional comment makes me think they know. I just put it as I like collecting. With an eight hour flight and a two hour wait for baggage that was the longest time I've worn heels.

[hhboots]

hhboots, what type of shoes do you typically wear (pumps, boots, etc.)? Are they just on in the airport, or do you wear them on the plane as well?

Also, they don't bother to open the bag, do they? I'd be curious to see what my boots look going thru the xray machine!

I wear boots, and I wear them everywhere (including on the plane). I only wear the regular mens shoes through the security checkpoint as to not be so blatantly obvious about what I am doing. I do envy Dr Shoe for being able to do them through security without any concern though. Maybe someday soon I will be there.

Anyway, no the bag with the boots is not opened, its xray'd on a conveyer belt, and as marhil mentioned, the guy watching the scans doesn't know who the bag belongs to, it can belong to any of the dozens of people in line for all they care.

[gwl1]

I've worn heeled clogs quite a few times through airport security. They're easy to get on and off, and not that feminine looking that they attract any undo attention. I always wear pantyhose or tights (without socks), so many security officers have seen my nyloned feet. I've never had any problems getting through security. They've seen it all, and they're not interested in my feet. They just want to make sure I don't have weapons and bombs. GWL

[roniheels]

I have worn cowboy boots or my men's high heeled (3" heels) dress boots when I have flown and have had no problem. I have not yet worn my stiletto high heels on a flight yet. Do any of you think security agents would negatively react to a man wearing a pair of 5" stiletto high heeled pumps as he was gouing through security inspections?

[Dr. Shoe]

In Europe they wouldn't be allowed to... Or at least if you could prove that they gave you a hard time because you were wearing heels then you could make life difficult for them.

[jwhite44]

This is exactly how I have done it several times now. I wear regular men's shoes up through the security checkpoint and have heels in my carry on bag. Once through security, I am off to the restroom and on with the heels. Works very well in fact.

Sounds like a good plan. I'll have to check my local airport schedules to see what peak times are, though I'd guess either early morning or late afternoon. I'd prefer a workday, as I'd think there's a better chance of seeing woman in heels (for business) than on a weekend, when it might be more leisure travellers.

As a sidenote, not that I was looking for it, but in ATL, I didn't see any men in heels.

[xaphod]

I had to take off my 4" block heels at Stanstead about 18 months ago to go through security. They wanted to x-ray them to check that there wasn't anything stashed in the hollow moulding forming the block heel. Sure, there was some attention when I bent down to remove the ankle boots, but as soon as they were on the x-ray conveyor belt, they were just another pair of boots to be scanned. There was a comment from one of the security bods about guys and heels, nothing offensive, just expressing surprise. Xa

[jwhite44]

The consensus would seem to indicate that it sounds like security isn't an issue at all. I should have realized that, as there's almost no correlation between when you go thru the xray machine, and when your carryons do. Unless they want to want to inspect a bag (by asking, "Is this bag yours?"), unless the security lines are empty, no one would likely know who's bag belongs to who. I need to see if I have a small travel bag which will work well. I was originally thinking I'd just bring one pair (my Twist Bootines), but then I thought, since I'll be there, maybe I'll bring my Raven Lace-ups (both from Payless), in case I'm confident enough to get them a try in public.

[Dawn HH]

I haven't flown in years and I really enjoy driving anywhere that I go, so I may not experience what you fellows have. But kudos to those that can wear their heels to the airport and can slide through the security check with ease. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[Guest]

I'll be watching this weekend going out to the Canaries from Heathrow. I don't remember noticing too many heels on the recent flights, the only ones come to mind are going out of Southampton with a young lady in 5" + over knee boots (beginning to struggle) and a couple of girls coming back from Tenerife. I suppose in the event of using the escape slide it saves removing them? I certainly wouldn't bother to wear at Gatwick too many miles of corridors let alone heaving the bags off the carousels dangerous enough in flats. Last trip out it was only token shoe checks which may vary on how busy. Dare I change at Tenerife and walk off the plane ??????? But I've been told to take my heels by she who loves me:smile:

[IAmNormal]

What always amuses me is when they show the safety video. "Leave all your baggage behind and woman must remove high heeled shoes" So Men in heels are ok

[Dawn HH]

I take it that the men wearing high heels would have to remove them in an emergency just as the women would and for the same reasons. High heels are high heels no matter who is wearing them for safety reasons. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[Bootking]

I'll be on the way to the airport in two hours in knee high heeled boots!

[JeffB]

I'll be on the way to the airport in two hours in knee high heeled boots!

Whoa! Color me impressed! Those boots are HOT! By all means, tell us how the experience went!

[jwhite44]

I'd be curious to know what looks or comments you get (from TSA or passengers) thru Security. I think with the decorative studs, there's little doubt they are woman's boots.

[Stilettoscot]

Nice choice BK, and ditto on what Jeff says; please tell us how it went!

[Mae]

About two years ago I switched to womens shoes about 95% of the time. The last two business trips I went on I took only womens shoes. That includes the airport. I was wearing a pair of 2.25" block heel light brown loafers (Naturalizer Mae (picture attached) -- one of my favorite shoes -- hence my screen name). I wasn't able to skate through TSA because I had a last minute airline change. I went through the whole pat down. The TSA guy saw my loafers and looked at me; no comment; no smile; nothing. Through this experience I concluded that those TSA people have seen it all; even more "bizarre" that a guy in heels.

[Bubba136]

Mae, the only way anyone would be able to tell that your shoes were women's shoes is if you took them off and showed them the labels inside. Other than the shape of the heel and the fact that it is slightly higher than normal men's shoes, it is not readily apparent. I also wear shoes similar to yours every day and I've never had any problem. Even when going through security #3 at ORD in Chicago, last week, I don't think anyone ever took a second glance.

[CassieJ]

Flew out to Japan and back last week. The First Class Flight Attendants all wore 3"+ heels, a couple in 4". It was awesome. After the flight took off, they changed into flats until we were about to land, then they switched back to heels for the walk through the airport. No, I didn't wear heels, I was with my mom who would freak.

[hhboots]

Mae, I agree with Bubba, your pictured shoes are very mild and discreet. I would say they just look like a really nice pair of mens shoes but with 2 inch heels, so I doubt anyone would give you any grief over those shoes. There is nothing wrong with that. I like the shoes in fact.

[bootluvr]

Well now with Fall and Winter seasons coming around corner, there'll be lot more Booted Flight Attendents as well as Uniformed Airline Counter Reps. walking all over the place and/or on the flights. More then likely KHB's with Skirts or Dresses, but'll have to try guessing and/or see what under the Trousers. 8-D

[Bootking]

Well, here to me is the story to end the stories. I left my office but couldn't get the boots on until I was on the bus to LaGuardia Airport. I got to LaGuardia Airport 40 minutes before the flight, but I couldn't find my reservation at the kiosk nor did I have the printout from home. End result, 8:05 flight was from JFK not LGA! Needless to say, I couldn't make the flight even on eagle's wings so I blew that one. Now I the next flight to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) was at 2 PM so I decided to go to JFK to see if there was an earlier one. I waited for the shuttle bus and then to JFK. At JFK I had to wait by the ticket counter until 11 AM (didn't do better, 2 PM flight) as you can't book until 3 hours before the flight. Finally, 11 AM came, booked the flight and then proceeded through TSA. I was actually alone at TSA and they gave me a bin for the computer and as they didn't say it, I asked, "Shoes too?" And they said yes. So I took off the knee high boots right there from under the jeans, put them in the bin and went through. I then got my things, sat on the bench and put them back on again under the jeans. I was wearing black pantyhose so I'm sure that was seen too.

Then to the gate, lunch, etc. All told I was on two buses, at two airports for a total of 6 1/2 hours before I got on the plane itself. I had an aisle seat and about three minutes later, an woman in her 60's comes to take the window seat so I got up and let her in. She immediately said, "Nice shoes!" I thanked her and continued with my iPod. So much for so many people who think that people do not notice unusual footwear!

As I was on the aisle, I'm sure more people saw them then if I was by the window, but so it was. As we were leaving, the woman next to me said emphatically, "those are really great boots!" I thanked her again but thought to continue the conversation. I said how difficult it is to find nice styles in men's shoes. She mentioned that the foreign designers are better at it. I agreed but not as much as I'd like. She complimented me on my style again so I actually showed her the boot from under the pants with the studs, etc. Now she really was wowed!

Unfortunately, as my wife was meeting me from another terminal, I changed from the Mossimo pants and the Style.com boots into my usual fare. But I must say for sure that many, many people saw those boots on Wednesday!