The Epic search of masculine mens heels.

[DallasHeels]

I love high heels but am always looking for chunky block heels that are high and can pass the "easiest" as a males shoe. Living in Dallas Texas the acceptance of heels on a male are not very high. So I have to go more stealth. I only have two pair of heels right now both being Lower Eastside boots. Both are the same exact style just one brown and one black. The biggest issue I have is wearing a US 11.5-12 really cuts my shopping down to a min. I would love to hear from anyone that has high heels (4in and up) that look more masculine and where they might have gotten them. If I can find some new heels my street heeling can increase.

[k6ps]

I have also been recently searching for "men's" heels that could be worn in public, and could share a few results here:

1. Currently, very few "men's" heels are available so far, and here are some of the most known ones:

- YSL has a few (very expensive) styles of 2,5'' boots, e.g. http://www.ysl.com/us/en/onlineBoutique/Men/Shoes/Business/P-Jonny-Boot-Betis.aspx

- the Fluevog boot: http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w[0]=attribute%3ABoot%2CHeel%2CMens&p=26&pp=3&view=detail&colourID=2456

- from 6if: http://www.orientvisual.com/6inchforever/bootsframes.htm

- i remember having seen another site selling various styles of "mens" oxfords with heels around 2,5'' range but can't remember now

I found several thougths, feelings, and experiences about these (and maybe a few others) specific products and web sites in this forum.

2. Several fashion designers seem to be experimenting with high heels on men, e.g. Rick Owens. This blog -- http://highheelspassion.blogspot.com/ seems to highlight many of these. I'm checking it daily, and hoping that products available in stores will follow such desings soon.

3. If you happen to like the "men's" shoes that were designed in the 1970's (i.e. with platforms and block heels) then you might find something nice in some vintage stores. E.g. there's one -- http://www.dressthatman.com/cat-ACCE-shoes.htm . Also check e-Bay under the men's vintage footwear category. I have found myself a very nice and cute pair of unworn 1970's "men's" brown oxfords with 2,5'' block heels and no significant platform from there for very little money.

4. Searchig among "women's" shoes is still a good option. There's a wide choice there and it is possible to find very masculine-looking shoes there. For example, i'm very happy with these -- http://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Hilfiger-Ruth-Bootie-Black/dp/B000HRVNDY

5. Just discovered this site -- http://www.yoox.com which also offers more than a hundred PAGES of "men's" designer shoes. Didn't have time to scroll through all these, but discovered a few low-to-medium heels there, e.g.:

- http://www.yoox.com/item.asp?sec=1&YOOX=GIANNI+BARBATO&dept=shoesmen&tskay=C9CBD56B&rr=1&cod10=44154603JH&sts=sr_shoesmen80

- http://www.yoox.com/item.asp?sec=1&YOOX=FRYE&dept=men&tskay=C9CBD56B&rr=1&cod10=441399383N&sts=sr_men80

This site has some quite impressive designs of details other than heels as well, some of which seem (to me) rather feminine, e.g.:

- http://www.yoox.com/item.asp?sec=1&YOOX=MARS%C3%A8LL&dept=shoesmen&tskay=C9CBD56B&rr=1&cod10=44163715MK&sts=sr_shoesmen80

- http://www.yoox.com/item.asp?sec=1&YOOX=GIANNI+BARBATO&dept=shoesmen&tskay=C9CBD56B&rr=1&cod10=44154684RB&sts=sr_shoesmen80

- http://www.yoox.com/item.asp?sec=1&YOOX=DSQUARED2&dept=shoesmen&tskay=C9CBD56B&rr=1&cod10=44164000HA&sts=sr_shoesmen80

- http://www.yoox.com/item.asp?sec=1&YOOX=PRADA+SPORT&dept=shoesmen&tskay=C9CBD56B&rr=1&cod10=44149728CC&sts=sr_shoesmen80

6. Among the last option is to have your shoes custom-made. I've seen a few shops that offer this, both in my city and in the internet. Remember having seen a sample picture of very masculine boots with 4''-some heels in one of these sites.

Happy Heeling

k6ps

[onyourtoes]

Although there's nothing there for me (either don't like or can't afford), still, a big THANK YOU for all your tireless research and informative post!

[k6ps]

Just wanted to add that according to my (little) experience, a search for shoes that you really like very much for a long time and you can walk in and for affordable price is very often an Epic Search. Even some ladies strongly agree with that, although they seem to have a lot more designs to choose from Happy Heeling k6ps

[Rockpup]

Dallasheels: I can only assume you are not a big fan of cowboy boots, as I have seen them up to 6" heels, especially in your size. I have not spent much time in Dallas, but my inlaws are in Azel, and took me around Fort Worth, where I suspect even 4" or higher heeled cowboy boots would fit in just fine. Although, for me, I've got small feet so they would dissapear if I wore higher heels. You might get away with it.

[Rob]

Hi Dallas,

To add to k6ps' excellent post, in the UK one can also buy (expensive) men's shoes and boots from Archie Eyebrows with heels over 2.5 inches as well as well as lower cost shoes from high street stores such as Schuh with heels just under 2 inches.

I also recently purchased some formal mens shoes with a 2 inch heel from Jeffery West which you can read a little more about in my post here.

[Thighboots2]

K6PS, Nice post. Good research. Certainly the pointy toe is coming into the mens designs although there seems to be a trend to keep the heel as thin as possible. Trouble is that all the mens heels (which I view as medium height) from Archie Eyebrows, YSL, and Fluevog are just under 3" (between 6cm & 7cm). By mens standards these are super high, but they are a bread and butter height for womens shoes (7 cm is an extreemly common height for a womans shoe heel) and for good reason as I can seem to do everything I need including run properly and the walk is not altered, I don't slide down the shoe so no toe jamming, etc. etc. Gosh I did sidetrack myself there, so back to what I was about to say. Trouble is that all the mens heels currently available range from rather pricey to downright expensive and so put off men from buyin them. The cheapest is the Archie Eyebrows at £175 upto £400 for the YSL with the rest being inbetween including the moderate heel Jeffrey West shoes. However, unless men do go and buy the heels, they will remain in the expensive bracket. Mind you I don't think anyone on here really wants to wear this sort of heel as they seem to be totally besotted with the stiletto heel and will not consider wearing anything else even if it means that they will never get to wear any sort of high heel openly. Talk about cutting their nose off to spite their face. The real point is that I wear my heels, be it Archie's, YSL's or my womens cowboy boots (3") all the time and very rarely do I wear flats and absolutely no one ever comments. I wish they would because it would be so nice to say they are genuine mens shoes right on the cutting edge of todays fashion. The fact that no one has ever made me feel uncomfortable means that they are quite acceptable, even my wife is quite immune to them. and I know she is one of those who are not in favour of men and high heels but I think that is because she equates high heels with stiletto heels - who doesn't. Oh well, I am rambling on up here on my soapbox and nothing is going to change and all the guys who will not wear anything unless it is a stiletto will just have to sneak around in private whilst I enjoy wearing heels where ever I want. Simon.

[jwhite44]

DallasHeels you might consider talking with HHFanatic. He's operating a custom made shoe company. Here's a link to one of his threads http://www.hhplace.org/everybody/13305-hunt_perfect_boots.html and also to his site http://www.love4heels.com/index.html . I haven't bought anything from him (yet!), and have no financial interest in his store, but it could be an option for you to consider.