Beginner questions

[redcom]

Hello all, I've had a thing for high heeled thigh boots for the longest time, and I figured, might as well give it a shot. So...Is it not advisable to jump right to stilettos? If I'm a 10.5 M size, should I get a size 12 or 13 boot? Just as a little sidenote, one of my friends talked me into eventually trying to get as many of my friends as possible (both guys and girls) to get their own pairs and just spend the day walking around town together. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

[5.5 Thrill]

First off.... Welcome. We are glad you are here. It looks like you have figured it out, that guy sizes are numerically two sizes smaller then girl sizes. That said, manufaturers can't get it right so one brands size 10 is anothers 9 or 9.5 or 11:w00t2:. Jump In? No, build up, start low heeled and gradually go higher, don't try high and hurt yourself!!! Balance, muscles, confidence all take time to adjust. Stilettos are cool!! Block heels are cool also!! Each has advantages and dis advantages. Getting friends together sounds like a lot of fun, go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[redcom]

Thanks a bunch. One more detail occurred to me a moment ago. Say if a boot has a platform sole and a stiletto heel, do you know if the boots easier to walk in if they have platforms?

[dblair]

Hey redcom, welcome. Regarding stilettos, I just dove right in myself, going for 5" stilettos as my first pair of heels. It took a lot of practice to get good enough walking in them before venturing outside for the first time. I would suggest you practice a lot walking inside the house before going out into public. If you are able to walk smoothly and naturally, without too much effort, it will help you to stay calm and not panic...(very important when heading out into pubic view). As for the sizing, I can tell you that I normally wear a size 9 for most men's shoes and I have found that size 10 or 11 pleaser stiletto boots fit me pretty good. I am slim and have a somewhat narrow foot for a man. If you choose natural leather, remember that they will stretch a little. Man made materials generally won't.

[redcom]

I had a feeling synthetic materials wouldn't really stretch, so I was thinking of getting something lace-up to form well with my leg. Also considering using these for anime conventions, fangirls seem to go nuts over something like that...XD

[5.5 Thrill]

Tipability (new word) 1.Your center of gravity is higher with plats. 2.Smaller surface areas, stilettos, are more/less stable. ....A. More stable--not as affected by rough terrain ....B. Less stable--can slip out from under you on polished floors 3.Large surface areas, Block heels and platforms, are more/less stable. ....A. More stable--Polished floors, pavement, concrete, smooth hard surfaces ....B. Less stable--Gravel, rough terrain, where a rock can tip you over, the higher the heel/platform the worse the effect. The best choice for you is up to you and your confidence level. Have fun and be careful. Thrill

[redcom]

Wicked, thanks.

[Dr. Shoe]

My advice would be to start with block heels then cubans then stilettos. It takes enough practice to learn to walk in heels without taking into account the wobble factor of stilettos.

[Thighbootguy]

Redcom – Welcome to the forum.

Good advice so far.

I recommend starting with a heel no higher than 4”. There is a BIG difference between walking in a 4” heel and a 5” heel. I started with 2” – 3” block heeled knee high boots and wore them for years. My first over the knee boots were 3” stilettos and they presented no problem for walking. My first pair of thigh boots were 4” stilettos and I don’t remember any problems. I have two brands of 5” stiletto heeled thigh boots: Ellie’s and Tony’s. The Ellie’s are very comfortable and I can walk in them for hours. The Tony’s are not comfortable at all and I have a tough time walking in them.

I recommend starting wearing heeled boots rather than pumps or sandals. Boots give the whole enterprise of walking a bit more support and allow you to wear a large enough size to be comfortable. I do recommend real leather rather than synthetic materials.

I wear a 10.5 – 11 men’s shoe and I wear a 14 Pleasers’ or Ellie’s thigh boot with a cushioned insole.

[Bubba136]

Welcome to hhplace, Redcom There are a couple of points that I would like to make. 1) Sizing: Normally two (2) size number differences between men's sizes and women's sizes. If you wear a size 9 men's shoe, generally a woman's size 11 should fit. 2) heel height. Generally, for a beginner, block or chunky heels are easier to wear and the heel height that I would begin with would be around 3" high. It is really not difficult to wear heels but, for the new wearer, it is a different experience and it does take some practice to get used to feeling and become confident. As you gain experience, you gain heel height.

[chris100575]

Hi Redcom. I started off by sneaking into my mum's room and sneakily borrowing her shoes and boots, almost all of which were four inch stilettos, so I started near the deep end at a pretty early age. By the time I was old enough to be left alone in the house I graduated from the odd pulse-pounding minute here and there to wearing them around the house for most of the day. If you're after thigh boots I reckon you go straight for the four inch stilettos, you'll soon get the hang of them if you wear them around the house. My first time out in heels I was shocked at how much harder they are to walk in outside though where you have to deal with hills, uneven pavement, and the fact that you're walking on a hard surface which is harder on your feet than carpet. Maybe get something cheapish to practice outside in?

[jwhite44]

I'd repeat what most others have said: - start with a lower heel (3" is good) - go with something that has more of a block heel than a stilletto - consider a boot (at least a 'bootie') for the extra ankle support it provides There's definitely nothing attractive / sexy / exciting - whatever terms you want to use - about high heels if you can't walk in them. Unfamiliar with them, they can turn what should have been a fun outing into a twisted ankle in a heartbeat. With you being a men's 10.5, I'd suggest looking the Payless or Avenue websites. They'll have shoes that go up to size 13 (some in wide width), for usually not much money, and with a decent number of local stores. It would definitely be worth $30+ or so to buy a pair of "training" heels first before going for the full-out stillettos. Good luck and keep us updated on your progress.