Dantes Detour

[Dante]

Hi again. So i thought that it is time for an update. So i'm about to buy my first pair of HHs - a pair of ankle boots - in a shop and here is how far i got. End of last week i found some time to go downtown to see if i can find the courage to try and buy my first pair of heels. I stroll the streets a bit nervous, looking at the shops around. I didn't realy have a plan, so i just entered one shoe store, but just kept looking. I told myself to be calm, but i didn't really feel comfortable and relaxed enough to try on a pair, so i left and was thinking about a new plan. From shopping tours with my gf i knew that there was a shoe shop for only womens shoes just minutes away, so i headed for that direction. A deep breath to calm down and i entered the shop. The sales-girls greeted me friendly and asked if they could help me, but i refused and told them, that i was just looking. The shop is pretty small and so it just took minutes to look around. At the back i saw some ankle boots with a low chunky heel, pretty much like western boots, so i thought, that might be a good pair to get started. So i took the shoe and went over to one of the girls and asked her if i could try this one in size 40. She smiled and asked me if i knew that those were shoe for woman and i replied "yes, of course, but that's no problem for me, as i have small feet and just like them". So the ice was broken, she explained me, that she just told me to not getting uncomfortable if i "find out" that it is a womans boot. She was really nice and helpfull and brought me that pair in the right size. The other girl also came over and we just started talking. I put them on and both said that they really like them on me and they would fit great to my tight jeans (not too tight, but reasonable tight ), adding that they wouldn't look too feminine. The shoes really felt quite comfortable so i walked a bit around looking for the "next step higher". I saw a pair in suede leather with a chunkier heel, not too high and told them i would like to try them on in my size. They looked for them and came back just in a minute handing me over the shoes. We just had a relaxed conversation about fashion and boots, while i was trying on the next pair. I really liked those, cause they were ultra comfortable to stand and walk. I told them that i really like them and they nodded and agreed, but were just not sure, if the heel wasn't a bit high for a men in general. I said that i don't care that much what society defines as too high for men, as long as i can walk in them and they are that comfortable. They said that thats a brave approach and i smiled. In the meantime there were other customers in the shop looking around and trying on some shoes. I just walked a bit to see if they really fit. None of the woman and girls showed any bad reaction on me. An older lady took a close look and then nodded - i interpreted it as "what is this guy wearing - oh - heels, don't look that bad, it's fine for me". A cute girls passed me and she just smiled at me, a really nice reaction that i wouldn't have expected. I took another look and finaly a pair of suede ankle boots caught my eye. The heel was a bit higher and thinner, i really like them. So i grabed them and went to one of the sales-girls and asked for my size. She said that they are usally a bit smaller and if i might also want her to bring the size 41. I said that she would probably know better and waited for her. She returned with a pair in 40 and 41. I tried the 40 first, those were really quite small and i asked her for the 41. She handed me over the right one, but i put off the left one. We looked at each other and smiled - it was really good fun with the girls. I put back on the left and tried the 41 on the right foot. This was a bit too big. She gave me the left one too to see how they fit. Same here, just a bit too big. She said that i could just put in a insole and i agreed that this was an option. I stood up just to see how i could walk in them. The floor was smooth and plain so no problem at all. They said it's much harder outside on the cobblestone and i agreed. I also liked this one, but hmm ... they all were just not that one pair that i was searching for. I thanked them for their nice service and just had to ask them, if it is common that men shop here. They said i was the first one trying some on, but from now on it wouldn't be a curiosity for them anymore. They smiled and i left the shop. This experience really gave me a big boost in self-confidence trying on heels in a shop. I just went down the street a bit further, for my last shop on this day. I went in and looked around. I saw several really nice ankle boots, but looked on my clock, which was telling me that i only had the time to try on pair. I grabed a suede ankle boot with buckles and a bit chunkier heel and asked a sales-woman for my size. She brought me the size 40 which was again really small, so i asked for the 41. The 41 was a bit too big though, but with an insole they might have fit. The shop was pretty full at that time and i walked a bit. Some woman just took a look, one was shaking her head - probably thinking what a weird view -, one just gave me a smile - that's always the best, awesome. But i was running out of time and i had to leave the shop to head to an appointment. But i will definitly continue my shopping tour and hope some time soon i'll find my first pair of heels. Cheers Dante.

[Bubba136]

Sounds like you had a great outing. Thanks for sharing. OK. Here we go: Boot # 1. definitely unisex looking. Buy and wear without concern. No one will react negatively. Look great on a man. Boot # 2. Round toe and shape of the heel are great for male wearing. Heel is slightly higher and a little more identifiable as being more for female wear. However, as is the case with boot #1, you can wear them with confidence and without fear of negative reaction. Boot # 3. Slightly more feminine looking. I would wear them anywhere in public with sportswear clothing. The heels is nice and high and with practice, you should be able to carry off wearing them without any problems. Boot # 4: I just don't like all of the buckles and straps on them. They tend to attract more attention than plain boots. However, it's your choice but this pair of boots is bound to get more "looks" than any of the others you tried on. There is something about just knowing that you are wearing a pair of shoes in public that are made for women. Start with the first pair and gain confidence and piece of mind and then, when you are comfortable knowing from personal experience that people really don't notice your shoes as much as you thought they would, begin wearing shoes that are more feminine and with higher heels. Your confidence will grow with time and practice and soon, you won't give much thought to how naturally you can wear them.

[johnieheel]

Thank you for sharing your fun Damian. Really enjoyed reading your shopping experience. Good luck on finding that perfect pair of ankle boots.

[Heelster]

For what 's worth, I'm liking #2 for an all around option.

[SandalFan]

Turn #3 into a Granny boot with the same heel height and you've got a winner with me.

[HappyinHeels]

I agree with Bubba136's assessment of the four boot choices. I actually any of the four could be worn under bootcut stretch girls' jeans and nobody would say anything!! Go for it!! HappyinHeels

[Dante]

So here we go. Went shopping, just grabbed #2 and went home happy. But thinking a night over it and taking some snap shots with the camera i pot to the point that i just didn't like them on me. Anyway its a nice boot, but just not for me. But look for yourself. Am i right? So what to do now? How it turned out in the next post.

[Dante]

So the name for the thread seams to fit. A bit of a detour with my first pair of ankle boots.

I went back to the shop the other day, well, beeing a bit frustrated, unhappy and confused about the style that i was actually looking for. I knew that there was the ankle boot with the bit higher and thinner heel that i really liked. So after some time to think about i went for that. What a great decision - i really love them.

Beeing in the mood for shopping i just went to a super cheap shoe shop just to also grab some pumps. I allready looked at there website and made my choice. The pumps are just to give them a try. If i really like them i'll replace these with ones in real leather and of better quality.

So this is it. I added pix of the shoes on my feet and uploaded pix with shoes & outfit in my album. The upper body is just in that black stencil look, cause i'm not yet ready to show off. Sorry guys, but it takes time.

Cheers Dante.

PS: Guess what's my new avatar

[JeffB]

Yo, Dante! Nice pics! I especially like the platform pumps which looked sharp! Bravo!

[borg]

I like both pair! Especially the boots.

[roniheels]

Those are very nice shoes and boots that you have acquired. I hope you enjoy wearing them and kind find the matching outfit to coordinate with them. Thank you for sharing your pictures with us.

[Dante]

Today was the day. Ok, that might be sound a bit too exaggerated, but i was out for a 3h highheel walk. I packed my backpack with the ankle boots and pumps and put on a slim pair of jeans. I just got out of my flat, not wearing heels not to cause any hassle in my direct neighborhood. So i walked about 10 minutes away from our flat. It was already dark outside, others inspired me to do so, as you won't bump into that many people. I headed for a park bench to change from my sneakers (yeah, i still wear and also like them ) to the ankle boots. Back on my feet and after the first steps i realized that those realy make some noise, which had not been so extreme indoors. The walk was pretty nice and i had a great view over our city from the hill we life on. It was almost a bit boring, cause i was really meeting no other people, just hearing the clacking of the heels ... realy a odd sound when you hear yourself the first time. It was so loud that i thought even people 500 meter away would hear it. After a steep climb up i again sat down for a moment to rest and change the shoes to the pumps. Walking up the hill was fairly easy, but downwards ... uuhhh ... not so easy. I continued my walk till i got closer to our flat and i changed back to my sneakers. It had started to rain quite heavy and i thought that it might be extremly slippy with hhs on, but i was ok with that - could have been worse. So here i am. Back from my first "semi-public" heeling experience.

I'll keep you up to date. Thanks for inspiring me to enhance step by step. Cheerz.

Dante

[borg]

way to go. Now that you have crossed the slippery slope it will become easier.

[Dante]

So then. After almost two weeks without i-net connection at home, i'm back online. Meanwhile we moved to another city here in Austria, which was the reason for that. We still live out of boxes ... all of u know who did move into a new flat in there life. But meanwhile life went on, even without i-net. Almost 2 weeks ago my gf and i were at our monthly bdsm & fetish get-together and there were friends talking about the rocky horror picture musical they went the other weekend. So i was saying that when i was dancing in a dance-company some years ago we also did a medley from rocky horror and it was always great fun. So we came to talk about men in heels and my gf said that i can probably walk more graceful in hhs then she ever can. So the grils around were interested and we agreed that for the next party i should wear hhs and the husband of another woman should wear some too, so that i'm not the only one. *ggg* So this sounds like great fun and i'm looking forward to the next party. I think in this alternative lifestyle there is more tolerance, also for men in heels. Most of the girls/woman were even excited when talking about men in heels. But let's stop with this now, as this is not a place to talk too much about bdsm and fetish, but simply about heels - don't know how open minded the community even is about this lifestyle. I'd say this was probably the most interesting part from the last weeks. The rest was more about packing, moving, renovation, ... which meant no hhs for me, cause they are just not pratical for such tasks. I'll keep u up to date. Yours, Dante.

[brake blocks]

Dante, well done for your first outing. I use to do my heeling at night time, going out when i finished working as a part time taxi driver after 2am walking around in stilettos for 2hrs then going to bed. It was good to unwind in heels. Now i just take myself to my local park during the day time in heels and enjoy the peace & quiet, it is always a boost to come to other people when i am wearing stiletto ankle boots