kneehighs Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Okay, here's my idea--so lets see what you guys think. At least if I don't do it, maybe one of the more experienced of you guys could borrow the idea. Since I live in New York City, I convinced a friend who is a girl to walk behind me acting as if she is a "tourist." She'd have a camera, a New York City MTA subway map, and a New York City guide book in her hand. She might also have a sun visor. So she walks behind me far enough to maintain "stranger" distance, acting as if she is a tourist so stunned at my appearance that she just has to snap some shots of peoples reactions. I'd be wearing my black 9 West Stilletos or Blade knee high boots with black shorts and a black top. In broad daylight. This would be a great benefit to alot of closet boot and shoe wearers so my hope is that if I don't do it, someone else will. Maybe you guys in London. I'd probably test somewhere like the East Village first, then venture down to the Lower East Side. Who knows? Feminine Style . Masculine Soul. Skin In The Game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heelfan Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Erm ..... well, yes, like the notion of phptographically recording people's reactions to a guy street-walking in high heels - I've always been interested in reactions (the natural follow-on to actions). However, for me the reactions would be much more meaningful if the shoes were less "over the top". Anyone can attract very predictable public reaction by doing something outrageous like blasting a trombone in people's ears or putting on a giant kangaroo costume or wearing your proposed in-your-face 9" heels that you never even see a woman wearing. However, I would be more interested to see what sort of reaction (if any!) you'd get by wearing your shorts along with ORDINARY women's high heels of say 3.5" to 5" in height. I.e. then it's not obvious that you are playing silly devils just to create a spectacle - people would then be reacting purely as to whether or not they think a normal guy in normal ladies shoes is worthy of any reaction. I don't know whether ot not I've succeeded in putting across a worthwhile point. Cheerfully yours, Heelfan Onwards and upwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 I've worn heels all over NYC and can't recall getting very much reaction. Everyone is so busy, rushing around on the subway etc they don't have much time to look at shoes. I did get a few quizical looks in the rockerfella centre plaza, 5th Avenue and some of the museums though. Generally I think New Yorkers are cool with the idea. Like London, it's a very multi ethnic and cosmopolitian city where the people are used to seeing all manner of cultural, new or trend setting concepts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becky Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Well I personally think its a great idea kneehighs...........I can't wait to see the pics. Try a few other outfits aswell, maybe a short skirt with the boots - just an idea. Becks. So many shoes & boots to buy in so little time!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highluc Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 This idea already has been put into practice during some Benelux heel meets a few years ago. I took some (moving) shots from UK and Dutch heel wearing friends during our walks through the crowded Brussels streets and Grand Place. All of them wore black (4" various style) heeled boots or wedge shoes exposed under their trousers. I especially stayed away from them and tried to put reactions down but except for a few tourist girls at the Grand place, nobody else either cared or noticed and nobody even turned around or anything. Later I gave my camera to Xaphod when we were in Rotterdam so he could film the people around me when I wore my cowboy heeled boots under my ankle lenght jeans skirt but again you hardly see any reaction from the hundreds of persons around me. Unfortunately I am unable to upload these digital movies due to lack of capabilities of my part (and my PC). I sometimes still carry my camera around and my Dutch friend makes shots of my latest images during shopping trips. Good memories for later but don't expect much crowd reactions. Happy heeling, Highluc. PS: the still pictures of some of these these trips can be seen on the about me pages on my website. Be youself, enjoy any footwear you like and don't care about what others think about it, it's your life, not theirs. Greetings from Laurence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trolldeg Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Anyone can attract very predictable public reaction by doing something outrageous like blasting a trombone in people's ears or putting on a giant kangaroo costume or wearing your proposed in-your-face 9" heels that you never even see a woman wearing. Actually, he was referring to Nine West shoes, not nine inch heels... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trolldeg Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 here's a pic from arch enenmys, showing some bystanders reactions to those super arch heels: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamyam Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Well, Julietta likes watching people, and she's commented on a few of the reactions I've had to my heels. We did a city centre pub with me in my 3.5" J Lo's, and she spotted one woman giving me a right staring-at! But no obvious comments. It'd be nice to have a photo, but Julietta's description was quite funny. To be honest, I think FFox is right (I *so* need a macro to type that phrase for me!) in that most people are too busy going about their daily business that they don't notice. Plus, adults don't really see what's there, so you have to be pretty damn strange to stand out. I reckon that almost the only people who notice are the people who have the same feeling about it as we do! Obsessed is such a strong word. I prefer to think of myself as "differently enthusiastic" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heelfan Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Yes, that's about right in my experience, but I think you should add 1) Youngsters and giggling schoolgirls, and 2) Beered-up yobbos spoiling for some aggression. The answer is to avoid both of these catagories (although I really don't mind being giggled-at; in the end it's educating the younger generation) and maybe hope there might be some interest from the high-heel fraternity, plus a bit of attention from the odd mildly interested member of the general public. Cheerfully yours, Heelfan Onwards and upwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamyam Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Yes, that's about right in my experience, but I think you should add 1) Youngsters and giggling schoolgirls, and 2) Beered-up yobbos spoiling for some aggression. The answer is to avoid both of these catagories (although I really don't mind being giggled-at; in the end it's educating the younger generation) and maybe hope there might be some interest from the high-heel fraternity, plus a bit of attention from the odd mildly interested member of the general public. Cheerfully yours, Heelfan Well, I've been severely giggled at, and while it was a bit crap at the time, I don't think it'd bother me again. As for beered-up yobbos, I've been lucky enough to escape that one so far, despite being in a few pubs in heels. I guess I've been lucky there! If it is luck, long may it continue! Obsessed is such a strong word. I prefer to think of myself as "differently enthusiastic" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 kneehighs, Your outfit will blend in very well in E. Village. Probably too well that people might not even notice; given that there are so many *eccentric* people in the neighbourhood. Joking aside, I'm curious to see what you'll find out. Let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genebujold Posted October 13, 2003 Share Posted October 13, 2003 "I've worn heels all over NYC and can't recall getting very much reaction. Everyone is so busy, rushing around on the subway etc they don't have much time to look at shoes. I did get a few quizical looks in the rockerfella centre plaza, 5th Avenue and some of the museums though. Generally I think New Yorkers are cool with the idea. Like London, it's a very multi ethnic and cosmopolitian city where the people are used to seeing all manner of cultural, new or trend setting concepts." Sounds pretty much like the rest of the TV (that's "television"), cabled, satellited, and wired world, to me. People are used to seeing strange things on so many shows and movies dating back to the late 1960's (when the "Age of Aquarius" (blech!) first began) that they're pretty much inured to "slightly" out of the ordinary stuff like a guy walking along a city street wearing heels. Perhaps if it were a woman dressed as a man dressed as a woman dressed as a Martian dressed as a Sentator from the state you love to hate, well then! I think we'd have a winner! Otherwise, it's merely a mild aberration in the continuum called "life." Doesn't mean it's not important, though! It's the sum of all aberrations that add up to real change! Even though I could probably go to dinner at one of Las Vegas' finest restuarants, I'd like to know I could do so wearing whatever the heck I so desired (which would be a conservative skirt and heels combined with a gender-neutral top. Thanks for listening.... Gene' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 I have had all kinds of reactions. People have stood up in mass and pointed, others have clapped, women have reached out and grabed them b4 they realized what they were doing. Others have fallen down on all fours and gazed etc. The latest was in a public john where I turned around to find a fellow on all fours to get a better look, I sure hope he washed his hands b4 leaving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 I once had a very large black guy stop in front of me (just outside Achilles' shop actually) and point with both hands and smiling said: "Hey! Looking good!" And on another occassion two young boys saying: "There's that funky man again!" without a hint of sarcasm or Irony, they actually meant it. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new_look Posted October 15, 2003 Share Posted October 15, 2003 its great when you can get that sort of reaction from the people youd expect to be negative about such things. Just goes to show that there is open minded folk about the young people too. I think id avoid pubs like th eplague. Aside that i dont drink much anyway, not that a pub is a bad place to be. Just as Heelfan says, the drunken yobbo's are the ones anyone would have any real physical problems with, and im sure the pub is the ource of them. Which is why i would steer clear in heels daz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo Posted October 19, 2003 Share Posted October 19, 2003 No problem drinking in the pub in Camden during the heelmeet. No-one really took any notice. Umm, well, yeah, it was Camden, but even so, no problem in a lot of other places either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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