Got bold at the mall - paid off big

[standard]

I've been lurking here for a little bit, but never posted before. I didn't really consider myself part of the group. I like a nice pair of heels on a woman as much as the next guy, but never really considered putting them on myself. I've never even tried on a pair of heels, until today. This morning I stopped at the mall to grab a coffee and I saw a sale on ladies boots, and for some reason I just went in and started nervously browsing. I had no idea what I would say if a clerk offered to help. Sure enough, a young perky sales girl walks up and asks me if I'm looking for a bigger size. I manage to stammer out a yes. Then she asked if I was looking for something with a heel. I managed to stammer out a "yeah, I guess". Then she smiled and said she thought she had something I would really like, and after digging around a bit, hauled out a pair of grey suede thigh high boots with a 5 1/2" heel and a 1 1/2" platform. My jaw dropped, there was nothing like that anywhere in the store that I could see. She said they would look really good with the coat I was wearing, and I should try them on (I suppose I was busted). She led me to the back of the store where nobody could see, so I figured, why not? They were a little hard to pull on over my jeans, but not too bad. I carefully stood on heels for the first time, and I felt so tall, and it felt so strange and almost a little scary. She wanted to know if they fit, and I told her I didn't know. She explained that they should be snug around my toes, but a little loose at the heel. I said that I thought they fit perfect. She told me to walk around in them a bit to see how they felt, to which I said that I didn't think so. I mean, I was already shaking from nerves, and everything just felt so unstable, and I thought I already looked foolish enough. But she didn't seem to be judgmental at all. She didn't even seem phased by it. Damn she was a good sales girl, I'm sure she was trying really hard not to scare me off. I then tried to pull them off, and she laughed a bit and helped me get out of them. I had no idea how hard it is to remove thigh high boots by yourself. She asked if I was going to buy them, and I said I didn't see a price tag. She said they were in the clearance area, how did $25 sound? That sounded awesome! I have an incredible pair of thigh high platforms behind the seat of my truck as I write this, but I still have not taken one step in them. I hope I have the the chance soon. It almost reads like some kind of fantasy, but I swear, it really happened. Hopefully I'll be able to get an opportunity to take a picture of them to post in the next few days.

[dblair]

Wow, good for you Standard! What store was this at? I've got to go there.

[Waisted_Giraffe]

good god! that is one hell of a way to embark on ones first heel experience.....well done indeed. R

[JSpikeheels]

the first time you venture outside your front door in those bootsyou are going to be terrified-and so aroused in several ways- part of you will feel like you are the biggest idiot who ever was, part of you will feel like a part of you has found a life you never knew you had, part of you will think every eye who passes has seen you, part of you will quickly discover no one notices or cares, part of you wants to hide from sight, part of you wants to roll your jeans up to the knees to show them off... ...the emotions are nearly overwhelming in the first days-but give them time and watch yourself carefully- questions your motives but forgive yourself for having the courage to explore "the undiscovered country" that lies within you

[roniheels]

First of all, standard, welcome to High Heel Place. Second, congratulations on an unbelievable first trip to a shoe store to try on high heels. You are so lucky to have a clerk that friendly to you and to encourage you try on a pair of high heeled boots. This is a clerk who definitely has a clue. It's all about being friendly and helpful to the customers, no matter what they wish to purchase. Hope to hear more from you soon.

[Jinx]

Way to go standard! I'd say you got the best first time ever buying heels. I might even dare to say that this store got one regular customer more from now on Thumbs up for the sales girl too

[FXHH]

welcome and great!! however where are the pics???

[hades]

There was (is?) a store in Kitchener, Main street, where I used to go. The only place where I was able to go to the back and try on something. Great store. Miss it... If anyone is in the Kitchener/Waterloo area, highly recommend that store (assuming it's still there). Where is this store? hades

[chris100575]

Well done Standard! Some guys go for years without managing to try heels on in the shop. I'm looking forward to seeing a pic of your new boots, they sound really nice. It's always good when you find a shop assistant who's friendly and helpful, one of the things I miss about Faith is that the girls in there were great.

[standard]

dblair it was called Urban Planet

JsPikeheels I'm not sure venturing out is in my future. I'm a little curious to know what the challenges are for someone spending a day in heels, dealing with different terrain and situations, but I have no desire to be a spectacle. There are literally thousands of people in this town that know me by name, and a stunt like that would be very detrimental to my occupation, which relies heavily on my reputation. I'm not saying I think less of a guy in heels, but there are small minded people that could have an effect on things that are very important to me, so I won't go there myself.

roniheels She really was excellent at her job. If she had walked up to me and said "can I help you", I probably would have said no thanks and bolted for the door. Instead she gently pushed me along and made the sale. I had no intentions of buying anything when I walked in there, it seems she had other ideas.

FXHH I'm not ready to to explain to my wife and kids why I have a pair of size 10 thigh boots. I will get a pic when I have an opportunity, I promise.

I have a picture to share, as promised, but I apparently don't have sufficient privileges to attach it.

[hhboots]

That was an absolutely fabulous start for your first heeling experience. Very nice story, thanks for sharing! If you ever do get tempted to try a public outing in the future sometime, you might want to try with less extreme heels, and perhaps do it in a nearby city if you are really worried about someone you know seeing you. But that is all up to you, many guys here might never do it, but if you ever do, the experience is well worth it. You have already bought and tried on boots in a store, which is really huge, so its not that much of a leap really. As for being able to post pictures, the mods have put two rules on the permissions for that: 1. you have to be a member for more than a week (which you are already well beyond), 2. you need to have done 5 posts (you've got a few more to go).

[standard]

Ah, that makes sense. My wife has a really long down coat. It's a little tight on me, but I thought I might put that on and take a stroll outside, and probably nobody would recognize me, or they might think I'm her. It's too warm for that today though. I never thought I would be unhappy about nice weather.

[Steve63130]

Standard, Thanks for sharing your story. Sounds like it was a very positive experience to get you off on the right foot (so to speak) in your heeling career. You have a latent high heel gene that the sales girl detected and found just the right buttons to push. Welcome to the forum! My advice is to practice a lot before you go public with those boots or any other heels. Get the hang of it so you feel comfortable and move gracefully and competently. It will do wonders for your confidence, which influences your body language and lets others know that you know what you're doing. Women find confidence sexy, and other opinions don't matter. Keep posting your progress! Steve

[Thighbootguy]

Wow – I am sure I would not have reacted anywhere near as well as you manager on my first shopping trip. Congratulation, both on you reaction, and on getting a great pair of thigh boots. I have been looking for a pair of sued boots for some time now but haven’t found a pair (unfortunately I can’t wear a 10), now to read that a new member walks into a shoe store for the first time and walks out with a pair (and for $25), I’m a bit jealous.

Now, as for wearing them…

The first thing is to get comfortable walking with the heels. The technique is practice, practice, and practice. Stick with a carpeted surface to start as a slick surface can be treacherous. For prolonged wear I recommend a cushioned insole.

Only when you are comfortable walking in them, and your walk looks (and feels) natural, should you consider wearing them out and about. When you go out, don’t try to hide your boots. (Yes, I know that’s a lot to swallow.) Even under the long coat that you suggested, you won’t hide them. Rather than trying to hide them, go to the other extreme and show them off. Thigh boots make a strong statement of non conformity. If that mold fits you then go ahead and make the statement. If you try to hide them, you will do nothing but worry about someone seeing you. If you don’t try to hide them, all that worry evaporates.

Here are a couple of notes from personal experience:

• Most people don’t care what you have on your feet.
• No one will say a thing (unless you run into a gaggle of giggly girls) but you may get a “nice boots” comment.
• You will get a couple of dour disapproving looks.
• The first step out of the car will take several minutes
• You will remember the first step out of the car for the rest of your life.

Practice, practice, practice… then enjoy your boots.

TBG

[SandalFan]

• The first step out of the car will take several minutes
• You will remember the first step out of the car for the rest of your life.

I can vouch for this. My very first outing was in a pair of 4" stiletto ankle boots. I bought them at a local Payless and put them on inside my car. Then I listened to one of my favorite 5-minute long Heavy Metal tunes before stepping back out of my car.

It felt absolutely incredible. I was finally able to stop feeling envious toward women who enjoy heels.

[standard]

Thanks Thighbootguy, what you say makes a lot of sense.

A few years ago I was 40, and I got braces on my teeth. Not the nice clear or white ones, but really big ugly metal mess. I was so self-conscious and scared to open my mouth or speak in public for fear of what people would think about this old guy who was probably having a mid-life crisis or something.

Anyway, after a few days I thought, screw it, I'm like this for the next couple of years and don't care what people think. I don't remember anybody ever even noticing, or if they did they didn't say anything. The only people who mentioned it were those that wanted to have braces themselves and were scared.

Now if I mention that I had braces as an adult, nobody, not even the people I worked with every day even remember I had them.

I think probably it would only gain attention if there was lack of confidence. I think people sense that the same way animals sense fear.

[Thighbootguy]

I think probably it would only gain attention if there was lack of confidence. I think people sense that the same way animals sense fear.

If you understand that, you are well on your way to being a confident heeler! I find that is the most difficult concept for most new heelers to grasp.

By the way, the confidence you gain by heeling (or wearing braces) transfers over to all other activities.

Here is the image I had in mind when I wrote the last post about wearing gray suede thigh boots:

[standard]

I think that's exactly the same boots I have. Here's my (crappy) pic.

[Cl0setheels]

Great story and great boots! I hope you enjoy them a lot

[HappyinHeels]

standard, You did indeed have a remarkable FIRST heeling experience and, as a result, your confidence has increased dramatically. Any time you're looking for continued encouragement just come back and read Thighbootguy's reply below. It' a concise explanation of what it is like, what it was like for so many of us here. Look at the number of posts he has made relative to the nearly 700 thanks he has accumulated. That tells me he hits the nail on the head all the time..a constant source of reassuring information for you and all of us.It is precisely this kind of positive reinforcement that lifts spirits and allows humans to believe in themselves that just about anything is possible. HappyinHeels:wave:

[brake blocks]

Standard, That is a great confidence boost for you, what was the moment like when the assistant told you about the boots & letting you try them on in the back. Agreat story and keep up the posting.

[standard]

What was it like? Not what I would have expected. She didn't really ask me if wanted to, she stated a fact. "You should try them on", and then headed for the back of the store with them. It wasn't really a decision on my part, I felt like I was obligated to follow her and go do it. Good salesmen are like that, aren't they? They make you say and do things more out of a feeling of obligation than anything. Anyway, it wasn't until I got them in my hands and were pulling them on that I started to shake. I was so nervous, and I'm not sure why because the whole situation was not threatening in any way. I was still shaking when I went to pay for them, I could hardly get my wallet open. By the time I reached the parking lot I had settled into a "what the hell just happened" kind of mindset. On the drive home, excitement started to swell up. Like I said in my first post, I admire women in heels, but I never even considered wearing them myself. All of the sudden it kind of seemed like a new world had opened up. I'm not sure I like the fact that I have been exposed to it, but now I want to explore it.

[quidam]

Forget the boots... TAKE THE GIRL!

[BCBG]

Forget the boots... TAKE THE GIRL!

I like your thinking, but, standard mentioned that he is allready married. If he were single, she would be the perfect girlfriend to start his heeling with. Enjoy your boots Standard!

[nickinboots]

Great adventure!

[loswabs]

Standard, you've just struck gold old sweetheart!!!

[Gudulitooo]

It wasn't really a decision on my part, I felt like I was obligated to follow her and go do it.

Good salesmen are like that, aren't they? They make you say and do things more out of a feeling of obligation than anything.

Hello Standard,

It seems that you didn't need the saleswoman to enter the store in the first place. Neither did you to start browsing for heels.

The saleswoman only pushed you on the right direction. This is incredible how well inspired she has been.

Happy heeling

[Shafted]

Hello Standard, Have you thought of sharing this experience with your wife and then showing her the boots? This event could lead you both to explore the possibilities of your new found footwear. Don't wait until she finds them.