NY Times articles on Men in Heels

[jazzymj]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/16/fashion/some-men-are-dressed-to-the-nines-the-height-of-their-pumps.html?_r=2&ref=fashion

ON a recent summer evening at Mr. Black, a dance party held every Tuesday at Bardot on North Vine Street, Sean Wagner was towering above the crowd. Mr. Wagner, 23, is tall even in socks (6-foot-2), but that night he had some extra help.

On his size 11 feet were a pair of eight-inch bright neon green lace-up stiletto ankle boots, procured from The Ladies Studio Exotic Shoes on Hollywood Boulevard.

He jokingly dubbed them “my usual hiking shoes.”

Mr. Wagner was otherwise dressed in men’s clothing: a loose-fitting black tank top with a pair of tapered black pants. He had a neatly trimmed beard, and a pair of black-framed glasses sat perched on his nose.

“I never leave the house with less than eight inches on my feet,” he said cheerfully. “It helps you see over the cattle.”

Mr. Wagner was not the only man wearing high heels (but no other women’s clothing) that night. At Mr. Black, Luke Nero, a promoter, estimated that 10 or more men were traversing the dance floor in a pair of pumps. “I went to a loft party yesterday, and there was a guy in normal shorts, normal tank and really hot red pumps. That’s it!” he said. “Everyone was like, ‘Oh my God, I love those shoes!’ ”

In a way, Mr. Wagner and his stiletto-wearing cohorts are repeating history. Until Napoleon banned them, high heels were considered a sign of nobility in France during the 18th century and were favored by men as well as women; long before Louboutin, Louis XVI donned five-inch red-accented heels depicting wartime battle scenes.

In 2009 the Atlanta hairstylist Derek J became famous after appearing on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” wearing women’s pumps with jeans and a sweater, the same year that the designer Rad Hourani sent male models down the runway in boot heels reminiscent of Prince and ’70s glam rockers like David Bowie and David Johansen of the New York Dolls.

At Mr. Black, two best friends, Coy Barton, 24, and Mark Cramer, 25, who go out together as a duo dubbed Coma, were dressed alike in buttoned-up white shirts, dark gray dress slacks pegged at the ankle — and black leather ankle boots with peep toes that showed off their black painted toenails. “I’m in Steve Madden, he’s in Chinese Laundry,” said Mr. Barton of their shoes, “These were $115. Mine were, like, $170.”

Expensive, yes, but nothing compared with the price of Gregory Alexander’s prized pair of Balenciaga six-inch wooden wedges: $2,000. They were safely ensconced in his closet. That evening, Mr. Alexander, 26 and a host at Mr. Black, had paired Yves Saint Laurent’s Imperiale platform stiletto ankle boot (original retail price: $1,395) with a leather motorcycle jacket, tight black jeans, a white shirt and a skinny black tie. “They were a pretty penny,” said Mr. Alexander, 26, referring to the YSL’s. “They were a Valentine’s present to myself. I had them engrave a card for me, too.”

Mr. Alexander, who runs a popular party called A Club Called Rhonda, said he owns about 30 pairs of women’s heels. He wears a women’s size 11, and just barely fits in most designer shoes.

Mr. Wagner, meanwhile, said he often resorts to paying for custom-made heels for his larger feet.

“I love the height,” he said. “It helps when you’re in a club. I’ve bought Louis Vuitton. I’ve bought Gucci. But a lot of designers don’t go high enough for me. I found a company in Arizona that will do 15-inch heels for $3,000.”

Jeff Paice, a clothing designer at Mr. Black who had dressed up his buttoned-up black shirt and black pants with a pair of sandal wedges, said he was bored with the usual choices. “There’s nothing for guys,” he said.

Mr. Barton agreed: “I literally look at girls and think, you have so many options. You have jumpers, you have skirts, you have dresses, you have pants, you have shorts. Boys have pants and shorts. Or suits and a shirt.”

None of the men interviewed considered themselves to be in drag. “I always make it very clear that I am a man, and I’m not trying to portray an illusion to anybody,” Mr. Wagner said.

Though some would call it a form of drag, he added, “As far as we’re concerned, this is just bringing a look to a club — which is what you are supposed to do.”

“I wish society was more acceptable of men wearing heels,” Mr. Paice said. “I think it’s fun. I think it makes a statement.”

Mr. Alexander cited reasons for wearing high heels many women have known since they were invented: “It’s a power thing. You’re higher than everybody else. You make more sound. You walk a different way. It makes your legs look better.”

He added: “I don’t ever take them off. I even drive in them — stick shift.”

Last summer, he broke his ankle trying to jump a fence to get into a party while wearing a pair of heels. “I was in a cast for four months,” he said. “They told me I should never wear heels again, obviously.”

“But I don’t know,” Mr. Alexander added, admiring his YSL-clad feet. “I’m back.”

A version of this article appeared in print on October 16, 2011, on page ST12 of the New York edition with the headline: A Tall Tale, But True: Men in Heels.

[Shafted]

Excellent article! Too bad though that they don't do a little research and find out how widespead (although thinly) it actually is.

[shirazmn]

Absolutely cool article! I have to say that, given the number of men in heels at parties and clubs here in London, this is not unfamiliar to me. But this article gives me some more confidence so I think I'll push my style a little further from now on!

[Guest]

Great article and exactly the right message in the script, the photo of the two guys didn't quite give a straight message though, non the less very positive. Thanks for posting Al

[Heelster]

A step in the right direction.

[JeffB]

An interesting article indeed. Not to nitpick however, but I would like to see more pieces about men in heels in more ordinary outings instead of guys at parties and such. Just my opinion.

[ChipsHH]

Drat! Hate to say it... but who reads the paper on Sundays? It's all about the sales papers! ;P

[hhboots]

Great article and exactly the right message in the script, the photo of the two guys didn't quite give a straight message though, non the less very positive.

Thanks for posting

Al

I agree, in almost every picture of guys in heels I see in articles like they look sort of flamboyant, even if they are straight. Would like to see more normal guy looking photos for those articles. Hmm, maybe that is saying something though, is it that hard for a guy to look normal in heels? I don't know, I sure hope I don't look flamboyant in them, but maybe I do... I sure put a lot of effort to try to look like a regular dressed guy (just with heels added in).

[Dr. Shoe]

It will trickle down though. more "ordinary" people who were at that party may think "that looked great, I'll do that at my next party" which will be a little more downscale. They will possibly be joined by others who have read this article or who were also at that party, then others will see them...

[ChipsHH]

I agree, in almost every picture of guys in heels I see in articles like they look sort of flamboyant, even if they are straight. Would like to see more normal guy looking photos for those articles. Hmm, maybe that is saying something though, is it that hard for a guy to look normal in heels? I don't know, I sure hope I don't look flamboyant in them, but maybe I do... I sure put a lot of effort to try to look like a regular dressed guy (just with heels added in).

Phew! Glad I wasn't the one to say it! The word escaped me at the time of posting, and what I had in mind...not very appropriate...

I'll do my part in blogging the various looks I come up with. Probably won't make it as big as the NY Times, but it's an effort as well as a start.

[docs41]

It's great to see an article about guys in heels without any negative connotations.

[shirazmn]

The cascade effect of this NYT article is STAGGERING.

Jezebel, another well known site, wrote on the same topic as a result if the times piece http://m.jezebel.com/5850320/fashionable-men-are-stepping-out-in-womens-high-heels and if you do a search for men in heels on twitter, the stream of results that feeds back as a result if the Times piece is mesmerizing (long). This is a real boon to "the community"

Twitter is actually full of "fashionable men in high heels" links and tweets. I think this also answers some of the outfit-related wuestions that we ask on this forum: "what's the best, or most acceptable, outfit to wear with heels?".

Looks like the answer is "a very elegant and masculine suit".

If the "men in heels" revolution will start, that will probably happen in an elegant environment!

[Dr. Shoe]

What do you mean "if"? It already has.

[shirazmn]

What do you mean "if"? It already has.

"if" is because I'd like to see something more than an article on a sunday's paper.

By the way, I think I'll go to Oxford Circus this evening to take a few pictures of something very interesting that I noticed last month...

[Mr. X]

An interesting article indeed. Not to nitpick however, but I would like to see more pieces about men in heels in more ordinary outings instead of guys at parties and such. Just my opinion.

That is not nitpicking at all. I could see how you would like that. I am sure you are not alone in this. Good article though.

[gary0618]

Another Related Article:

http://fashionindie.com/lets-heel-it-for-the-boys/

In 18th century France, Louis XIV often wore five-inch heels depicting miniature battle scenes. The Sun King decreed that only nobility were allowed to wear heels in red — how’s that for trademark infringement Christian Louboutin — and that no one could have heels higher than his own. Diva. Then in 1791, following the French Revolution, noted lilliputian Napoleon Bonaparte banned high heels to show equality.

[Tom-NL]

I agree, in almost every picture of guys in heels I see in articles like they look sort of flamboyant, even if they are straight. Would like to see more normal guy looking photos for those articles. Hmm, maybe that is saying something though, is it that hard for a guy to look normal in heels? I don't know, I sure hope I don't look flamboyant in them, but maybe I do... I sure put a lot of effort to try to look like a regular dressed guy (just with heels added in).

Well, what do you think of this?

www.high-heels-feelings.de/de/high-heels-galerie-27

[ChipsHH]

The cascade effect of this NYT article is STAGGERING.

Jezebel, another well known site, wrote on the same topic as a result if the times piece http://m.jezebel.com/5850320/fashionable-men-are-stepping-out-in-womens-high-heels and if you do a search for men in heels on twitter, the stream of results that feeds back as a result if the Times piece is mesmerizing (long). This is a real boon to "the community"

Not to mention the comments below. Although they mostly veer a little off-topic. But some seem to give a few good pointers, to the guys who are reading and interesting in strutting their own stuff

[euchrid]

By the way, I think I'll go to Oxford Circus this evening to take a few pictures of something very interesting that I noticed last month...

What did you notice? something in TopShop window perhaps?

BTW --- this story has just hit the UK press:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2050300/A-tall-order-fashionable-gentlemen-High-heels-men-rise.html

Just the usual "urgh, how disgusting" comments from their readership so far

[Dr. Shoe]

Well, what do you think of this?

www.high-heels-feelings.de/de/high-heels-galerie-27

I like the way those pics are mixed in with the girl ones. There's no kind of "Look! A man in HEELS!!!" kind of captions, it's just done like it's normal!

[Dr. Shoe]

What we need now is a completely different story in another mainstream newspaper saying more or less the same thing but reporting about a different venue in a different city. By the end of the week please.

[shirazmn]

What did you notice? something in TopShop window perhaps?

BTW --- this story has just hit the UK press:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2050300/A-tall-order-fashionable-gentlemen-High-heels-men-rise.html

Just the usual "urgh, how disgusting" comments from their readership so far

Nope. There were (in TopMan) some 3 inches heel boots and some wedge loafers. Yesterday they weren't there anymore; I'll look for them on the site.

By the way: I am reading the comments on the "mail online" article. They are quite discouraging.

[Dr. Shoe]

Daily mail readers though....

[ChipsHH]

High heels on a man would be a gi-normous deal breaker for most women. It's not so much the heels as the underlying psychology behind any straight man that would want to wear them. Heels (of a sort) may have worked for the men back in the day but this isn't back in the day. The first picture says it all really.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2050300/High-heels-men-rise.html#ixzz1b9lLtzyt

They say it's a 'deal breaker', but to which women, exactly? The ones that fit the typical stereotype of a lady, or the ones that fits their definition of the 'perfect girl'? Not every girl's the same, that's for sure.

[benno]

God bless the Daily Mail and it's highly liberal and open minded readers. I personally don't give a flying F*!& what narrow minded Tory voting idiots think of my clothes. In fact I like to think I wind them up nicely.

[Tom-NL]

I like the way those pics are mixed in with the girl ones. There's no kind of "Look! A man in HEELS!!!" kind of captions, it's just done like it's normal!

And that couple shares a membership here at hhplace.org (although not very active - too bad).

[euchrid]

God bless the Daily Mail and it's highly liberal and open minded readers.

The article appeared in The Daily Mail (online version), however the comments are open to all & many have come from open-minded folks in the USA.

I'd actually like to know what the poster meant by this comment :

"It's not so much the heels as the underlying psychology behind any straight man that would want to wear them. "

[benno]

Don't read them. They will just make you angry. It's so easy to find someone that disagrees.

[Dr. Shoe]

God bless the Daily Mail and it's highly liberal and open minded readers.

I personally don't give a flying F*!& what narrow minded Tory voting idiots think of my clothes. In fact I like to think I wind them up nicely.

Speaking as a Tory voting idiot, I think I wind them up too!

[roniheels]

An interesting article indeed. Not to nitpick however, but I would like to see more pieces about men in heels in more ordinary outings instead of guys at parties and such. Just my opinion.

I agree with this, but at least this article, and others similar to it, are a good start. It seems like at the "ordinary outings" that have been published (such as candid pictures from hidden cameras or cellphone cameras), men in high heels are depicted in a not-so-positive light.