xaphod Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 Since it looks like we are missing out High St Kensington, I went up there yesterday, wearing my spiky Sacha knee high boots outside pants. Diving into Pizza Hut, I was greeted by my fave waitress, "Hi, how are you?" Usual pleasantries passed and I chose their 'eat as much as you like' buffet. While I was selecting from their pizzas and salad bar, I asked another waitress if they still did their black olive pizzas. Returning to my table I found the bill which they usually leave to save them time when the rush starts later. Strange, thought I, what's written on this .... 'I want you', plus some cryptic underlinings on the bit about 'service not included'. OH f.... how do I handle this? While musing on this, my fave waitress (who is about half my age) came over and said, "We've put out a mushroom and black olive pizza for you. Oh, BTW I really like your boots .... where did you get them from?" I told her that they were from Sacha a couple of years ago, so she seemed pretty disappointed that she couldn't get a pair. She had to attend to another customer, so I couldn't continue the conversation. The problem was that I couldn't be sure that it was she who had written on the bill, so when one of the guys came over to refill my pepsi, I asked him whose writing this was on my bill. "It's mine", the guy said, and apologised pretty quickly. I told him that despite appearances to the contrary I was 100% straight and he went away. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Later on in the day I was in South Molton St (a mini version of Rodeo drive) wandering into all the designer shoe stores there. I was half aware of a woman who walked across from the other side of the street, straight into the shop, straight up to me and said, "I really admire a guy who is interested in footwear". We had a brief conversation about why I wore heels, but she had to dash before I could steer the conversation around to anything more personal. Could be I ballsed up again ! .... added later It couldn't have been all that bad, because she said that I was 'looking good'. One day, this way, I might find someone I like and who hasn't got any current emotional entaglements, but, in the meantime, it's quite fun. Jo, I don't normally remember the stores in South Molton St. Generally they are well overpriced £300 to £500 for a pair of admitedly very good quality boots. For that price I can get a pair custom-made. Note for Robert, I dropped into Barrats in Oxford St to see if your 'Jeanes' boots had arrived in size 10 .... no luck, but I'll keep on trying. I always thought that people in shoe shops had a shoe fetish to a greater or lesser degree, but the manageress of Barrats asked me, somewhat incredulously, "do you actually like wearing them". I told her that I had been fascinated by heels since I was about 4 (in 1960). I was just the right height to get an eyeful of stils and in just the right era .... all the girls wore stils then. In Aldo in Oxford St, I met the same girl who sold me a pair of 3 1/2" heeled burgundy knee boots last year. She tried valiantly to sell me something else, but old Xaphod is too canny to pay 'recommended retail price' for anything, unless it's truly exceptional. Outside Aldo I was stopped by another girl who was amazed by the spiky Sachas and asked if I had just bought them in Aldo. A second girl this day seemed quite disappointed that she had 'missed the boat' by about 2 years. Finally, on the tube, a couple of young girls seemed to be having trouble containing the giggles. The two snaps of conversation I overheard were: "I can't stand it, I think I'm going to explode", and, when I rose to get off, coincidentally at the same stop as them, "Ohmigod he's getting off here." Xa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffM Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 Hi Xaph I thought that was so funny. Glad you got out of it ok. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heelfan Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 Let's face it Xa, Life's never dull when you're around! Shame you ballsditup with the interested lady though! Better luck next time! Cheerfully yours, Heelfan Onwards and upwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionic Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 The main thing is you stuffed yourself at Pizza Hut as you wanted even if you didn't score with a waitress!!! Now South Moulton St. and Bond St., there are lots of fancy designer shops aren't there??? Bet they don't fit you though...... The second story was interesting; complex things go in women's heads too about these issues. Perhaps she was also expressing a frustration with the rigidity of gender roles and wishing them to be more blurred. _ I just watched a history channel documentary on the Egyptian queen Hapshetsut (c.1500 BCE) and they discussed how her image became increasingly transgendered throughout her 20yr reign, from early feminine sculptures to later ones with glue on beard. Indeed, most importantly, she ruled as a Pharoah and not as a Queen. She is also the first historically known and recorded woman from anywhere in the world despite the iconclasm that chiselled out her image and tried to erase her from history. /I /I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 I have found this sort of thing happens to me also and I'm sure it dose to a number of others here on the board as well. Not every day mind you, but often enough for it not to be to much of a surprise. There seem to be a number of women out there who are attracted, in one way or another, to confident well dressed guys in heels. It has nearly always been my shoes that have prompted these open minded woman to spark up a conversation with me. When out and about, most of us are focussed on the task at hand and with getting from A to B as quickly as possible. We are usually oblivious to our surroundings and don't often give passers by a second glance. I believe you to be an interesting, thought provoking and dynamic sort of chap with a very distinctive style of dress....You must have made quite an impression on that woman Xapod. To grab her attention, stop her in her tracks and then prick her interest enough to want to cross the street and talk to you... It's a shame she was jambed up for time my friend. Next time give the lady your card and say"call me"...you have nothing to loose. jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 >> South Molton St << I think that Manolo Blahnik or Jimmy Choo is down there? and close to Gina perhaps? If you can remember where you went, any chance of posting a short list of stores in that area? I eat in that Pizza Hut from time to time, if you mean the one on the end of Kensington Church Street. In KCS itself there are a couple of charity shops that sometimes have nice heels for sale, a branch of LK Bennett, and a dress agency full of designer stuff, including dozens of Jimmy Choo and other designer shoes (but at a price!). My best London heel sighting on the 2003 Oct 04 heelmeet weekend was in Atticus, again in KCS, and just a few doors away from that Pizza Hut. They had some, at least, 4 inch high, very thin (cigarette?) spiky heel, over the knee, black, fabric boots, with curious knee and shin padding built in, and there was a well-tanned, 6 foot (probably Brazilian), big-hair, woman in her mid 20s trying them on. Stunning, but too many staff about, and no other customers in the shop, to unobtrusively get a piccie on my camera phone. I saw her about 20 minutes later with a large Atticus carrier bag, so she did buy them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted October 26, 2003 Share Posted October 26, 2003 Funny, I had a similar encounter in South Molton St. I had gone into a leather shop with the mens styles in a basement and she had come down to serve me and immediately boggled at my heels. I turned my foot to show her the heel and she said how much she liked them and came up really close to me so she was brushing against me. If it hadn't been for the fact that I'm a happily married man, I wouldn't have backed off! Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heelfan Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Wow! Some Doctors have all the luck! Cheerfully yours, Heelfan Onwards and upwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Don't they just! Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genebujold Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 I have found this sort of thing happens to me also and I'm sure it dose to a number of others here on the board as well. Not every day mind you, but often enough for it not to be to much of a surprise. There seem to be a number of women out there who are attracted, in one way or another, to confident well dressed guys in heels. It has nearly always been my shoes that have prompted these open minded woman to spark up a conversation with me. jim I think you're on to something, Jim, but I don't think it's the heels. Rather, it's in spite of them. After millenia of guessing, modern scientists have actually discovered what attracts women (on average): power. The particular attributes to which women are most attracted include self-confidence, being in control, calm fearlessness (of the Telly Savalis kind), and security with respect to material needs. When a man wears heels in fear and hiding, that's a big turn-off for most women. When he wears them with quiet confidence and the other attributes of power listed above, most women could care less that he's wearing a "woman's shoe," any more than when men began wearing rather feminine shirts (front-tie and loose, flowing lines) about twenty years ago - provided they had the masculine self-confidence to pull it off, the women dug their bravado. The obvious caveat, of course, is that men do so in a way in which doesn't invite social stigma. Black, taper-heeled boots with jeans is one thing, wearing the same boots with a frilly dress is another, so far as society and societal women are concerned. If both are pulled off with the trappings of power described above, most women will overlook the jeans approach but balk at the same guy and same heels in a dress. Why? Although women are attracted to the trappings of power, they are wary of the social faux pas. Although they're looking for security, they're usually unwilling to obtain it at the expense/risk of becoming a social outcast. Let's carry this to the extreme. Let's say there's an incredibly-looking, very rich, very pleasant, kind, understanding, self-confident, well-dressed, powerful male who dresses as a man, but wears a bra with size D breast forms everywhere he goes. Stacked. While there will undoubtedly be some women who're attracted to this, the vast majority would laugh him off as a freak. So, most women, in one way or another, seek both security and companionship. That's why nice, rich, powerful men can, and usually do, have anyone they want, regardless of how pitiful they themselves may look. It's also why many women are willing to stay in abusive relationships. The exception to this are those women who already have obtained for themselves the trappings of power (self-confidence, financial security, etc.). These women are still attracted to men with the same trappings, but quite often they're more interested in finding a man who is more relational that powerful. After all, their security needs are met - now they're looking to meet their relational needs. Perhaps this explains why successful marriages between powerful women (Madonna comes to mind) and men usually find that the man is usually more interested in relations than finding/associating with power. Thus, the bottom line for us heel-wearing men, if we're interested in attracting / pleasing women, is to wear 'em if you got 'em, but in a way that's tasteful and modest enough to minimize any potential fears on the part of women with respect to social taboos. The flip side of this are non-heel-wearing men. If they see a bunch a confident guys wearing heels in a conservative manner actually getting attention from women, many of them will re-think their fashion sense and some will begin crossing the lines themselves. If they see a lot of men wearing pink 5" patent leather boots, on the other hand, the idea of men wearing heels will never become maintstream, but will instead be so stigmatized that the women will shy away from a man in heels, as well, if for no other reason than to escape the ridicule of her friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genebujold Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Funny, I had a similar encounter in South Molton St. I had gone into a leather shop with the mens styles in a basement and she had come down to serve me and immediately boggled at my heels. I turned my foot to show her the heel and she said how much she liked them and came up really close to me so she was brushing against me. If it hadn't been for the fact that I'm a happily married man, I wouldn't have backed off! I've rarely had such an encounter here in Las Vegas. Then again, this is a town with a lot of different quirks, and the way most people deal with the differences is to simply ignore them. "Anything goes, provided the cash flows" is pretty much the motto. If a guy walks into a casino wearing conservative heels and minds his own business, he stays. If he's disrupting the play at the tables because his attire is outlandish, he will be asked to leave. The times I have been asked about my footware is usually on elevators, in waiting rooms, and other places where people can strike up private conversations in public places. But almost never within earshot of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xaphod Posted October 27, 2003 Author Share Posted October 27, 2003 I've added some more to the original story if anyone would care to read it. Jo, I know the designer store up the hill in Kensington Church St. Usually there is something of interest, but, as you say, it's horrendously expensive for something secondhand. It's amazing how stupid some people are to pay so much money for a name on a label. I still remember that Viv Westwood used to charge £50 for a teeshirt with her logo on it. I get as good quality for £10 from Argos !!! Xa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 Note for Robert, I dropped into Barrats in Oxford St to see if your 'Jeanes' boots had arrived in size 10 .... no luck, but I'll keep on trying. Xa Thank you very much Xaphod! On their website it says "size 10, out of stock", but I'm still hoping that they are there somewhere. Robert Boots, fascinating footwear http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i103/Boots_1956/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 I think you're on to something, Jim, but I don't think it's the heels. Rather, it's in spite of them. After millenia of guessing, modern scientists have actually discovered what attracts women (on average): power. The particular attributes to which women are most attracted include self-confidence, being in control, calm fearlessness (of the Telly Savalis kind), and security with respect to material needs. When a man wears heels in fear and hiding, that's a big turn-off for most women. When he wears them with quiet confidence and the other attributes of power listed above, most women could care less that he's wearing a "woman's shoe," any more than when men began wearing rather feminine shirts (front-tie and loose, flowing lines) about twenty years ago - provided they had the masculine self-confidence to pull it off, the women dug their bravado. The obvious caveat, of course, is that men do so in a way in which doesn't invite social stigma. Black, taper-heeled boots with jeans is one thing, wearing the same boots with a frilly dress is another, so far as society and societal women are concerned. If both are pulled off with the trappings of power described above, most women will overlook the jeans approach but balk at the same guy and same heels in a dress. Why? Although women are attracted to the trappings of power, they are wary of the social faux pas. Although they're looking for security, they're usually unwilling to obtain it at the expense/risk of becoming a social outcast. Let's carry this to the extreme. Let's say there's an incredibly-looking, very rich, very pleasant, kind, understanding, self-confident, well-dressed, powerful male who dresses as a man, but wears a bra with size D breast forms everywhere he goes. Stacked. While there will undoubtedly be some women who're attracted to this, the vast majority would laugh him off as a freak. So, most women, in one way or another, seek both security and companionship. That's why nice, rich, powerful men can, and usually do, have anyone they want, regardless of how pitiful they themselves may look. It's also why many women are willing to stay in abusive relationships. The exception to this are those women who already have obtained for themselves the trappings of power (self-confidence, financial security, etc.). These women are still attracted to men with the same trappings, but quite often they're more interested in finding a man who is more relational that powerful. After all, their security needs are met - now they're looking to meet their relational needs. Perhaps this explains why successful marriages between powerful women (Madonna comes to mind) and men usually find that the man is usually more interested in relations than finding/associating with power. Thus, the bottom line for us heel-wearing men, if we're interested in attracting / pleasing women, is to wear 'em if you got 'em, but in a way that's tasteful and modest enough to minimize any potential fears on the part of women with respect to social taboos. The flip side of this are non-heel-wearing men. If they see a bunch a confident guys wearing heels in a conservative manner actually getting attention from women, many of them will re-think their fashion sense and some will begin crossing the lines themselves. If they see a lot of men wearing pink 5" patent leather boots, on the other hand, the idea of men wearing heels will never become maintstream, but will instead be so stigmatized that the women will shy away from a man in heels, as well, if for no other reason than to escape the ridicule of her friends. I've been pondering the whole issue of men in feminine attire. A picture that springs to mind is of Morrisey in a frilly cheesecloth shirt, Mick Jagger looking equally butch in a frilly chiffon jacket/cardigan at Woodstock. Slade in their high heels, Pilot and The Sweet in their matching powder blue satin jumpsuits had the girls swooning everywhere they went. Even Boy George and Pete Burns in the 80s were considered "totty" and many a teenage girl cried herself to sleep over them. Have a feathercut hairstyle, wear a satin jumpsuit and platforms down Swindon high street and you're euither on your way to a gig or a fancy dress party or you're a weirdo. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xaphod Posted October 28, 2003 Author Share Posted October 28, 2003 I'm coming to the conclusion that if you dress well and that your 'internal mental attitude' knows you are looking good, you will be well equipped to attract favourable comments. The negative stuff that is also inevitable then seems trivial in comparison. I also find that the favourable comments are much more prevalent in the 'rich end of town'. To quote Charles Pellegrino (previously attributed to Carl Sagan, in error):- Talent recognises genius. Mediocrity sees only itself. Xa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shoe Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 I also find that the favourable comments are much more prevalent in the 'rich end of town'. That's because wealthy people have got there by being creative, imaginative, open-minded and by having imagination. The proles you encounter and the cheaper end of town are negative, easily led by their peers, narrow minded and shallow which is why they will always remain there. Also, the wealthier people tend to be more polite and courteous. Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genebujold Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 I've been pondering the whole issue of men in feminine attire. Well... Let's put this into the proper perspective. It appears you've been pondering the whole issue of men in feminine attire, the very select few of which have actually appeared on stage. Please don't let Hollywood dictate reality... The key, therefore, for us men, is to never allow our sense of fashion to so highlight ourselves that we never achieve takeoff velocity prioty to acceptance speed. Otherwise, we're a flash in the pan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genebujold Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Talent recognises genius. Mediocrity sees only itself. I like that! Gene' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genebujold Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Also, the wealthier people tend to be more polite and courteous. An incredibly poignant point, Dr. Shoe! And one that goes a long way towards what's considered fashionable. On the other hand, they're also the world's worst critiques. If you goof just once (in their eyes) you're blacklisted from the annuls of fashion, partygoers, etc. For life. Thus, there's considerable incentive to push the boundary without pushing too far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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