zathrus69 Posted January 20, 2004 Posted January 20, 2004 It was a long time coming but finally I did it :-) Last week my work took me far enough away from home that I could risk going out in heels and not bumping into someone I know. Add in the fact that I could wear my casual trousers (my suit trousers are cut too short for me to hide the heels) and I figured - well, if you don't do it now you never will. Changing into my 4" spike-heeled boots (bought from Brantano's about two years ago) I drove up the M6 for a while before a lack of fuel required me to pull into a service station. It was 6am and there were only two other vehicles on the forecourt. Without pausing for thought I got out and started fueling up. OK - now I'm outside in heels and there's no way back, I thought. Fully fueled I set off to pay and then a horrible truth hit me. I can't walk fast in heels. It was like the scene in a horror movie when the potential victim is trying to run for a door and it just gets further away. Time seemed to slow down and it seemed to take forever for me to get inside the shop. I was really aware of the click, click sound of my heels as well - which made me want to walk slower to try to soften the impact of the heel on the ground. I took a detour past the anti-freeze display and approached the cashier from the side. No strange glances, no comment. I paid, turned 180 degrees and walked out. She may have been watching me walk out but I didn't look round to find out. I jumped back in my car (another couple of cars had pulled up but the occupants paid me no attention) and drove the rest of the way to Scotland in heels. On the way back I popped into Logo and bought some 4" block-heeled boots in their sale as I figured these would be less obvious than my spike-heels. I tested them out at Designer Outlet Village. It was raining so it was very quiet but I walked around the shops without any obvious stares from passers-by. An assistant (male) in the shoe shop there glanced down at my shoes the moment I walked in but perhaps shoe shop assistants always do that? It was only as I was leaving the Village that two teenage girls I passed started to giggle behind me as I walked away. Still - teenage girls pretty much giggle at anything don't they? So, at last I've joined the ever growing masses of men who wear heels out. I won't be able to repeat this for some time (it'll take an ever greater leap of faith for me to wear my heels with my suit trousers) but it sure felt good. Thanks for listening. Zathrus
Heelfan Posted January 20, 2004 Posted January 20, 2004 Zathrus - you're a hero! WELL DONE! One of ther best things about scanning through these Forums is to read about yet another Guy stepping-out for the very first time! It's a great and very liberating feeling, isn't it? Mind you, you described beautifully the agonising slowness of the never-ending walk to the petrol paydesk! Still, the block heels will keep you going for a while. I can't though understand why you can't do any more right now. Why not come to our Paris Heel-Meet (see details on "Real Life Meetings")? Failing that, you are most welcome to any of our ensuing UK Heel-Meets in 2004. You'll meet a great bunch, you'll gain a lot of confidence when with the rest of us, and it's a great and very interesting and sociable fun day out! As I say, WELL DONE! Cheerfully yours, Heelfan Onwards and upwards!
Bubba136 Posted January 20, 2004 Posted January 20, 2004 I had a very similar experience years ago. Brown calf-hign boots with 4" stiletto heels on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Stopped at one of the fuel plazas and got out and began pumping gas without thinking. Pumped my gas, walked across the concrete apron into the store to pay for it with the same feeling you had. Walked back to my car thinking that everyone in the store was watching me "click, click" all the way to my car. From then on, it got easier every time I did it. Being mentally comfortable in your own mind is the key to wearing heels in public.
Arctic Posted January 20, 2004 Posted January 20, 2004 Welcome to the league, Zathrus! What's all the fuss about?
Thighbootguy Posted January 20, 2004 Posted January 20, 2004 Great first outing! And who said business trips couldn’t be fun? So what to do next? Consider wearing your boots outside your trousers. It may take a little more nerve (the first time) but it completely takes away the fear of “what if somebody notices”. There is no longer the concept of being shy. All you have to do is project, “this is what I’m wearing, have a good day”, smile a lot and be pleasant. It requires a different attitude (confidence) by the wearer and this is projected to the viewer. You don’t have to start with the spike heels, but pretty soon you will realize that most people ignore you. After that, you can go for the spikes. In my mind, wearing exposed boots (thigh boots in my case) presents a very different image than wearing high heel shoes. It works for me. Have a great time in your boots. I dream of a world where chickens can cross roads without having their motives questioned.
Dr. Shoe Posted January 20, 2004 Posted January 20, 2004 Nice one! The next step (obvious pun) is to come to one of the heelmeets! Note of caution though, careful with metal heel tips on concrete with all that petrol vapour around!!! Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
Heelfan Posted January 21, 2004 Posted January 21, 2004 Absolutely! Having attended Heel-Meets where Dr. Shoe is striding away in his high stiletto-heeled thighboots, it would be great to see Thighbootguy striding away alongside him, and maybe with Xaphod strutting his stuff in heeled boots too! Cheerfully yours, Heelfan Onwards and upwards!
zathrus69 Posted January 21, 2004 Author Posted January 21, 2004 Thanks for the positive comments. As for the heelmeets - we'll have to see. It all depends on work, money and family commitments but I'd like to go along to one one day. I'll keep scanning the forum and if a date comes up I can make then I'll be there. As for the next step - I think just wearing the boots with my suit trousers is as good as wearing the boots outside trousers. For some reason, the tailor who adjusted them for me (the suit trousers that is - not the boots!) cut them real short. When I'm wearing my normal work shoes you can see my ankles! Wear heels with them and people who be in no doubt as to the nature of the shoes. So, that's the next step for me anyway. You'll be the first to know when I do it :-) Thanks again, Zathrus
loveheel Posted January 24, 2004 Posted January 24, 2004 It is always the teenage girsl that are giggling. Either that, or it is a couple of half drunken guys.
azraelle Posted January 24, 2004 Posted January 24, 2004 Welcome to the league, Zathrus! Would that be the "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (or "L.E.G.s")? If you think about it, we are extra-ordinary, and apparently somewhat more gentle than most men seem to be, and most certainly a league... Always wanted to be a member of a grand club!! "All that you can decide, is what to do with the time that is given you."--Gandalf, "Life is not tried, it is merely survived -If you're standing outside the fire."--Garth Brooks
genebujold Posted January 25, 2004 Posted January 25, 2004 It is always the teenage girsl that are giggling. Either that, or it is a couple of half drunken guys. yeah, I'd like to see some half-drunken guys "giggling..." Guffawing, you mean!
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