The High Heeled Ruminations Of Melrose Plant

[bluejay]

Great color combo Melrose. I like lots of color in my ensembles including my heels, as I have a rainbow of colors both in my shoes,  booties and knee boots, I'm looking forward to next Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, when I will wear my green blazer with my green block heel booties. Even though I'm not of Irish heritage, every one's a part Irish on ST. Patrick's Day!

Happy Heeling,

bluejay

[Cali]

Part is the total hue of the complete outfit. I know when I wear my red or blue stilettos they get noticed more than a black pair of the same shoe. But I also know my heels get noticed all the time. I see it in the eyes of people I pass as they take the second, third, ... look.

Or maybe they enjoy that splash of color as spring is about to start.

[Mr. X]

On 3/11/2024 at 5:54 AM, mlroseplant said:

I have done something a little bit different this week. Or maybe something a little the same. It has been many years since I limited myself to blacks and browns in footwear, but I bought some purple shoes. They are not a traditional liturgical purple, and they certainly don't look purple in these pictures, but to my eye they are more purple than pink. The photos picked up on the pink tones, so maybe we'll call them magenta.

No reaction at church, but I got more reaction than I have in a long time at the grocery store. Several young girls were obviously watching me, and several adults noticed me as well. I don't know whether it was the general brightness of my outfit, or if those shoes are actually that outrageous. In any case, I have another pair just like it coming in bright blue soon.

Those shoes are great! And so is the outfit as a whole.  Well done!

[HappyinHeels]

Mlroseplant, 

You look devine in your hot pink jacket and pumps. You are not being subtle now no wonder you get noticed at the grocery store! Well done and a good way to start spring. HinH

[mlroseplant]

Thanks all, for the feedback. Perhaps the reason why I have been getting bolder with color is because I feel like I've been stuck in a rut for several years. I don't know why this should bother me, because it's not like I'm surrounded by terribly fashionable people, but it's probably due to a couple of things.

Number 1, my fashionista friend from the Twin Cities area is the kind of person who has outfits planned out weeks in advance. I feel like I wear pretty much the same thing every day, and the same thing once a week on Sunday. Sunday is of course dressier.

Number 2, I had, until my 40s, a reputation for being a fashion disaster. There was one period in my early 20s where I had gone without a girlfriend or even a date for several years. My best friend at the time put it up to egregious fashion in combination with awkward social personality. He actually took me out shopping, and made me buy what he said to buy. I have to admit that it was an improvement, but most of it just wasn't really me. I have never really gotten over that traumatic experience, so perhaps I am overcompensating.

[Jkrenzer]

Go ahead, continue overcompensating.

 

[Shyheels]

You're doing fine now. I know I could certainly lift my game - indeed wearing heels has helped with that. 

[mlroseplant]

I am going with my wife to meet up with a possible business partner in the food business. I have a huge decision to make. Actually, it's not huge, but I like being dramatic sometimes. Do I wear heels or not? Wifey says she doesn't care, but you can't always take her at her word.

[Jkrenzer]

Ah those tough life decisions. Just be you buddy.

[Shyheels]

Err on the side of caution 

[Bubba136]

12 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

I am going with my wife to meet up with a possible business partner in the food business. I have a huge decision to make. Actually, it's not huge, but I like being dramatic sometimes. Do I wear heels or not? Wifey says she doesn't care, but you can't always take her at her word.

I’ve always heard that a good appearance is key to making a positive first impression which is desirable If you are eager to convince this prospective business partner that you and your wife are worthy of joining together in what you believe would be a worthwhile endeavor. I would suggest you show up nicely dressed sans high heels. That doesn’t mean you should wear your men’s shoes. I am thinking along the lines of you wearing a women’s styles that that can be worn be either sex.  A nice pair of black or brown penny loafers with two inch heels, for example so you appear properly attired while wearing something that only you are aware is feminine.

I believe I have mentioned before that I prefer to wear women’s shoes exclusively. While wearing heels is highly desirable there are occasions when heels worn by a man would not be socially appropriate.  Hence styles more fitting to the occasion, which I frequently practice.

 Besides high heels, my collection includes loafers, ankle boots and sandals and various other styles with lower heels that are never questioned when ever I wear them.

just a suggestion!  

[Jkrenzer]

Don't complicate it too much. I apologize if I  am wrong. The food business is your wife's business. My guess is this meeting is for her. If she's really fine with it then so be it.

[Shyheels]

I agree with @Bubba136 I think he’s given some very sound advice 

[mlroseplant]

Here is what I wound up doing--I wore jeans (the same ones pictured below), a turtleneck shirt, as it is still not warm, and was very windy yesterday, and my white Nike cheer shoes, which are stylized trainers.  To my mind, the cheer shoes are pretty girly, but for some reason they are enthusiastically endorsed by my wife. I even took them to Vietnam, where they didn't raise a single eyebrow. My reasoning was that my job was to drive the car, find the place, smile and nod a lot, and we wouldn't be doing any walking, so what is the point of wearing heels? This woman had a very nice restaurant in a working class neighborhood, and has all of the licenses necessary to sell street food as they plan to do together. They must have really liked each other because they talked for an hour on the phone after we had been back home a while. I can't really understand the Vietnamese language, but I can understand the tone. My wife hasn't been this happy in a long time. I hope it lasts.

In other news, I am trying out my wide(ish) legged jeans again. I understand that they're back in style. Also, I found this lightweight coat that I'd forgotten about. I don't really like either of them, but they got the thumbs up from my Twin Cities fashionista friend. I reckon that's good enough for me. The only problem I see is that I'm remembering one of the things I don't like about bootcut jeans, and haven't missed at all for several years--if you wear mules, as I am wont to do, the hem of the pants often gets caught between the bottom of your foot and the top of the shoe. I hate that. This is not a problem with other styles of shoes, so perhaps giving my pumps some more love is in order.

Edited March 17 by mlroseplant

[Shyheels]

Sounds like a great result from the meeting!

As a boot wearer I never suffer from those problems with boot cut jeans - I can well imagine it would be irritating 

[mlroseplant]

Yesterday's church OOTW. Less than special, but you can't hit a home run every time at bat. Besides, I'm kind of tired of winning.

[Bubba136]

If your church is anything like mine, appearing at a service tastefully dressed will win every time.  I appreciate your posting pictures of what you wear each week.  Makes me wonder though if any of the women showing up are wearing higher heels.  I really like the pair you are wearing in this picture.  

[mlroseplant]

20 hours ago, Bubba136 said:

If your church is anything like mine, appearing at a service tastefully dressed will win every time.  I appreciate your posting pictures of what you wear each week.  Makes me wonder though if any of the women showing up are wearing higher heels.  I really like the pair you are wearing in this picture.  

Our church has two distinct services. It used to have three, but attendance has been down, like it is for practically all mainline churches across the country, and especially since the pandemic. The "early" service, at 9 a.m., is the so-called "contemporary" service, and has all popular style music with a guitar based band. I never go to this service, unless it's absolutely necessary, meaning that somebody from that band is sick or on vacation or something. The funny thing about that band is that everybody in it is older than me, except for the choir director, who is the de facto leader and pianist. Contemporary, indeed!

The service I attend is now called the "blended" service, which means that half of the music is accompanied by the pipe organ, and consists of hymns that are 100 or more years old, and the other half of the music is accompanied by piano, bass, guitar (which is the choir director, my son, and me), and that consists of hymns that were written, say, 20 to 50 years ago. Also, the traditional choir sings at this service.

Anyway, that was a lot of background to say that no, nobody wears heels anymore. Not for real. You do occasionally see somebody who is pretending that she's wearing heels.

[Bubba136]

My early childhood years I was dressed for the occasion.   Three sets of clothes -  School, Church and Play-  Church clothes were appropriate for parties and most more formal formal occasions.  Here  I am, at 68 years of age, still practicing these same three divisions of dressing except, since my retirement, my daily morning and early afternoon choices trending more towards more casual  apparel.

[Jkrenzer]

1 hour ago, mlroseplant said:

 

Anyway, that was a lot of background to say that no, nobody wears heels anymore. Not for real. You do occasionally see somebody who is pretending that she's wearing heels.

The ladies can't compete. I'm the only high heel person in mixed company most of the time. 

I believe the high heel industry has stayed alive by selling collectibles that are stored in closets for the most part.

[mlroseplant]

4 hours ago, Bubba136 said:

My early childhood years I was dressed for the occasion.   Three sets of clothes -  School, Church and Play-  Church clothes were appropriate for parties and most more formal formal occasions.  Here  I am, at 68 years of age, still practicing these same three divisions of dressing except, since my retirement, my daily morning and early afternoon choices trending more towards more casual  apparel.

I guess I do technically have three sets of clothes: Work, church, and whatever else is not either of those two. Although, I guess I could make a fourth category for outside-of-work-work. And of course, it depends upon the season.

3 hours ago, Jkrenzer said:

The ladies can't compete. I'm the only high heel person in mixed company most of the time. 

I believe the high heel industry has stayed alive by selling collectibles that are stored in closets for the most part.

I don't believe that I personally know anybody, other than my friend the tailor/nail tech person, with whom I am not actually allowed to interact these days, who wears actual high heels. Even my wife, who was quite famous back in Vietnam for being a high heeled queen, never wore "actual" high heels. Let's face it, they were mid-heels. I do have one picture of her wearing actual high heels, but that is long in the past, and is not happening today.

[Shyheels]

I can't say I know anyone who wears heels either - although in my odd little off-grid world wearing heels would be a drawback ...

[Cali]

I know of several women at work that consistantly wear heels.  We compare them all the time. Today the President told be about some boots she is considing.

I see more heels since I am now in higher management circles.

[Shyheels]

I see more heels now that I'm in the north of England

[mlroseplant]

Here's a little outfit I put together to run some errands yesterday when I got to feeling a little better.

[Jkrenzer]

Pumps and jeans. Great look. Heels allow color matching and a clean look.

[bluejay]

I wear some type of heels to church each and every Sunday. Last Sunday in honor of St. Patrick's Day I wore a green ensemble with a green suit coat/blazer, black pants with my green patent, block heel ,booties with 4" heels. I always get compliments on my ensembles and last Sunday was no exception. I was even asked to pose for a pic from one of my lady friends. I also got several compliments while out shopping at the supermarket,later that Sunday morning. And yes I do see several ladies at my church service on Sunday mornings in heels, while I'm the only guy in heels there.

I do see a guy that also wears heels from time to time at another venue. He's always wearing 6" stiletto oxfords. We do compare our heels from time to time and once in a while, I see another guy that shops in the same Walmart as I do, in some type of heels.

Yes, there are women wearing heels out and about and even a couple of guys, besides myself!

Happy Heeling,

bluejay

[Shyheels]

I never see any other guy in heels but just this afternoon I had a girl compliment me on my knee boots 

[mlroseplant]

Happy Palm Sunday, everyone. It sure was cold and rainy for the load-in yesterday. It was cold and less rainy for the load-out. I had to set my camera back in the garage so it wouldn't get wet. One thing about the major religious holidays is that church attendance is way up compared to normal. Next Sunday at Easter there is a chance we'll have a packed sanctuary, which I haven't seen in years. As an aside, my Jewish friend from the Twin Cities just sent me pictures of her Purim service, and it looked well attended also. She wasn't wearing heels, though!

I didn't necessarily wear anything different than normal, but I did get caught up on ironing last week when I was sick, so my shirt and pants haven't seen the light of day for some time, even though they are not new. Also having not gotten much love lately (judging from the cobwebs I had to knock off of them) are my BCBGeneration Sassafras boots. I figured this was one of the last chances I'd have to wear them for the season. The only thing I really don't like about them is that they are really too big around for me, and an inch too tall by my estimation.

I hadn't been walking for 8 days because of my illness, and I almost overdid it today. I walked 3 miles (in other boots) and wore these boots for about 4 hours directly after. My feet actually cramped up a little bit as I was trying to get the boots off.

[Jkrenzer]

Yep, very wide shafts.

A little non political correctness coming up. 

These days more than not the ladies have wider calves than us guys.

Edited March 25 by Jkrenzer