Love for women shoes or heels only?

[asdf174]

I like heels. Though I have seen several styles of sneakers/tennis shoes that I like.

[womenshoelover]

As my name suggests I like all womens shoes. There are some styles I like better than others. I prefer pumps, high heeled sandals, loafers and clogs. I think clogs are underrated!

[dressboots]

dawn HH Be sure to let us know when your new boots arrive. This is not the time of year I typically think of, when shopping for tall boots. Is there a web link where we can see what you are getting? to the women' styles lovers I thought I might qualify my previous posting by saying that I do like block heels on women's tall boots. They are a lot easier to walk in, that is for sure. I like heel heights around 2.5" as the higher styles tend to cause me foot pain. At 6'2" I tend to tower over a lot of people anyway so another reason to stay to lower heels but the first one of comfort is the really compelling one as far as I am concerned. Many vendors label tall boots "dress boots" thus my posting name here. Just thought it appropriate as it fits my tastes. dressboots

[dressboots]

Dear genebujold "To answer your question, I prefer the heels themselves to the fact that the only way a man can wear heels is to wear women's shoes. It's not that I'm into wearing women's shoes. Rather, I'm into wearing what's comfortable and pleasing to the senses. "If the shoe fits, wear it," and women's shoes do fit me better than men's shoes. " Words to live by! Here is a good replied when wearing heeled boots/shoes to the query " Are those women's shoes?" "No. they are Men's shoes." (because I am wearing them and own them - therefore possesive takes priority over style labels.) Such boorish questioners* heve been always at a loss, in my experience, for a response, after that answer. I suspect there is doubt in their mind about what they see and are attempting to confirm their suspicion only to receive an answer that is opposite what they expected or were looking for. Generally any follow up response is more along the lines of "Oh." * people that know you, but are not your friends dressboots

[aussieheels]

I think it just come back to the fact that women have such a larger range in terms of styles of shoes to choose from and thus why i like women shoes. At the same time there are women shoes that i wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole, at least they've got enough variety so you don't have to wear them...... for men on the other hand, it's pretty much this or that or this again.... have notice there are starting to be more styles for men in australia with slightly higher heels (still really low though).... but there are starting to have some feminine qualities to them which are starting to get my interest..... so maybe my interest is shoes in general rather than men, women or high heels only.....

[sscotty727]

Primarily I like wearing heels (block heels in public), but when I can't wear block heels, I do wear women's sandals which have more of a wedge platform. To me, men's shoes are drab and boring. They just look big/boxy and boring. I guess the comparison between mens and womens shoes are like the difference between a boxy station wagon vs a sexy sleek sports car. Which would you rather drive? Scotty

[azraelle]

I'll start wearing hi-heels made for men when they start being made for guys identical in every respect to the female counterparts except one--namely being made on a guy's last, and in generally larger sizes. If the sole is made thicker (so as to last longer--kowtowing to guys' supposed addiction to practicality, or to make them look more massive/masculine), or the leather less supple, or the heel shape is different, ao the straps are wider--FORGET IT!! But if I could buy non-fetish fashionable hi-heeled boots made specifically FOR men, with the aforementioned provisos, I WOULD, in preference to wearing something made for someone I am not. What I would like is stylish, femminine-inspired hi-heeled boots that really, truly FIT MY FOOT. Is that too much to ask?

[micha]

I'll start wearing hi-heels made for men when they start being made for guys identical in every respect to the female counterparts except one--namely being made on a guy's last, and in generally larger sizes. If the sole is made thicker (so as to last longer--kowtowing to guys' supposed addiction to practicality, or to make them look more massive/masculine), or the leather less supple, or the heel shape is different, ao the straps are wider--FORGET IT!! But if I could buy non-fetish fashionable hi-heeled boots made specifically FOR men, with the aforementioned provisos, I WOULD, in preference to wearing something made for someone I am not. What I would like is stylish, femminine-inspired hi-heeled boots that really, truly FIT MY FOOT. Is that too much to ask?

Definitely no! But crying loud doesn't help. I assume that I have a similar size like you. My size is EU 44/45, a female US 13. The offer is poor: Always the same chunky PU- and PVC-varnish boots and the same 6'' sandalettes with acrylic-soles. Naturally all made in China. But no offer without demand and vice versa!

Where is the demand and the offer for stylish boots in men's sizes? I can't find them bigger than US 11

micha

just involved with the enlargement of his pink 4''-JLO-boots in the style of converse-chucks from "Anne Michelle".

[JeffB]

I've always enjoyed high heels in general, and pumps in particular. The only men's shoes I have are my walking shoes and a pair of hiking boots for snow and extreme cold winter wear. Beyond that, everything else I own are pumps, and now slingbacks as well! Hell, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing anything LOWER than three inchers! Women's shoes are just so much fun to wear and come in a much larger variety of styles and colors, unlike forever boring men's shoes!

[Bubba136]

Azraelle! Although these aren't boots, their heavier construction make this style appear more masculine than some of the other high heel styles on the market. Even with the 4" heel, they draw very little reaction when I wear them in public.

[chris100575]

Hi Azraelle, have you looked at Divine? http://www.loveisdivine.com They're mostly fetish styles, but they also do classic court shoes and fairly plain knee and ankle boots. All their shoes from size UK7 upwards are made on a last based on a man's shoe, so they're wider fitting. I've got three pairs and a fourth on the way, and am very happy with the fit and quality.

Chris

[genebujold]

If sexy, yet masculine styles were available today, I'd wear 'em all the time. Then again, they are available today - but they're all but exclusively marketed as women's heels, and are unavailable in sizes beyond 10 (US). The vast majority of sizes available beyond 10 (US) are almost exclusively relegated to the fetish arena, and are very feminin. These two extremes need to blur the lines between them!

[dressboots]

For everyone with hard to feet feet... I have found a surprisingly good selection of my size, American women's size 12 at the Nordstrom web site. They are listed in the "shops" section of this site. Their shoes and boots are mainstream and stylish, nothing I would term fetish. They have size 13 listed in their index but have never looked to see what they have in that arena. I find fit more to do with the shoe/boot than with what sex it is made for. I have had some awful (painful) fitting mens shoes in my life as well as very comfortable ones. I have had similar experience with women's styles too. What we need (and are gradually getting more of selection in this regard) are wider widths in sylish fashions. I would definitely enjoy shopping for men's fashions if they were to my taste. Thirty years ago a women's size 12 was virtually impossible to find and one had to go to a specialty shop. Size 10 or 11 were even scarce. Now, even mainstream department stores are stocking a limited selection in size 12 and I see 13 (and 14) mentioned at the specialty shops. dressboots

[Firefox]

In answer to the question, I'm different from most people here in that I like all kinds of shoes and boots, men's and women's high and low heels. Though my favourite type of footwear is ankle boots with high heels. I'm quite interested in the construction of different styles, though high heels pose the most interesting structural challenges. They present the best shapes and curves which are more pleasing to the eye. I've nothing against traditional men's type shoes, but they are very limited in style and colour. I don't see any logical reason why both sexes shouldn't experiment with a variety of colour and styles, that compliment their body shape and suit their chosen fashion image.

[Bubba136]

Gene wrote:

If sexy, yet masculine styles were available today, I'd wear 'em all the time.

Then again, they are available today - but they're all but exclusively marketed as women's heels, and are unavailable in sizes beyond 10 (US).

The vast majority of sizes available beyond 10 (US) are almost exclusively relegated to the fetish arena, and are very feminin.

These two extremes need to blur the lines between them!

While I'm sure there are women out there that do wear sizes larger than a U.S. 12, I believe the main reasons heels are made in larger sizes is because most buyers are crossdressers and want to appear as feminine as possible. Hence the "overly femine" accented features.

I ran across this on eBay tonight. U.S Woman's Size 14 (U.K. 12)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4151392772&category=63889&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT&rd=1

[Dawn HH]

Dressboots:-)

Here is the information available on my new pair of boots from Newport-News that you ask about. They just arrived today and the wife and I have already been out street-heeling with them. Unlike someone else who posted, I did not walk miles up-hill in them in San Francisco to break them in---but I did spend several hours in them today including being on my feet doing grocery shopping for 2 hours in our local food store. No one said anything or even looked as I clicked up and down the aisles between a lot of women who were also clicking up and down the same aisles I was in. The following information may not help guys with large feet, but can benefit those of us who are lucky enough to be able to buy off of the shelf or through a catalog as I did.

Punch in www.Newport-News.com, bring up shoes and accessories, click on boots p 2, and look for Milano Boot. Only one color is now available---Antique Taupe---regular and wide widths, whole and half sizes 5 through 11 U.S. womens, leather upper with man-made sole, side zip, and 3.5" black stacked-look heel, $49.00. I hope that this information can help some of the guys and gals on the forum. My street-heeling went well, but it will take some more wearings to properly break these boots in to fit my legs and feet. No problems so far. Cheers---

Dawn HH

[genebujold]

For everyone with hard to feet feet...

I have found a surprisingly good selection of my size, American women's size 12 at the Nordstrom web site. They are listed in the "shops" section of this site.

Their shoes and boots are mainstream and stylish, nothing I would term fetish.

dressboots

I hear what you're saying, and you're right - Nordstroms is indeed a fine store. That's where I purchased my Franco Sarto boots (icon on the left).

My point remains, that literally hundreds of high quality styles are available in size 8.5, while less than a dozen high quality styles are available in size 13.

But you're also right in that the size selection has expanded. Unfortunately, the reason behind it, better nutrition causing larger frames, causes the average male to be that much larger now than 50 years ago, too, so we're back to square one with respect to heel sizes available compared to average foot length.

[kenryu]

I like women shoes in genral. It feels so good to wear Mary Janes from time to time.

[womenshoelover]

I love Mary Janes also, especially patent leather ones!

[dressboots]

To all you needing larger sizes. I checked the Nordstrom web site and they have a tall, (semi)bladed high heeled, boot in size 13 US. It is a Sudini brand. I have a pair of equestrian boots in this brand and have found the fit to be very good. This is off season for boot shopping. Winter styles start to be stocked in July. I expect the Nordstrom site will expand their offerings greatly by late summer. I wonder how much the "men's" market is driving the increase in larger women's sizes? I suspect it is a significant factor though there are likely no statistics recorded. Probably would be very difficult to gather them too. to dawnHH: Thanks for your great report on your new boots. You are correct in the cut off in larger size being size 11 making them unavailable to many of us, including me.

[Bubba136]

While I was driving to meet a client for lunch, I happened to hear on the noon news report that was a popular color for mens shirts this season. The report went on to say that men were buying pink shoes to match. And, since the availability of pink men's shoes was almost none, men were buying and cramming their feet into woman's shoes at more than $150 a pair. Now, that's a step in the right direction.

[Dawn HH]

Kenryu:-) Let me be one of the first to WELCOME you to the board of the High Heel Forum. I am interested in finding out your interests and opinions. I prefer my Mary Janes to have a 3" to 4" chunky heel as the flat ones look horrible on my feet and makes my ankles look awfully thick. Of course, I don't like flats anyways for the reasons stated above. Dressboots:-) Thanks for your compliment on my boot posting. This means a lot to me. I'm sorry the information couldn't help you because of size as I posted the largest was a U.S. 11. I feel for you fellows, but thank goodness with some research you can satisfy your high heel wants. God blessed me with small feet for a man, but they have increased in size over the years also, but I am still within the shelf and catalog limits, thank goodness. When I started cross-dressing many years ago, my first high heels were a U.S. size 6 in a heeled pump. Then we weren't into boots as we are today. That size has adjusted over the years into a U.S. size 7.5 in heeled pumps and size U.S. 8 in the boots. My width has remained in "B" or medium width over the years. Good luck on your search for boots as I also like and use them a lot today or I wouldn't be able to street-heel as I do. Bubba136:-) Ladies pink shoes are not always easy to find, but that certainly is great news and a step, (pun intended), forward in the "Men in heels" movement, although I wouldn't want to spend $150.00 for a pair of heels pink or otherwise. I don't pay that price for my knee-boots and they are leather. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[dressboots]

I will check out some sites that claim to sell a wide range of sizes in women' shoes. There used to be a much greater size range available from some of these companies but in recent years they have cut back. I used to do business with some fo them when their selections in large sizes were greater. Any fashions they have are very conservtive* in heel height and mostly available in the narrow/medium range in size 12. However, the more options available, the better. *Conservative heels and styles should be a refreshing turn of event, based on the comments from some of the posters who have little luck but to shop for the fetish styles at least up to size 12. Our choice is limited in this range of size, but the expansion of choice over men's footware styles is exciting. I eagerly anticipate the release of new winter styles starting each year in July.