when men wore high heels

[Dr. Shoe]

The last three or four posts have made me sit up! It is interesting to see that some of you seem to wear heels (and other items) to be different. In my case I wear heels (and leotards/bodysuits, leather pants with back zip) because I like to wear them. If shoe shops started to sell high heels (4"+) for men then I would rejoice because it would mean that I could buy them that fit cheaper and could get away with wearing them to work (before changing into safety boots to drive).

[Laurieheels]

Just because we're out to be different doesn't mean we do not enjoy them. I for one love wearing heels. But we get even more enjoyment because we are different. Well, I do, anyway. Non conformity is a happy thing some days

[Firefox]

Yes that sums it up for me. Being different is just one reason. Just as important is actually liking them. Being different is a topic in itself, which I'll post in another thread.

[Sandalslover]

Anybody thinks that there is a slight possibility to have the highheels for men like a fad in the next coming years?

[micha]

Anybody thinks that there is a slight possibility to have the highheels for men like a fad in the next coming years?

Hi Sandalslover,

my opinion about your question: Probably no!

I have put myself this question often. My conviction is, that high heels in the course of history have become a female respective feminine domain. In the 16th until 18th century heels were still accepted for male aristocrats. I remember a picture of Louis XIV in my school book. A picture of the french king wearing at least 2.5'' block heels and a Marc-Bolan-style wig.

Since those times the shoe history went in another direction. Male foot wear became flat and high heels became typical for female shoes. There was only one break in the 70s of the gone century. When platform boots and long hairs became fashionable. I think that this was more a rebellion of the youth against the very conservative and restrictive society of the 60s than a revival of male heels.

The low height difference between soles and heels of the ABBA and Elton John platform boots is a striking argument. Platforms were a male provocation, but they shouldn't be too feminine!

At the end of the platform area real heels for boys came up for a short time. More than 4'' high boots without platform soles! This style turned out to be a total flop for the fashion industry. Only some Rock musicians dared to wear them and so they vanished faster than they were come

Recently I saw some pictures of the french couturier Gaultier. In his new collection he presented male models cat-walking on high heels like Prince in his concerts(!). But I don't believe that he will have success. The big majority of guys is anxious to be considered on heels as gay or as CD/TV. No chance in the near future for a change!

But also no reason to despair: Ten years ago I didn't dare to strut on stilettos in the street. Thanks to the internet and to this forum I became aware that I'm not the only one. Now I'm running through the world as a multiplicator: Showing daily hundreds of people my heels. Being very pleased that the most people accept or at least tolerate my "spleen". I'm confident to "infect" some other guys who are dreaming for ages to do the same.

I love the thin air of the height

micha

[Sandalslover]

A very complete answer...now I am convinced that there are few possibilities to us wear high heels in the streets...I agree with you, Micha, 100% thanks...

[Yamyam]

A very complete answer...now I am convinced that there are few possibilities to us wear high heels in the streets...I agree with you, Micha, 100% thanks...

The only possibility for me wearing heels... one on each foot. I like being different, but I like being comfortable, too. And even when I've overdone it, the feeling of being different but accepted by my friends and the people around is awesome!

Keeps me strutting when I probably ought to call a taxi

[micha]

...now I am convinced that there are few possibilities to us wear high heels in the streets...

No, Sandalslover, you misunderstood me!

You asked if HH's could have a chance to become fashionable for men. My answer was probably not and I tried to explain why. But there is no reason to be convinced that only few possibilities exist, to wear high heels in the street. Every street is suitable

You don't need to orientate yourself on the fashion mainstream. Try to make your own male shoe fashion and behave courageous like a punk! As Yamyam said: One heel for each foot

May be that we will be sometime successful to launch a new male fashion ...

In which south american country do you live? I believe that my point of view is a typical (middle) european. How tolerant are the people in your country of guys wearing high heels in public? I can't imagine that it's more problematic than in my home country Germany.

BTW: The roman countries Spain and Italy are the most important HH's producers in Europe. And Spain has an old tradition of high heeled male flamenco boots

nice greetings

micha (*just yesterday shopping on my 4.5'' stiletto boots*)

[Man-in-Boots]

i wish that the heels boots from the 1970s contiue to the present time...i was a little boy back then... i am sure the heeled boots for men will spread out to regular stores all over the world. I wanna say a important thing....BOOTS RULES!!!

[azraelle]

i wish that the heels boots from the 1970s contiue to the present time...i was a little boy back then...

i am sure the heeled boots for men will spread out to regular stores all over the world. I wanna say a important thing....BOOTS RULES!!!

Give it time--"what goes around comes around" was never more true than in fashion.

Besides, if religious predictions that the final days will be like unto the days of Noah, which were similar to the conditions of Sodom and Gomorah (e.g. San Francisco!), mainstream feminine fashion for men may be "just around the corner".

[shrimper]

I'm not a boot person but I would love to be able to wear pumps (courts) and slings in flat to mid-height heels. I have no interest in going out like that at this time though.

[Firefox]

So wear them then whenever the interest does take your fancy if you'd love to. I can't see the roof falling on your head especially with the flatter versions.

[TabascoTesa]

I wouldn't completely give up hope, all you males who are tired of not having readily available heels--I definitely see fashion as a fluid thing. What goes around comes around, as was said earlier. Hey, this might be a little offtopic, but: Just a few years ago, when I was at one of my friends' houses, her father would lounge around on lazy Saturdays in a comfy T-shirt and his flared pants from the seventies. We'd poke fun at him occasionally, since at the time it seemed that bell-bottoms and boot-cuts were only for girls (and males that wore anything but "baggy" were somehow less masculine.) I also used to make fun of my dad for his cowboy boots and bootcut jeans. He's a rancher and I always thought it looked silly--but now I see more and more guys even around my college adopting this look. It's not 4" blades and leather pants, but it's getting closer. Now, all the trendy mainstreamish jean makers have--guess what--boot-cut jeans for guys. As a woman, I do feel a little "spoiled" by the number of fashion choices I have. If I decide to look a little more "masculine" one day than I do on another, it's much more socially acceptable than a guy looking "feminine". Anyway, that had no point at all. However, if I see one of you guys out there one day proudly strutting along in your heels, I'm definitely gonna come up and ask you where you got them. If you feel good in them that's all that matters, and I think guys in heels look great.

[Bubba136]

Now, that's refreshing!

[Dawn HH]

Tabasco Tesa:-) I'm with you all the way and I would be happy if you stopped me to ask me where I got my heels. I have not seen another man in heels here in my area, so I might just be a bit of a pioneer. I street-heel as much as I can and at least in the Giant Eagle where we shop all of the time---I think there are a few that are catching on that I'm wearing heels. It's about time. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[genebujold]

Hmmm... After having gone through more than 5,000 years of costume research to convince my mother-in-law, with pictures, that the wearing of heels and skirts by men is "no big deal," I feel I'm entitled to correct a few misconceptions stated in this particular thread. Out of respect for the posters, I won't mention who said what: "Women are continuing to be weak and dainty, even if not a choice but a requirement because of a male dominated society." If anything, I find that women's fashion has been become more and more rugged over successive decades since 1900, while men became more rugged, worldwide, with the increased commercialized shipping trade of the 1700s. "Certain soldiers even wore high heels, again as a statement to their enemies." In all my reasearch, I've yet to find any example or drawing of this. If anything, I've found the converse to be true - that soldiers wore functional gear in battle. Those that didn't were soon dead. Heels are NOT good in battle for a number of reasons, especially on either soft or rough terrain. "Chivalrous, why sure, remember Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Buck Jones, Tom Mix and a host of others, they all wore heels and were extremely chivalrous!" The heels they wore were lower (less than three inches, the vast majority less than two inches), and were wider at the base so as not to sink into the sandy desert of the South West (US). "oh yes! Chivalry! hang on! let me find my horse and suit of armour so I can go slay the dragon and rescue the damsel in distress! Nah! Opening doors is all well and good, but how many people these days will actually thank you, even if it's in the form of a silent acknowledgement." I almost invariably hold open doors for both men and women here in Vegas, which is a fairly progressive town. Most thank me, and more women thank me than men. I don't think dropping my coat on puddles would do much good here, though, as it's either as dry as a bone (97% of the time) or we're flash-flooded). "Fashion is personal to the individual. There's quite a few more men doing it now." Absolutely right, and in the same line of thought as "smoke 'em if you've got 'em." I don't smoke, but don't deny others to do so. They should similarly respect my right to wear heels. "more men should 2 least TRY to be more brave in their fashion ideas adn NOT so much like SHEEP" Orange County, CA, believe it or not, is far less progressive than Vegas with respect to fashion! Although Vegas is progressive with respect to tolerance of "anything goes," (permissiveness) most people who live here dress as conservatively as any city in the Midwest." Dr. Shoe, you are indeed most correct! More importantly, you pointed out that in 1650, heels for both men and women ranged from 2" to 5". My research indicates that heels ranged between 1-3/4" to 3-1/2" for both men and women, but that's beside the point. What does matter is that heel height itself was never a discrimator between what was considered masculine vs feminine. The main discriminator of the time was the shape of the heel! For women, it was the "bell-shaped" heel, while men predominantly wore either the chunk heel (Sir Walter Raleigh, ) or the "riding heel" (tapered to no less than half it's width at the botton than at the top). "In the 1870’s some of Americas cowboys were wearing what they called “saddle dandies” with 4”+ heels that tapered down to no bigger than a quarter at the tips (less than an 1” sq). Why you could buy men’s boots with 2 1/2” regulation concave heels (Louis heels) right out of Sears and Roebucks catalog in the 1890’s." This is similar to the Cuban heels available for men, today, as they're usually between 1-1/4" and 2" in height. "See, if people forgot a bit more about political history and studied more social history, there would be more understanding. Instead of remembering that country A has always been at war with Country J, we would see just what the people of country A and J were all about, and if they knew those things, well, they may just stop fighting and realize that we are all people." Very well said! Having been to more than 37 countries, I can say this - we're all homo sapiens, and we're all far more alike than we are disalike. Although language does indeed define thought, the human brain defines language, and at birth the human brain of a child born in country A is nearly identical to the brain of a child born in country J. Everything else, including hate for others, is a learned (conditioned) response which can be overcome through counter-conditioning. "If people sat down and had a meal or a drink with each other occasionlly instead of insisting on their right to live in single language, single race, single religion ghettos then maybe they would realise they are the same inside and stop killing each other." You said it! Unfortunately, the very concept of growing beyond their narrow-minded prejudices is often the first thing that falls victem to their upbringing. Just witness the violence in the Middle East - and it's all because both sides, Israeli and Muslim, take to heart the concept of "an eye for an eye." So long as that prevails, the violence will prevail. Amazingly enough, however, is the fact that the religious texts for both beliefs also stipulate that God desires mercy more than sacrifice (or an "eye for an eye"). Ok - I'm done, as we're now WAY off topic! Or are we? Isn't this the center of the issue here? The right to wear what we want to wear without others labeling as some DSM IV societal degenerates? "My only thought is that we should all be making high heel history." So let us do so! All in favor say "aye!" "And if all men started wearing them, not that it will ever happen, I would be a bit jealous..." You take pride in your uniqueness. Yet you're also willing to sacrifice that for others - good for you!" "Anybody thinks that there is a slight possibility to have the highheels for men like a fad in the next coming years?" Yup - provided that the fashion progression isn't stigmatized by association with certain communities that have little to do with high heel wear by heterosexual men, as most men are heterosexual, and the vast majority of them will shun most things associated with those who are not. Well, that's it, folks.

[azraelle]

"Certain soldiers even wore high heels, again as a statement to their enemies."

In all my reasearch, I've yet to find any example or drawing of this. If anything, I've found the converse to be true - that soldiers wore functional gear in battle. Those that didn't were soon dead. Heels are NOT good in battle for a number of reasons, especially on either soft or rough terrain.

Have to disagree with you there, at least a little bit. The "reiters", e.g. raiders, or mobile cavalry of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1500s and 1600s wore over-the-knee boots with at least some heel height, if for no other purpose than to hold their feet in the stirrup. So in this case at least, moderate heels WERE needed for survival in battle, as long as they remained seated in the saddle!

[genebujold]

Have to disagree with you there, at least a little bit. The "reiters", e.g. raiders, or mobile cavalry of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1500s and 1600s wore over-the-knee boots with at least some heel height, if for no other purpose than to hold their feet in the stirrup. So in this case at least, moderate heels WERE needed for survival in battle, as long as they remained seated in the saddle!

I'm glad it's "just a little bit," as you're right - riding heels were indeed used throughout the ages to keep riders' feet firmly in the stirrups.

But the quote concerned "high heels," and a 2-inch riding heel on a size 10 boot hardly constitutes a "high heel."

[dressboots]

An interesting book worth reading: A Century Of Shoes, Icons of Style In The 20th Century, Pattison & Cawthorne. It has a lot of history as well as numerous full color photographs. It is remarkble to note some styles illustrtate appear to be so up to day were worn in the first half of the 20th century, demonstrating the fashion cycle already noted. It explained my parent's view of boots as strictly for utilitarian wear and not as a fashion statement. They were of the WW II generation when tall boots came to be regarded as symbols of fascism as they were part of the military uniform of the Nazis and Russians for instance. Boots to protect one from the elements or work continued to be acceptable in context, but not for everyday street wear. I was growing old enough to have an opionion of fashion beginning in the mid 1960's, when boots began to be acceptable fashion wear again. Thus as I developed my love of women's boots so did the fashion industry reinvent its scope of the same.

[genebujold]

it seems to me if you care to look @ those old 15th century paintings & such, you'll quickly find that MEN wore some pretty high heeled shoes (& boots ofcourse) so how is it that all this time has gone by only to NOW tell us (in recent decades) that high heels are for WOMEN!!? there is somthing in the western mind that has COMPLELTY changed around a very BASIC concept of MASCULIN fashion I have always found those shoes very good looking on those men, whoever they were.

Back to basics...

What any particular society considers acceptable, whether it's with respect to fashion, manner of communication, or even smell, appears to have it's roots in the society itself.

Let's take smell for example.

A few days ago I returned from a 10-day consulting trip to Seoul, S. Korea. In fact, I've been there several times, as perhaps have some of you.

They have a dish there called Kimchi, which is served with many of their meals. In essence, it is fermented/pickled and spiced cabbage. Most westerners find it's aroma rather unpleasant, as did I the first time I got a whiff.

On this trip, however, I realized it didn't smell all that bad - I was becoming used to it.

So, I tried it, and while it was different from other foods I've had around the world, it really wasn't all that bad.

Still, many westerners find it repuslive.

Why?

Because they weren't exposed to its aroma when their brains were developing as children. I've yet to meet a S. Korean who thinks it smells bad - then again, they were exposed to it since they were tiny nuggets wrapped in swadling cloth.

On a more interesting note, I recently spoke to a man here in Vegas who was describing to me the use of "malodorant weapons." Put simply, the odor smells so bad it causes people to retch. The concept behind this is that instead of fighting concentrations of enemy troops with lethal bullets, they use non-lethal means to subdue, or at the very least, discourage their enemy. This is supposedly a preferred means of combatting uprisings involving the civil populace, particularly in areas where traditional means (guns, bullets) are neither effective (too many brick walls behind which they can duck) nor desirable (they're civilians).

The problem is, and this is where this topic applies to men wearing heels, is that malodorants are highly specific to either a particular region, culture, or both. In other words, an odor that might cause someone from Thailand to retch wouldn't phase someone from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada). Similarly, an other your average American might find offensive might actually be the food (Kimchi) eaten by another culture (S. Korea).

And it all has to do with what an individual's brain was exposed to as a child.

As for our own son, mom ate a wide variety of healthy foods while she was breastfeeding, and we made our own baby food, again out of the wide variety of healthy foods.

Result: He still likes MacDonalds, but he'd just as soon chow down on broccoli, eggplant, squash, and a good salad, even though he's only four.

Let's take another example - technology. Many Jamaicans still believe photography is "evil," the reason being that their forefathers were so put off by it (and were incredibly superstitious) that they labeled it as "evil," and declared that getting your picture taken was "stealing your soul."

You and I know different, but when I visited Jamaica, I had the audacity to photograph a man on the street - and received the most insolent glare imaginable - almost as if he were silently condemning me to hell.

Why? Because I had offended him by taking his picture.

Why did it offend him?

Because that's the concept his brain was exposed to as a child.

Let's now move closer to home - fashion. A man wearing a skirt is commonplace - in Scotland and Indonesia. In the U.S., however, it's more than a bit odd.

Why?

Because it all has to do with what an individual's brain was exposed to as a child.

Let's take yet another example - shorts and short skirts. Wearing shorts is common in the US. Go to a country where showing the knees is considered highly repulsive, however, and you'll get a lot of stares, whispers about how you're dressed, and perhaps some overt comments (and gestures) from the locals as they let you know exactly what they thing of your rude behavior!

The good news in all of this is that even adults can unlearn old falsehoods through "systematic desensitization," or SD, involving repeated exposure to a level on the edge of their comfort zone, thereby expanding their comfort zone a bit here and there...

SD works, folks, but there's a caveat - when you push beyond what the individual can rationally accept, the reverse happens - his/her convictions that the situation isn't right actually strengthens.

Take agorophobia - using SD, a psychologist can help a person overcome their fear of heights. But if that psychologist were to try and force the individual to ride the elevator to the 36th floor, go out with him on the roof-top and examine the expanse below, well, he would have just undone weeks, perhaps months, of therapy with that individual!

Those who do not accept the concept of heel-wearing men are very similar to that agoriphobic in that the concept is beyond their "comfort zone."

They can accept the one or two viewings of a man wearing heels as he passes them by on the sidewalk, usually dismissing it as "weird," or a one-person deviation from "normal reality."

On the other hand, if they were suddenly exposed to masses of men wearing radically feminine attire, including heels, they'd probably be first in line to their city/state/federal legislatures to try and get them to pass laws banning heel-wearing by men (not that it would work...).

Don't think they wouldn't, either! Earlier this century, most states with beaches enacted laws prohibiting the wearing of bikinis in public - only to rescind those laws decades later when the practice became nearly universal.

In order to be accepted by the general public, the wearing of heels by men will have to reach a certain "critical mass." Furthermore, the appearance will, for the most part, have to be fairly conservative so as not to violate the sensibilities of the majority of the population (or the "Christian Right").

Bottom line - if you want to wear heels in public - please do so! I would ask that you try to be tasteful (style-wise) and somewhat conservative (not with respect to heel height, but rather to manner of overall attire).

In so doing, you'll help systematically desensitize the general populace to the point where the idea of a man wearing heels, of any height or style, is "no big deal."

Thank you for your participation in this most interesting of experiements!

[Bubba136]

Relating directly to what genebj is saying, after making so many trips to China, India and arabian peninslua, I actually enjoy their native music.

[genebujold]

Relating directly to what genebj is saying, after making so many trips to China, India and arabian paninslua, I actually enjoy their native music.

I do too, particularly the rythems (I used to play drums). But I find the non-classicul intervals of tone a little disconcerting.

Speaking of those areas, however, I recently came across a very interesting article on how some things are only prohibited in the West.

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:6t436Pn-jtcJ:www.nwaonline.net/pdfarchive/2003/november/23/11-23-03%2520E12.pdf+%22men+wear+sarongs+in%22&hl=en

I'll post more on a dedicated threat. Keep your eyes peeled...

[dressboots]

Men are wearing heels now, aren't they? Alternative fashion, not mainstream, but it is occurring based on the postings on this forum.

[bradleyla]

Ladies,listen:I love these fascinating stilettos we always mention here just as much as you all do and am willing to share the mystique of these sexy heels with all of you.Perhaps I'll marry a lady that wouldn't mind it a bit if I'd strut around in these sexy heels just as she would. I believe native Americans have a saying"We must not judge man unless we walk a mile in his moccassins"(However it goes).My take on this as it relates to men and women:A man must not judge a woman unless he has walked a mile in her stilettos. Forgive the macho,chauvinistic men in the world,for they know not what they do(so to speak) Ladies:you all and your sexy stilettos rule!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dawn HH]

Bradleyla:-) Yes, ladies and your sexy stilettos rule---ESPECIALLY on this forum. Dressboots:-) Men ARE wearing heels, many of them on this forum as you know. I am one of them who wears them daily. We may not wear them for the same reasons as in the "Days of Old", but we do have our various reasons for wearing and enjoying them today. You can bet your "BOOTS" on that. Cheers--- Dawn HH