JeffB Posted August 12, 2005 Author Posted August 12, 2005 Well, with the weekend having arrived, I'm planning to hit the mall in my long jeans and heels. Going to Best Buy and a supermarket is one thing, but a busy mall on a Saturday afternoon is a completely different animal. It should make for quite a challenge. I'll let everyone know how it turned out! I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman!
Dawn HH Posted August 13, 2005 Posted August 13, 2005 JeffB:-) Nothing to it. I hit the Malls all the time wearing long jeans and high heels. Have fun...enjoy. Cheers--- Dawn HH High Heeled Boots Forever!
Shafted Posted August 13, 2005 Posted August 13, 2005 JeffB, Malls always seem to have their share of people watchers largely found in the common seating areas of the malls. Guaranteed, somebody will notice. Shafted, the boots that is! View my gallery here http://www.hhplace.o...afteds-gallery/ or view my heeling thread here http://www.hhplace.org/topic/3850-new-pair-of-boots-starts-me-serious-street-heeling/ - Pm me if you want fashion advice or just need someone to talk to.
Himark Posted August 13, 2005 Posted August 13, 2005 JeffB, Just a little note of caution. I've found out the hard way (something that I guess most women already know) that driving in heels often results in scuff marks on the backs of the heels. Many women change into a pair of sneakers for driving, not because driving in heels is difficult, but to avoid damaging their good shoes.
Dawn HH Posted August 14, 2005 Posted August 14, 2005 JeffB:-) I'm sure you are right about that. Mickey and I were at the Mall again this evening to exchange some PJ's to a different size in one of our local department stores and then we did a little window shopping, (looking around). Neither of us noticed anyone checking us out as I had my long jeans and heeled boots on and we didn't receive any verbal conversation on them either. Although, I'm sure someone probably noticed but didn't say anything. Himark:-) I don't have the problem of marking up the rear of my heels when driving. I contribute that to having very short legs and having to have the seat adjusted closer to the dash than most people would. This places the angle of my chunky heels at a greater distance from the toe board while resting on the very rear edge of the heel tip so that my heels never contact the carpeting except in that very narrow heel tip spot. So, therefore, I can wear my heels at all times when driving my cars. Cheers--- Dawn HH High Heeled Boots Forever!
JeffB Posted August 14, 2005 Author Posted August 14, 2005 Himark: Not to worry on that score. As I'm a very cautious and conscientious driver, I don't take risks while I'm behind the wheel, so I drive with sneakers on, the change into heels once I reach my destination. As for my outing on Saturday to the mall, it was a success. Easier than I thought in fact. By the time I reached the mall, it was just past noon, so it was fairly well crowded with shopers of every stripe. Even though I had on the long jeans, the heels of my black Ros Hommerson "Ingra" pumps did show enough for passersby to see them, and they could clearly hear the heels as I walked. However, I didn't encounter any problems, I spent a good hour and a half at the mall, including a leisurely lunch in a jam packed food court, followed by plenty of walking around to make sure I was seen. Other than a few long glances and double takes, there were no other sort of overt reactions to the shoes. In a way, I almost found that disappointing as I secretly hoped for reactions. During my time at the mall, I saw a white teenage boy who was heavy into the punk look: dressed all in black with an electric blue mohawk, multiple piercings and tattoos everywhere plus more than a few African-American young men sporting jeans with the waistband down to their crotch and their boxers showing. The irony of both examples is that their mode of dress would be looked upon as "normal" while my wearing women's shoes wouldn't be. Go figure. Anyway, it was an enjoyable outing and has emboldened me to try another mall in the near future! I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman!
Shafted Posted August 14, 2005 Posted August 14, 2005 JeffB, Sound like it was an interesting experience. You say it like it is. Peoples reactions to a guy in heels is minimal. Thank you for an example of some of the things society considers normal, really shows how messed our society is. Once a woman I know accused me of being "not normal", to which I replied, thank you, that the best compliment I have recieved all day. I've even got a T-shirt that says "Normal People Bore Me!" To anybody out there that hasn't worn heels in public yet, but desires to do so. Be prepared for lack of response. That really seems to be the norm. Shafted, the boots that is! View my gallery here http://www.hhplace.o...afteds-gallery/ or view my heeling thread here http://www.hhplace.org/topic/3850-new-pair-of-boots-starts-me-serious-street-heeling/ - Pm me if you want fashion advice or just need someone to talk to.
JeffB Posted August 15, 2005 Author Posted August 15, 2005 JeffB, Sound like it was an interesting experience. You say it like it is. Peoples reactions to a guy in heels is minimal. Thank you for an example of some of the things society considers normal, really shows how messed our society is. Once a woman I know accused me of being "not normal", to which I replied, thank you, that the best compliment I have recieved all day. I've even got a T-shirt that says "Normal People Bore Me!" To anybody out there that hasn't worn heels in public yet, but desires to do so. Be prepared for lack of response. That really seems to be the norm. Thanks for the compliment, Shafted. And yeah, wearing heels at the mall was highly interesting. Insofar as reactions go, I expected all sorts of overt reactions, to have gotten practically none at all was quite surprising to me. Like I said previously, I almost found that disappointing. Regarding that woman and her caustic comment towards you, who is she to determine what is normal and what isn't? Sounds like just another narrow mind unwilling to expand, to boraden her horizons, someone safe and sound, wrapped the blanket of her own misconceptions and beliefs. Those are the minds that can never be changed. As for my next mall trip, perhaps I'll wear black patent pumps or more traditionally spiked heels than the "Ingras" and see what happens. I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman!
Shafted Posted August 15, 2005 Posted August 15, 2005 Regarding that woman and her caustic comment towards you, who is she to determine what is normal and what isn't? Sounds like just another narrow mind unwilling to expand, to boraden her horizons, someone safe and sound, wrapped the blanket of her own misconceptions and beliefs. Those are the minds that can never be changed. Jeff, you'll be glad to know that she meant it, but was in no way caustic. The funny thing is it had nothing to do with my shoes. Some people have a way of telling you whats on there mind without the intention of offending you. Shafted, the boots that is! View my gallery here http://www.hhplace.o...afteds-gallery/ or view my heeling thread here http://www.hhplace.org/topic/3850-new-pair-of-boots-starts-me-serious-street-heeling/ - Pm me if you want fashion advice or just need someone to talk to.
gwl1 Posted August 15, 2005 Posted August 15, 2005 "Tact" is the unsaid part of what you think! On another forum promoting men's fashion freedom, Legwear as Unisex Fashion, at http://forums.delphiforums.com/legwearuf , similar comments have been made about going out and about in public with shorts and sheer pantyhose (in a skin-matching color) and not being noticed. The public is not very observant and they don't expect to see a guy in pantyhose or high heels. And the mind sees what it expects to see. Occasionally, someone WILL notice (usually because he/she has the "nylon gene" in the case of legwear, or the "high heel gene" in the case of heels). Most people are usually polite enough not to say anything, except for teenage girls who giggle. So your chance of getting an unfavorable comment is very low. But still be on your guard. There are homophobes out there who equate wearing heels and/or hose with being gay, and if there's a gang of these crazies, especially in or outside a bar, well...be careful! GWL
Bubba136 Posted August 15, 2005 Posted August 15, 2005 How right you are about teenaged girls. They disagree with everything social. It's the stage of their development. Young children are also likely to notice. And, if they do, they are presistent in announcing their discoveries. Usually to the embarassment of their parents. (I once had a teenaged girl point to my J-Lo boots and announce to her mother in a very loud voice, "That's what I want....a pair just like those"........ Being mentally comfortable in your own mind is the key to wearing heels in public.
JeffB Posted August 15, 2005 Author Posted August 15, 2005 Yeah, between teenage girls, little kids, and, in some cases, African-American males, there's no shortage of people among that 5 percent of the public who'll comment loudly, jokingly, even rudely about stuff like men in heels. I've experienced that from all three groups, and it's hardly a picnic. Still, as long as you know what to expect, and who to expect it from, you know how to handle such situations should they arise. I don't want to LOOK like a woman, I just want to DRESS like a woman!
Dawn HH Posted August 16, 2005 Posted August 16, 2005 What you all say is so very true. Shortly after joining this Forum on December 19, 03, I began wearing heeled boots as a guy out in public and have done so many times since and enjoy doing it very much. But the looks and comments that I have received could be counted on one hand with fingers left over. At first this bothered me as I expected a lot of comments and maybe a little grief. After a while, I mellowed down and focused on my enjoyment and relaxation in doing this and everything smoothed out and I go along as if I do this every day and it is a very normal thing for me to do. People just don't notice, or if they DO notice, they dont look or say anything. Maybe this is a good thing as they are seeing this more often and accepting it as a part of THEIR day. Cheers--- Dawn HH P.S. I street-heel in Malls a lot as well as a lot of other places as well. High Heeled Boots Forever!
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