Turning a Corner. . .

[jmc]

I think I have reached a crossroads and I have decided to take the more interesting route. I've been hanging around here for quite some time, reading a lot and even doing a little bit of posting. As I have mentioned in other comments, I do wear heels but not for general, everyday use. I tend to gravitate toward block-heeled boots because as a rather oblate guy I can pull that look off better. (Of course, the fickle winds of fashion have rendered most of my favorite boot styles very difficult to find at present.) And I really do like block-heeled boots, I am not just rationalizing because I can get away with them. The wider heel is more stable under me while that delicious rise is still there. Not that I do not like stilettos -- quite the contrary actually, I love them and have a couple pair for around-the-house wear. That look just does not work for me. But even my boots don't see a lot of daylight. I'll put them on and sneak out at night, or wear them on a road trip but they are not something I would wear all day at work, for instance. I may sneak them in on the late nights when I lock up, just to rack up a few heel-miles but I would not leave the house for a full, regular day in them. Not because of the comfort factor, not because I don't think I could handle it, but because co-workers will certainly notice and disapprove, and that will have negative repercussions. Even if the negative repercussions are all in my imagination, I just don't want to have to explain my footwear choice to "inquiring minds". Now the discussion around here on the desirable characteristics of womens' shoes has been long and detailed. There is not a lot I can add to it. None of us would disagree that women have a far greater selection of footwear styles at their disposal and most womens' shoe models are lighter, fit better, and feel better than those available to men. Men's shoes, even really good ones, start feeling like concrete blocks on my feet by the end of the day. Most men's styles are just too heavy and inflexible. Well, I was getting to the point where both pairs of my old clod-hoppers were about done. I am on my third set of insoles in both pairs, the inner-socks are torn and pieces of the structures are letting go, falling down, and balling up under the insoles. I haven't worn any holes in anything yet but after several years of wear it is getting time for something new. I never liked buying "real" shoes either -- you spend a lot of money for a few years wear, big fat hairy deal! So, I decided, why not look at conservative womens' styles? I well know my shoe size in womens' (as I am beginning to believe a lot of guys do), so why not just see what's out there? And of course, Zappos is only a mouse-click away with literally hundreds of offerings. I found four candidates that tickled my fancy: Clarks "Pass", Softspots "Isabelle", Capezio "Fierce Dancesneaker", and (for fun) Aerosoles "Durmore". The Aerosoles are too obvious so they will only go to work on lockup night, but I couldn't resist. I have wanted to try a pair of wedges and these are so sweet. Of these four choices, the Clarks are virtually indistinguishable from a men's short cowboy boot. The only way one can tell they were originally intended for a woman is the size and the flowered innersock (neither of which are visible when they are on my feet). The Dancesneakers are actually sold to men as well as women although they are made in womens' sizes. The Dancesneakers page on Zappos site says "Men -- start with two sizes above your normal size". We, the members of this board, perhaps better than anybody else, know precisely what that means! A big box was waiting for me on my doorstep when I got home so I had a little "try-on party". What fun -- I can relate to women who say they are shoe-s-holics. The Aerosoles feel great! The Clarks slip on perfectly and as if they will need no "break-in" whatsoever! The Softspots and the Dancesneakers are more disappointing. The Softspots are too tight and the Dancesneakers are too short so I think both are going to go back. As far as looks, I think I could get away with the Softspots but they seem to be more than one size too small. Sizing inconsistencies have been discussed in great depth elsewhere and I will not go further here. So all in all it was a bit of a 50-50 thing. I have already decided -- the Clarks are going to work today.

[chris100575]

"Pass" is an ideal name for the Clarks boots, they could easily pass as men's. I've always regarded trainers as unisex anyway unless they're pink or something, and would wear those "Dancesneakers" anywhere. In fact I'm quite tempted by a pair myself as black trainers aren't always easy to find. I like the wedge shoes, but they'd be indoor wear for me too. Chris

[shyguy]

I like all but the last pair, and would possibly wear those three out too, as they'd pass fairly easy as mens styles. I too have bought some more "womens" shoes but they're almost flat, and my wife agreed they looked enough like mens shoes for me to wear anywhere, so I have worn them shopping, cinema etc. No pics here, as they are too low to be in the high heel forum lol

[dr1819]

Men's shoes, even really good ones, start feeling like concrete blocks on my feet by the end of the day. Most men's styles are just too heavy and inflexible.

You said it! Even my knee-high, four-inch heeled boots with a 1/2 inch platform weigh less than a comparable pair of ankle boots for men!

I have already decided -- the Clarks are going to work today.

Way cool. If I could get away with wearing a woman's shoe at work, I'd do it. But the dress code rules are fairly strict.

Doesn't stop me from heeling around town, though...

"Pass" is an ideal name for the Clarks boots, they could easily pass as men's. I've always regarded trainers as unisex anyway unless they're pink or something, and would wear those "Dancesneakers" anywhere. In fact I'm quite tempted by a pair myself as black trainers aren't always easy to find.

I like the wedge shoes, but they'd be indoor wear for me too.

Chris

Perhaps that's what they had in mind.

I've been writing the major non-fetish shoe companies that carry larger sizes (11 and up) on a regular basis, trying to get them to carry their lines in the next larger size. Since I began this in 2002, aproximately half of those I've been writing have indeed upped the largest sizes of some shoes in their lines by at least one size. About 15% have upped it two sizes.

Clarks is one of the companies I've petitioned. Interestingly, I called them this summer, spoke with a director of marketing about shoe sizes, and provided him with some information as to just how much larger women's feet have grown in the last thirty years. He was surprised, but I provided him with the links and he said he'd look into it. Clarks, surprisingly, isn't one of the firms that's upped it's sizes in recent years, but he did relate that he's seen a sharp increase in the online sales of their size 11 and 12 lots since the beginning of this century compared to your average women's size (8-1/2), and that he's curious as to why, but hadn't been able to pin it down...

I didn't so much as come out and tell him it's probably do to a combination of larger women's feet (slight effect) and men buying their shoes (more predominant effect for those sizes), but I did encourage him to consider to revamp the product lines to meet the market demands!

[BobHH]

I have a pair of black Nike Air cross trainer shoes, the only ones like that I have seen. Got them very inexpensively at a JC Penney sale. I have seen both men and women dance teachers with the Dance Sneakers, but they don't wear them often.

[karenjean]

I checked out your links. All but the athletic shoes had a femme flair but might be easy enough to wear out without 'gathering notice' -- yet fill you with full knowledge of your femme choice.

[jmc]

. . . I did encourage him to consider to revamp the product lines to meet the market demands!

A little nudge in the right direction!

I gotta say, after a day in those boots I'm going to keep an eye on Clarks' offerings in the future. They felt great!