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Shopping for heels: try them on?


tiffany

Do you try shoes at the store before buying them?  

813 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you try shoes at the store before buying them?

    • Yes
      388
    • No
      223
    • Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't
      257


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I always shop for heels in stores rather than buying them on line. I like to see what I am getting and see that I get a reasonably good fit. Trying them on and walking around the women's shoe store in heels is half the fun. I have found all the sales people to be very helpful and professional. Tell them up front they are for you instead of making up some kind of story.

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I always shop for heels in stores rather than buying them on line. I like to see what I am getting and see that I get a reasonably good fit. Trying them on and walking around the women's shoe store in heels is half the fun. I have found all the sales people to be very helpful and professional. Tell them up front they are for you instead of making up some kind of story.

I agree with this emphatically. This applies if you are spending a good deal of money on a pair of high heels. You definitely want them to fit and you definitely want them to be comfortable to walk in them. When you tell the clerk up front they are for you, you'll get mixed reactions but the bottom line is that a sale is a sale, especially in this economy.

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I rarely buy shoes in a store, so trying them on isn't an option, but in the past, before Al invented the internet, I used to buy in stores occasionally, and would openly try them on. These days I love shopping online, and most of the time I'm good with a 12M in a shoe with a back, like a pump, boot, or loafer, and an 11M in a backless shoe, like clogs/mules, sandals, and slingbacks. Clogs/mules with a 3" block heel are my favorite, because they look unisex and I can wear them anywhere. Most of my online shopping is on Ebay - I like the thrill of the auction as much as the acquisition itself - and most of what I have bought over the past few years have fit ok. Those that don't get recycled to Ebay, so I don't lose much. And I never pay a lot in the first place, preferring shoes that are low priced with few bidders. I have over 200 pair of shoes now! That's way too many, or so my wife says. She's just jealous! HA HA Imelda in Ohio

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have been out shopping a few times recently (on one of those quests for a new pair of heels!). I stopped at a local Payless that still does carry at least some size 12s, and tried on about five different shoes with no problem from the staff. I also went to Sears where I tried a couple things on, but the store was a bit crowded for my taste. The next evening, I happened to be in a K-Mart looking for golf balls, and lo and behold, they actually had some decent shoes for a change. With the store being rather empty (a common theme for this particular K-Mart, I don't know how it stays in business) I had the shoe section to myself. I tried on a couple pairs of pumps, but none really caught my eye. I also tried on a pair of boots that were ankle height with about a 2.75-3.0 inch thicker style heel, and actually walked around the store in those for a bit. Didn't buy them at the moment, but probably will eventually, as they fit nice and provided the nice heel sensation while still be low key enough for me to consider wearing out in public. If I can find a picture, I'll post them here. Anyway, I just wanted to indicate that, if I can do this in public, anyone can! The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Although I have been wearing heels since about 1968, I'am not brave enough to try them on in a shop, but out and about no problem. (Think I started with girly type shoes in about 1956).

life is not a rehearsal

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Although I have been wearing heels since about 1968, I'am not brave enough to try them on in a shop, but out and about no problem. (Think I started with girly type shoes in about 1956).

1956? That's the year I was born. :chuckle:

Being mentally comfortable in your own mind is the key to wearing heels in public.

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I rather disappointed myself yesterday. I was out and about and stopped at an outlet mall that had a Nine West shop. There was no one shopping at the time, which for me is a big plus, but there were two clerks standing around chatting, both of them young, nice looking girls. Rather than take advantage of the no shopper situation, I found myself shying away from trying on shoes because of the young clerks. Just feeling too self conscious I guess... I did try on some shoes in other stores, but they had little I liked and few that fit (really need a 12, but 11 was about the top of the range in most shops). Better luck next time I guess.

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You have to be in the right frame of mind to go in a woman's shoe store and ask to try on heels. It is a fun and rather daring experience, but it is not something most of us would do everyday. It is almost as if you have to decide before entering the store that you are going to do it.

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...I found myself shying away from trying on shoes because of the young clerks. Just feeling too self conscious I guess...

Greetings RonC :-)

Most salesgirls I know are early 20's and are very open minded.

When I visit them wearing "normal" or low heel shoes, they look at my feet and say

"You are not wearing heels today ?" and "I hope you will wear heels next time"

So I guess age has nothing to do with it. I'm sure it will be better next time you visit them.

And after all, a sale is a sale...

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As per my previous posts, I have not been brave enough to try before I buy. But, I have decided I'm going to give it a go, but for my first 'go' I'm going to select a pair of flat boots. Although I prefer high heeled boors, I figure trying a flat pair first will be a bit less full on! I will let you know how it goes.

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Greetings RonC :-)

Most salesgirls I know are early 20's and are very open minded.

When I visit them wearing "normal" or low heel shoes, they look at my feet and say

"You are not wearing heels today ?" and "I hope you will wear heels next time"

So I guess age has nothing to do with it. I'm sure it will be better next time you visit them.

And after all, a sale is a sale...

You are right. I guess I just wasn't in the mood to deal with two clerks with nothing better to do than giggle at the old bald guy trying on heels. I'm sure it would have made their day when I left! Next time...

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Most know when a guy comes in to try heels they have an automatic sale provided they hav the size in stock.

That used to be the case for me. If they had the size, they made the sale. Lately, however, I find myself enjoying just trying things on, and I do not buy as often. I guess it really comes down to wanting to experience a wider variety of shoes without incurring the cost of paying for them all! I have now shopped in many stores and tried things on without making a purchase.

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Ladies do it all the time. Why can't we? At first some guys are so nervous and self conscious they will buy anything in their size. I have become much more selective than I used to be. I want something that fits reasonably well in addition to looking sexy and feminine. I am also more concerned about the price. I guess all this happens with time and experience.

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Just bought two pairs of shoes at Nine West after trying on several pairs. Great experience overall. Several people walked in during that period and nobody seemed to care much.

I bought a pair at Target just recently. I tried them on, walked in them, people looked, but nothing was said nor did I notice strange looks from them.

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I agree with KFSteve. You have to have the right mindset to try heels on in a store. The hardest part for me is making the committment to walk through the door. Once I've done that, then there is no turning back unless you start getting really bad vibes from the sales clerks. If you are just starting out, as I've said before, you might try the self-service shoe departments. My favorite in the US is still Burlington. They have some great buyers who seem to concentrate on large selection of higher heels. You can try on as many pair as you'd like because the whole inventory is out in the store. They are also reasonably priced, maybe not the best brands, but certainly sexy enough. I'm very fortunate to wear a size 10. If I needed a larger size, that would be problematic in most stores.

Looking to share my fetish with like-minded individuals. I love to wear classic opera pumps in public with 4-5 inch stiletto heels.

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When I purchashed my pair today i was toying with the idea of trying them on, the shop was empty. But I bottled out at the last minute and said i was getting them for the girlfreind. On hind sight i wish i had'nt and had plucked up the courage to admit they where mine.

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Crazyewok, As you read more on this forum you'll see that many members not only enjoy shopping for their shoes but also trying them on, sometimes in front of sales associates, and don't care if the cashier thinks the shoes are for them or not. Here's a fact-women are very attuned to their fashion environment-the cashier or the sales associate already knows you are shopping for yourself by how you appear in the store and most will try to help you because IT IS A SALE and that is why they are there. In fact it is the stores and companies that have courted men who enjoy all sorts of women's clothes and shoes that are doing well.

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Well tomorrow Im hopping to buy some boots for myself ad due to there price I will probably see about trying them on as i dont want to risk getting ones that dont fit. I plan to go to a store far away so nobody will know me there. If it goes well I'm tempted to go for a walk down the river there..... funny enough i did ejoy shoppig for the the shoes today and could of spent ages trying them on if I had plucked up the courage to do so...

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Well tomorrow Im hopping to buy some boots for myself ad due to there price I will probably see about trying them on as i dont want to risk getting ones that dont fit. I plan to go to a store far away so nobody will know me there. If it goes well I'm tempted to go for a walk down the river there..... funny enough i did ejoy shoppig for the the shoes today and could of spent ages trying them on if I had plucked up the courage to do so...

Greetings Crazyewok :-)

We all have been there and we know the first time trying shoes in a store in not easy...

But the more you do it, the easier it will get, so don't worry.

And you will soon realize it is way more fun too !

Happy heeling !

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I was at Payless this morning looking at heels. As I tried on a pair of pink wedgies with 3.75 inch heels a well endowed lady suddenly appears and says she likes those pink wedgies. At first I thought she was an employee trying to make a sale. She said she likes shopping for shoes. She said they fit me very well as my toes did not hang off. Also commented about them looking sexy and very feminine with the thin little straps. I told her that is exactly what I was looking for. We talked some about out favorite shoe stores and then she went on her way. It was a wonderful experience that I had because I tried my heels on instead of just buying them and hoped they fit. I showed them to my wife and she said they were alright. Coming from her that was quite a compliment. It turned out to be a fun time at Payless.

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Kfsteve391:-) It sounds like you had a very productive time shoe shopping at Payless. Your interaction with that lady customer proves that she was all right with a man trying on and wearing heels. And once again your wife has proven to you that she accepts the fact that she is o.k. with you wearing heels around the house. Cheers--- Dawn HH

High Heeled Boots Forever!

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