Shopping for heels: try them on?

[crotchboots-m]

the lack of standardization in the industry is rather maddening indeed.

[canadianbeaver17]

I agree with the sizing problem. Some time ago, I think there was a post on here listing how each Christian Louboutin models were sized. Personally, I've found Aldo's to be the worst for sizing. It's all over the place.

[Dawn HH]

Sizing is a problem for both the ladies as well as the men. It can be maddening for us all. As stated before, trying them on in the store can help to eliminate the problem. Or buying them and taking them home to try and then returning them at a later date for exchange. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[mackman69]

i always try on my heels now even if i get weird stares that way i dont have to go back . where i go buy most of mine the girls are real good with me about trying them on first.

[kikepa]

Of course I try them on. Who wants to go back, standing in line, as the sales clerk lifts them out of the box, embarrasing you in front of others as they ask, "Ok, so why are you returning these?" I hate it when clerks take them out of the box, even when you're just buying them. Any more, I just ask, "Please be discrete and leave them in the box." With Payless clerks, that never works, and they do it anyway. So I have to add, before I give them the box: "If you take them out of the box, I will leave." That usually works. Most heels I buy though are online, not at a store.

[jwhite44]

That's definitely been my experience at Payless. While they seem to go out of the way to make you feel comfortable while shopping, discretion goes out the window when it comes to the checkout counter.

[Juliann]

They are checking to see that the shoes are the same size most of the time. I was at Payless yesterday and bought some black twist boots for $ 10.00.

[jmc]

I think it's a company policy at Payless to check that the shoes are matched. They all seem to make a point of checking. Since all the boxes are open on the shelves and the store is essentially self-serve, you might wind up with a size 11 in the same box as a size 7. That really wouldn't work for most of us!

[johnieheel]

Every time I buy a pair of shoes in the store, no matter what store it is, they check to make sure the sizes are the same on both shoes. I appreciate it very much. I didn't notice one time and I almost bought an 8 with a 9. I thanked the clerk for correcting it for me and going and getting the other shoe. Whats there to be afraid of, it's not like your buying a rattle snake without a cage.

[HappyFeat]

When I voted in this poll, I voted "sometimes." I guess it is the good rhetorical answer, because nobody does the same thing all the time. Plus, I used to buy a lot of shoes online and you really can't try them before you buy them in those cases.

The other think I learned was it depends where you buy your shoes. Places like Payless, where it is self serve are great and the only place I would buy shoes for years. I moved to the Macy's (as well as other department stores) clearance racks, which though more visible, still were more or less self serve. Finally, I started asking for shoes and trying them in Macy's etc.

Even with that, Macy's clerks can be hit or miss. I have had a few who were wonderful but also many that just don't want to help or can even be condescending. When I discovered shoe stores like Nine West, Bandolino, Steve Madden, Aldo, Baker's, etc. I have become a shoe trying nut. I like to go try just to try now.

However, since I voted I think I have bought one pair of shoes without trying them- it was a replacement pair that I had the same shoe at home and I was in a hurry. Even this can be hit or miss however. I have found that if I don't wear them in the store for at least a minute or two I may regret it.

What is worse than that is that size varies even within a brand! Some Colin Stuarts fit differently, 9 West too although for me, Steve Madden is the worst; clearly undersized. I've found that if I don't try them on in the store, shame on me as the size variation really can't be ignored (women's US 11). After a while, you get tired of throwing away money or wasting your time going back to the store when you really didn't have to.

I have found from trying on shoes that even the same size in the same brand in the same style can have subtle variations in size. Recently I tried a pair of NW black pumps that were too small, but then tried the same pair in purple and they fit perfectly. The store manager said that is impossible, but I have found it to be true. I have even asked for another pair of the same exact shoe and found there to be a difference.

The really cool thing is, the size variations do allow for trying many different shoes. I do love shoe shopping.

I agree with the sizing problem. Some time ago, I think there was a post on here listing how each Christian Louboutin models were sized.

Personally, I've found Aldo's to be the worst for sizing. It's all over the place.

I agree with Aldo being all over the place. The clerks at Aldo do a very nice job however. I wear an 11 and many times they will bring me a 10 to try and offer free home delivery, but I always pass. The fact is, I really can't trust their sizing enough to be comfortable to tie up the money. As Bootking points out, I really hate having to return things and returning a package is an even bigger pain.

A for Payless and other stores taking the shoes out of the box, I really found that unnerving as well when I bought many of my early heels. I am happy they do it because I want to wear them not have to make a trip back to return them. I think there are many psychological barriers to heeling, and that was one of the first ones for me, but once I got through it, I looked back and can't believe it ever bothered me.

[RonC]

While it's not always great standing in line with a pair of boxed heels and having the clerk open the box and hold them up for all to see while checking the size, it is somewhat understandable. Most people have one foot larger than the other, and as store clerks will tell you, there have been numerous attempts to buy two different size shoes by switching one shoe. So it is at times a necessity in order to maintain order!

[RonC]

Walt at Classic Pumps has a new offering that I would love to have. Unfortunately, they are not cheap ($125 in size 12). While Classic Pumps is an internet store, Walt does offer customers the opportunity to visit and try the shoes on. Unfortunately, he is not exactly convenient.

[hebbler]

Ron C, Those are great looking toe cleavage pumps! I like Lola and Lucy in the Classic Pumps line because they expose the most toe cleavage but they're so darn expensive. I wish that I had the balls to try on heels in the store because I desperately want to get a pair of pumps with lots of toe cleavage and you really can't tell how much exposure you're going to get with out trying them on and I don't think that I could pull it off.

[RonC]

Hebbler, I share your love of Classic Pumps shoes and your pain regarding the price! I do have a pair of the Rossi style, and the toe cleavage is nice. I bought a pair that had a minor flaw, so I didn;t have to pay the full freight on those. Trying on in the store is an adventure. I can recall the first time I did that, and it was difficult. I found a store that I knew carried large sizes, and I called ahead to see what the reaction would be for a request to try on heels. The person that answered the phone, who I later learned was the owner, said that it was absolutely no problem, that I certainly wasn't the only guy to do that, and to stop in any time. I could either use the back room, or I could just try on in the store. At first I did ask to go in back, but after a while I just used the store area (though not if other customers were around). At one time I had three different stores that offered my services such as that, and with a call ahead, there is no surprise (and they can't tell who you are on the phone, so don;t be afraid to call!). Unfortunately, all are now out of business. I assume that the competition from stores such as DSW and the internet cut too far into business. What a shame, I sure miss them! I find that now I am getting much bolder, and I give credit to this community for that. I'm still not at the stage where I will walk into Macy's and strut around in a pair of heels of my liking, but I will try on in some Payless stores if not crowded, and I do use the men's fitting room at stores like Kohl's and Target. I will also slip shoes on in various other stores if not crowded (DSW, especially the stores that have the rear clearance areas, Carnival of Shoes, Sears, etc.) though I do not walk around much, just a quick slip on to check for basic fit. There are a few smaller stores in my area that cater to male heel wearers, so I do have that option, though their shoes tend to fall in the fetish catagory (though many here would love the mostly very high heels that they carry). Walt at Classic Pumps will allow you to try things on if you are in his area. You need to set that up with him ahead of time, however. And you will not be made to feel the least bit uncomfortable there, that's for sure. But that price thing again.....lol. As I'm sure you've read her a million times, just go for it. If anyone had told me 20 years ago that I'd ever walk into a store and try on high heels, I'd have said they were absolutely nuts. Yet I do it now with some regularity!

[Elegant]

I don't go to "conventional" shoe shops, but try footwear on at thrift stores - without any problems. I almost always already wear heels when walking into the shop. That makes the things easier, and sometimes makes an opportunity for a great conversation. For example, I saw one girl today at a thrift store, and her outfit [a long dress with a wonderful corset] made me think she was a fellow goth. So, I walked up to her, started a conversation, we talked about music, upcoming concerts and fashion for a bit, complimented each other on our outfits and had a great time. Another example: last Tuesday, in a thrift store, I took 4" ankle boots off the shelf and tried them on in front of shopkeepers and some customers. No anxiety, just a load of self-confidence. It returned to me in the form of some compliments.

[RonC]

I just bought these at Payless the other day. While there, I tried on at least three other pair. The sales clerk that was working was there the last time I was in, and she has no problem with me trying things on at all. In fact, this time she expected me to try them on. At check out, I said that, judging by her reaction, I was not the only guy that came in to try and buy heels. She said yes, there are other guys that come in. She continued by telling me that she had the same pair I purched but in red, and thought they were really cute! I asked if they were comfortable, and she said that while she had only had them on for about an hour, they seemed fine to her. I loved the thought of this cute young lady wearing the same shoes as I was buying! Would love to see her in them. Needless to say, I'll be going to that Payless with some regularity!

[RonC]

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[mackman69]

thats good she is ok with you trying on heels. the payless i go to all the girls are very good with me trying on heels and even will tell other customers about me just not using my name and it helps with sales at times. i even have one of the girls at one of the stores wanting me to buy her some 6'' platforms like these, she is short and wants to feel taller.

[Danielinheels]

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I've tried those before. They didn't fit! I was crushed.

[rxrenesis]

I've tried those before. They didn't fit! I was crushed.

I tried them also and they fit great. Too bad I've max'ed my shoe budget for the week.

[mackman69]

RonC i too tried those heels on and they fit me good and if i can afford them maybe next weeks buy.

[RonC]

To those that had a bad fit, did you try the wide width? When I first looked for them, all they has was regular width pair in red in a size 12. I thought, if this is it, there is no way I can wear them, as they were not at all comfortable. But a couple weeks later, they had them in a 12W in black, and when I tried them on, they fit quite nicely. So the wide really made a difference in this particular shoe. I had them on for a couple hours the other day, and while I didn;t do a lot of walking, they were quite comfortable.

[Danielinheels]

To those that had a bad fit, did you try the wide width? When I first looked for them, all they has was regular width pair in red in a size 12. I thought, if this is it, there is no way I can wear them, as they were not at all comfortable. But a couple weeks later, they had them in a 12W in black, and when I tried them on, they fit quite nicely. So the wide really made a difference in this particular shoe. I had them on for a couple hours the other day, and while I didn;t do a lot of walking, they were quite comfortable.

Yep, tried my usual size - 13 wide - and... nothing. Just happens like that sometimes. I'm not upset; there will be others.

[RonC]

Bought these at Sears yesterday with the intent of wearing them outside. Not an overly high heel, but enough to have that nice feeling. Also nice because they are not overly noisy. All of $11.99! Tried them on, as well as another pair of Bongo boots that fit quite well, but were a bit more than I wanted to pay. Those had very high heels, probably close to five inches, with a small platform of about a half inch. I can't find a picture of them, however. They would have been a challenge to walk in, as they didn't quite hit my foot in the right place, and certainly that heel was more than I typically would wear outside of the house or car.

[jwhite44]

Things are getting better if even Sears sells shoes with ~5 inch heels. That tells you it's not just a height for fetish shoes anymore.

[RonC]

I see the picture didn't go through, so here is a re-post. I walked around in these for about a half-hour last night and find them to be reasonably comfortable for a size 11 (a 12 fits me a bit better). I measured the heels and they are three inches in the size 11. Here is the picture.

[Bubba136]

You can wear hose boots anywhere without concern. The toe and heel are so styled that no one will give you a second glance. And, if they do, there will be a large amount of doubt as to whether they are woman's or men's boots. You are the only person that will know that they're woman's shoes.

[jwhite44]

The biggest 'tell' for a boot like that is typically the width of the heel. Block heel (the width of the shoe) is most like a man's heel (and thus likely most passable); chunk heel would be next, and so one, with stilletto being the absolute worst (in terms of passability). You'd also prefer a heel that's basically straight (up and down) and doesn't taper much (again, not typical for a man's boot). Those are a very nice pair of 'everyday' heels, because you could probably go almost anyplace with them and not even be noticed. That's not to say others here don't go out with more feminine heels - they do. While many of them don't seem to get many comments, my guess is a guy walking around in tapered, stilletto heels will attract some looks, which even that level of attention some of us don't want.

[danielp6406]

...to be reasonably comfortable for a size 11 (a 12 fits me a bit better)...

Nice boots you got there RonC. As other said, no one will notice they are women's boots.

Lucky for you the Sears in your area is carrying sizes up to 11.

In my area, they got size 10 on some (ugly) models and the nicer ones up to size 9 only...

[RonC]

Thanks for the comments, Bubba and Daniel. I have worn the boots for brief outings a couple of times. While it hasn't been in overly public locations, I haven't gotten any bad reactions so far. I have to say that they are quite comfortable. I generally need a size 12 in womens shoes, but these fit quite nicely in the 11. They are a little bit snug getting them on, but once on, they have plenty of room. The heel height is high enough to get a nice feeling as well. While by no means a stiletto, the heel is definitely narrower at the bottom than most I have worn in public. As a result, I get the occasional ankle wobble when I walk, which for me make the high heel experience all that much more enjoyable!