Shopping for heels: try them on?

[HappyinHeels]

I used to not shoes in the store (except when going to Skyscraperheels in Chicago) but the other day I went to a store in Milwaukee that sells dancer shoes along with casual sandals and dress shoes and tried on four or five pairs while other customers came in and out of the store. Some stores like Payless,Target, and Bakers are exceptionally accomodating and carry quite a variety in larger sizes because they have discovered this "new market". When I ask various sales associates about men buying heels I find that it is very prevalent and increasing exponentially each year.

[chrism]

I think I will start asking clerks if they have other male customers buying shoes for themselves while I am out shopping this summer. Kind of an informal survey. Though I have been trying to devise a survey method to make it more scientific, but still haven't thought that through yet.

That is an excellent idea! Thanks for the suggestion - I will do the same (if I can remember )

Chris

[yozz]

Some two years ago there was a discussion about bigger sizes and I think it was dr1819 who mentioned that according to his investigations at least half of all the large sizes were sold to men. He seemed to be very experienced with respect to polls and statistics. Y.

[hhdude159]

I have to say that I have to thank you guys for your courage. I try on heels more often now but thats only when no one is looking. I am going to try to try them in public soon.

[HappyinHeels]

hhdude159, I really encourage you to try shoes on in the store to be sure of the fit. It is very comforting when sales associates (mostly young women) encourage you on. Sure they're there to sell shoes but it's also nice to see people accept you as is. The key is confidence, if you walk better in heels than the others watching you, they will envy that skill and confidence.

[Fearn]

I've always bought mine online. I will sometimes window shop while out shopping for other things, however, I've not gotten the guts to actually buy in a store yet...

[tallguyinheels]

I'm visiting the silicon valley area on business. I noticed the Pierre Silber store listing on the web - with a show room / warehouse in Santa Clara - only a couple miles from where I chose to stay. They were friendly and helpful - though they did not have a great selection in my size 14/15 in the king of shoe I like, but they had lots of pumps and a few boot. the boots were what I wanted to try. They only had one or two pair that were calf boots - everything else was over the knee. K also wanted the change to compare the Pleaser Domina 6 inch heel against my normal Seduce 5 inch heel. What a difference the inch makes. The Domina's are a good two inch smaller toe to heel for that inch gain in heel height. Quite a new experience. I bought two pair of boots, a stretch patent pair of calf Seduce with a nice looking center seem down the toe. 5" and very comfortable - I'll probably wear these on the plane home. I also got the Dominas in a PU black over the knee (3000). I'm going to work up to wearing those in public. both boots will be nice when winter come around - under $100 for both. I was very nice to be able to try on shoes before buying - I must have had over a dozen pairs on my feet.

[Dawn HH]

Fearn:-) Tell us more of your adventures in heels. Welcome to the Forum. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[jwhite44]

What the the atmosphere of the store like? Was it more oriented towards men, woman, or pretty open to both?

[tallguyinheels]

jwhite... The Pierre Silber Store is setup as a lingerie store but women and men were in there. The retail part is just a corner of the warehouse - I could see stacks of shoeboxes in the warehouse area. Friendly to men and women. Though several customers came in during my visit, I was the only one trying on shoes.

[HappyFeat]

I had a fantastic experience shopping at Aldo today! The store was a bit slow, being a Monday morning. I had been in before when this particular clerk was working and after picking out a style or two to try, she just brought me out about 15 pair in my size and said "I hope you don't have anywhere to be, because you should just relax and try on all of these." Well I did, I walked all over the store in each while she commented on them. She waited on a few other customers, who really didn't pay me much attention. Eventually, I bought a pair of low heeled d'orssays in a very nice brown color and a pair of leggings that look like jeans. She even added a hole to each ankle strap for me since they were a bit tight. It was a fun way to kill an hour or two.

[Romulus]

Way cool there HF. I like to look in the Aldo store, they are always very nice.

[JP92]

To my opinion, it's important to try shoes before to buy. It can become so incomfortable if a little bit too small or too large... Most especially with high heels. I have already bought high heel shoes on the web, but when possible, i buy in stores and i always try them before. Not so easy at the beginning, but things have been easier because of a really nice 'first time'. It was in ERNEST shop, in Paris. The woman was very comprehensive and made no difference because i was a man. Very professional, just doing business. I bought few items in this shop the following monthes, one time having business with a man (the boss i think). The same professionalism with him. And i decided to try an other store in Paris. Less professional, but as comprehensive as at ERNEST. Nothing to say.

[danielp6406]

Greatings HappyFeat :-)

It is always nice to shop at Aldo. Even better when it is quiet.

The sales associate asking you to try all those shoes ? This is what I qualify excellent service.

I would recommend you to go to their website and write a nice comment about her.

(Her name and employee number is shown on top right of the invoice)

Congrats

[HappyFeat]

Greatings HappyFeat :-)

I would recommend you to go to their website and write a nice comment about her. (Her name and employee number is shown on top right of the invoice)

I went to the Aldo Web site and left a glowing review for her service! Also, on my receipt, there was a link for doing a survey that gives me 15% off on my next purchase. If you hadn't made the suggestion, I wouldn't have sen that either. I think it is vital for us guys to recognize the outstanding service we get when we get it as a small step in moving toward the mainstream. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Romulus]

I went to the Aldo Web site and left a glowing review for her service! Also, on my receipt, there was a link for doing a survey that gives me 15% off on my next purchase. If you hadn't made the suggestion, I wouldn't have sen that either. I think it is vital for us guys to recognize the outstanding service we get when we get it as a small step in moving toward the mainstream. Thanks for the recommendation!

I agree there HF. Giving credit to someone for doing a good job is always a good thing to do.This type of recogonation is just what we heeled guys should do with every purchace we make. I think it will help send a message to corperate that yes, men do buy heels for themselves.

[danielp6406]

I went to the Aldo Web site and left a glowing review for her service! Also, on my receipt, there was a link for doing a survey that gives me 15% off on my next purchase. If you hadn't made the suggestion, I wouldn't have sen that either. I think it is vital for us guys to recognize the outstanding service we get when we get it as a small step in moving toward the mainstream. Thanks for the recommendation!

You are welcome HappyFeat !

FYI, this 15% rebate appears on 1 of every 3 invoices (At least here in Canada).

Note that Aldo's sister's companies (Aldo Accessoiries and Spring Shoes) also offer this 15% rebate.

Also note that at the end of the survey, you can write a comment if you want to.

The store manager will automatically receive a copy or your review (The survey code point to the store)

A NOTE TO EVERYONE:

If you shop at Aldo or Spring Shoes (Or any other stores) and you are satisfied with the service,

PLEASE send them a nice review and tell them your are a man buying heels!

This will help us all in the long run.

Happy shopping !

[Dawn HH]

I concur with what Happyfeat and Daniel say. This will help people to realize that men DO buy and wear high heeled shoes as well as the ladies. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[HappyinHeels]

tallguyinheels, You're right about the Pierre Silber store, I visited that store in 2003 after touring Sequoia/Kings Canyon Nat'l Parks. Tried on some dressses and shoes, very helpful staff. Wore the minidress and platform sandals I'd bought later that night at Carla's, a place to go and get dressed and hangout then later we went out as a group to a restaurant and a club. Nice place! HappyinHeels

[maleinheels]

You would think being in the western part of the United States, some of the sneers would be gone, alas not the case. But I did have a most enjoyable shopping trip for shoes with my GF the other day. There was a young woman clerk working at the shoe store and we decided that we would see if they by any chance had anything in my size (US12). They had a few but nothing that I liked but we thought what the heck let's try on a pair or two and see about fit. The sales girl was sort of lurking around the corner of one of the racks watching us. She didn't really pay us much attention until she realized what section we were in. As I set down to remove my shoes and socks, she got this really interested look on her face. She was trying really hard to act like she wasn't watching but it was plain she was. When I removed my socks and she saw my brightly red panted toes, I could see her take a big intake of air and just sort of hold it. I then tried on the shoes and did a few steps around the room to see how they felt. I thought she was going to faint. Pretty sure she was turned on by the fact that a guy would be trying on high heels. So it just goes to show, that the more we do this, the more it will be accepted.

[Dawn HH]

Maleinheels:-) Congrats to both you and your G/F for moving our cause forward a bit. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[danielp6406]

Maleinheels:-) Nice shopping experience you go there and I hope you will repeat it ! You did not mention if your GF bought a pair of shoes or not. Curious to see if it was the same sales girl who helped you GF with her shoes. If so, did she discuss with her about you ?

[Dawn HH]

Excellent question, DanielP. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[RonC]

Was in a Nine West outlet last week. Tried on one pair of heels, but they were too tight in size 11. The only 12s in the store were quite ugly in my opinion. Even size 11s were not very abundant. I'm sure, however, that the sales clerk noticed me trying on the shoe, and she had no problem with that at all. Other stores I went into had a few things I would have liked to have tried on, but it is back to school time, and there were just too many kids and teens about for me to feel comfortable trying on heels. I need to wait until after school starts!

[Jamie001]

The only way to go is to try on the heels when you are shopping for them. For me, the more people that are in the store, the better! I love it when people see me trying on the heels and a lot of times I even walk around the entire shoe department wearing the heels. Also, I recommend going into the store wearing heels so that everyone will know that you are interested in heels. It is important to keep in mind that what we are doing is not illegal or indecent, however it is important to remember that it is indecent to try on shoes in public without a good pedicure and nail polish on your toes. Jamie

[danielp6406]

...Other stores I went into had a few things I would have liked to have tried on, but it is back to school time, and there were just too many kids and teens about for me to feel comfortable trying on heels. I need to wait until after school starts!

I agree with you RonC and I would do the same.

I don't mind trying shoes in the store but I only do it when customers are at least "legal age".

Older customers would be more "mature" to understand.

I think trying high heels shoes (as a man) in front of kids and teens would be "in-appropriate"

Just my opinion...

[HappyFeat]

I am glad I am not the only person who had a similar experience RonC! I have had a couple recent outings that were not bad, but not my typical outing/shopping experiences. I have been exploring some new places to shop and typically I usually have fairly warm rapport with people when I am out heeling. I was beginning to think that it was me or the new places I was going, but it was that most places were full of exhausted mothers and their kids doing back to school stuff. Don't get me wrong, I really don't care about reactions, etc. its just that the chaos of the season does make it difficult to get good service (the clerks are often swamped and frustrated) and kids (and adolescents) tend to behave that way. As I think about it, I often avoid "retail heeling" on weekends, and if I do it is usually before noon. A lot of it has to do with just having fewer kids around and just makes for a chaotic experience. Anyway, I am pretty sure that school starts here in a few days and I will do a comparison of the places I went and see if it is any different.

[kikepa]

...it is indecent to try on shoes in public without a good pedicure and nail polish on your toes.

Jamie

So you're saying that all the men and women who wear heels should always wear nail polish? Going au natural is somehow indecent?

I don't think so! Frankly, I find heels worn by anyone with a good pedicure, sans nail polish, to be sexy, and have similarly found many choices of nail polish totally ruins that effect.

Just my opinion...

[mackman69]

well i try to go shopping for heels when the store first opens that way i can on heels without the kids seeing me.

[RonC]

well i try to go shopping for heels when the store first opens that way i can on heels without the kids seeing me.

Opening is a bery good time to shop. Unfortunately, I also am at work at the time the stores open, so it is a rare occassion that I can be there at opening. I even had one clerk tell me that it was a good time to shop!