My turn

[radiodave]

I kept wanting to do it, but kept getting cold feet (pun intended ). I would read about the exploits of others, and kept hoping I could do it too. I even chickened out before going to the store in my 2" block heeled boots, to which my wife commented that I changed out of them. Not today. Not only was I going to wear them, but I'd wear them to WORK. I figured what's the worst that will happen? Somebody might laugh or ask about them, but the odds of getting into any trouble were astronomically small. I've been there 11 years, so who's going to complain? I put my boots on, and didn't give it a second thought. My wife must have seen them, but didn't say a thing. Didn't even say anything when I walked out the door with them on. I've worn other heels for the drive to work, but she would ask insistently if I had my regular shoes to wear. At work, the guy who followed me in asked "Expecting rain?". I was trying to figure out what he was getting at (making the wrong assumption), until he pointed at the umbrella I was carrying. No strange looks or anything. Talking with my coworkers, they glanced down, but that was it. No long stares, no double takes or strange looks. Got a little nervous when I passed our secretary, since she would probably be most likely to disapprove (in her own words, any guy who wears sandals is so gay). Nothing. Some of the other guys who join the lunch crowd are the stereotypical red-blooded males who wouldn't be caught dead doing anything even remotely un-manly. Not the slightest reaction. At lunch, our secretary sat across from me, and since we were sitting at round tables, there was a gap where everyone nearby could see them. Still no comment. She glanced, as did a couple others, but no strange stares. For the rest of the day, absolutely no response. My boss came around to discuss something with me and my coworker, but other than a quick glance, nada. Even when I stopped by the post office on the way home, nobody even blinked. So for anyone else who's hesitant, get out there! The negativity is mostly in your head. Act like nothing's wrong, be confident, and wear what you want! More to follow, but it's great feeling! Maybe 2" boots in public aren't much, but it's a start! Oh, and my pants in the picture are not that short, I merely lifted them slightly to take a picture of my boots.

[Bubba136]

That picture of you and your boots could be a picture of me. I usually wear boots or loafer style shoes with 2" or 2½" heels normally out and about and to work. No one has ever said a word about them. Furthermore, while that style appears to look like women's boots, there's enough similarity between them and some men's styles. No worry, mate. Shine them up and get on with your life.

[CassieJ]

Welcome to public heeling. Glad your first day was so good. I think most people that notice are not bold enough to mention it, even positively. Keep posting your experiences. I wear heels every weekend. Haven't tried work yet, but maybe soon. CJ

[bluesman]

I think CassieJ makes an interesting point about people being bold enough to make any comment, positive or negative. In the overly politically-correct work environments we now have, people are just plain scared to make any comment about another's attire. An innocent compliment about a person looking nice or a hair style being attractive or whatever can be turned into a major human resources incident. So, even if someone notices your footwear is a little different, chances are they will think better than to bring it up. Not to say all this is a good thing...its a sad day when offering a compliment or engaging in constructive conversation can get you in trouble! Keep up the good work, RadioDave.

[latindancer]

Congrats man!! Soon, you will be doing it more and more, and notice that no one cares. Even in the mall. Keep it up.

[Bootking]

radiodave, I did the same thing this afternoon, but not at work. I had these heels on (2 1/2 inches) and had to go into Officemax. Normally I would have changed but I said to myself, no, just go even though it's during the day. If anyone noticed, they didn't say and I didn't hang around to find out. The heels definately show on these skinny jeans. There was a girl outside smoking a cigarette and I'm sure that she saw but didn't say anything.

[Thighboots2]

Radiodave & Bootking, Well done guys. I would have been totally surprised if you had gotten any reaction to your chosen footwear at all. There is nothing for anyone to comment about or really feel that it is out of the ordinary. Now if you both had been in 2.5" stiletto heels with pointy toes, then thats a different story. If, and I sincerely hope it is soon, higher heels do come in for men, then your two examples will be typical of what is marketed at guys. I don't think they will go above 3" either seeing as the height gain above 3" is minimal. Block and Cuban heels will rule. For confident heeling anytime restrict yourself to 3" heels of the block type. Most of all, take a good look at your whole outfit before you step out, because that is what everyone sees. Ask yourself, if you saw a man dressed as you are, what would your reaction be? If you had worn regular oxford tie shoes, you would have just got on with your business without another thought to what is on your feet. You certainly wouldn't look about trying to see if anyone is looking at you and your shoes - would you? People sense unease in others. It's very subtle and you will also be aware of others being uneasy about something they are doing. It is totally natural because it is our self preservation instict working. You have to be on your guard for all sorts of threats whilst you are out, such is the state of our society these days. You have just proved to yourselves that buy acting normally, you can wear what you want. Kudos to you both for doing it. TB2

[shrimper]

Radiodave and Bootking. In both cases your boots from the front look like regular men's shoes just that the heel is higher. Even my keen eye might miss them in public. A narrower toe or heel I'm sure would catch more attention though still not necessarily any comments.

[radiodave]

Thanks all for the comments. When my wife got back from working late, she casually asked how the boots were (I figured she had to have noticed them in the morning), and I said they were fine. No questions beyond that. I'll agree if I had narrower (or noisier) heels then there might have been more reaction, but I wasn't too concerned with what the others thought. At one point a lady with some nice boots walked by on the tile floor, and while I thought her boots looked nice, I realized that had I worn the same style, there probably would have been a lot more notice considering her heels were loud, and much narrower. Mine made no noise. I'll plan on wearing them more often, and maybe someday I'll be more daring and try something with higher and thinner heels.

[Bubba136]

or, you could get a pair of boots with thicker and higher heels (Like I just have:)

[radiodave]

Nice! Where did you get those?

[billyb]

radiodave & Bootkink Way to go guys and the more you do it the easier it becomes and at work as people get use to it they wont even notice. I also had an interesting week on Tuesday I was walking out of the IT office into a common hall and one of the ladies from our export group was comming out of the AR department and she said to me I thought that was you I herd the click click of your boots so I asked what do you mean as I was wearing mens cowboy boots with a 3" rideing heel and she told me that my boots almost sound like a womens heel and I said oh and we went our way. That got me to thinking and the next day it was cold and stormy and I had just this past weekend bought a pair of knee high boots with a round toe and 3.5 inch heels that is smaller than a rideing heel but shaped similar so I wore them to work and they actully were not as loud as my cowboy boots and I don't think anyone even noticed. So lets keep heeling

[Bubba136]

Nice! Where did you get those?

My wife found them on sale at one of the department stores here in Charleston and bought them for me as replacements for a pair of boots with 4" wedge heels that I've almost worn out. They are by (designer brand) Enzo Angiolini. They have 4½" heels that are slightly thicker than stilettos, with a ¼ platform. Slightly rounded toe with just over the ankle high shafts.

I happened to see a pair just like them in brown on eBay and was tempted to bid on them because the pair I have are a pleasure to wear. And, yes, I do wear them out in public on almost a daily basis.

[latindancer]

Very nice boots, those are ones that I would definitely wear.

[Bootking]

Thanks guys for the vote of confidence.

Thighboots2, although your advice is well taken for "mainstream," truly the thinner and/or higher heel is sexier and the more I like it. The next night I had to stop for gas and was wearing pointy black Steve Madden crinkle patent knee high boots with a 4" stiletto heel and stopped for gas on the parkway under corduroy pants. I know the car behind saw the heels (sometimes you can feel things) but who they were or what I don't know. I just put the gas in the car, felt somewhat uncomfortable, and left. But hey, that's the way it is for now for the irregular fashion wearer.

[latindancer]

Bootking It's awesome hearing that you are now enjoying the stilletoe heel outings. It's fun isn't it. Pretty soon you might being wearing them when you go into a store without trying to hide them. Keep having fun. Enjoy!!!!

[wood&metal]

Congradulations, radiodave!... Carry on!..

[iloveboots]

Great Boots and love the belt too!

david & cathy

radiodave, I did the same thing this afternoon, but not at work. I had these heels on (2 1/2 inches) and had to go into Officemax. Normally I would have changed but I said to myself, no, just go even though it's during the day. If anyone noticed, they didn't say and I didn't hang around to find out. The heels definately show on these skinny jeans. There was a girl outside smoking a cigarette and I'm sure that she saw but didn't say anything.

[radiodave]

Second time wearing my boots to work, and it's already getting easier. Just put them on without a second thought, and still nothing even resembling a raised eyebrow. It certainly gives me more confidence to wear them in other places, so I don't plan on changing anything when I go to my haircut this evening.

[Celso999]

or, you could get a pair of boots with thicker and higher heels (Like I just have:)

RadioDave's boots do look like a regular men's boots with cuban heels. It's OK for improving self-confidence but they do not shock anybody. The boots you showed here are very nice and a real self-defy to public use.

[dawn]

Hi I Really wish to support your decision to start wearing heels to work. non the less, the reason you got no response is because these boots are not trully considered woman boots because, as fashion goes, they are out of fashion, and at most, they might be considered as boots older ladies might wear, but don't think I am trying to discourage you, the thing is that I am certain that these boots, are not really the boots you want to wear !!?? but it is understandable that you must go through all the stages until you find the courage to really dress as you wish, now the higher you go (heel height) you will draw more attention and that is also part of the enjoyment, but you have to remember that once you start going higher people will notice and people will laugh and make fun (been there) but they can laugh at you a day or two, grin at you another 2-3 days, make some comment for another week or so and that's it!!!, at some point people will get use to you wearing heels AND THEY WILL NOT CARE, (I am referring to people you meet and work with every day not to people on the street, whom you shouldn't care at all) Today, I am at the point that girls from work come to show me thier new boots or shoes and ask my opinion, I even got 2 orders from the woman who dosn't know how to order online and really want a pair of boots like my BCBG macony (pic attached). You should also consider the fact (especially if you work in a large firm) that poeple will think you are gay (whether you are or not), and i discovered that the most problematic part, especially for man, is to accept the fact that you like high heels (and perhaps a nice feminine jeans) and you are not gay (most people find it easier to accept that fact, that Yep he is gay so he wears woman clothes, being totaly streight and wearing feminine clothes, is what I found to be to hardest part for people to accept) and as was said numerous times before, after a while people will get used to seeing you in heels (perhaps others will join) and your concern should not be to the height of you heel but rather to the entire appearance , if your clothes will be coordinated with your heels, etc... you will soon find that people (especially woman) will accept your good tase and even start asking your advice on clothes/shoes. I am attaching examples of the shoes i wear every day to work (it's winter now) - IT'S ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN

[Maximilian]

Ahalan Dawn :-) And I thought I was the only Israeli (although I no longer live in Israel) in this forum heh heh. I never wore my heels in public back home so I wonder how your experiences are with locals. I always feared the environment was too conservative for a guy in heels, then again, you could probably get away with it in Tel Aviv. Do "Arsim" give you any problems lol? I like the togo boots.

[dawn]

Hi Maxi you are correct, in Tel-Aviv you can get away with wearing heels quite easily, altough, as any street heeler anywhere, you will get a lot of 2nd looks. regarding "ARSIM", well, the truth is I try to avoid large groups of them, if possible, but i never got any bad response, the only reponse i got once from a group of 4 arsim is that one of them walked up to me, look at my shoes and said that's a cool shoes and asked where i got them, but my heel was totaly covered and i don't think he understood i am wearing 4" blade heels. the people at work (most of them at least) fail to understand why i want to wear high heels but they say it's only my problem and they don't really care what type of shoes i am wearing (i tried to convince a few of the man in the office to try on high heels, but no success) thanks for the comment about the TOGO boots, they really look cool, and if the heel is covered no one can really tell that i am walking on 4" stiletto heels because the front is nicely rounded. since this is the absolute end of the season i got them for 50NIS (~15$) which is crazy cheap !!

[Celso999]

Hi

I am attaching examples of the shoes i wear every day to work (it's winter now) - IT'S ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN

Hi Dawn,

Congratulations for your attitude. The first and second boots are very nice! I never found one of those in my size (12 US) here in Rio de Janeiro, although for work I use only block heels up to 3.1/2 inches.

Best regards,

Celso.

[roniheels]

Dawn... more power to you! I love your attitude about wearing high stiletto heels to work. You are definitely an inspiration. Radiodave... When I go into our work place once a week for staff meetings (I work virtual from home), I wear a pair of boots like the ones you pictured except they have a full 3 inch heel. The only comments I hear anymore when I come into the meeting is "...wow! Disco lives!" I chuckle with everyone else. Thanks for sharing the photos and story.