micha Posted December 8, 2002 Posted December 8, 2002 Dear folks, I hope, that the 70's are also accepted as a topic of vintage fashion! Surely you all remember the awful crazy platform boots of Abba, Elton John or Kiss. Typical for this time were these very thick platform soles with chunky heels. But the difference between the sole's height and heel's height was typically only a few centimeters or approximately 1 inch. When this fashion faded away at the transition to the 80's a short period came up, where you could see platformless high heel boots for guys with high chunky heels up to 4'' and more. Especially rock musicians wore those weird boots. I believe, that was absolutely inacceptable for normal guys and that's presumably the reason why this fashion had only a very short survival time . My question: Does anybody of you still remember this time? Has somebody worn such boots? What about pics? Now I'm searching as a male high heel fan for similar boots in the internet. Result: Nothing. Hence, further robbing the women's shelf :-) Thankful for any hint micha The best fashion is your own fashion!
Highluc Posted December 8, 2002 Posted December 8, 2002 Hi Micha, being born in 1951 I definitely remember those 70's and very much participated in it. I also remember the Abba times and although I bought a few platforms designed for men I didn't like them because they mostly were too bulky and heavy. I only wore them to school or when out with my parents to family meetings or formal type of gatherings. Like many boys my age who were blessed with small feet I opted for the models available in the girls' racks. These styles were similar but much more elegant and less clumpsy to wear. People didn't see the difference because we all wore those elephant piped very long pants (now called flared jeans or bootcuts). In those times boys and girls often got similar colorful clothing from the same unisex racks and the same ideology was pretty much accepted for shoes. In summer a lot of guys wore those wooden high heeled clogs, fully exposed under their shorts. When the platform fashion for guys diminished, it was still going on for the girls and the smaller guys just turned to the girls racks in order not to be dwarfed by their partners. The rock stars set the example annyway. While the long wide pants covered most of the shoes it didn't matter and when the platform became a fashion no go for the guys, we lowered the platform height but kept the blocky heel in order to maintain our height versus the girls who were still in platforms In the south of france where the guys were muich smaller and more skinny, most guys wore the popular black or brown loafers with a 4 inch block heel on a 1 inch platform to school. Boys and girls wore the same loafers and clogs, bought straight from the girl racks, to school and in the streets and everybody found this completely normal. While most of the guys slowly got back down to flats, some short guys like me continued wearing them for almost a decade. It all vanished when fashion for men dictated pants with a very narrow bottom. I was thinking it all would come back when about a decade ago platforms came back into fashion, and the lately bootcut pants becoming popular again but this time only the girls followed while the guys "preferred" to remain in their boring standard pants and flat shoes. I never quit wearing my heels and still have some of those 70's models in my collection. The boots, cork sandals and wedges are back into fashion now but the loafers look dated. Hang on to it, it's your choice to decide what to wear each day. Be youself, enjoy any footwear you like and don't care about what others think about it, it's your life, not theirs. Greetings from Laurence
azraelle Posted December 9, 2002 Posted December 9, 2002 WELL do I remember them, but never found a source for them at the time. I ordered a couple pair of women's knee-hi boots, one in black leather, one in blue-grey suede from Lane Bryant, with aprox 2-1/2" heels, but never wore them in public except late at night, or when driving, and always under bell-bottom pants. The heels eventually either came loose, or the sole broke down (I remember nailing them from the inside to try to save them, but they never felt the same again, and I eventually threw them away). "All that you can decide, is what to do with the time that is given you."--Gandalf, "Life is not tried, it is merely survived -If you're standing outside the fire."--Garth Brooks
coolshoes Posted December 9, 2002 Posted December 9, 2002 During the '70s I owned a pair of brown loafers with heels about 2 1/2" and a pair of black ankle boots with heels about 2 1/2". Neither one of them were platforms, never cared for them. Bought both on the men's side and delighted in wearing them, especially the boots. I still remember the day when I was walking past the shoe shop window and saw the boots. It was an instant sale for the clerk. In fact, today I own a very similar pair of boots that I bought on the ladies side and wear them quite often to work and shopping. Go gently through life.
Sway Posted December 9, 2002 Posted December 9, 2002 Hi Micha, You may try Western Ranch, they make the high heel cowboy boots. This is what I gout back from them and they have somevery nice styles on their old website. We don't market our platforms at this time and quite frankly don't no if we will. But we still make them by request for anybody that is interested. Here is a link to our old site. http://www.npnhost.com/footwear/old Best regards, Nick Later Sway
micha Posted December 14, 2002 Author Posted December 14, 2002 HiLuc, a just wrote a many pages answer, but it disappeared in the digital nirvana. I'll try it tomorrow again! micha The best fashion is your own fashion!
micha Posted December 20, 2002 Author Posted December 20, 2002 Sorry for my very late response, but here it is! HighLuc, I'am almost of the same age as you (1952). By the way - we already had a chat with each other in the german high heels forum, unfortunately I don't remember, what the subject was. Going back to the seventies: Some time I saw in a shop-window those light brown platform boots with 3'' heels and 1'' soles. I fell in love with them immediately. With a beating heart and a blushed face I entered the shop and I really dared to try them on. They fitted well. No question, I had to buy them. And I must confess, *** ** *** *** *******. But there was still a little problem: To present my new boots to the friends of my flat. To my astonishment I got a lot of acknowledgement. I believe that was in the year 1974. Thus I wore them daily with pleasure. Many years later I threw them into the waste bin. Simply mega out - impossible to wear these boots in public! Today I regret this decision. Here a link to a web page with similar boots: http://www.internationalmale.com/product.asp?product=QB03510BLACKzz&dept%5Fid=10550&subdept%5Fid= Sway, thank you for your hint - that's really, what I was looking for. But the prices... oops! Here some links to my daily footwear from the women's shelf: http://www.pennangalan.com/boots/FW42.php http://www.neu.otto.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/de_DE/-/EUR/OV_DisplayProductInformation-ProductRef;sid=3yuRlYaXhjozHriUSsA9jqad4t067JwmxQY=?ls=0&ProductRef=eCS%40Store%40661818A-36-396677%403dea1e9a&SearchDetail=true&search_query_query_text=buffalo%20stiefel&cursorPos=0&search_query_Hersteller_Text=Buffalo or together with the boot's proud red eyed owner http://www.mbuenger.de/pics/stiefel%20034.jpg nice greetings micha The best fashion is your own fashion!
70s4ever Posted October 26, 2009 Posted October 26, 2009 It's taken 7 years; but how about "Omano"; 4 and 5 1/2 inch styles on ebay.
Dr. Shoe Posted October 26, 2009 Posted October 26, 2009 Look at the opening sequence of Saturday Night Fever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvrMSGQJiwQ At the 54 sec mark... Graduate footwear designer able to advise and assist on modification and shoe making projects.
Puffer Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 Look at the opening sequence of Saturday Night Fever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvrMSGQJiwQ At the 54 sec mark... Thanks - I remember it well! But best to start watching a few secs earlier or you will miss some of it.
Beeblebrox Posted June 13, 2010 Posted June 13, 2010 Well... I have two pairs of geniun platform boots for men from the early part of the seventies. First pair was made 1973 and the second pair 1974. By the way, the second pair was bought in the same shop in Stockholm as ABBA bought some of theirs. The first pair was bought in Halmstad, Sweden. If there is any interest in pictures of them I can try to put them on here. Beeblebrox
Dawn HH Posted June 20, 2010 Posted June 20, 2010 Beeblebrox:-) I would be interested in viewing those pics if available. Cheers--- Dawn HH High Heeled Boots Forever!
geo Posted June 20, 2010 Posted June 20, 2010 No 70's boots for me , just the stilletto version of todays boots
stevey2 Posted February 6, 2011 Posted February 6, 2011 Hi I never went for the boots as i was quite thin back in the 70's but I did have a pair of shoes with 3 inch block heel in brown with a latice like patern of brown and tan across the top and the toes were plain brown and bit bulbus in shape they were very heavy but good quality along with that i wore matching brown wide trousers with about 10 large pockets on them and a tank top never did it enter my head at the time i was wearing heels higher than my mum it was fashion men wore heels no one looked and stared at me or my mates sadly if i still had them and walked up town now people would look and stare and think weirdo
Puffer Posted February 6, 2011 Posted February 6, 2011 Hi I never went for the boots as i was quite thin back in the 70's but I did have a pair of shoes with 3 inch block heel in brown with a latice like patern of brown and tan across the top and the toes were plain brown and bit bulbus in shape they were very heavy but good quality along with that i wore matching brown wide trousers with about 10 large pockets on them and a tank top never did it enter my head at the time i was wearing heels higher than my mum it was fashion men wore heels no one looked and stared at me or my mates sadly if i still had them and walked up town now people would look and stare and think weirdo Yes, stevey, I think they would - and so would I (sorry!). Not because you are a man in heels but because they are not remotely in fashion at present. (And I hope they never do come back in - truly ugly, clumpy shoes, imho. Their only merit is that they might - just might - demonstrate that heels on men are normal/acceptable.)
Curt Posted July 4, 2012 Posted July 4, 2012 I just bought some mens 4 inch high heel loafers. The same ones from saturday night fever. They are a size to big for me, so I stuck a couple of insoles in them and wear double socks. But I love them! I have six pairs of knee high boots, 2 are platform. One pair of platform shoes, one blue suede wedge platform shoes, and the disco heels. What are my parents going to think when they see my apartment! You rooming with mariah carey?
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