A Day to Relax

[Bubba136]

A day to relax.

Last Wednesday morning was a typical mid-summer morning here in costal South Carolina. The lazy, fat, early morning clouds were already floating across the bay bringing the promise of searing afternoon heat and close to 100 percent humidity that will produce the late afternoon thunderstorms that are typical of our semi-tropical climate at this time of year.

I wasn't bored -- I had many things that I could be doing around our place that I just didn't feel like doing. And, work wasn't the answer either. Two clients contacted my office on Monday. I am a self-employed Business-Management consultant. I analyze businesses that are on the verge of sliding into the “red.” I also analyze policies and procedure for service operations for local municipal governments that are seeking ways to improve efficiency and cut down on expenses.

I had worked for one of these clients, before. He didn't want to pay me for my services after I had completed my review and submitted my report to him. It took a great deal of my threatening legal action to get him to pay-up and I wasn't really in the mood to go through that again. The other client was from the upper part of the state and didn't like the idea that I included travel and living expenses while in Greenville researching his company, in my proposal. So, I put him on hold until he made up his mind.

My wife suggested that I drive across the river to Savannah and go shopping at one of our favorite malls just to get away for two or three of hours. So, I changed my clothes, putting on a dark blue short sleeve sport shirt, white shorts and pair white open toe sling back sandals with 5” wedge heels. My wife gave me the “once-over” and gave her approval at the way I looked. She suggested I take along another pair of shoes just in case my feet got tired from the heels.

I climbed into my car and headed towards I-95 and the city. I decided to drive my 1983 Buick Riviera convertible - white with a red leather interior -- that doesn't get much use these days. I put the top down and just enjoyed the feeling of freedom that driving without a roof over my head gave me.

About 45 minutes later, pulled into the parking lot of the mall and parked a place that would be out of the sun for most of the afternoon. I put the top up, rolled up the windows, got out and locked the car. As I walked toward the mall's entrance, I glanced around the parking lot and noticed there were only a few cars. So I knew the mall wouldn't be crowded and that I would be able to take my time and brows through the stores at a leisurely pace.

Over the years, we – my wife and I – have frequently shopped at this mall and most of the time I've worn heels without any problem. Although my outfit was well coordinated and appropriate for the summer season, the white wedge heeled sling backs, plainly visible on my feat at the end of my bare legs, were bound to attract some attention.

I opened the door and walked into the mall, passing a couple of security guards that were standing by the directory. I'm sure they noticed the way I was dressed but after a quick glance neither of them gave any noticeable reaction as I headed down the mall toward Dillards department store.

I walked through one or two of the departments, stopping in the men section to look at some trousers and then into the shoe department. I spent a little time looking at some sandals that were on sale and some of the new fall models that one of the sales assistants was putting on display. I mentioned to her that I liked the round toe and the hidden or small platform that the pumps and a couple of the stiletto heeled sandals were sporting.

She looked at me and smiled. Then asked me if I needed help finding something. She also commented that I looked very cool. Not only “cool” but cool and refreshing, dressed as I was for the hot weather. She mentioned that she liked the white sandals I was wearing, saying they were just perfect with the white shorts and blue shirt.

She pointed to a newly installed computer station and explained that the store had direct computer connection to the entire store and I could enter an item that I was interested in finding and the computer would display the location in the store where I could find it, note if it was in stock, and order it if it wasn't.

She walked over to it and opened the “Shoe Department” and clicked on women's shoes. There were over 400 models and styles displayed. I was surprised at the large number of styles with “Jessica Simpson's” label. She said that the popularity of the movie “Sex in the City” was behind the stores decision to take almost their entire line. However, they only had a few models in stock and that if I spotted something I liked, she would be glad to help me order it “on line” and I could even have it shipped to my home address if I chose to. She said that if they had the shoes in my size in stock, I could try a on a pair to see how they fit. I shopped for almost 30 minutes before I found something caught my attention. A pair of black classic pumps with a ¼” platform and 4½” stiletto heels. She found them in the stock room and I tried them on. I decided to “think” about buying them and thanked her for her time and good service.

I then went to Kohls and looked around at their shoes. I've found some really exciting shoes shopping at Kohls in the past. Today though, they still were featuring summer styles. Lots of sandals and thong style flats. I did find one pair that caught my attention that were on sale for $21:

http://media.kohls.com.edgesuite.net/is/image/kohls/328877_Brown?wid=230&hei=230&op_sharpen=1

Circe Gladiator Sandals with 3 3/4” heels. I asked the sales clerk -- a very helpful and nice young woman-- if I could try on a pair? She asked my size and which color I wanted to try on – brown or black? I would have liked them better in white, But, after trying them on and walking around wearing them for a few minutes, I decided they were such a good price for the quality and construction, I'd get the brown pair. While I was putting my own shoes back on, she commented that she liked the style I was wearing and had been looking for a similar pair for herself. I explained that my wife had bought them at a mall in Charleston a couple of years ago and that I had worn them quite a bit. They were really comfortable and despite the 5” heel, were easy to walk in. I took one off and showed it to here. She took it and put it on and, even though it was about a size and a half to large for her foot, she remarked on how “lightweight” they were and commented that if she could find a pair in her size she bet that she could wear a pair “for ever.”

She asked me if I wore other styles of high heels besides sandals. I told her about my other heels and that I had three pair of pumps with 7” heels that I was trying to master. She looked surprised and told me that she hadn't ever seen a pair of pumps with heels that high. I told her that I was really very comfortable in 4”, 5”, 6” heels and that I regularly wore them around Charleston. She told me that she had several pair of heels that she wore to Church and on other “dressy” occasions, but the heels were about 3½ high at the most. She was “vary” into shoes but preferred very feminine styles with buckles bows and frilly ornaments with lower heels. She didn't like flip-flops or crocks. Thought they looked really very sloppy.

While she thought I was dressed nicely and my white sandals looked appropriate with my summer shirt and shorts, she said that she has never seen a man wearing woman's shoes before, yet alone in a public shopping mall. When I asked her if she liked the look, she responded yes, that I looked very nice. But, the whole concept of a man in heels was a different and new to her and she had to “get used” to it. I thanked her for her help and interest and took my leave.

Next, I went to a Shoe Carnival store where I saw a pair of Men's sandals that looked a lot like a pair of woman's sandals I had at home in my closet.

The main difference between this pair and mine is that the pair I have, have 3” wedge heels. I've worn them just about everywhere around Myrtle Beach for the past 4 years and have never experienced any negative reaction.

(sorry, I couldn't post the picture)

There wasn't anyone else in the store and I took my time strolling around looking at their stock. So many styles and models to look at. There must have been at least 400 pairs on display (I kept thinking about the 30 or 40 styles that were available on the men's side of the store).

Most of the styles on display were styles that I already had, didn't like or wasn't interested in buying. But, there was one pair of pumps that caught my attention. 4½” heels with a ½” hidden platform. I asked the young lady clerk if I could try a pair in size 10½. She looked kind of surprised but went into the stock room and returned with a pair in blue leather. Now, these are some nice shoes. They're called: “Davis By Ruthie Davis Women's Core Plain Pumps.” They fit like a glove. So comfortable and easy to walk in. I was about to tell the clerk that I would take them when I looked at the price. $649.95. I asked “ is this price a misprinted?” She replied “no, that's the current price” and they're currently on sale. I didn't bother to ask her what the original price was.

(Sorry, I couldn't post the picture)

I told her that while I liked them and the way they fit and the way they felt on my feet, I really didn't want to spend that much money right now. She said that she was surprised when I asked her to show me a pair because she knew how expensive they were. Then she asked me if I saw anything else that I was interested in trying. And, since I had looked at about everything they had, I decided to go on to Staples and get some ink and paper that I needed for my printer.

Staples was located in another building behind the main mall. I had my choice of walking the 100 yards or so or going back to my car and driving over. I chose to drive over since I was planing to return home after visiting Staples.

My visit to Staples was a complete non-event. Although there was a number of customers and sales staff circulating about the place, as far as I could tell, no one even gave me even a second look. The young girl at the checkout counter was friendly and we talked about several of the items that were going to be on sale starting next Sunday.

I walked out to my car and found two policemen looking at it. They asked me if this was my vehicle and I replied that it was and began reaching for my drivers license and registration. They started asking questions about the car and how long I had owned it. There were patrolling around the mall, they said, and saw the car sitting outside the store. They thought it was a beautiful car and asked me if they could take a look at it.

I opened the door and lowered the top so they could look at the interior. I told them I had purchased the car new and had kept it all these years. They were both surprised at the condition and low mileage for a car 25 years old. One of them remarked that it was old enough to qualify for a “antique” auto registration. He also mentioned that he was interested in vintage cars and had recently found a 69' “Vette” that he was in the process of restoring. It would take him a while, he said, because the parts were so expensive and difficult to locate at prices he could afford. Fortunately for him, he remarked, it was still in pretty good condition and needed more cleaning up than restoration.

With that, they introduced themselves, shook my hand and said that if I was ever interested in selling my car, I should give them a call. They climbed back into their cruiser and drove off. I don't believe either one gave my white wedge heels a second thought. If they were curious about my shoes, they didn't react as they were.

On my way back to the highway, I stopped at a local deli and got a sandwich and a glass of iced tea. I picked up a copy of the local newspaper and went outside onto the patio and sat down under a big umbrella. I was looking through the newspaper and eating my sandwich when a woman and her daughter sat down at the table along side of mine. The woman looked to be about my age, or a little younger and her daughter between 20 and 25. I noticed the daughter looking at my wedge sandals and whispering something to her mother. The mother took a quick look and then went back to eating her sandwich without saying or responding to her daughter. I finished my lunch and took my trash to the waste bin. I went back and picked up the paper to put back where I'd found it, when the woman asked me if she could have it. Saying, of course, I walked over and put it on her table and turned to walk away.

The woman asked if she could ask me a question. I acknowledged that I would be happy to answer any question for her, if I could. She began by saying how much she liked my shoes and that they went really well with the way I was dressed. She asked me where I'd found them I told her that my wife had bought them at a store in a mall near our home in Charleston a couple of years ago. Then she asked me if I wore them a lot. I told her that I wore them whenever my outfit called for this type of shoes. She then said that she'd never seen a man wearing woman's shoes before and wondered if I was self-conscience wearing them in public. I replied that while I knew it was unusual for a man to appear in public wearing high heels of any style, I had been wearing heels out and about regularly for the past 10 years or longer without any problem what so ever. I did add that public awareness and acceptance seemed to be greater these days than it was when I first begin wearing heels outside of the house.

Her daughter asked me if I just wore wedge heel or did I wear other styles, also? I told her I wore all other styles that she could think of. I had pumps, boots, slides, wedge heels and clogs. I usually wore the shoes that were appropriate for the occasion. I even had 3 pairs of pumps with 7” heels that I was learning to manage.

They asked me to sit down, which I did, and we chatted about shoes, heels and brands and styles for the next 20 minutes. One issue they were really curious about was whether or not I wore other item of woman's clothing or just the shoes. I explained that I usually wore thighhigh nylon stockings with pumps and trouser stockings with boots & knee highs with other styles. But, never pantyhose. Didn't like the feeling and the bother of climbing into them.

They also asked about my wife's reaction to my wearing heels. I explained how she was the one that usually came home from shopping trips with a new pair or two for me to try. I also told them that I returned a lot of the shoes she picked out because I didn't like them. I never could convince my wife, I said, that my taste in heels wasn't the same as hers. I did say, however, that I always let my wife know how much I appreciated her buying heels for me. They were “blown away” with the thought that my wife was so supportive and of her approving of my wearing high heels in public.

All in all it was a very interesting conversation. I finally said that I had to leave and said goodbye.

They both said how much they enjoyed meeting me and talking with me about a subject they never thought a man would be willing to discuss. Especially with a couple of strangers. I walked back to the car and began my drive back home.

When I got home, I took my new shoes into the house and showed them to my wife. She liked the style and thought they would be perfect to wear out to supper one night soon. I also told her of my conversation with the two women at the deli and she was interested in hearing of their impressions and reaction.

While the whole shopping trip was a positive experience in itself, the best parts were the conversations I had with two women about men in heels and shoes in general.

[shyguy]

Thanks for sharing such a positive story with us all. I always like reading about others experiences, and how people react to their heels, but this was so in depth and descriptive, thanks again Bubba136 for a great read.

[fastfreddy2]

Thanks for sharing such a positive story with us all. I always like reading about others experiences, and how people react to their heels, but this was so in depth and descriptive, thanks again Bubba136 for a great read.

"What he said."

I haven't seen them, but I think I've fallen in love with your 5" white wedges too. If there's a piccy anywhere, or any way a picture could be shown here, I'd be grateful to see it. [As might others, I'm sure.]

Excellent report, on what was a very staisfying day. Thank you.

....

[billyb]

Bubba In reading about your outing is an inspiration to all of us, this just goes to show that the general public is accepting of men in heels. Thanks.