For The Love of the Spike Heel

JeffB · 5th June 2005, 12:39

I've mentioned this in passing on other posts, but thought I'd talk about this in depth here.

When I first started wearing heels in public about five years ago, I began with broad, thick and clunky stacked heels, mainly because I was still somewhat self-conscious about being out an about in women's shoes and opted for a style wasn't to overtly obvious as women's shoes. Early on, I didn't want to push the envelope as I wanted to just blend in with the shoes I've come to enjoy wearing.

As time went on and my confidence grew, I moved on to thinner styles, it was then that blade heels came into prominence and I gravitated to them at a time when I took the big plunge from loafers to pumps. By then, everyone at the office knew I was wearing women's shoes, so the transistion wasn't painful. And yet, my evolution continued as I graduated to wearing spike heels like they style below:

http://www.fashions4fetish.com/eBay%...e420black2.jpg

That was about a couple of years ago, and since then, spike heels have become my style of choice, I don't wear anything else, no stack heels, no blade heels, just spikes. And, as I've mentioned on other posts, I can't bring myself to wear anything lower than four inches with four and half to five being my limit since I do a lot of walking during teh course of the work day. Wearing spikes is just so much fun for me.

I feel supremely confident, even bold while standing and walking in spikes which feel completely natural to me, and I walk in them with a ease that openly surprises many of the female co-workers at the office. And of course, I've evolved from plain old black to a myriad of colors including, pink which I'll be showing off soon. The spike heel is my passion and is why I love women's shoes!

:D

rainbow6562004 · 5th June 2005, 14:05

Yea, Jeff!!!!
:D :D :D

Rainbow

Bubba136 · 5th June 2005, 16:37

While you've often mentioned how your female coworkers react and accept you in heels, I can't help but wonder how it is for you to walk down the hallways outside of your immediate office. Having also worked in a large government office building, I found myself having to interact quite frequently with other departments and activities, attending meetings and functions outside my immediate directorate and eating lunch in the large cafaterias that are prevalent in all large government buildings. What kind of reactrion to you get from people outside of your personal work environment? When you have to go to another place within your building to discuss job requirements or gather information to prepare a job description, do you wear your heels? What reaction do you get from these people outside of your assigned office? And, I am sure there are other men in your office besides yourself. How do they react? As well as men in other departments? Do they accept you in your red slingback pumps as readily as they would if you were JeffB wearing wingtips?

Although I've been acquainted with you here at hhplace since you originally became a member, and greatly admire your openness, courage and perseverance, I know there has to be more to the story of people within your local work setting than just those in the immediate proximity. It's those poeple that I am interested in learning about. After all, there isn't anything more that we (high heel wearers like us) would like than to be able to put on our heels when we get dressed each morning and go out and about the community, doing our normal, routine life activities without a second thought of what's on our feet.

Firefox, calv, and others in London come as close to accomplishing this as anyone I've ever heard about. And, of course, you. Firefox, and some of the others, have made it clear they aren't at all bothered at wearing there boots or other heels in public. But, for a person to wear them as openly as you do while in a large government building here in the USA (expecially in the Washington, DC area) is extraordinary.

You have my (our) complete admiration. Keep it up and keep us posted.

stilettolover · 5th June 2005, 19:44

I think that I am inclined to agree with bubba on this one. I know that larger cities bring about a larger cultural diversity, but still, things out of the mainstream of "normalcy" sometimes attract more than a few eyes. I am originally from Baltimore myself, and there are more narrow minded individuals in that area than you can shake a stick at. Jeff, please enlighten us as bubba requested. It will be interesting, I'm sure.

S.L.

heels are GRRRRREAT!

JeffB · 5th June 2005, 21:57

No problem! I'd be glad to clarify my position which I should have done from the start. The building where I work at isn't government owned, it's a 10 story, municipal owned building in the downtown area of the city where I live.

Our facility is on four different floors because it staffs several departments, and during the course of the day while performing my duties, I'll travel to at least three of the floors, sometimes all four, so I'm seen by a great many co-workers. Also, the ground floor is a sort of mall with a food court and shopping area (plus a basement area with a large daycare center) which attracts many visitors, and every day, I go downstairs at mid-morning as people flood in to buy a newspaper and a soda. Sometimes, I even go outside to a nearby convience store or my bank. So, I'm not exactly isolated.

As for the men who work at our facility, well, they're a distinct minority as women outnumber us 9 to 1. They've yet to say anything to me about the shoes I wear, either positive or negative. I don't know if it's out of deference, disinterest or what. I have no idea. Granted, I've never actually asked any of the men what they think, to be perfectly honest, that's never occured to me. For all I know, they probably think I'm gay, and yes, we do have a gay man in our department, but I don't worry about being labeled. I know who and what I am, so it really doesn't matter what others may think.

For the most part, I've been respected by co-workers, primarily because I've been a loyal, conscientious, productive employee, and that's what my supervisors care about most. They appreciate the level of work I do and the professionalism I project to everyone around me. It also doesn't hurt that I have a good personality and provide occasional comic relief in our department with my corny sense of humor. Now, I'm sure there are probably people there who are put off by my wearing heels, but no one has actually broached that subject with me. Maybe I intimidate those folks. Who knows.

I hope this information will enlighten everyone.
:D

Bubba136 · 6th June 2005, 03:23

Thanks, JeffB. You've gone a long way toward answering my questions. Incidentlly, it wasn't my intent to get you to bring even more attention to your shoes by inferring you should ask people what they think. I'm with you in that you should just go about your business as normally as you can and if they have any reaction or comment I am sure they will broach the subject.

Thanks again.

JeffB · 6th June 2005, 09:17

My pleasure, bubba. Glad to have satisfied your curiosity. From day one, I've never gone out of my way to ask anyone what they thought of my footwear as I didn't want to impose upon anyone. I just wear my shoes and waited for people to react to me. Some days, I'm still surprised those reactions have been so positive. Just lucky I guess.
:D

Bubba136 · 6th June 2005, 14:34

From your earlier descriptions of your activities in heels at work, I believe it's easy to get the impression that the number of people that see you in heels is limited to the few individuals working in your immediate vicinity. However, after your explanation, I realize that your exposure is to several hundred people each day, by far a much larger larger number than I ever realized. Which is extraordinary to say the least.

Now, that raises another question, which is: do you wear heels outside of the office while doing your normal activities, going shopping (like TBG), to the mall (like I have on occasions)? After all, the number and mix of people that are out and about during hours away from work is really not much different than during working hours. Once again, I would guess it would depend upon where you lived and what kind of neighborhood it is. Quite frankly, though, if I wore my stiletto heels in the outside world as much as you do, I think I would wear them all of the time, everywhere – which is exactly the objective of almost all of us that love to wear high heels.

asdf174 · 6th June 2005, 18:21

I wish I could wear my heels in my office. But

A. I work at a mental health facility wear a lot of are clients are kinda homophobic and It would hurt my relationship with them.

B. My friends are still in the dark about me wearing heels. They one knows that I like women in heels but thats about it. And one of my best friends just happens to work with me.

C. As Jeff as stated in a other thread most of my heels would probaly be unsuitable for the work place. (Well I have some chunky heels I could get away with.)

As far as the love for the spike heel, it is my fav style to go with now when it comes to heels. Allways has been. I use to wear chunky heels a while back when I first started buying heels but that was becasue the only place that sold heels that was close to wear I lived was Payless. (And the story is kinda comlicated but I couldn't order shoes offline without anyone noticeing.) and well things changed and I started ordering heels off the net and I've been wearing spikes ever since.

rainbow6562004 · 6th June 2005, 19:38

Congratulations, ASDF, in letting go of your worries. :D
Most worrying is trying to head off some imagined future disaster. Most of the awful predictions never happen, and we've lost the present in vainly trying to control the future.
Some concern for the future is justified; most isn't.

Rainbow