BlondeBimbo

Well – I have just prodded myself and I am real!! :lol:

OK I haven’t been here too often!

I do think TXT is correct in that "I seriously doubt that the wearing off (stilletto) heels by men will become common place... " – OK there were platforms in the 70’s – but this was never “Real” high heels – very little slopey arch there. :lol:

I could never imagine it being typical that a bloke runs into a shoe shop “Those red heels in the window – do you have them in a size 12?” – hell I had to drag my partner in to the shop kicking and screaming before I could get him to buy new walking boots!

However just because it may never be completely “mainstream” does not mean that it couldn’t be “not that unusual” and men could be completely comfortable wearing high heels in many situations without adverse comments – OK society is not there yet, but it can be, people just have to be exposed to it in favourable conditions where they don’t feel threatened.

After all only 30-40 years ago men wearing “perfume” would have been considered “odd” – now most men use some form of scent everyday – OK if it’s aftershave, body spray etc.. – We haven’t quite got to the true perfume being commonplace yet.

I do think the constant “too much Spam” threads are getting a bit much though, I clear out a few a day as do all the other mods’, and looking at the bigger picture we don’t actually have that much – compare it to other areas and we are fairly spamless! – it appears it’s a shared subject to write about, -but it’s actually quite easy to spot and ignore.

Most of the spam recently appears to be manually entered rather than auto, and people are joining just to add spam, personally given how quickly it is actually removed, I think it is worth the ease with which people can join/post – please remember for each person doing the posting there are probably 5-10 others building up the courage, if this site is really aimed at helping others we ought to put that towards the top of the list.

As for us girls on the site, the problem is we don’t really share the same issues as the boys, for example there was a thread a while back about “is it possible to drive in high heels?” – well I cannot relate to the question after all, I like thousands/millions of others do it every day without thinking! (No comments about women not thinking whilst driving please! ) so I cannot share the obvious excitement and “dare” that is associated for most of the boys.

Perhaps if my partner wore heels, I could relate to it more, you need to encourage your partners to contribute, after all they would benefit from speaking to other partners of HHMen!

BB

Ozzard

Indeed. It's been interesting to watch women's fashion change over the last five years or so in the UK. Styles that were previously classed as "fetish" - metal heels, some platforms, ultra-pointed toes, very high (but not yet ultra) heels - are now mainstream, at least in the cities. This has gone hand in hand with a more general move towards previously "fetish" clothing, which (sadly ) now appears to be running its course.

This board, along with any other special-interest board, documents the interesting and hence somewhat out-of-the-ordinary. When everybody's doing it, I suspect there's little reason to post :-).

kneehighs

I agree.

People just don't see it enough to program their old knee jerk reactions out of their mind.

While we might not habituate the collective whole of society to the sight of men in heels, we can habituate people at our own individual grassroots levels to the sight of men in heels.

Just ask Shafted's boss, who defends his choice of stilettos. Or ask Firefox's friends who worry when he doesn't wear heels. Or ask the janitor at Barnes and Noble about my croco print pumps. Its getting the micro level victories to team and form one macro-level triumph is where it gets tough.

I think seeds for acceptance lie dormant in almost anyone really. They are after all being watered everyday by a growing socially liberal collective whole of society. It seems like the world is coming to expect diversity. At least here in New York, London, Amsterdam, and many other cities it seems so.

Im not saying everyone's heart is soil ripe for tilling. But many hearts are ready for the harvest. If and when we find it...well thats another question


:)

Thighboots2

These days it seems that anything goes and whilst many may see they have been brought up not to comment on others.

Men in heels will come I am sure. Seems the androgenous look is coming too. What I cant see coming is stilettos for men outside of say, the club or fetish/goth scene. Yeah, I know we can and do wear them and has been so often demonstrated, people don't tend to notice especially when the outfit is properly co-ordinated (the real key is the total look), and you can walk in them naturally without being selfconsious about what you have on your feet.

My fiancee is fine with me wearing 3" cowboy boots which all the heel showing, but if the heel is tapered too much, ie beyond cuban she finds that difficult to accept. I wear heels daily which are about 1.25" x 1.25" under pants with the hem about 1/2" of the gound when standing still. ie these boots (next catalogue pic).

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...bootbyNEXT.jpg

She is OK with this. She sees them as "Dyke" style and so OK for a bloke. She's a traditionalist when it comes to shoes, court shoes is all she wears when dressed properly for work, sandles for evening dress wear etc., ie not too adventurous. However, she is not really happy with my winter boots where the heel is 20mm x 18mm.as in this pic of mine.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...2/IMG_0141.jpg

This she sees as too close to feminine and we have had the conversation as to where does this stop, and why do I do it etc etc...

Blondebimbo Some of the 70's shoes (yeah, I was around then) didn't have plats but the highest heel generally available for guys was 3" w/o plats. A reasonable lift, you dont feel its high, until you check the difference when you only have one shoe on!

So I see mens shoes with heels coming, probably upto 3", but no higher, and with wide and stable with the cuban style in there too. It annoys me when designers put male models onto the catwalk in stilettos. You can go from stopped to flat out in one jump, things need to accelerate at their own pace and all that happens is that people laugh at the designers work. If they would put their models down the catwalk wearing the boots of my first picture, then they would probably be taken up quite readily. Certainly does nothing for the cause that we hold so dear to our hearts.

TB2

dr1819

Great pics and an excellent analysis!

I agree with you 100%. If the designers put their models in masculine-looking heels, it would take off. I think Harley Davidson's like of boots would be perfect for men beneath a pair of jeans. Now - if they would only make them in a size > 11...

pumpmarstar

I have a slightly different take. I truly hope heels for men get acceptance but I have recently been wearing flat loafer style shoes with a very low cut vamp (toe cleavage. I've done this for 3 years now with very little hassle apart from about 3 men who come to mind. After a while, they had to give up anyway.

I think before heels get acceptance (for good), I reckon acceptance of low cut vamps for men needs to come first.

Ultimately, I'd like to wear 4" block heels in a round toe court shoe style with toe cleavage vamp in black suede which I think would look good with jeans.

Back in the 19th century, men were wearing pumps to formal dances and the like, but they were flat.

dr1819

Why, when there are many heels with high vamps and even full uppers?

Lindsay

It's no good waiting for acceptance. That will never happen. Plenty of people have peircings in their face. I think it's disgusting and should be discouraged. But then, someone might say the same about men wearing heels. Point is, whoever you are, and however you dress, there will be someone who doesn't like it. Tough on them. Just get on with it and stop worrying about what people think or waiting to be accepted. Confidence is the key.

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Lindsay

RPMindy

I like BB's post!

i was initially thinking of doing a bit of devil's advocate when i read the part much earlier about no moral objection to men wearing heels.

but.. there is no need for me to work up a sweat here.

i do notice a trend with the younger crowd.. experimenting in the bedroom sense and folks being more ok with men in heels at those times.. or men in heels for costume parties.

will we go back to the early days where men in heels was common place (as the story goes).. my vote is not in my current time.. maybe when i have kids in college... the thought will cross a designer who will be bold enough to initiate the move.

RPM

p.s. like i said before.. BB raises some good points... this forum seems to gravitate more towards men in heels and their issues than an enviroment that will draw more women

heeling for gals is just another thing they do and rarely put much thought into.. other than is it cute and can i afford it... and even less. can i walk in it.

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www.highheeledwomen.phpbbserver.com/

HeelDirectory

Like RPM’s post above, Fashion always seems to escalate from above, so some famous male actor or singer needs to wear heels before they become more mainstream. Or someone who wears heels need to become famous. Fashion shops can produce pointed or chisel toe shoes for blokes and everyone will wear them, however I doubt this will be the case if male high heels appear on the shop shelf.

With the slow merge of female into male fashion and the need for designers to create something new and different, they would need to start getting men into flared skirt type trousers before people will take heels more seriously. Thats my opinion anyway... Are there any designers out there who would take this onboard!?