Shyheels

As you say HHP is not meant to be a CD site, but rather a straight fashion site. I would say however there are a few members who stray well across that line. I think most people’s idea of CD is rather more flamboyant than someone borrowing a single item of clothing from the other shelf - a woman in a men’s workboots, a man in a pair of heels. It’s more like a guy in skirt, heels, stockings, painted nails and makeup, or a woman going for the full Marlene Dietrich effect. And it is that which one finds a bit too much of amongst the guys on HHP - and it is that which changes the impression of the site and puts potential women members, and male members too, I dare say, off. I know there are threads on there that I just don’t click on because I just don’t want to see or read what I know is going to be there.

Indeed. Ripped jeans, stupid shorts, arms covered with tattoos...all these things are the norm now, yet a neat conservatively dressed guy wearing heels is ‘weird’

I think there were problems with some of the guys coming onto the women members. Quite a few women left as a result. There is also the totally different perspective on heels and heel wearing. Where the guys tend to talk about whether or not they dare to wear them in public, it is a total non issue to the women. A bore. There are also a lot of guys on HHP who are clearly fetish oriented and that is going to be off putting to a lot, if not the overwhelming majority, of women who are highly likely to be purely fashion oriented. Then there is a fairly big CD contingent on HHP, and again this is off putting to a lot of women (and me too, for that matter) who would be looking for a pure fashion site to discuss heels and fashion, not guys dressing up in skirts and pantyhose. There would need to be some fundamental changes there for there to be an active female membership

And men in heels are absurd?

I don’t get it either. Not only does it look trashy, but I would think it would be irritating to wear as well.

Nobody posts in there at all hardly any more. Maybe once every couple of months at most.

There are female members on HHP but very, very few in number and I would not really call them active. The few that participate - only a couple - might post once every couple of months, or make three or four posts in a short span and not post again for years, if at all.

No shortage of stupidity in this world - or dishonesty, either. Glad it worked out for you...

Indeed it is, I'm afraid. One tries to generate conversation but there are only a couple of us here who could be said to be active posters. Others come and go at great intervals. It would be great to get this forum up and going. it has a nice premise - guys who like to wear heels, as guys. Please do stay and post!

Next to the Chinese takeaway Beau Ling...

I’ve heard of Beau Bells, lives in the East End, I believe...

I just can't eat that stuff - it's too sweet. Yes, the 70% (or higher) grade chocolate can be pretty cloying and a couple of squares is usually enough. I have had 99% chocolate and, while nice, in its own unusual way, one square was plenty.

Welcome! I've enjoyed your posts from HHP. Looking forward to your joining in!

Yes, ole Beau was quite the character.

I am a chocolate snob and like my proper chocolate. I tend to prefer 70% cocoa to the 85% variety, but I like that too. Because if it’s cloying richness/bitterness I find I can get the satisfaction of having had a dessert by having just a square or two, whereas if I go for the milliner varieties 40% or so, I will tend to eat more.

He’s probably still being chased through the afterlife by his many, many creditors

Chocolate should be at room temperature for the flavours to come through. But solid chocolate, like the batons, are going to be hard - that is the nature of the beast. Fine chocolate, like that of Hotel Chocolat have a high percentage of cocoa solids. That’s what makes them nice - and more expensive too - as opposed to the naturally softer chocolates such as Cadbury and Galaxy which often as not have vegetable oil in them as well

Hotel Chocolat makes nice stuff...

The Great Male Renunciation in the 18th century, when men forswore adornment and colour in favour of the sobriety and intellectualism of the so-called Age of Enlightment. And we’ve never recovered from this 18th century mindset!

Yes, women are allowed a great deal of theatricality in dress, men are allowed precisely none.

She was brilliant as The White Witch in Narnia...

Great afternoon for heavy suede otk boots. Been wearing them around the house as I do some writing today and very grateful for the warmth. I like to keep the house fairly chilly, but myself nice and warm. Boots, heavy jumper - ideal.

Cold, breezy and clear along this stretch of the coast.

You're - we're - lucky to have lived to our various ages in this century too. Those born in less salubrious corners of the world today - Africa, much of Asia, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and other war zones - will be lucky to reach what we in the West charitably call 'middle age'.

A friend of mine used to do very high end weddings - was flown to exotic locations where these extremely costly weddings were taking place and he turned out some stunning images, artistic, imaginative, and very lucrative. But he finally gave it up - the stress was just more than he wanted, even with the big paycheques.