Tacchi Alti

These are 4 inch wedges, with no platform and an almond toe, with a stiletto profile from the back. I wore them, although afterwards my wife said she wished I hadn't as she doesn't like the stiletto look on me. I've worn them before when we've been out for a meal and she's not commented, but anyway, she's expressed her opinion so I'll wear something with a thicker heel next time as I don't want to get any setbacks in our heely relationship. Actually, the boots were a bit unstable as the surface is not flat. It's wooden decking with a slightly ridged profile, and some of it is diagonal. The surface was a bit wet, and the heels kept slipping into the dips! I was glad to have her to hang onto, although I didn't slip much! Actually, I loved the feeling of vulnerability! Wider heels would have been more stable, and probably stilettos would have been, as part of the problem was the slippery bottom of the wedge itself between the heel tip and the sole. If I could have been sure of the stiletto not disappearing into the gaps between the planking...

Yes, she's OK with them. These are probably about as 'stylish' as she'd tolerate. Stilettos would be out but then I'd probably not want to wear them anyway, particularly as the place we're going has decking with gaps between the planks! I'll have to go upstairs for the toilets so everyone will see and hear the heels if I go up.

It's possible they didn't notice, but I'm sure women are far more aware than men about what people are wearing. If I'm sitting in the train, by the aisle, with heels clearly visible because my trousers ride up, some people must see them. Anyway, my wife and I are going out for a meal tonight. Last time I wore my 'stiletto' wedges, and we were in quite a public part of the restaurant. I can't decide whether to wear those or my new trouser boots, although maybe not as I haven't shown her those yet! I'll be wearing 'ordinary' trousers rather than boot-cut jeans, so the thin heel should be rather obvious!

Interesting exchange of views! I've learnt quite a bit about drivers for fashion. Thanks, all. I have a theory that the unisex fashions of the 70s made a lot of men who were teenagers then interested in wearing heels, and there are quite a few of us on this site who were around that age group. I wore block heels about 2.5 inches every day to school, and I was very disappointed when the fashion suddenly changed. My interest in heels, and jealousy at women, started when I was in my early teens. I tried on some platform sandals belonging to a friend's sister, when everyone was out of the way, and was hooked. I made a pair out of plimsolls and wood, and wore them at home when no one was around, and made some wedges I wore in wellies for fishing, but didn't possess my own proper heels until I was about 20, when I chanced on a pair of 4 inch stilettos in a pile of clothes put outside someone's flat door. I wore those a lot, going for long walks when it was dark, but had to leave them behind at the end of the academic year. I started getting a few women's clothes and wore them at home, but realised after a bit, and after going out dressed a couple of times, they were an excuse for wearing heels and it would not have been any good apart from at a transvestite club, and I never attended one of those. I still have a few bits but hardly every wear them. I started wearing heels regularly in man mode a few years ago but was much freer to do so after our eldest son left home just over two years ago. I'd found, very conveniently, that they suited my back, which really ached when I was standing around in flat shoes. This has been my reason ready to give to anyone who asked, but NO ONE has ever asked! Most of the staff in the rest home where my mother lives look at them when I arrive, and of course they're obvious when I'm going upstairs to her room. I now wear them all day, most days, and I'm slowly pushing the boundaries regarding styles. I went for a walk in 4.5 inch stiletto boots (thanks FastFreddy - they're the ones you sold me) at the weekend and almost wore the tips out! I walked past several people - I think some noticed them but there was no audible reaction. I don't intend wearing stilettos regularly but was interested to wear them for an extended walk while a suitably long distance from home. One thing that fascinated me a few weeks ago was going to a company conference where a lot of people got glitter stuck to their faces (purposely!) and I did it for a bit of fun. I wore it all the way home on the train (about 4 hours) and three people remarked on it! WHY???? My heels were clearly visible. Would they have been a taboo subject because the people (two females and a male) wouldn't have been comfortable mentioning them, while the glitter was a bit of fun? Soooooo..... I wear them because I love the feeling of walking in them, but also have another reason (my back) to give should anyone ask. Sometimes I'm tempted to broach the subject with one or two who know I wear them, and tell them that reason, but I don't want to force the subject on anyone.

Upon my sole...

Nothing 'new'. Just getting people - specifically family and close friends - used to me in heels. What about you?

Life's a blur with you, then... ;-) Seriously though, why do you need the manual? Is the camera so much different from other SLRs that you need to find out how to use it? I used mainly aperture priority on my SLR - occasionally shutter priority for fast-moving subjects and manual for difficult lighting situations. Mind you, I didn't have a dedicated flash either. I had to work out ISO rating/film speed to get the right aperture...

Perhaps when you've sorted that out you could use the same manual to help us program our central heating timeswitch... ;-)

Yes, when I was a kid I loved snow! It's been just rain here on the south coast although there was some very wet sleet earlier.

I have five pairs of those boots - one completely shot but I can't bear to throw them away. I keep them for gardening! The others are in various stages of decay - I think the uppers have got brittle, and the surface (soft plastic) is peeling off, hence the cracks. I have black shoe dye I use on these, as they were originally beige, as per my avatar. So I'll just wear them until they crack up completely, but they aren't ever going to be smart now - sob! They are soooo comfortable. I've just bought these today - H&M, leather upper and inner sole. £10 in a charity shop. They fit beautifully apart from being a bit tight on the top, but as they're leather I'm sure they'll stretch with wearing. They are not too noisy, and the heels are slightly over 4 inches, vertical measurement. The photo shows up every scratch! I'll give them a polish.

Cross-posted from High Heel Place, so apologies to anyone who's seen my identical post there... Now something really strange... I went to a company conference on Saturday, wearing my usual 4.5 inch wedge boots, as per the photo although those are old ones, the same style, and cracked across the toe, as you can see. No one has ever commented on my heels, and I wear them most days. It was the same on Saturday, and there were over 4000 people there. I know they were noticed by several people, and some know I wear them anyway. The strange bit: I had a bit of glitter applied to my face, as did quite a few people there. It was a bit of fun, and I thought, 'Why not.' I kept it on for the train journey home, and three people - total strangers - remarked on the glitter! WHY???????? I'm positive at least one of those saw my boots.

Brent Cross - the only such place where I've worn stilettos. No comments, and no reaction, so far as my unobservant self saw... The same day I also wore them for shopping in Stanmore, on uneven pavements and through stores.

I'm just trying to imagine you crossing your legs to try to put off the evil hour of going to the toilet. Funnily enough, I'm not even sure my heels have been noticed in the gents, and I often look at other people in the mirror while I'm walking around, washing my hands, etc. I wore boots with 4 inch very narrow heels for shopping locally yesterday. I tried to minimise the noise but you can't always do that. My wife was with me, but she's accompanied me several times while I've been wearing these. I still wonder whether I come across different people from you, Freddy, or else I'm not so observant! You really need to get those psychedelic platform courts, you know, and parade up and down in the gents. That might cause some spillages...

Where's your sense of adventure? Just think of the admiring looks you'd get, and the outfits you could wear them with... ;-)

You mean you didn't check the label when you bought those top beauties?

Our chance to make heels for men mainstream fashion? Just think how much we'd save in sock washing, too.

I used to have a Nikon FE with various lenses when I took slides, but since going over to digital I've succumbed to convenience and size over absolute quality, so I have had a succession of Olympus bridge cameras. I haven't bought Olympus because I necessarily think they are best, but because they've ticked the relevant boxes at the time of purchase. I refuse to buy a camera without an optical viewfinder of some description, as I hate having to rely on a screen, particularly in bright light and particularly as these days my eyes won't focus at short distances without reading glasses, which I would never have on me at the crucial moment! Having said all that, one of my nephews has a Nikon SLR (don't know which model) with all the trimmings, and I was gratified after a family photoshoot to find my pictures were better in quality than his...

Further to this, Tech has very kindly changed my name, so all of a sudden Russ in boots has become Tacchi Alti, which is what I have been known as on hhplace for over 15 years. In case anyone's wondering, that's simply Italian for high heels, and is pronounced something like Tacky Elty. Here endeth the lesson to grandmothers who already know how to suck eggs... ;-)

I can remember steam trains going past the end of our garden - they finished in 1967, I think. I wonder how people alongside the preserved lines (Bluebell Railway etc) like the smoke. Would it make everything dirty? Washing etc. Bombsites? We had one upstairs until a couple of years ago when our son moved out...

I remember some of it - just - but you have the advantage on me. I don't remember my mother wearing anything other than tights, and certainly not stilettos, although my nan wore a girdle and stockings with real metal clasps on the suspenders. Policemen in helmets, of course, and pre-decimal currency. Then the problem of trying to divide 5 by 12 to try to work out how much you were paying...

Well... Couldn't resist! ;-)

Ah, it was you who said it, was it? The right era, I suppose... ;-)

Those toes are almost exactly like the ones on the boots I was mentioning. They remind me of a policeman's question once to someone wearing winklepickers: 'Do your toes go right to the tip of your shoes?' The answer: 'Does your head go right to the top of your helmet?'

They look great! Personally I wouldn't want the toes so long and pointed but that's just a matter of personal taste. One advantage with long toes is that the foot still appears a man-size length even if the heels are high. One of the most noticeable things with me must be my tiny feet in heels! I have a pair of cowboy boots with block heels about 3.75 inches and long pointed toes but I have to say they're not my favourite pair.

I suppose the cuban heels are a start. At least it's some sort of heel to get people used to them. Awesome pictures of heels here, though. It makes me jealous that they can wear them regularly!