FastFreddy2

That Jinx, is one very special person. Don't think I'm ungrateful about my own circumstance, Mrs Freddy is a wonderful/generous/giving person too. I get to wear heels whenever, and just about wherever I want too. But I think your good lady wife seems to have needed a lot less persuading than mine appeared to. I think we are both very lucky people. [And Mrs Freddy would certainly tell everyone I'm lucky! ]

Rather interestingly (to us) this fella has started selling off some of his own collection. A person with VERY good taste in footwear I might add. Missed something a short while ago I would gladly have bid on.... Sold for £50! He's got one or two other pairs up at the moment, going to be very hard not to bid on at least one of the items.... That, after bidding and winning a pair of knee boots (for looking at, not wearing!) Waaay too high to walk around in anywhere .....

I doubt any of us would underestimate the difference it makes, getting support and encouragement from our spouse or partner. While I don't get encouragement as such, I have gotten acceptance. It makes my life so much easier than it would otherwise be. You have a great attitude, and I guess that makes it a pleasure for your good wife to support you. I'm not particularly religious, but I'm tempted to suggest you are doubly blessed. That said, just like Love4heels, I'd say you've probably earned those blessings.

London next Wednesday the 3rd? Anyone?

Have finally uploaded what could be the last of the pictures taken with the old Nokia phone of mine. I'm making a concerted effort to take the Olympus with me, and it seems to be working out. I'd be happier with a slimmer camera, but I don't a slimmer camera so I'm just getting on with it. Success rate has ramped up enormously with the new camera, but image quality still leaves something to be desired. Not fully bottomed out how to get the most of it, but for me, getting a poor image is significantly better than getting no image. Have a couple of write-ups to do for days out (last week) with pictures to support the adventures. Just need a bit of time to produce them.

Fair comment. I have feet small enough to get into most high street brands, which is lucky for me I suppose. I used to take a size 7 when I was younger/slimmer, so not as lucky as I used to be. If I had larger feet, I guess I'd be having my boots and shoes made for me in the Philippines, as does Love4heels. Spend more per pair possibly, but hand made shoes will undoubtedly last longer if made well. The Lypsy boots are attractive, especially so for me as they have a narrow shaft. I would not buy them at £110 though, and my feet likely wouldn't get in their size 8 anyway, as they come up small. On balance, probably we are both better off not owning a pair. They are overpriced.

At least one of these Zara styles have been mentioned before, but this is a more detailed reference. Zara Chelsea boot at £70. Direct link >> here << Or copy to address bar: http://www.zara.com/...E BOOT WITH ZIP Zara metal toe, metal heel ankle boot at £80. Direct link >> here << Or copy to address bar: http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/uk/en/zara-W2012/269191/828295/ANKLE%20BOOT%20WITH%20METAL%20TOE

Next batch ..... [not sure, but I think there is a limit to how many piccies can be added to each post, hence multiple posts]. Nine West Glamazon at £160. Direct link to Nine West >> here << Or copy to address bar: http://www.ninewest....s/glamazon.html River Island pointed toe ankle boot with steel heel at £85. Direct link to River Island >> here << Or copy to address bar: http://www.riverisla...le-boots-622898 Topshop VERY high heeled ankle boot with slim platform at £95. Direct link to Topshop >> here << Or copy to address bar: http://www.topshop.c...ents=Colour{1}~[black]&noOfRefinements=1

In the past I've done single selections by manufacturer, but there are so few of interest across the market (so far) it makes more sense to provide a consolidated listing. I'll add more, as the new styles get released. Some of these will have been mentioned before, this time around there could be more pictures, and there will be links, though the destination web site may not allow direct links. If this is the case, you may need to copy the URL into your browser address bar first. The pictures are added as well as links, because the thread will still make sense in 2 years, when the links probably won't work. So in no particular order of preference: Lypsy black suedette long boots at £110. Direct link to Lypsy >> here << Or copy to address bar: http://www.lipsy.co....-is-FW00189_011 Mango pointed toe ankle boot at £90. Direct link to Mango >> here << Or copy to address bar: http://shop.mango.co...s=1348615013013 Part II below.

Some (interesting) news for potential UK buyers ...... >> << seen here in a short and silent You Tube clip, are available to us locally from .... >> here << As is the originally mentioned Controversy, but only in cream - not black? And the really bad news is ..... they retail at £130. .....

Mrs Freddy is back at work, so Freddy Entertainment Services Ltd is able to stand down for another month (until the good lady gets another week off.) Managed to get more footwear re-listed for sale in the last hours of the weekend, and some other bits I found that have been sitting around for a while. Living out of boxes sometimes provides some interesting surprises, finding clothes you'd bought and completely forgotten about, including items meant to be returned more than a year ago. I've also managed to get a couple of pairs of thigh boots in size US11 on sale too. Booth pairs too large for me, and styles I couldn't wear anyway. [Legs waaay too thin.] There's a further pair in size US12 to go too, but they'll have to wait until the other two pairs have been sold first. Having a few moments to look at the computer, I'm able to do some much needed admin. Had a count up too, of the shoes sold on an auction site. Currently stands at 47 pairs! I remember buying every pair, and why. There were many disappointments, mostly from sizing issues. Some too large, but mostly a tad too small. Okay for wearing for a couple of minutes, but not suitable for what I need them for - walking around in. While I've had a fairly dry spell on purchasing, looks like some of this seasons styles are moving away from platforms. I suspect there might be one or two minor reversals in the collection reduction initiative ..... .....

Fully agree. I've read a lot of posts where men would say they 'have a dream' of wearing 'this' or wearing 'that', with no appreciable evidence they have the will to make their dream a reality. That maybe because dreams are painless, with no disappointment or failure allowed. Two days ago (Friday) following my visit to Meadow Hall in Sheffield on Thursday, I went to Brent Cross shopping mall in North London, and then on to Westfield White City, a shopping mall in West London. As I have met someone I knew in Brent Cross, I wore my usual Harley Davidson boots. Had a good walk around before leaving for Westfield. Arriving at Westfield I had decided to wear some higher/thinner heeled boots. I have worn them there before, but only after wearing another pair of less obvious high heeled boots first, to acclimatise myself to the environment there. It's also a place with such smooth floors and space, walking around in heels provides a good 'work out' for ankles and feet pressure points. (Meaning: stay too long and you'll suffer. ) This time I changed into my boots with a thin 4½" heel, before leaving the car park, and without a trial run in the shopping areas first. I'd like to say I felt like I was being brave, but the truth is I won't live forever, and my body is showing signs of 'wear and tear'. Meaning that even if it suddenly became socially acceptable for men to wear heels tomorrow, my (physical) ability and opportunity to wear heels publicly, is diminishing all the time. So I'm motivated by desperation perhaps, but motivated I am. "I have a dream", and I want to make that dream as real as I can..... For me at least. We walked around for over an hour and something, almost until the place closed at 10pm. [Didn't want to get caught in the closing rush in the car park.] I wanted to visit two shops in particular, and my escort wanted to visit Marks and Spencer. I found the River Island boot I wanted to see 'in the flesh', but it's just too expensive for a shoe I won't wear out: £85 boot From River Island. I not only found another boot I was interested in, inside Zara, but it was there in an EU41 (which they claim is a UK8.) Slightly more modestly priced at £70. While I was aware there is a security chap on the door with access to 20 or so security camera's, and the place full with circa 25/30 shoppers, I tried on the boots. Was a bit of a struggle, as I had to remove a sock I wore (but left on the thin hose ankle sock) to get my foot into the Zara shoe, as the sock made my foot too big to get into the boot comfortably. This meant putting my foot into the Zara boot twice while standing, with me then putting my original boot back on afterward. I doubt I've done a more awkward manoeuvre anywhere .... And I know my face went scarlet while completing it. The conclusion is, they are a borderline fit, though having a leather upper, they will undoubtedly 'give' over time. Just as my Harley D boots have. In fact they might both be about the same size? Something like a 7½ rather than a UK8 as Zara indicate. While in this particular store, I did notice a woman take a great deal of interest in my footwear. I let her know I was watching her watching me, but in hindsight, I think I should have just tried to strike up a conversation as unlikely a successful outcome might be.... Without doubt I was noticed by others, including an Asian kid of about 10 years, who REALLY rudely stared at me, not my shoes, but my face. I stared back of course, but my second head had him mesmerised? In fact he didn't stop looking at me (my face) until I walked past him. I checked, but he didn't look at me again, nor at my feet. Weird? By this time, [9.45pm] my camera battery was flat [see piccies elsewhere] and my left ankle was getting weak, so it was time to leave. Bit of a mixed evening. But I was out in heels. I didn't get any abuse (of any kind) nor did I endure any trauma like falling over or tripping. [Though I did have a couple of little heel slides when I turned too quickly, but I managed to recover all 3 times.] For the most part, and I must be talking high 90%, like 97 or 98, I went unnoticed enough for me to be ignorant to anyone seeing me in heels. Sure I was seen, but did it matter to me, did it change anything to me? Not that I was aware of, and that included my 'try on' while standing in Zara, while potentially in full view of many women shoppers. I lived to tell the tale. I achieved something I wanted, but was never sure I'd be able to do: Walk straight into and around, a large mall in high thin heels, and enjoy doing it. Of course it would have been easier to spend time walking around an attractive and huge venue if the place had been empty..... But reality insists other shoppers get to visit when I do. ......

The shoes above, all look very wearable, and I particularly like the second pair. I've been out twice wearing heels over the last two days. The first was something of a challenge from a venue I'm not used to experiencing attention. The second, a completely new venue I'd never been to. I can tell you, the "I have a dream", phrase (as narrated in that famous speech), was running around the inside of my head while walking around in uncertain circumstances. It was very uplifting. I don't expect you thought you were providing a motivational lesson on heel wearing when you wrote it, but it was a very timely reminder that sometimes we have to 'want' something, to make it happen. Good call.

No going back on the Tough 820 purchase now. Not wanting to either really. Seems to be doing the job. Also tried the Lumix G5 while I was at Jessops. Not only easier to hold than the G3 I nearly bought/kept last December (I think it was), but was much much faster to focus/lock/expose. As I don't need the video capability of the GH3, I may 'settle' for the lightning fast G5, which is probably half the money, but not half the camera.