FastFreddy2

Well ..... I went to the West End on Sunday, despite my misgivings. Feet were not too bad, despite me being in 5" heels again. Sounds pretty gruelling, but as long as I didn't try to race along Oxford Street, it was okay. I spent some time sitting too, so the balls of my feet got plenty of rest. So glad I went. Visited one of the larger stores, and saw an attractive woman in Loubies, with semi-shiny faux leather leggings that showed off her stunning shape. I have an image taken in half-darkness, but it really doesn't do her justice as it was a snap shot taken as she walked past me. As always, my interest was the shoes anyway. That said, she must be an experienced heel-wearer, and she walked very very well given the heel height and style. I didn't do so well later (apparently). While walking back to my car from a bin where I had deposited some waste paper, I was told I was walking like "someone touting for business". Charming!

I rather fancy that is up to you. I'm fairly flexible (especially for my age) and can meet almost anytime any place in London and (Northern) Home Counties.

This thread is about MY impending outing. Please feel free to contribute/query, this thread on this subject. It is not a critique (wrong forum) it is not an open-ended thread where anything you feel like writing, can be included. If you have an "outing" planned you will attend, please feel free to start your own "outing" thread, that we can watch develop and be interested in.

Obviously missed (too subtle)? Another of my threads hijacked by those unaware of what "keeping conversation on thread" means....

I have two 'ticketed' gigs lined up so far this year. One local, early start so no heels there. Second one, back to a venue I previously said I would not return to. It's been 3 years, and a lot of water has passed under the bridge.... This time I hope to manage things a bit better, so "cock-ups" are avoided. I plan to wear court shoes again. I'm really tempted to wear red patent courts, but this might be a bit too much. 

Despite not keeping this up to date (does anyone else seek to meet like minded people in the capital or Hone Counties), I have been out and about. Yesterday, was at Bluewater in Kent. I've never been on a Saturday before, and won't be going again on a Saturday. Was in the area on business, so it would have been wasteful of the journey, not to take advantage. I walked in a 5" heel, from 2.30pm to a tad past 8.30pm. Some of the time I had to stand still, which regular heel wearers will know, is a killer. My feet knew I'd been in a heel for a 6 hours stretch, but the discomfort was easily tolerable. I have plans to visit London today, and I'm honestly not sure if my feet are up to it. Only one way to find out.... As to B/W on a Saturday, my advice: don't unless you have no choice. I had to hunt for a car parking space, where usually I can easily find an empty area to park without having vehicles around my parked one. Drivers were following shoppers returning to their car because the car parks were so full, and I don't mean they were looking for spaces next to the mall entrances either. Some outlets had run out of food I would normally consume, by 3pm. The stores close at 9pm, even on a Saturday. That's over half the trading day with empty food shelves. Every coffee shop had a queue, seating areas were packed to. I got lucky at around 3.30 having walked into a coffee shop as a couple left, I sat down immediately without doing anything else, while Mrs Freddy got refreshments. We had planned to eat before we left but again, queues at all the eateries, and I don't queue for food. (The war ended 74 years ago... ) I was going to write "next time I'll take lunch and liquids", but there will not be a 'next time' on a Saturday. I think I'll stick to quieter weekdays.

You are wrong if you think your memories of those days are unimportant, or uninteresting. Write them up here? I have met several people, and I might include myself in that group too, who have had their outlook on wearing a heel publically/socially, changed through the experience of others. I remember vividly feeling frustrated that I had no social interaction with like-minded people, or even if there were any like minded people outside of the TV community. Writing up your experiences on your own "dww history" or "dww recollection" thread would be enormously interesting. Not only would members read it, but many many other guests would too. Give it some thought, then maybe start that tread?

I have two 'ticketed' gigs lined up so far this year. One local, early start so no heels there. Second one, back to a venue I previously said I would not return to. It's been 3 years, and a lot of water has passed under the bridge.... This time I hope to manage things a bit better, so "cock-ups" are avoided. I plan to wear court shoes again. I'm really tempted to wear red patent courts, but this might be a bit too much.

If you aren't overly keen on dry wines .... this might be worth a try: Widely available, for £6.50 a bottle, or £5.50 on promotion. (Which it currently is.) This is quite nice too. Quite sweet, and £8 for a 50cl bottle. I tend to have 20mm in a highball, topped up with cold lemonade, and ice (if I've made some.)

I am beside myself. Darcey Bussell has left Strictly.

It's Monday so, one of my 'post' days .... Another function missing from the Canon the Lumix has, is in-body focus stacking. (Merging multiple images.) Here's the thing, the Lumix is a camera made for the user. The Canon is a camera made for taking pictures. I like using the Lumix, the Canon, not so much. That said.... I did a shoot in February using the Canon and strobe lighting in a studio type environment. The image quality far surpasses that of the Lumix, which might not surprise too many people given the file size is 50% larger. Better yet, with promotional offers, and makers cash-backs, the Canon was actually cheaper than the Lumix. So better quality images, for less money. The images produced so good on the Canon, I can count eyelashes on the sitter. Unless I or the sitter wanted a substantially large print, I would think a larger file size would be superfluous. Yet I pine for better. I am crazy for sure. Currently on my wish list, a used Sony A7Rii (circa £1300) with a £600 - £900 85/90/100 mm prime lens. Why? Because I do. I've a friend who today, spent £5k on an E-bike. That doesn't seem so weird, or unusual, except that only a month ago, he spent £5k on a similar "top spec" (works carbon) mountain bike, he may now never ride. Two or three years ago, he spent £2.5k on a road bike, I'm pretty sure he hasn't used much. Compared to my wealthy mate, I am a novice.

It is, I think, and for dummies like me - it works. Not often, but it has happened, where the headline mentions 'sky high heels'..... And then doesn't show a picture of the heel.

Yes it does. Exactly the attitude that keeps this site 'ultra niche'. If you want to build an attractive place in the cyber world for people to 'meet and greet', you surely don't want to encourage singular activity which by it's very nature, would exclude them from here? Obviously you do, but is it working? I think not. As for the quoted comment regarding book reading is on the increase - joke surely? Book reading is not on the increase in the Western world.

It would appear, my verbose mutterings (welcome or not) at least make a contribution in keeping the place ticking over. Nothing written here for over 3 weeks, it looks like. Obviously, no other active member is a frustrated author (or someone without a life.) I think men looking at men wearing women's clothing must be a lot more entertaining than we are led to believe, or this site would be a lot busier having attracted HHp members over? Not that I have a view either way ..... Actually, I do have a view.... I don't mind anyone wearing anything, as long as it looks attractive. I have been sent links taken from HHp of slim men wearing women's clothing, that looks just as attractive style-wise, as it might on a woman. (Big 'hurrah'.) To counter that, I have seen women wearing women's clothing, that looked just awful. In some ways it's about making the most of what you "have". Diet and exercise can change the basic starting point. Age can pretty much thwart everything. (I don't mean being over 30, I mean being over ... 50 or 60 perhaps). 'Life', meaning age related "wear and tear" can take a toll. Young skin in a dress, is always going to look better than old skin in a dress. That said, old skin can look good too, it's just a bit harder to get there. I would put old slim over young over-weight any day, when it comes to dressing to be elegant/attractive. Certain shapes, suit (sorry) certain styles. Since stopping full-time work (again), I have put on weight and am currently looking at ways to get my waist-size down. With my sweet-tooth, and capacity to gorge on cake without the feeling of sugar-sickness often felt through over indulgence, it's a hard fight. What doesn't help, is the people around me like to offer 'treats' too frequently. I'm loathe to refuse hospitality, so I indulge. Dunno about about FastFreddy, maybe FatFreddy? The solution is to use the mountain bike I bought last Autumn. Last week I fitted mudguards, and changed the tyres to puncture resistant ones, that want to work given how much they cost. (I've bought cheaper tyres for my car!!!) I have a plan .... So men wearing whatever they like is okay with me. As long as they look 'the part'. Same it true of woman. Who am I to judge? No-one, but I will, just as everyone does. We are programmed (DNA) to judge in the first 3 seconds of initial contact: friend or foe. I have seen things on sites (not just HHp) that don't work for the wearer. In the context of a personal fantasy, anything goes, but publish a look that doesn't 'work' at your own risk. If the active members of this site want to attract members from elsewhere, then there needs to a fundamental shift in what members believe is attractive to prospective new members. While the following will seem a bit caustic, I am making the comments that at worst could be perceived as "tough love". In writing CV's, I have read (and given advice) on what should and shouldn't be included. Two "absolutely never" interests are: reading: needlecraft/painting/going to cinema (for example). Why? because they are all solitary pastimes. When recruiting, you are looking for a team member. Starting a thread about reading books? Surely it needed a film trailer to cross reference? We are a visual culture. Few people read books, few have the time/inclination. Another thread detailing a very old film suggesting the clothing worn in the film depicting a scene over four hundred years ago, would be an attractive notion if those styles returned? There is more chance of powdered wigs returning ... Where was the film trailer, cross-referencing styles in an encyclopedic way? Why were long boots worn then? Living in a cold draughty castle? Riding on horse-back? Neither of those circumstances exist as part of normal life these days, and 'need' is a great driver for clothing. Long boots for men will never return unless there is a global catastrophe. Q: What threads would be interesting/attractive to men who like to wear heels or like looking at heels? What are the 'slam-dunks'? A: Threads about heels. With pictures, video's, articles.... Places to buy, costs, quality. Stories .... Who doesn't like a story? Lets say there are 5 active members here. Pick a day of the week, and write something about heels on that day every week. Pick a day someone else hasn't picked. Tell a story from your past, or a plan of something you expect to do in the near future. Or link an article that has pictures, and give a summary of your thoughts. Absolutely no-one here is too stupid to do these things. Some are a bit 'idle' (like to read rather than contribute) but that might change if the active members lead the way to a righteous path. I'll take Saturday, and at least one other day. Monday maybe. If there is at least one new response every day, there's a longterm reason to keep visiting, and maybe visit every day?

This is a critique part of the Forum, knock yourself out. "In the flesh" these looked taller, and the heel isn't exactly unpleasant. The real stopper is the price. Even reduced to £120, and assuming they had my size, I doubt I'd be making a purchase. That might change if I worked in an office and could wear these at work. That 4.25" is a very wearable height for my size 8 feet, and I'd like to wear heels for a work day or work week to get the experience of it. Ho-hum.

I am pleased, as will be others of course, at your contributions and effort you put into this Forum too. However, there is a well known saying that runs something like: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything." (I might be paraphrasing, but the gist of it is there.) This isn't a thread for critique, that function is found on another section in the Forum - as shown. My hope is/WAS, others would contribute to the Something Special thread with links of images of media they too thought might be considered special. It was never meant to be an opportunity for people to tell me I was mistaken in my view of what I consider special, no more than I would be inclined to disagree with anyone else's viewpoint on what they thought was special. In fact my attitude toward 'negative posting' extends to ignoring several posts in another section of the Forum where critiquing is expected. I really don't like some of the shoes/boots shown, but rather than post something negative about styles others feel attractive, I've written nothing. I know through experience and training, negative posting - especially on matters of taste, leads to members keeping their thoughts to themselves. If you must write that you don't like an image and are compelled to say so, then you must. But please resist the temptation to challenge me on why I thought it 'Special'. These women have tens of millions of followers on social media. Anything they do, and likely everything they do is seen daily by those millions, because their followers are interested in the lives of these women, and the fashion statements they make from time to time. If there's a question to be answered, it's "what are you failing to see, the rest of us can see?" As to continuing with this thread, I think I'm pretty much done with it. If the content is so unpleasant, what's the point? I'm not looking for an answer by the way, as there isn't nor could there be any point.

While out shopping today, I noticed these. Reduced in store to something like £120. The heel is not as high as I would like, but the sort of heel that could be worn all day (if the opportunity arose.) What attracted me to them was the narrow-ish shaft, and small spacing between the lacing eyelets. It suggested the boots could be tightened to fit my very slim legs. Better still if the were higher, and covered calfs.

I follow fashion, and some celebrities who are involved in or around it; those affected. The ones I include here, are those that wear higher heels, or higher than you'd expect to see in everyday life (given age or status). What I don't do, is offer up images for critiquing, be that people or their clothing. There is a completely different section for that. Clue: As to the knee boots remark, you are wrong. They've just not been mainstream fashion for years. Yes they have been around for years, but then so have wellingtons, which also haven't been part of mainstream fashion for some time either. If you want to start a fashion debate, please start one by all means, but this thread isn't about debating anything, nor critiquing any look of person or their attire. It's about images of heels seen in the press, or social media. If you don't like what I post, I invite you to put me on your 'ignore' list. Of course if you do, over half of what's here to be read, will vanish. I put more effort into keeping this place ticking over, than the next 7 contributors combined. (4389 vs 3344) Have a think about that as you complain about the content I include.

The lovely, Helen Mirren. At 73 ......

For the past 3 -5 or so years, I would say yes. It's been ankle boots or something over the knee. But knee boots are coming back .... I'm with you on the open toes, but we don't run the fashion industry. Open toe otk/thigh boots are everywhere. Still. You might like this though >> Victoria Beckham criticised for wearing open toe boots << I don't think that's a problem you'll have to address any time soon.

Working like a Trojan, she hasn't got an ounce of fat on her. As we get older, our muscle mass reduces significantly. She's probably not using Botox to pad out ageing/sagging skin either. Unlike Madonna, who looks increasingly like a cat every time I see a new picture of her. I think your comment is fair, but I sincerely hope you are wrong - for all the right reasons. As your rightly say, her grief might well be affecting her health but I hope it isn't. She's reportedly worth circa $400M and it would be a cruel twist of fate if she didn't have a long life ahead, so she could enjoy her earnings.

I don't know if you know, but knee boots are coming back in a big way. That skirt probably hangs better when the wearer is stood still. I have a 'pet hate' (dislike) of baggy/loose tops tucked in waistbands though. That sweater should have been left over the skirt, or a more fitted top worn. She is a grafter who has never carried any weight. She is appearing at Paris Haute Couture week, so many of her outfits are tilted toward that event. I would be very happy to have a 50 year old that shape on my arm.

Celine again ....

Someone well known for wearing high heels, Victoria Beckham.

A regular high heel wearer .... Celine Dion Always a special pleasure to see a mature lady wearing high heels.