Better late than never

[Bread Heel]

That’s good to know. I’ll have to start saving up!

[Shyheels]

I've always preferred boots - practically lived in hiking boots ever since I was in my teens. Other than the trainers I wear cycling or to the gym, I do not own any shoes at all. Just boots. Much as I like my habitual hiking boots I always fancied some of the boot styles that were seemingly open only to women - classic stiletto knee boots, regular low-heeled knee boots, otk boots and high-heeled ankle boots, which always seemed to me like sportier, more daring, versions of my hiking boots.  

[Bread Heel]

My go-to is a stiletto court, but right now I’m a bit fixated with trying to find a pair of black leather ankle boots with a 5” stiletto heel - something with a nice clean classic shape.

How many boots do you own?

[Shyheels]

Let's see - not counting my usual hiking boots, I have two pairs of cuban heeled ankle boots (3.5" heels), two pair of stiletto knee boots, one pair of black suede stiletto OTK boots, a pair of grey suede otk boots with 3.5" block heels, a pair of grey suede flat/low-heel otk boots, a pair of brown flat/low-heel otk boots, and two pair of flat/low-heel knee boots.  

The flat/low-heel knee and otk boots I wear out and about all winter 

[Bread Heel]

That’s a nice collection. Do you have any photos?

[Shyheels]

Funnily enough, although I am a photographer, I don’t!
 

Im not much on product photography, being more of a landscape, travel and people photographer. That said, I have toyed with the idea of doing some photos, but I’d want the quality to be high and to express something about wearing heels. I’ve not come up with any composition ideas - although to be honest I’ve not really tried that hard. I would kind of like to.

Come to think of it there actually are photos of be wearing one of my pair of knee boots - vintage WWI-style lace up motorcycle boots which I wore on assignment in South America earlier this year, just before global travel pretty well shut down. I wore them every day down there - I was in some jungly areas and muddy villages in the rainy season and those boots were a godsend. 

[Bread Heel]

Do you travel much (in normal circumstances)?

Sorry for all the questions. Photography and videography are hobbies of mine, and your job sounds really interesting. 

Edited August 27, 2020 by Oakeetoes

[Puffer]

5 hours ago, Shyheels said:

Let's see - not counting my usual hiking boots, I have two pairs of cuban heeled ankle boots (3.5" heels), two pair of stiletto knee boots, one pair of black suede stiletto OTK boots, a pair of grey suede otk boots with 3.5" block heels, a pair of grey suede flat/low-heel otk boots, a pair of brown flat/low-heel otk boots, and two pair of flat/low-heel knee boots.  

The flat/low-heel knee and otk boots I wear out and about all winter 

Where did you get these cuban heels, please?   What style are they, e.g. plain/pointed/round toe/zipped?

[Shyheels]

I travel a lot as a rule  - or did. The magazine world was already going pear shaped even before Covid, but now things are pretty dire indeed! Don’t know when, or if, I’ll be travelling again. It certainly won’t be as much, or as enjoyable, as it was!

I don’t mind questions at all. It’s nice to be having a lively chat on the forum.

Are you in the UK? US? Or elsewhere?

Edited August 27, 2020 by Shyheels

[Shyheels]

Just now, Puffer said:

Where did you get these cuban heels, please?   What style are they, e.g. plain/pointed/round toe/zipped?

The Cuban heeled ankle boots were from the now defunct Shoes of Prey. Very nice, they are too, it was a great company while it lasted. You could get your shoes/boots in a huge range of colours, heel heights and shapes, toe shapes etc and they ran to very large sizes. My ankle boots have Cuban heels and rounded/almond-shaped  toes - a combination I especially like, and hard to find elsewhere let alone in my size 

[Puffer]

4 minutes ago, Shyheels said:

... hard to find elsewhere let alone in my size 

Too true (and we take the same size, as you know)!   Perhaps as you, Oakeetoes and I are all a size 11/12, we could create enough demand for some custom footwear!   But I guess price would be a problem!

Oakeetoes: are you aware of Miguel Jones in Mexico?   I have a pair of boots custom-made by him (5" heel) and they are a good fit at a reasonable price; here is a thumbnail:.

[Shyheels]

I guess we are all about the same size. Custom is very nice, but pricey. I love my Jean Gaborit boots - fully custom, made to measure - and would love another pair if only work and income allowed.

It does surprise me that the makers of women’s boots continue to limit their upper size range to a UK8 or 9 if you’re lucky. People are taller these days and with commensurately larger feet. I’m sure the demand is there among women, let alone amongst guys who like heels.

[Bread Heel]

9 hours ago, Shyheels said:

Are you in the UK? US? Or elsewhere?

I’m based in the UK - London area. 

 

9 hours ago, Puffer said:

Oakeetoes: are you aware of Miguel Jones in Mexico?   I have a pair of boots custom-made by him (5" heel) and they are a good fit at a reasonable price; here is a thumbnail:.

I wasn’t, but I will take a look. I do like a Cuban heel and I’m starting to think about getting a pair for work - although won’t be able to go too extreme on the height. I’m already over 6’!

[Shyheels]

I'm about 6' as well and so don't exactly need the extra inches. I quite like 3-4" heels.

Cuban heels are, I think, fairly easy to get away with for a guy, especially the 3" heigh. They come off as daring but not overtly feminine, like stilettos would be. 

[Puffer]

I'm 6' 1" and agree that 3 - 4" cuban or block heels are fine for male wear, even at my height.   I have several pairs of cuban heels just under 3" and they are eminently wearable in a 'normal' public situation - and are good for relieving backache and similar afflictions!   My Miguel Jones ('Cowboy Boots USA') boots are not worn outside too often but are discreet when under bootcut jeans.   

ASOS does a fair variety of women's boots and other footwear up to size UK10, some in a wide fitting.   Alas, they are just too small for me.   I can't think of another mainstream outlet in the UK which sells any footwear larger than UK9 that is both stylish and affordable.   Evans goes up to UK10 (and used to go to UK11) but almost everything there is flat or frumpy.

Although a significant number of Chinese suppliers offer women's shoes of all types in 'plus sizes' (typically up to UK 11 or 12, sometimes 13), inspection of their listings invariable indicates that the shoes are smaller than the claimed sizes, e.g. an 11 (which should be 12" long) is generally stated to be no more than 11.5", and often less than that.   I have found very few wearable offerings (such as mid-heeled ankle boots) that would actually be long enough to fit my UK11/12 feet - but I'm happy to be proved wrong!   I have a pair of flat sandals which were sold as Eu52 that do fit me well - although an Eu46 should have been ample!

[Shyheels]

Long Tall Sally has boots and shoes up to a UK13 and while most of their styles are frumpy they can surprise on occasion, and they generally have a few nice ankle boots with blocky heels in the 3” range. You won’t find stilettos there though

[Bread Heel]

11 hours ago, Puffer said:

Although a significant number of Chinese suppliers offer women's shoes of all types in 'plus sizes' (typically up to UK 11 or 12, sometimes 13), inspection of their listings invariable indicates that the shoes are smaller than the claimed sizes, e.g. an 11

I recently purchased some stiletto heeled ankle boots by ‘Only Maker’ via Amazon. They were listed as UK12 (EU45 according to their conversion table!). I knew it was a risk - no reviews to suggest sizing was true - and when I took them from the box they looked tiny. I was surprised to find they fitted really well. Probably not suited to a wider foot. They have a set-back vertical heel which makes them tricky to walk in, but I really like the shape of the boot. The overall quality is not bad considering and feel very sturdy for such a thin heel. 

[Shyheels]

Sounds nice! 

[Bread Heel]

They’re the ones in my avatar, and I posted some photos in the gallery section. 

[Shyheels]

33 minutes ago, Oakeetoes said:

They’re the ones in my avatar, and I posted some photos in the gallery section. 

I like the look of them. Very nice with jeans