Mom Made Me Wear Girl Shoes

[Joanie_Shakti]

I don't know if this belongs in the general or clothing section. But replying to the "Do you have more men's or women's shoes?" thread gave me a flash back.

I realized that long before I had any inclination to cross dress, I was already doing so. When I was about eight years old, my family lived on a military post in Hawaii. The PX had a dress code, which prohibited rubber flip-flops. Hawaii is where I picked up my life long habit of being barefoot as much as possible and flip-flops for foot wear if the occasion doesn't call for something more substancial.

Back then, even though it was the height of the hippie movement, there was little to offer in boy's sandals other than the rubber "shower shoes." So my mom bought me black women's flip flops, which I wore when going to the store. I remember not liking the knot that was decoration on the strap, but I wore them with no hesitation so I didn't have to wear full shoes to the store.

[Andy66]

I also prefer to go barefoot or wear flip-flops. And I wore boy's sneakers through most of school, with those hideous white tube socks with colored bands at the top. Not sure why. Maybe Mom got a good deal on them or something. I never minded the sneakers, but hated those socks. Oh, and ugly underwear too.

[Joanie_Shakti]

Yuck, tube socks. For some reason, I have an adversion to socks in general, but tube socks are some of the worst. Especially how they are always baggy at the back of the ankle becaues they aren't form fitting. I only wear socks as they are necessary with most shoes and I am very picky about what ones I wear. I have no female socks and don't want any, except for maybe a pair of bobbie socks to go with my saddle shoes.

I see a lot of girls in boy's sneakers. Another Hawaii memory you just brought up is when the salesman sold us a pair of Ked's for PE in school. I didn't think anything of the style at first but was highly embarassed when I saw that the female teacher had the exact same style. Definitely girl shoes. I was hard to fit in those days as my feet were so narrow.

Interestingly, the schools in Hawaii would allow you to attend barefoot because that was part of the indigenous culture. Even the school on post allowed it. In this age of the schools outlawing tag and dodgeball and over regulating to protect the students from themselves and the school from lawsuits, I wonder if shoes are mandatory now. My mom insisted that I wore shoes to school, so I would often wear the flip flops and then they would go in my cubbyhole when I arrived so I could be bafefoot all day.

[Starling]

I love flip flops too, Joanie. I wear them as often as possible, as they are the most comfortable style for my feet. They were also what I wore the first time I put on a dress and did my nails, when I was eight or nine. I spent many hours dressing when the rest of my family was asleep.

We were forbidden to wear flip flops ("thongs," at the time) in school, although a couple of non-conforming girls would occasionally flout the rule. I never would have considered it, as at that age I felt naked when my pale and tender feet were exposed. But I wear them almost everywhere now, and my feet are tanned and healthy. I wouldn't wear them to jury duty or a funeral, but I have worn flip flops to dinner parties and plays. I consider their design very elegant and graceful, and I like to look down and see my feet nestled in them.

Of course it's important to keep your feet and nails in good condition, as you most emphatically do. Mine are well groomed, but I have yet to get my nails done the French way.

Lallie

[Michaela42]

Well I remember begging my mother for a pair of flip-flops that had the bamboo? lining in them when I was about 7 or 8. She was reluctant at first but then bought them for me. One of my cousins later told me that they were girls shoes as if that was supposed to be some deterrent to me. She obviously did not know who she was dealing with

[Starling]

When I was a kid, Makaila, my mom gave me a braided leather belt from some cowboy tourist trap. She must have put it on me, because she threaded it girlwise--that is, with the buckle on the right. On the playground later, a neighbor kid said, "That's a girl's belt!"

I had no idea what he was talking about, but of course I vehemently denied it. An eye that sharp for violations of the gender code ought to be poked with a sharp stick.

Lallie

[jessi]

Well I remember begging my mother for a pair of flip-flops that had the bamboo? lining in them when I was about 7 or 8. She was reluctant at first but then bought them for me. One of my cousins later told me that they were girls shoes as if that was supposed to be some deterrent to me. She obviously did not know who she was dealing with

Probably the insole was cork...

[Super Amanda]

Probably the insole was cork...

I know what she means, the bamboo like ones. They look like the material that those old style, roll up window shades use...yellowish and woven.

Like-a-deez:

[Starling]

That was pretty impressive, Amanda. You must have an encyclopedic wardrobe.

Lallie

[Super Amanda]

That was pretty impressive, Amanda. You must have an encyclopedic wardrobe.

Lallie

Lol! I wish! As I was trying to describe them, I realized I had those raggedy old flip-flops.

I am going shopping tomorrow, I'm going to need at least a few more outfits, as full time life is causing me to run out of combination of clothes, I don't want to do to many re-runs..blah , blah, blah....what a blabber mouth I am.... :P

[Angie G]

I much prefer Heels But I can't wear them out and about. Wish I could.
Angie

[sometimes_miss]

I had an older sister, and my mom dressed me in her hand me down clothes way before I had any idea that I wasn't supposed to wear them; I distinctly remember riding in the stroller and having a woman tell my mom what a cute little girl I was. When I got old enough to realize it, I asked her why I was wearing girl clothes; she said it was because she didn't want me ruining my 'good boy' clothes when I was playing. I remember wearing little dresses around the house, and there was more than a few pink items in my wardrobe. She even sewed blue and red stripes into the waistband of my sisters hand-me-down panties figuring I wouldn't recognize the difference between them and my fruit of the loom shorts. Add that to always putting off getting my hair cut and I guess I often looked like a little girl when I was growing up. All in the supposed name of saving money; but she always seemed to have money for new furniture and decorations for the house even though the old ones weren't broken, so I'm sure there was more going on in her mind.

[Nicole Erin]

I know what she means, the bamboo like ones. They look like the material that those old style, roll up window shades use...yellowish and woven.

Like-a-deez:

Amanda has a pic of herself in there.


Tube socks are like a gag gift. I mean the long ones with color stripes at the top? Didn't those go out of style in, oh, 1978? Or was it 1979? Someone help me get my facts straight

[Jennifer in CO]

happened here as well. When I was around 5 or 6 I had a foot problem supposedly. The 'fix' was wearing shoes with high arch supports and. without spending big bucks the family didn't have. she found a shoe that happened to be a girls shoe (black/white oxford) with a nice high arch. I wore those for close to 2 years. At that time I wasn't keen on wearing girls things, so I shoe polished them all black after the 2nd or 3rd pair.

Jenn

[docrobbysherry]

Tube socks are like a gag gift. I mean the long ones with color stripes at the top? Didn't those go out of style in, oh, 1978? Or was it 1979? Someone help me get my facts straight

If so, I've got a large, unopened package of them in the back of my closet! Probably BEEN THERE since 1979!

[Starling]

Stores sold tube socks in immense packages, because they knew after wearing them once or twice you would never buy any more.

Lallie

[tiffanyjo89]

I remember my mom giving me a pair of her shoes (that she never wore, too small) when I was in middle school (for those who aren't in the US, it's the 6 - 8 years of school)...someone pointed out that they looked like girls shoes, but I was oblivious to that.

The biggest "my mom got me girls clothes to wear" was when I was, I don't know, 7 or 8, she bought me and my sister matching panties, not cotton, but a spandex type material, mine were red, and hers were yellow. I didn't realize it at the time, but looking back, it was kinda odd that they were cut so tight to the crotch, and didn't have that awful flap of fabric they call a "fly". Makes me wonder how many men who wear briefs actually use the fly, cause I never could the feel for it...but I ramble on.

But yeah, my mom's actually gave me girls clothes to wear...despite her saying it's wrong.

[Andy66]

Tube socks are like a gag gift. I mean the long ones with color stripes at the top? Didn't those go out of style in, oh, 1978? Or was it 1979? Someone help me get my facts straight

Exactly. I was in junior high school in 1978-1979, but I remember wearing them anywhere from 1976 to 1984. I still see them in stores even now. Maybe I'll get you some for your birthday.