Overheard at Nordstrom Rack

[Mimi]

Eryn and I were shopping this evening at Nordstrom Rack, perusing the multitude of shoes. One aisle over, I heard a young boy exclaim to his mother, "Look at all the pretty shoes the girls get to wear! How come the boys don't have all these shoes? All we get is boring shoes!" He sounded around 5 or 6 years old. Didn't get a chance to hear the mother's reply, as they were moving away from me, but Eryn confirmed it was indeed a little boy who was talking. So, was this a defining moment for a TG child, or just a little boy blurting out the truth--women DO have a bigger and prettier selection of shoes, and it isn't fair!

Not ten minutes later, I heard a young couple shopping for shoes. She had selected a pair. He commented, "Wow! If they had these in guy sizes, I'd live in them all day! They look so comfortable!" Didn't see what the shoes looked like, but I was tempted to tell him to think outside the (shoe) box and check the size 12 shelves in the women's section.

So all in all an interesting evening. Oh, and we came away with a pair of sandals for Eryn and a pair of sandal/sneaker style shoes for me, so also a productive evening. :)

[calebsmithxd]

This site has definitely inspired me to buy women's shoes. I said a similar thing when I was young and it seemed like every time I looked at a sneaker or something at Foot Locker or somewhere, I always liked the girls shoes better. The colors were definitely better.

[ReineD]

If I had been that mother, I would have bought my little boy the shoes of his choice. But I would have cautioned him that the world is not prepared to see little boys wear little girls' things and there is always a risk of being teased by others. But, I live in a small town with a small town mentality. Maybe public schools in larger cities have student bodies that are more accepting of gender variance.

[Janice An]

My first memories of wanting to wear girls things were in the shoe department at JC Penney many years ago.
I was about 5-6 and wondered why I couldn't have shoes like those. Now I have some.
Too bad I had to wait so long!

[AmyGaleRT]

Mimi, it's so true! I know I have maybe four pairs of male footwear...and two file boxes full of Amy-mode shoes, with some left over. I think I'm starting to understand what Imelda Marcos must have felt! :D

- Amy

[Sometimes Steffi]

Oh, the memories. When I was about 6, I really wanted to wear my girl friend's (also 6) shoes. I remember hoping they'd fall off her feet so I could grab them. And these wer only like penny loafers.

[Loni]

if i had said that when i was little i would have been punished.
prety much raised with my grand parents and they were very religious.

like just last week when shopping with my mom saw this cute outfit for a very you g girl to ware to bed said i would have loved this when i was five. but that grand pa and grand ma would have had a major fit.

[kimdl93]

Maybe a moment of unfiltered, childhood honesty. Hard to say what he was feeling.

[Di]

Hope the mom at least let him try on the pretty shoes.:D

I am glad you both picked something up as well.:thumbsup:

[divamissz]

I've gone to the Nordstrom Rack en homme to try on shoes before and I always end up with black women giving me advice on which ones look good on my feet. Reminds me that I need to run by the one in Park Place tomorrow to see what's in stock...

[Beverley Sims]

I have visited different areas in different guises and heard what I consider the strangest of conversations between "normal" people.
I would want you to wear those, they would look good on you and you need a padded bra.
All said by women to a male counterpart.
I don't know why, it just seems a bit mind blowing, are they trespassing on my territory. :)

[VirtuaGrl]

Recently while in a Marshall's my wife came across a pair of sneakers in the clearance section. Even though the size was two sizes too big, she recommended I try them on. When I tried them on and they fit it occurred to me they were likely women's shoes and I pointed it out to my wife. The price, however, was so good my wife insisted I buy them anyway commenting how ironic it was she was suggesting I buy them (we're in a "only at her discretion" and only in private phase in my crossdressing).

[Amy R Lynn]

I have to admit that I can relate to the little boy. I remember as a child looking at all of the things that girls had in the store. They got the biggest sections to choose from. Rows and rows of clothes and shoes. Toys galore. Boys had a little tiny section. I always felt a bit envious and wished that I could have been able to enjoy all the things that girls did. Little did I know, that I could! Just too bad I had to wait till I was much older. Better late than never.

I don't know that this would be a sign of a boy having TG or CD tendencies. He may have just been making a very astute observation. Girls do have a LOT more to choose from with everything! Its a bit overwhelming sometimes.

[z.kasia]

Even though she is against guys in girls things, my wife always wants my advice on clothes and shoes. If only I could tell her how much I enjoy female clothes and would love to do more feminine things with her. Sexy shoes are awesome.:daydreaming:

[dragdoll]

When I was around the same age I harassed my mother for months to buy me a pair of sandals, I made sure to pick out the most unisex pair (closest to girlyness) I could find. I truly believe that was officially my first step (no pun intended) towards CDing.

[tiffanyjo89]

I remember being around 12-13 (I had noticed girls wore different things a few years before that, like maybe 6-7, but these feelings didn't appear till I was nearly a teenager) when I definitely started to get a bit envious of my sister's pretty underwear and variety in clothing (like summer dresses and swimsuits and even t-shirts).

Even after I "graduated" from tighty-whities into colored boxer briefs, I still felt my sister had better underwear. I don't know if I'm remembering (imagining) it this way, or if it truly happened that way but I seem to recall when we were doing back-to-school shopping each year my sister getting a lot more attention in shopping for clothes. With me it was find a few pairs of jeans and some t-shirts and maybe a jacket. With my sister it seemed like my mom definitely gave more of an effort to get my sister to pick out nice stuff.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Mimi, Oh how that brings back memories.
130+ pairs now.

[Marleena]

Those are cool stories! If only I could be a fly on the wall when a TG has conversations in the women's section. Sounds interesting:)

[Tracii G]

A couple of years ago I was at GB shoes and I was looking at Birkinstocks (sp ?) in guy mode.
All they had in men's was blue, black and light brown so I asked the sales girl I really want a dark brown pair. She said lets go see what they have in the ladies dept if thats OK with you.
I said sure no problem.They had 5 or 6 different colors to chose from from and I said you ladies have way more color options.
She said yeah I don't know why guys just don't get the same options. I found a dark brown pair and said you have this in a 9? She said you know your size in womens shoes?
I said yeah I dress up sometimes she paused and said Oh cool we have lots of guys like you in here I think its great.
She handed me the shoes to try on and said I think brown is a great choice. We are have a sale on ladies sneakers this week so you want to go look at some?.
I said OK sounds good to me I hope you have some cute ones in my size.LOL

[Marlana]

I'm gonna come out and say it. YES! Women get to choose from a plethora of colors, styles, cuts, and designers. As a male, we get your basic colors, some crossover colors( but only for the stick thin metro boy's). I'd love to pick out a nice sandal or wedge, sleeveless or racerback, skirt or dress. But I can't. Waaaaahhhh! Poor me.

[Janine cd]

I have discovered that the most comfortable shoes that i have ever owned are made for women. I love wearing my Clarke sandals and Soft Walk maryjanes.

[Eryn]

I have some comfy women's shoes, but some of them are definitely uncomfortable even when they fit. Lack of cushioning and no side support are often the price of beauty.

On another shoe shopping trip some time back Mimi and I encountered a little boy clomping along in a pair of women's heels. His mother saw him and said "Put those back, you can walk in mine when we get home." Cool Mom!

[ReineD]

LOL Eryn ... one of my sons also loved to walk around in the heels that we kept in the dress-up box. They made him taller than his big brother. :D

[~Joanne~]

Sounds like there are a lot more of us out there than we imagine. I have never heard anyone in the shoe aisle , or any other aisle, wanting to try on or buy something aimed towards females. Of coarse when My SO and I are out shopping, I am usually the only male in the store ;)

[DonnaWanna]

My wife and I were shopping for shoes one day and had just found the perfect pair for Donna. I was in drab wearing large hoop earrings. We were in the next aisle over from where we found them and heard another couple talking. The husband said " Here are the ones you are looking for." The wife commented back "Yes, but that lady there just got the last pair in my size," (referring to me).
We laughed all the way home.

[Michelle Charles]

Reine, About all I can say is you are one incredible woman. I appreciate all the wisdom you bring in your posts, you are patientt, thoughtful, loving and kind, you truly try to love and understand . I appreciate you!
Michelle

If I had been that mother, I would have bought my little boy the shoes of his choice. But I would have cautioned him that the world is not prepared to see little boys wear little girls' things and there is always a risk of being teased by others. But, I live in a small town with a small town mentality. Maybe public schools in larger cities have student bodies that are more accepting of gender variance.

[Andinera]

My feet fit better in women's shoes. Among other pairs, I wear a pair of black and pink running shoes everyday for my morning job. I dont feel any discomfort in them. They're wonderful.

[Eryn]

...I was in drab wearing large hoop earrings. We were in the next aisle over from where we found them and heard another couple talking. The husband said " Here are the ones you are looking for." The wife commented back "Yes, but that lady there just got the last pair in my size," (referring to me).
We laughed all the way home.

There are certain cues that people that immediately tip an observer's gender indicator to "female." Dangling earrings seem to be one of these along with color on the nails. Since a lot of us tend to wear borderline-femme clothes it is no surprise that others misidentify us from behind or afar.

Unfortunately, I have a rather strong masculine cue, my height. :(

[Rachel Morley]

"Look at all the pretty shoes the girls get to wear! How come the boys don't have all these shoes?" Didn't get a chance to hear the mother's reply.
I would be super interested to know what that mother said to her little boy! .. assuming she did answer him. I guess we'll never know.