Re-assured But Not Sure

[deebra]

While my car was being serviced I had the dealership shuttle drop me off at the mall. It was early and after entering I spotted a Payless shoe store, went in, spoke to the very nice sales lady and walked straight to the women's shoe section. This was starting to feel really good, all those shoes and pumps to try on and walk around the store in. After a little bit she looked around the isle and asked if I was doing O.K. which I replied yes. I hadn't planned on this so not wearing hose I put on the little nylon sock in the bins on each isle. After walking in several pairs I couldn't resist this opportunity to buy a pair of 3 and 1/2 tan pumps and walk in them in the mall wearing my girl jeans; since it was early thinking there wouldn't be to many people there. I asked the sales lady to keep my guy shoes and did she think it would be O.K. and would I blend in wearing the pumps to which she said sure, she also reassured me saying a lot of guys come in and buy women's shoes. I walked the mall for maybe an hour until my legs were getting tired, got a few stares, just about all from young women. When I returned to the store and asked for my guy shoes back, she asked wasn't I going to continue to wear the pumps rather than change into my guy shoes, I said no, I had to go back to the dealership. While trying on shoes three senior black ladies came in and were looking for shoes right beside me, they didn't freek out, said they looked very nice and to each his own; in other words no big deal or shocker to them. So why were these elderly ladies so opened minded and accepting and the younger women weren.t? So I'm wondering, was the SA sincere when she reassured me or was she just trying to up her sales number??????? So what's the verdict on guys wearing fem shoes in public???????

[Dana3]

I think society has over the course of the last fifty or sixty years grown immune. As a child of the Sixties, I saw first the Beatles, and the outcry over men wearing their hair longer than a slicked back fifties style, or a buss cut, or even a crew cut......... Then came the Hippie movement of the 1960 and 70's with men wearing bell bottoms, and platform shoes, a little more showery, colorful. The came the Disco area, (Think John Travolta in "Saturday Night Live" and the costumes that went with the era. Then came the Punk Rock movement, the increasing draw toward tattoos and piercings of any and all kinds. Branching out even further was ~ is the Cowboy look, the Biker Look. Now with the exposure of Eddie Lizzard, Boy George, Rupaul, John Travolta alleged indulgences, a long with Kelsey Gramer's wife alluding to his cross dressing dalliances. And last not least, but most recent? Bruce Jenner.

People just don't care about the indulgences of expression of others, if it doesn't directly impact nor affect them and theirs in someway? More power to them. Along with greater leanecy and tolerance for that of others. Sure your going to have the occasional cultural backward evolutionary ~ it takes time to cleanse and wipe a way thinking that has been predominated as absolute fact for the better half of the so-called Modern ~ Industrialized ear. Heck we're still feeling the ramifications of the Victoria era.

But what has really changed is the rapid, quick, easy and relatively free flow of information via the internet. For the first time, others that are different from the standard norm? (And not just cross dressing, nor reference to one's sexual orientation) are finding that they are not the singular in regards to who they are and perceive themselves to be.

In short, no one really cares as much as we think they do? And too even if they did? We're too busy going about our day-to-day lives to give it anything more than a fleeting passing thought.

[kimdl93]

I believe the term is 'maturity'. Although you will also find that there is a good deal of tolerance among younger women too...perhaps not among those who hang out at the mall.

[Jean 103]

Payless is one of my favorite stores. I have been in a few of their stores at different locations, sometimes in guy mode and sometimes girl. The SAs are always nice. I think the SA was right about men buying women’s shoes. The last time I was in the one closest to my house I was surprised by how much the size 11 section has grown. I was in a one of their stores a while back in girl mode, a lady and her husband are next to me shopping in the size 12 section. She seemed more interested in the shoes I was finding. Her husband typical, not interested in any of it.
Love Jean

[Chris_Cross]

Simply cliquey adolescent girls. They can ridicule just about anything.

[suzanne]

Last week, I walked into a women's clothing store wearing one of my favorite outfits; a black polkadot chiffon skirt, a plain top and a sweater . No wig, no makeup. No one ever mistakes me for a woman. My shoes were 4 inch black stiletto pumps from Lane Bryant. The first person to see me was a SA who immediately exclaimed, "I love your shoes!". Everyone had to come and have a look. Soon, everyone in the store, customers and staff, was talking about my shoes. My takeaway is that, far from disapproving, many women appreciate a man who can rock a dress and heels. Don't ask why, just go and have fun.

[JasmeVee]

Nothing causes more trepidation in me than a pack of roaming mall girls

[Beverley Sims]

Young girls have not learned to be tactful or learn manners yet.

Also they have not had the experience or gained the wisdom of the more elderly generation.

I just love being dressed in the mall at 3.30 in the afternoon when the 14 year old girls are on the prowl. :)