wow! just went tp Payless Shoes en drab and still got read!

[Richelle423]

My GF and I went to Payless today to get some sneakers for her she got 3 pairs and I got 1. At the check out the SA automatically knew 1 pair was for me which I denied IDK why. She's a size 9/10 while I'm a 12/13 but she she got 1 pair of 11 n the rest 12s. She like to wear my sneakers once in a while. THe SA saw that 2 styles of sneakers were the same style outside the box but the shoes were actually different colors but my SO outed me anyway saying she like to borrow my shoes that I don't wear. The experience wasn't negative but she knew where I was coming from. I might have to go back to the same to for more shoes!!!

[reb.femme]

I'm happy buying something and saying it's for me. It's my wife that squirms.

I'm sure for the SAs, a sale is a sale, with the slightest chance that you are tea room gossip for 20 seconds. Other than that, no harm done, plus the old adage, "if they're talking about you, they're leaving someone else alone". :heehee:

Becky

[kittie60]

I've been to several payless shoes and have had a very helpful sa. Sadly only a few carry my size which is 13w. The SA said she could order the strappy sandals I liked and she did. My wife was with me and was quite surprised she was so helpful. You know most stores now have a policy that all SA's must treat ALL customers with respect. There are more more of us coming out and that means more business for them. So keep shopping Rochelle it gets better.

[lisalove]

I ve been to all the Payless Shoe stores in my area I think there's only 4 now. I've tried on shoes in the store sand walked up and down the isles each time SA have helped or asked if I needed help, just about every time. I've never had a bad experience at any of the store.
I'd also like to point out that I wear a 12 in women's shoes, and sometime I can find an 11 that fits great, and I'm not just talking about open shoes, But ankle boots and some flats. So you all might try a size smaller and see if they'll work for ya.

[heatherdress]

Don't worry about a SA. They come and go. They really only care about the sale.

[Tracii G]

Cute story indeed.
No harm in owning up to the SA's they don't care who the shoes are for.
Your wife is a gem!!

[Jacky Aikou]

Richelle, isn't it great when our SO's accidentally out us like that? Could be deadly in the wrong company, I suppose, but usually it's just a cute sign of acceptance (resignation?)

FWIW, I get read "en drab" at Payless, too. Like when I find a cute pair of heels and ask the SA if they have any in size 12w. That gets me read every time. :)
Inevitably they won't have them in stock, but the SAs are nearly always super helpful and will offer to help track down a pair for me.

[stacifox13]

I wish I had the courage to walk into store walk right up to woman's shoe department and take my sneakers off and start trying on heels and ask the s/a that I looking for a size 12 in a certain style can you help me. I would pay to see there reactions or looks I would get. in fact i was in a few shoe stores today as well looking in the ladies shoe department like I was I going to buy something and no one bothered me.

[bonni]

Every payless I've been the sa has always been helpful. I always find something not in my size though. I ask if they have it in 11w. They say no so I have it ordered. Charolette russe its the same thing.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Richelle :hugs:, I love my payless, once I bought a pair of 4" black sling-back Heels and a pair of black men's loafers,
((Black loafers and white socks I am still stuck in the 60s')) .

The SA looked at me and she said, "This is the first time that I have ever seen you buy men's shoes" I just looked at her and I said
" You know , one pair for daytime and one pair for Evenings" we both laughed and I never did tell her which was which.

I always wear ladies thin nylon trouser socks en-drab that makes trying on heels easier.

Now with 150+ pairs of shoes they have a reserved parking spot at the door with my name on it. ...:daydreaming:...

[Teresa]

Richelle,
I've just had another shopping trip this morning, OK in drab but it just gets easier, one SA didn't fully understand who I was buying the shoes for and asked how tall is she, I replied she's standing next to you ! While I was checking out the shoe sizes I handed the SA a list with a strapless bra and control panties on it, she came back with the bra and openly asked what size panties so I replied 12 , some customers glanced but that was it !
The calmer you are the less people take notice, not one SA male or female batted an eyelid, it's so good to get over wanting to run for the door !

[deebra]

Richelle every word that lisalove said in her thread I could have said also. I have also gone to DSW, Burlington as well as many Payless's and all the SA's have been very helpful and after they offer their help they back off and give you your space. Stacifox, if you wear sneakers these stores have a cardboard box attached at the end of the aisles with free try on/throw away nylon sox for you to wear when trying on women's shoes. I wear hose when I shop for women's shoes and of course the shoes slip on so much easier with hose, I also love it when the SA offers help and looks at my foot in hose; they then know for sure you're on the right aisle. Some might even wonder what you are wearing above the thigh-highs but I'm sure they are pretty sure they know; is she/he thong or string bikini??? And of course you need to stand up and walk around the store in them to make sure they fit. Women shoppers will either ignore you or be complimentary.

For me shopping for women's shoes and trying on all those wonderful feminine shoes is like turning a kid loose in a toy store with his mother's credit card, just love to do it, beats the hell out of watching the Redskins loose another one.

[cg2002bolt]

Payless SA was extremely helpful for me and my GF when she took me shoe shopping the other day. SA new they were for me and did the same ask if I needed anything with locating a boot style at another store. They will have my business again:)

[Sharon B.]

I have shopped at PayLess for woman's shoes in drab attire and never have had a bad experience there.

[Jennifer_Ph]

Payless is very accepting of us. But be very, very, very careful... shoe shopping his highly addicting.

[Beverley Sims]

I bought some nice boots at Payless once.

All I got was a broad smile and the comment, "You should wear those well."

[Margaret]

I bought a nice pair of heels two weeks ago at Payless(Australian Store). Not only were they heavily discounted to A$10 but the SA said "if they don't fit come back and you can get a refund". Thankfully they fit perfectly. As the shoes were size 11, she automatically assumed they were for me: no problem!

[Nancy Sue]

I am blessed with small, narrow feet. I can buy men's shoes that fit my size 8A feet - for about $400-500 a pair, or I can buy women's that fit, size 10A. So all my shoes are women's. I wear regular women's thin socks if shopping for normal shoes, and nylons if shopping for heels. I try them out in the store either way, of course.

[EllenJo]

I shop at Payless all the time and the SA's are great. Funny thing is that the last time I stopped at the one in the Mall I was looking for men's bedroom slippers and I was in drab. The male slippers were few and not what I was looking for. I asked the male manager if they had any more and he said no. I decided to see if there was anything interesting in the women's shoes and found the female slippers that looked like men's and were exactly what I was looking for. Natural leather with false wool lining. The manager pointed out that they were women's slippers, and I asked if they came in 11W. We looked and found a pair of 12 regular that I liked and bought. The manager never said a word when I purchased them and as we were going to the check out I saw some cute flats in my size and stopped to try them on. I ended up buying both, the slippers for me and the flats for Ellen Jo. The manager even suggested that I get some footies to wear with my flats and I purchased two pair. They enjoyed the sale and I enjoyed that fact that my male looking slippers were really for women.
Hugs
Ellen Jo

[Krisi]

Payless is the only local retail store I know of that carries women's shoes in sizes larger than ten or maybe a few elevens. Payless also puts the large women's shoes in the aisle opposite the large men's shoes so the nervous nellies can pretend they are shopping for men's shoes while actually shopping for women's shoes. I believe they are on to us and that's a good thing.

I suspect the employees have been warned that crossdressers will likely be buying women's shoes and to treat them as any other customer. The only thing you have to worry about is that your neighbor or preacher might be in the store at the same time you are and walk around the corner while you are testing out those red high heeled pumps.

Perhaps the best thing about Payless is, you can go on their website and chose the style and color you want and then look to see if it's in stock in your size at a local store. If not, you can have them shipped to the store (for free) or to your home (for a low shipping charge). If you don't like them you can return them to a store, you don't have to pay to ship them back.

[Karen RHT]

The only problem I've encountered at Payless, is with selection. They just never seem to have the shoe I want in size 12.


Karen

[Karmen]

Something similar happened to me a few weeks ago when I went to a big self service shoe store in town and bought new high heel pumps (european size 42). I was caught completely off guard when a store clerk finished the sale with sentence "enjoy wearing them". I didn't know what to say and there were other customers waiting in line behind me, so I just put a little smile on my face. I saw she also felt a little awkward, because she probably shouldn't say that to a male who is buying female shoes. I don't know, maybe she saw me when I put them on for a few seconds to see if they fit.

[CD Tammy]

I was once looking at shoes at Payless. Trying to be very discrete I was looking at the pumps, when the young sales girl handed me a box, in my size with a pair of sexy pumps. I know that I was red as a beet. She smiled a bit as she rang them up.

[Tami Joy]

payless great place for me to get my size 12. just got a pair of red heels. Funny thing was looking for a pair of black boots they were out so as I was looking the sa came by an ask if I needed help an when I told her I was looking for she found a pair of beige one was not what I was looking for so was about to leave when she saw the red one so I tried them on an loved them she smile as I paid for them an said she has some regulars that come in an let me know if I found something I like but not my size she could order them.