I wear ballet flats and womens sandals in public, and.....

...and nobody ever seems to notice. I live in south Florida where pretty much anything goes. I started wearing flats in public about 2 years ago. first I started with some Nike athletic flats. I wore some silver ones then some black ones (both pictured).

next I decided to try simple ballet flats and chose white ones that might have an athletic shoe look but were decidedly ballet flats. from there I moved into androgynous sandals with some strappy ones from Greece and then some gladiator sandals I found in Italy (where men are far less hung up about the gender-specificity of their shoes and clothes).

few noticed. no one said a thing.....ever. a couple smiles and some longer than normal looks but no one seemed to care in the end.

what is your experience with this?

thanks, Nancy

The first fish crawled out of the sea, stood on two legs, and put on a ball gown. Nobody noticed. Two million years later, they still don't notice.
In the evolution of every cross dresser comes the revelation. Nobody notices. If they do, you're just another person in ballet flats.
Now, hopefully you don't look like a fish in a dress LOL. Enjoy yourself.

People notice, they are just too polite to say anything. I wouldn't be wearing those around friends, family or co-workers.

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Originally Posted by I Am Paula

The first fish crawled out of the sea, stood on two legs, and put on a ball gown. Nobody noticed. Two million years later, they still don't notice.
In the evolution of every cross dresser comes the revelation. Nobody notices. If they do, you're just another person in ballet flats.
Now, hopefully you don't look like a fish in a dress LOL. Enjoy yourself.

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Dammit Paula! You just made me snort my tea everywhere!

Ballet flats? Good luck finding them in my size! I am currently looking for some nice high boots to wear with skirts in my size...don't want to order them online, going round all the local shops, no luck yet. I think people will definitely notice when they see a guy in a skirt and knee high boots.

have you ever been to south florida? nobody's polite here. but your point is well taken. some of my friends are already exposed to my "nuttiness" but only those I trust to see me for me and not be judgmental.

what is your size? have you tried barefoottess.com?
I have shopped in the stores and found very little in my size. I need a 12 and most stores go up to 11 in womens. Nordstrom is the notable exception. I really have to buy almost all my shoes online. ebay, barefoot tess, payless have all been successful for me. DSW sometimes too and, though I don't much care for them, zappos.

My personal choice is to wear shoes that are going to protect my feet in public. Never know what you will run into out there or what will run into you. I'd rather be safe than sorry, plus I have no point to prove. I reserve my nice foot wear for dancing at the club and so forth. :)

In the summer I really begrudge having to wear men's shoes to posh functions and having to wear shoes in Caribbean restaurants is just silly.
A pair of ballet flats would be so much more practical.

I think people would notice a bit further north where it is colder.
Oh for that Florida weather. :)

I don't like to wear shoes at all. I wear sandals year round and I live in Colorado

They don't say anything for one of two reasons. 1. They're too concerned with themselves to even look down at your feet. 2. They just assume you're gay. Try wearing 4" pumps and still no one will say anything. lol

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Originally Posted by Nancy Salandro

have you ever been to south florida? nobody's polite here. but your point is well taken. some of my friends are already exposed to my "nuttiness" but only those I trust to see me for me and not be judgmental.

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I was in South Florida for a visit a while back (Ft Myers / Cape Coral Area) and the people did not seem rude to me. I agree with the other reply, they probably just assume he is gay and move on. Of course most of society group feminine males with being gay, I hope society gets educated some time in the future.

ah, you were on the west coast of Florida. things are far more civilized over there. the Miami-Ft Lauderdale area is an entirely different place all together. people here are flatly and unabashedly into themselves. "but enough about me....how do you like me!"