Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

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bound_crossdresser
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Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

Unread post by bound_crossdresser »

I have been shoe shopping for classic closed toed 5” pumps for awhile now but am running into surprising, actually downright shocking difficulty in locating such a sexy staple of a woman’s footwear collection. I am not looking for some hotshot designer’s “take” or “twist” on the classic pump. As far as I can tell, there are only two manufacturers that make these shoes in reliably available styles, Ellie Shoes (Model #8220) and Pleaser Shoes (Model #SEDUCE-420). It appears that Pleaser may have a slightly higher quality for a modest increase in price but I was leaning towards Ellie because I liked the cut of the shoe more.

However, while I was browsing eBay, I found a few sellers who posted pictures of the actual shoes in their possession rather than the company’s stock promotional photos and the differences were enough to give me pause. The most desirable element that I am seeking is a true 5” heel and the seller’s images seem noticeably lower than that.

I was wondering if anyone has firsthand experience in purchasing classic pumps and can give me some guidance on styles that are still widely available, especially from Ellie or Pleaser, or at least can confirm that the styles I mentioned above have a true 5” heel (or the approximate equivalent). I would also appreciate if someone could recommend a reputable online retailer that they have ordered from previously that I can trust with my purchase. I am assuming I will only be able to buy them through the internet because I have already visited all of the women’s shoe stores and departments within a reasonable driving distance during the various “fashion seasons” throughout the year, including two adult shops that carry a limited stock of sexy shoes, without any luck.

Of course, any input on sizing would also be very helpful but that would be viewed solely as an added bonus as I have a pretty good idea on the size I would need. In case anyone is unsure of what I mean by “classic pumps,” I am looking for the style of shoes that the lovely Ashley Renee is wearing in the following photoset:

http://www.ashleycash.com/affiliates/tg ... index.html

[Note to the forum’s administrators: I assume the link is acceptable to post as I found the photoset through a search on the sister site Bondage Utopia]

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Frank
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

Unread post by Frank »

I've ordered many times from snaz75.com and have been very pleased. They ship fast, have decent prices, and packages arrive in a plain brown box.

Heel heights are pretty close to the listed measurements. My 6" closed-toe pumps from Pleaser measure about 5.75". Close enough, I say.

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stephanie_cd
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

Unread post by stephanie_cd »

bound_crossdresser wrote:However, while I was browsing eBay, I found a few sellers who posted pictures of the actual shoes in their possession rather than the company’s stock promotional photos and the differences were enough to give me pause. The most desirable element that I am seeking is a true 5” heel and the seller’s images seem noticeably lower than that.
Remember that a stock promo photo is likely to be of a size 7 or 8 shoe, which means that a 5" heel height will look a LOT taller than it will with an average crossdresser size shoe -- all the extra "shoe" makes the same size heel look shorter!

Two pairs of my favorite knee-high boots, one CD size, one ex-GF size, both advertised as 4" heels. In reality, the larger size heel is only about 1/8" longer -- but viewed by itself it doesn't look as tall.
boots.JPG
bound_crossdresser wrote:I was wondering if anyone has firsthand experience in purchasing classic pumps and can give me some guidance on styles that are still widely available, especially from Ellie or Pleaser, or at least can confirm that the styles I mentioned above have a true 5” heel (or the approximate equivalent).
I can't speak of their pumps, but both Ellie's and Pleaser's boots seem quite accurate with their heel heights -- I have quite a few pair of their 5" boots and a couple of 4" versions.

Since you're also in Columbus, I'll mention The Garden on N. High Street -- just a few doors down from The Chamber which caters to the BDSM crowd, and apparently run by the same owner. :D The Garden has a wide array of costumes and footwear, and much of their clientele seems to consist of exotic dancers, drag queens...and half of Columbus around Halloween! As such, they sell a LOT of "fetishwear" type shoes with 5" heels -- I've been in there several times shopping for women's shoes while "in drab mode" and the employees seem VERY used to guys trying on high heels, and have been very helpful! :D
bound_crossdresser wrote: Of course, any input on sizing would also be very helpful but that would be viewed solely as an added bonus as I have a pretty good idea on the size I would need.
I have probably written the equivalent of a small book (on this forum alone) on the subject of women's clothing and shoe sizes, and how they're basically just random numbers. Thanks to different companies using different sizes and the whole topic of "vanity sizing," picking the correct size the first time as a woman (or a crossdresser) is like picking the correct big lottery numbers. Someone somewhere does it once in a while, but the odds are better of being hit by lightning!

A common recommendation in North American sizing is to "take your men's size, plus 1 1/2. If you're a men's size 8, you'd be a women's 9 1/2." Then there's the "for heels higher than 4", go up one additional size." All that may sound great on paper until you realize that most women's shoes stop with "half sizes" after size 10 or so. "Well, then, go up an extra half size," they say.

I normally wear about a men's size 11 in a dress shoe. [Thanks to the goofy "size creep" in athletic shoes, I may wear something as huge as a men's size 13 -- but let's forget about that part for now.]

If I wear a men's 11, according to those ridiculous rules, then I should wear a women's 12 1/2 (nobody makes one) or a size 13, right? Or maybe a size 14 in very high heels.

The first pair of boots I ordered online were a size 13 -- and they were far too big. I then ordered the same style in size 12, which were still too big! (Most of the time 12's are a little too big for me, and 11's are just a TINY bit too small until they're broken in.)

My favorite thigh high boots are a women's size 11 (and I have several pairs in different colors.) My favorite knee-high boots are size 10. I have a pair of patent-finish platform boots that I bought at a store in size 11 and returned. The 10's would be great if i ever wanted to wear them in January with thick socks, but the 9 1/2's fit perfectly -- go figure. :lol:
bound_crossdresser wrote:In case anyone is unsure of what I mean by “classic pumps,” I am looking for the style of shoes that the lovely Ashley Renee is wearing in the following photoset:

http://www.ashleycash.com/affiliates/tg ... index.html

[Note to the forum’s administrators: I assume the link is acceptable to post as I found the photoset through a search on the sister site Bondage Utopia]
Links are great, as long as they lead to the picture's owner's site, as in that example! :D We only have copyright issues when people copy and repost other's photos as if they're their own, or when they copy other's photos and then post and link them on third-party sites. If a fetish model has her own page on Photobucket, that's okay -- but if Fred copies her pictures and reposts them on Photobucket as "Fred's Favorite Fapping Fotos" that's not okay.

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bound_crossdresser
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

Unread post by bound_crossdresser »

Wow! Much thanks to both Frank and stephanie_cd for their comments! I was hopeful but not expecting such helpful input.
Frank wrote:My 6" closed-toe pumps from Pleaser measure about 5.75". Close enough, I say.
That was exactly the sort of information I was looking for as 1/4" is certainly within my "approximate equivalent." I was leaning towards a 5" heel because I think a 6" one forces the sole to arch too abruptly although I don't know if in larger sizes, such as for crossdressers (I am thinking that I would take a size 9), the shoe can accomodate the higher heel with a more gentle slope. I had never heard of snaz75.com in my internet seaches for online retailers before but they look promising. I greatly appreciate the recommendation!
stephanie_cd wrote:I have probably written the equivalent of a small book (on this forum alone) on the subject of women's clothing and shoe sizes, and how they're basically just random numbers.
I am well aware of your considerable contributions to the forum in this matter as they initially were my only real guidelines before I became more comfortable through my own shopping experiences as well as reassuring me to start to experiment. In my experiences, women's shoe sizing is fairly reliable between styles and manufacturers (especially when compared to women's clothing which is a true nightmare). Although, it is almost incomprehensible to me that you are a men's size 11 and have a pair of size 9.5 shoes that fit. And boots nonetheless! :shock: I don't mean to doubt your sincerity as I totally believe you! It just makes me worry that I am doing something wrong or that I actually have nothing figured out. :lol:
stephanie_cd wrote:Remember that a stock promo photo is likely to be of a size 7 or 8 shoe, which means that a 5" heel height will look a LOT taller than it will with an average crossdresser size shoe -- all the extra "shoe" makes the same size heel look shorter!
Yes, that is what I was thinking. What gave me pause was that the eBay seller photos of the actual shoes made the heels look smaller rather than too high and that problem would only be compounded if I purchased a larger shoe size. I just would like the shoes that I order to be the same style of shoes that I receive (and based on Frank's and your experiences, it sounds like they should be). If I could just pay and reach through the computer screen to pick up those exact shoes, I would be in heaven. Oh well, perhaps in the future! :lol:
stephanie_cd wrote:Since you're also in Columbus, I'll mention The Garden on N. High Street -- just a few doors down from The Chamber which caters to the BDSM crowd, and apparently run by the same owner.
It looks like The Garden is my best lead yet as the way you describe it and their website make it look like the exact store I have been searching for. Columbus is a bit of a drive for me but I will have to find my way down there one of these weekends.
stephanie_cd wrote:Two pairs of my favorite knee-high boots, one CD size, one ex-GF size, both advertised as 4" heels. In reality, the larger size heel is only about 1/8" longer -- but viewed by itself it doesn't look as tall.
As an aside, I have also been looking for knee high black high heeled boots, although they are a little further down on my budgeted shopping list. They are sort of like classic pumps in that they are surprisingly difficult to find for being such a women's fashion staple. Based on my observations, it seems like designers now only do low, bulky heels or stylized military boots that aren't particularly feminine. Whereas a decade or so ago, I bought a genuine girlfriend I had at the time a pair of boots that were similiar to yours (which I think have a nice heel height) as they were seemingly everywhere and every girl wanted a pair. Recently, I have only ever seen one pair of high heeled boots in store or online (other than Ellie and Pleaser) and they were genuine leather ones at Macy's for $160.

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bound_crossdresser
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

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Success! As you can see from the photos I've posted below, I finally found the classic closed toed pumps I have long adored and eagerly sought. I was very fortunate to live near stephanie_ cd and could try out her recommendation of The Garden. For those of you who aren't local, I have found in my internet research that if you search for "clubwear boutique" and your area, you can find similiar shops that seem to carry erotic footwear (as opposed to just adult toys and lingerie).

In what was one of the most intense experiences of my life, I mustered up enough courage to ask one of the friendly sales girls (after all the other patrons of the store had found their way out) if it was alright if I tried on some of their shoes (and in the process implicitly admitting to another person in real life that I was indeed a crossdresser). To my great relief, the sales staff could not have been more welcoming and accomodating in putting me at ease as apparently crossdressers are an established part of their clientele. One of the sales girls was so skilled in her handling of me that she playfully teased me about my girliness and masterfully manipulated me psychologically to make me feel truly feminine during my shopping experience, telling me how "cute" certain thing were and flattering me by how "perfect" things would look on me. I know all crossdressers might not be into such things as it could be too intrusive or personal for them to handle in a public setting but I profoundly loved it.

I know I indicated that I was originally looking for the 5" style of heels but I had my first ever "shoegasm" the moment I saw Pleaser's Domina-420 in black. For the record, although the Domina-420 is usually listed as a 6" heel, it is really 5.5" and the Ellie 8220 (my white pumps) heels are 4.75" even though they are commonly advertised as 5" (just to reassure others in reference to my original inquiry in this thread). I also had the opportunity to try on Ellie 508-Juliet strappy sandals with 5" heels and had my second "shoegasm" the moment I slipped my foot into the form of the shoe as it fit me like Cinderella's glass slippers. Unfortunately, they didn't have it in a color I needed so I had to pass but I highly recommend it to other crossdressers because it has a more square toe than most women's shoes so it aligns better with the curves and contours of the male foot.

The Ellie 508-Juliet fits very true to size while it is not surprising with the closed toed pump styles that you have to go at least a half to a full size larger than your normal women's shoe size. For what it's worth, although the general consensus on the internet is that Ellie shoes are slightly larger than Pleaser, I find the opposite to be the case with the Pleaser styles fitting similiarly yet a tiny bit looser.

As a warning, you really need to be committed to the look and feel of closed toed pumps on your feet as a crossdresser because your feet are much wider than a natrual woman's and it will be quite a squeeze to get them into any given length of shoe which can be quite painful. I prefer a very sleek and sexy look to my pumps so I try to minimize toe cleavage and get my shoes to snugly hug the curve of the back of my heels so that does squeeze my feet even tighter (I have to wear those disposable nylon stockings and tuck the edges into my pumps to give me the bare leg look otherwise the pain is almost unbearable). Also, take into consideration that your feet can swell during the day as you are sitting and standing up so that even a few hours between trying shoes on in the store and then later at home can cause a noticeable change in the way they fit (an unwanted surprise that I discovered the hard way).
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

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I hope at least some of you noticed in the previous posted photo that I have been experimenting with ways to give my hands a more feminine appearance with a professional, although faked, French manicure. The process is somewhat laborious and exasperating so I would love to hear any thoughts from you guys as to how to improve the look or even whether it is worth the time and effort on my part. The way I decided to photograph my black pumps in the first picture was dictated by trying to feature my manicured hands so here is an image of just them in all of their erotic glory!
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bound_crossdresser
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

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After changing my shoes to put on my white closed toed pumps, I painted my nails to a baby pink in an attempt to accentuate but not match perfectly the virginal color of the shoes, the symbol of feminine purity in the hopes of giving my hands a dainty and demure appearance.
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

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And then a picture of my white pumps in profile without the distraction of my manicured hands.
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

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In case anyone is interested, I also wanted to post a photo of my manicured hands done up with French tips in closeup to give you a better idea of what they look like.
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bound_crossdresser
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

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For some unknown reason, all of the photos I took of both of my manicured hands together came out quite blurry but it is the best I could get. So here is a picture of just my left hand (the images of my right hand by itself are oddly blurry as well so I guess my left hand is my "good side").
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stephanie_cd
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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

Unread post by stephanie_cd »

Congratulations and "yay!" on finding your new shoes -- they look great, and that was a terrific review of the shoes themselves as well! :D

I'm also very glad that the trip to The Garden was so productive and worth the drive -- when I first started crossdressing regularly I was quite pleasantly surprised to see that they and another, similar (and sadly now defunct) shop were so completely nonchalant about men buying women's shoes -- for themselves! The staff was always so helpful and friendly that I didn't just dash in and out after looking at shoes, but I could then browse the rest of the store without feeling out of place. :D

The manicure looks fantastic, too!

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Re: Shoe Shopping For Classic Pumps- Please Help!!!

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Since I opened this thread with a solicitation for suggestions of reputable online retailers of lingerie and sexy shoes, I suppose I would be remiss if I failed to share my own feedback gleaned in the intervening two years in case a novice crossdresser found herself in a similar predicament. I wholeheartedly recommend AttractiveWear.net for all of your intimate feminine clothing needs. You can find them at the following link:

http://www.attractivewear.net/

This recommendation is based on these factors:
1) Widest Selection On The Internet: This was the reason I originally decided to shop with them- they carry items I have been able to find nowhere else.

2) Best Prices: I have never found a single item anywhere for less. Plus, they are running a clearance sale with select items up to 50% off! These include essential staples of any womanly wardrobe as well as a large variety of outfits and costumes that allow you to customize your lingerie collection to your personality and fashion sensibilities.

3) Unbelievable Customer Service: Every e-mail I ever sent them was promptly replied to by the end of that business day. In fairness, they have a slight advantage being based in California which gives them an extra window of three hours to respond to inquiries from the East Coast but it is still much appreciated!

4) Fast & Discrete Shipping: I don't remember the exact dates but I would estimate it took 5-7 days for my items to arrive which is pretty good for cross-country shipping.

To give you an idea of the inventory they carry- they mainly feature the Dreamgirl brand of lingerie and Ellie styles for shoes. But they do have a more limited assortment of Shirley Of Hollywood and Leg Avenue lingerie as well as Penthouse and Bettie Page footwear. So if you are a guy who is looking for an intimate gift for his cherished lady to make her feel special during a romantic interlude or just a "gurl" like me who wants to find that perfect outfit that allows us to feel sexy in our private moments, I enthusiastically encourage you to start your search at AttractiveWear.net!
For more of my crossdressing adventures in bondage with exclusive never-before-seen outfits, visit me at: https://fetlife.com/users/4242703

To view reduced quality videos of me suffering CBT, go to: http://www.crossdresserstube.com/user/helpless_cd

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