Articles tagged with "Express Yourself"

UK Newspaper Daily Mail reports on the "unusual" relationship of Maren Butler (@marenn.x) and James Carrington (@jxcx3). The pair met on TikTok, James a feminine presenting man and Maren, a masculine presenting woman. Challenging many social and gender norms in the process the pair have formed a long-lasting relationship.

From the article:

"Maren said: 'I remember seeing James' video and thinking he was so cool.

'It was his confidence and his androgynous look that was so appealing to me.

'I left a comment on his video thinking he wouldn't respond but in less than an hour he replied and we started chatting.

'Before James, I'd only dated girls but I've always been attracted to fem-men because I love the combination of confidence and femininity.

'He has a pretty face and pretty smile, what's not to love! It's an unusual pairing but we're so happy.' "

Original URL: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-11481251/Masculine-woman-feminine-boyfriend-discuss-unusual-relationship.html

I do get looks and people's expressions are often puzzled, but then they are seeing something that they are not used to seeing so that is going to take some thought to process how they feel about it. You are breaking social stereotypes and to a lot of people this will be something new and can feel threatening to them.

If you are different, and let's face it, it's not hard to be different when you're a man wearing high heeled shoes or boots, then you are going to stand out from the crowd a little and attract some attention. The vast majority of men wearing heels don't actually want any attention, we just want to live authentically and wear the clothes and shoes which we like.

The key here is confidence. When you feel good about what you are wearing before you go out, that will show through. Express yourself authentically and you will have the rock solid belief in what you are doing. Go about your business as normal and remember that you are not responsible for the version of you that is in someone else's head - that's on them.

Think about the times when you've seen something out of the ordinary when you've been out and about. Do you look longer at it? Does your face express your confusion about what you're seeing? It's not unusual to process new things in this way.

In the countless times I've worn heels in public, I have yet to have anyone make a negative comment about them, but yes I do get people looking at them. From many other men who wear heels, the comments they receive are almost always positive. In any case, I want them to look, we need them to look, we need this to be normalised for any men who want to wear heels. That needs every one of us to be wearing heels in public every day that we can.

If you're struggling for the confidence to wear higher heels more than you would normally do in public, use some of the strategies I've provided in these Q&A posts to help. Start out with Cuban/block heels and work your way up. Once higher Cuban/block heels are more commonplace, heels for men will get slimmer and taller and before long we may well see a day when men in stilettos won't seem so unusual at all.

The TheIndusty.fashion website explores the reasons why more men are shopping in the women's department.

From the article:

"This increasing band of fashion-forward men are purchasing larger sizes in feminine womenswear and thanks to celebrities like Harry Styles and Lil Nas X, and designers like Marc Jacobs, men now have the “permission” to buy and wear womenswear as their own. From clothing to accessorises, these men are buying what they like, regardless of where is comes from, just as long as it fits."

“Where I’d like to see it trickle down more is the high street. I think certain brands are afraid of looking too feminine which could potentially ward off their key shopper, but I think that’s the beauty of online shopping there’s a space for everyone,” says Hobbs.

“THIS IS NOT A TREND. I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A TREND,” says Glazin. “It's not something I just jumped on the bandwagon with, it's really because I want more out of my wardrobe. And I think I speak for every man who does the same. I truly think brands need to have more unisex sections in stores, there doesn't need to be segregated sections!” he says.

“As there’s a wave of more gender fluidity, there’s also less pressure to stick to clothing made for your gender. Womenswear has always had a lot more styles, shapes, fabrics, colours etc. so when considering the options it makes sense that some men are opting for more expressive pieces,”

"Clothing doesn’t reflect people’s sexuality anymore. The vast range of new role models has promoted an attitude of inclusivity."

Original URL: https://www.theindustry.fashion/crossing-the-floor-why-more-men-are-gravitating-towards-the-glamour-of-the-womenswear-department/

1. Be visible

The single most effective thing each and every one of us can do is to be visible. The more people see men in heels, the more it will be normalised.

Every time you venture out you have an opportunity to educate more people and give them a different perspective on how they look at men in what they would normally consider women's clothes. Many people are still unaware of gender issues. Some may find it un-settling at first as we're challenging the status quo... Be kind.

2. Socialise your visibility

Being active regularly on social media is helpful in getting our message about men in heels to "cross-over" into mainstream life. YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook can all be effective and it's often possible to repurpose content created for one platform on another. Learn about hashtags and use them properly - they are vital to getting noticed. Make hashtags relevant to your post and make them unique to each post. Keep your content focused and on-topic, make it predominantly about your style in heels. Creating a new heels-focussed account is often a good idea if you have pictures of your pet/holidays/what you ate for dinner on your account now. Focus drives follower engagement and retention. If you're not getting (and keeping) the followers you want, make sure you're only posting about topics relevant to their interest.

We can all play our part in social media and in addition to going out there and doing it every day, our community needs us to share our shoe collections, our outfits, our public experiences with whatever level of personal expression we feel comfortable with. Being visible, loud and proud on social media is the key to effecting real change. Resist the temptation to make critical comments when your own profile is empty or has very little content - your voice will be heard louder iand more objectively if you can clearly demonstrate that you walk your talk.

3. Blog it!

Creating a blog website to blog about wearing heels and boots will reach a wider audience than Instagram alone. It can also funnel traffic to your other social media accounts.

You'll probably already have a great deal of content from your social media account (your photos etc), all you need is a little narrative to tell a good story and your website will work well in attracting visitors. Regularly promote your blog on social media.

Some great blogs on high heels and boots can be found at:

• Wearboots
• www.be-a-rebel.cz
• High Heel Place
• Cross Sword Fashion

4. Ally, don't alienate

Support and ally with other minority groups. Align yourself alongside LGBTQIA+, Feminists and anyone actively gender bending and de-gendering fashion.

5. Support the community

Support each other by making positive, constructive comments on social media, cross-posting and promoting other people's posts and profiles. We'll all achieve more, faster by pulling together as a community.

6. Be gender aware

Be alert to gender-labelling of non-gendered items and call people out on it! The less gendered our world becomes, the better it will be for everyone, us heeled shoe wearers included.

7. Know your history

Educate yourself on men's heel history, fashion and gender issues, it will give you more confidence in yourself and help you develop your style.

8. The fine line between fashion & fetish

Be mindful of sexualisation - don't confuse fashion and fetish. If you have a fetish for anything, that is fine, but keep it private and keep it separate from anything fashion related.

Some things that would also be helpful, but are largely out of our control are

1. Seeing more men in heels in mass-media Movies, TV series, newspapers and magazines and not just because they are wearing heels, but as matter of fact every day fashion. It's time to change-up the narrative from men in heels being there for shits-and-giggles, because frankly that's getting boring.

2. Older generations appreciating that the norms that they live by are not the norms that WE live by. We're going to break your norms because they don't have the same value to us as they did for you.

Comments from our readers

We had some great comments on this question posted on our Instagram page for previous posts of this Q&A issue, from both men and women...

"I feel the only way to that is to bring back Cuban heels to mainstream men’s fashion like skinny jeans. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but unless we start with mainstream Cuban heels, high heels will have no chance in men’s mainstream fashion."

"Sadly society have stereotypes about this and wants to quietly shame us for this." ...and we say "Thanks, but we say to hell with gender stereotypes! they are just an out-dated product of the patriarchal society that we live in. The shame is on the people who perpetuate them!!"

"Lead by example. I live in a small town, but still wear heels and/or boots - and dresses or skirts - almost every day. And reactions are almost only positive! ❤️ Even the few, that gave me strange looks, in the beginning are now used to it, and see it as a natural thing, that I dress the way I prefer! 🙏"

"Be confident. And be visible. That makes it fit the norm."

"The more men wear them, the more normal it becomes!"

"Same as guys wearing any formerly masculine style that got appropriated by women...guys just have to get out in them as men, even if "looking" feminine. Clothing does not change one's sex."

"You just do it. I make it normal for myself"

"It will take companies to start making more larger sizes. And market, market, market to men too. Just like Birkenstock big buckle sandals. They stop at size 11. They need to at least go up to 16. I would love to get several of them but no size 14. I wear a size 12 in men's. So that's what it's going to take. We can't wear drag heels and boots all the time. 'Even though I love them' 🙂"

"Normal is majority... more the merrier scenario. Acceptance will return if retail label some high heels as MEN'S. It will take the major retailers to sell them and then the men with the balls to wear them. It will become normal again. If the mullet haircut can return... anything is possible if enough embrace the trend and the trend is marketed"

"As far as I’m concerned it already is, I do it and I consider myself to be normal lol 😂"

"Honestly try to avoid anger when people make comments or laugh. We have to stand tall shoulders back and be proud. No matter what and where your background is."

"You never will, what is normal to one person will not be to the next. You just have to do what feels right for you and if it doesn't please some people that's their problem and if they get over it then that's up to them. You can't truly define normal."

"The behaviour and style of the mainstream is the 'normal'. But minority groups with a goal have the chance for change something. For example women in trousers. For men in skirts, heels, leggings or anything else of female clothing it's the same. We have the right to wear it and we can do. Without Instagram or other platforms in the web, every man in 'wrong' clothes was the only person who do this. With the visibility in the web, every man can see there are any other man doing the same. And the mainstream also see that there more men doing this. And while these men doing and connecting, the trend hunter of the big companies seeing it too. For an example, three years ago ASOS didn't sell swim thongs for men. Actually the do and not only normal thongs, tie side thongs and bikinis for men. Buy what you want, wear what you want with confidence and write reviews at the retailer websites. If the companies see the communication from the customer, they think about developing and offer products for men. ASOS started to sell their shoes in the women department in bigger sizes. They well spotted the trend. It's a crosslinked evolutions starting with our steps which need a little bit self-confidence: 1. Buy the item, with the mindset "it's normal what I'm doing here." 2. Wear/use the item with the mindset "It's normal what I'm doing here." 3. React to weird views or dumb comments/question with the attitude and mindset "I really don't understand you because it's normal what I'm doing here." 4. Ask the employees in the store for assistance when you need and act normal when trying on with the attitude/mindset "It's normal what I'm doing here, so why should I not or should I hide." Sounds easier than it is, but it works and brings you in a positive mood/vibes. Let us start it."

Very Well Mind website explores the term "gender expansiveness", looking at its origins, what it means and how it's being used to classify people who cross normal lines of gender expression.

From the article:

"Gender expansiveness is an umbrella term for any expression of gender that falls outside of society's current gender binary standards."

"One person who has made a name for himself just by wearing clothing meant for the opposite gender is Eli Cohen, an author, speaker, fashion advocate, and "self-expression facilitator." He founded an organization called Spacious Human, with the tagline "Experiencing Expansiveness." Cohen is a cisgender man who began wearing dresses and skirts after the age of 50. He now teaches others how to explore their gender and their expressions of it."

"It can be challenging to put yourself out there in a way that makes you appear different than others, and you're opening yourself to judgment just by looking different or noticeable. However, some people feel that it's more important that society sees more than one version of humanity and expression, so they take on that potential judgment."

"Consider doing your research before asking anyone in your life about their gender expression. This saves others from having to perform emotional labor for you. It is considered polite to not ask people questions you could easily find the answers to yourself."

Original URL: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-gender-expansiveness-6362960

Absolutely not... but of course you absolutely can if you want to!

That goes for all different types of shoes too. Flats, stilettos, Cuban heels, kitten heels, wedges, block heels and the rest. What matters is not what else you wear with them but that you feel happy and confident wearing them. Putting on a pair of heels does not make you a crossdresser (a term often used predominantly for men, though rarely applied to women) and many regular guys of all sexual orientations have worn heels throughout history. Many celebrities have recently brought about a renaissance for men wearing heels, skirts, dresses, leggings or make-up, though you don't have to be a celebrity to still have fun with what you wear.

The same really goes for other things you'd not normally considered as men's fashion. You don't have to wear heels if you wear a skirt or dress. You don't have to wear a skirt, dress or heels if you wear make-up.

Have fun and experiment with your style. Be bold but consciously pick items that you would definitely wear repeatedly, with confidence outside your home. If you're un-sure, buy pre-loved items as if you change your mind after wearing them you can always sell them on again for around the same value as what you paid for them, and it's also more environmentally sustainable.

What have you worn (in public) recently that you would not normally consider to be menswear? What was your experience? Head to our Instagram page to post your comments.

Original URL:

Asian magazine, Prestige reports on how Harry Halim has everyone talking about his Kitana boots for men and how his creation is simultaneously making waves in the fashion industry and shaking up our ideas about masculinity.

"To me, masculinity is not defined by what you wear. Masculinity is a term referring to the social roles expected of a man. In today’s world, a man who is masculine is a man who is responsible – who loves, honours and provides for his family and his surroundings. True masculinity is not determined by how much physical strength or muscles that a man has, but rather the strength of his character."

Original URL: https://www.prestigeonline.com/id/people-events/people/making-waves-with-harry-halim/

A short press-release to cover the launch of Steve Madden's Inclusive sizing collection of shoes and boots in EU sizes 42-45. There are some great styles there. Check them out via our Retailer Directory at https://www.mens-heels-revolution.com/RetailerDirectory?Name=Madden

Original URL: https://www.so-pr.com/steve-madden-launches-inclusive-collection/

Original featured on Men's Heels Revolution a couple of weeks ago, now we have the full, original interview with Charoline Wenke and Anders Harder Bjerresgaard from ALT for damerne magazine, translated via Google Translate from Danish to English

The article introduces us to the couple and their relationship journey, from their early days exploring Anders' gender fluid fashion style and his passion for high heels to present day, and some of the triumphs and challenges they have encountered along the way. It's not always been easy, but they are both very happy together and want to share their story in the hope that it will inspire others to explore their self-expression too.

Anders: "I could feel people's awkward reactions when I showed interest in clothes, shoes and makeup, and so I very quickly stopped saying it out loud and instead cultivated it in secret. When there was an EVERYTHING for the ladies at home, I looked in it when there were no others nearby, and the same with, for example, Magasin's Christmas catalog, where I looked at the women's clothes. I thought it was the most beautiful. There is not much variation in men's clothes. It is black, white "Blue and maybe green and brown. Whereas women's clothing is available in all colors, patterns and qualities. Everything is allowed in women's clothing that is simply more bling."

Charoline: "He said: 'I really like high shoes, and I really like to walk in them.' When he drove home afterwards, I thought hmmm ... But pretty quickly this sentence came to me:" "Well, it's just shoes." We just had a great time together, we had become really happy with each other, and I thought: We must be able to find out. "

Anders: "Part of the teaching was precisely about inhibiting beliefs, and I had had a belief that the sky would fall if I stood one hundred percent by myself. And suddenly it dawned on me that when I got home and was completely fresh, then it was because, in Copenhagen, I stood by myself and walked in the high shoes.I thought, shut up, I'm really just a puppet in a performance I myself have created based on my own beliefs ? What will happen if I just ARE myself? When I started thinking like that, I almost sensed from one day to the next how much more energy and joy I would get in my life if I started standing by myself all the time. "

Charoline: "Shortly after, we took a trip to Hamburg, and at that time, Anders was still only wearing menswear when others saw him. But when he unpacked in the room, he lined up just 15 pairs of shoes with high heels, and I was like ... well, okay. "

Charoline: "Today I find it very annoying that I have been influenced by the opinions of others. But that says something about how strong it is. I myself come from a very unjudgmental family who have taken so well against Anders. If only I am happy, they are happy, and then the clothes do not matter. But in the face of the reactions of the outside world, I have been surprised. I remember an episode in Berlin, where we stood in line in a store, and behind the clerk there was a mirror so I could see how those standing behind us in the queue were pointing and laughing. It was just too much and I said to Anders "come, now we're just going out, I can not do this" . "

Charoline: "the message we want to convey in this interview is actually that we is only at the finish line when it is no longer interesting how Anders dresses."

Anders: "I have only met support. Or at worst neutrality. The first time I wore heels, my boss said:" You got new boots, Anders ", and then she went on to get coffee. Otherwise I have just been told that “shut up you look sharp” or “wow, you give it gas.” I'm probably well helped by sitting in a creative area of ​​product and marketing development, because that's probably the place in an organization where the ceiling is highest and where you like to think a little crazy. People are very openminded. "

Anders: "I almost never experience this as a problem. I almost never get negative comments from women. They are always very welcoming and often come with comments like" I love your boots "or" what beautiful nails ". Negative comments or shaking of the head usually always come from men, and I think that's because they are challenged in their views on how to be a man. "

Original URL: https://www-alt-dk.translate.goog/artikler/anders-harder-bjerresgaard-og-charoline-wenke-kaerester-om-at-han-gaar-med-dametoej-og-hoeje-haele?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

ABC News reports in Australia on the debate for the Religious Discrimination Bill where Stephen Jones MP delivered an emotional speech in parliament highlighting the struggles the LGBTQIA community they face every day, highlighting in particular his own son Paddy, who frequently wears gender non-conforming clothes, including high heels.

Original URL: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-10/paddy-stephen-jones-son-speech/100819064

Danish magazine 'BT' brings us an interview with Charoline Wenke and Anders Harder Bjerresgaard, originally published in 'ALT for the ladies' magazine and translated here from Danish via Google Translate.

The article introduces us to the couple and their relationship journey, from their early days exploring Anders' gender fluid fashion style and his passion for high heels to present day, and some of the triumphs and challenges they have encountered along the way. It's not always been easy, but they are both very happy together and want to share their story in the hope that it will inspire others to explore their self-expression too.

Original URL: https://www-bt-dk.translate.goog/samfund/mange-der-ser-mig-gaar-automatisk-ud-fra-at-jeg-er-homoseksuel?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

There are some great blogs on the web and this post from Resha caught my attention as I feel it speaks to many of us who just want to wear what we want without judgement.

"Almost everyone has an opinion on a everyone’s appearance. Some people just have the decency to keep it to themselves."

"The problem is that there isn’t an outfit that anyone can wear without being judged."

Original URL: https://studioresha.com/blogs/news/stop-judging-people-on-their-clothing-choices

Hungry for more profiles about men in heels and boots? Look no further...

(Numbers are followers as at time of writing)

Criteria for selection:

1. More than 500 followers, but less than 1,000
2. Post frequently with their own content
3. Consistently promote a variety of mainstream fashion for men in heels or boots
4. Profile is free of adult themes, underwear, fetish and sexualisation of footwear

These are just the profiles which we have found while looking for men in heels and boots. If you know of more (that meet the criteria above), please let us know!

The Daily Targum looks at gender, society and fashion trends and concludes that men can wear dresses, heels or whatever else makes them feel good.

Original URL: https://dailytargum.com/article/2021/02/men-can-wear-dresses-get-over-it-why-fashion-has-no-gender