Quick Quotes: Hair Stylist (And Love of My Life) Derek J On Wearing High Heels

I used to be a tennis shoe freak. I had over 300 pairs of tennis shoes. I started wearing heels about four years ago [but] it was a gradual transition to where I am now. I wore heels one day because I bought some pants that were too long and I didn’t have time to get them hemmed, so I bought some heels to make me taller so my pants could fit and that’s how it started.

Once I tried the heels when I was out I got good reviews. After that, I gradually started buying another pair and another pair and then I got into a skinny leg jean.

I used to just wear pumps but now I wear boots, shorts and thigh highs. I know women understand when you put on heels it makes you feel different. It gives you a different swag, a different walk. It gives you confidence. You feel good, you feel sexy. So I got to the point now where I’d do what I want to do.

I don’t put myself in situations that I know can bring negativity. I know there are certain places where I will not go dressed like this. I don’t go places by myself for the same reason. I try to take precautions the best way I can to protect myself from getting that negativity.

It makes me nervous some times with straight men because you don’t know where they’re coming from but they’ll be like, “Oh, you’re that dude that be on TV with them heels on,” and I’m like, “Really? Well, thank you.” And then if I’m out and there’s somebody being ignorant or being closed minded, you can see other people are like, “Do you know who you’re talking to? It ain’t going down like that,” so I don’t even have to do anything anymore.

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