Soap Box: Big Feet

That's right!  I said big feet, not big foot.  Why? Because we're talking about my two big feet.  No, they aren't abnormal.  I don't have a health issue.  They aren't weird looking.  In fact, I think my feet look quite nice as feet goes.  (I may be a bit biased, but even my friend De says I have nice toes as far as feet go.  She hates feet.)  My toes aren't strange shaped or hairy.  No fungus or strange lumps and bumps, and I try my best to keep them looking nice.  After all, pedicures are a girl's best friend.  They just look like feet...except larger. 

My shoe size is a woman's size 12.  To put this into perpsective for the men reading this, a lady's size 12 is like a man's size 10 or 10 1/2.  My feet don't look large on my body.  I am six feet tall.  (Although I recently had a dream that my doctor's chart said 5'10" and it really irked me. As if those two inches would make me a normal height.)  My feet look normal on my body.  If I wore a size 6, it would look like there were toes coming out of my ankles.  And who wants that?  Think about skiing.  The taller you are, the longer your skiis get.  It's a proportion thing.  It's the same way with my feet. 

Now the unforunate part is that with a size 12 foot, you can't just buy your shoes anywhere.  That doesn't happen.  Most stores don't carry that size.  Heck, many brands don't even make that size.  In fact, Nordstrom's Rack makes a whole special event around them, the large size shoe event.  Go ahead.  Laugh.  I love that event!  It's the time of year when I can try on multiple pairs of shoes at once.  I wait for it.  Will my reminder postcard be coming soon?? 

Usually if that size is in a store, it comes in one of the following three models: Tennis Shoes, Gold High Heels or Multicolored Pumps!  Now who doesn't need a pair of tennis shoes?  But if that's all you have?  They just don't look right with my black dress pants.  Even now I'll confess:  I've bought men's tennis shoes before!  What?  You couldn't tell the difference or some of you were at least nice enough not to point it out.  And Gold and Multicolored?  What??  My choice is to be athletic or a drag queen!    (I love drag queens.  I just can't wear their shoes.)  I just don't understand why it's sooooo much harder to make shoes in my size.  I gaurantee I'm not the only one searching for them. 

What I don't need:  I don't need or want 3" heels.  At this point I can already see over most people's heads.  Have you even been in a room and suddenly realized that you're the tallest person there?  It's strange looking at the tops of everyone's heads, and this has happened to me more than once.  Can I please get something without velcro?  I'm not ready to resign myself to the orthopedic shoes quite yet; although, I hear they're super comfortable.  Is it asking too much to get something with a little padding and support?  If I wanted a pair of super flat, flats... I would just tape cardboard to the bottom of my feet!  And maybe.. just maybe... a little bit of style?  I don't need the latest runway fashion, but I would enjoy something within the last five years.  One more request: Can I get this pair of shoes for under $200???  Is all of this really asking for too much?  Do I need to become a shoe designer?  What does that pay?  And can it support my student loans?

And that's my rant...  I'll step down from the soap box now.