Monday, April 21, 2008

"Stepping Out"

My family knows what a “big step” it is for me to write about this – my shoe size is 13 – actually it is 12 ½ but they don’t make size 12 ½ shoes so I always have to settle for size 13.

I have always hated shopping for shoes – ever since I was a little girl – I don’t ever remember having “normal” size feet – it seems like I was born with size 13 feet!!! I am 6 ft. tall so it is not entirely silly that I have large feet. But I have been the girl at the bowling alley wearing the men’s bowling shoes – at the skating rink wearing black men’s skates because they didn’t make them in white in my size (my parents did get me a nice pair of white ones for Christmas one year) – I’m the one getting a pedicure that can’t wear the flip-flops they give you to wear so I bring my Gap men’s flip-flops – I’m the one who was sitting at a women’s Bible study in my friend’s home when a woman noticed my feet and commented to everyone that if she had big feet like Claire she could really run fast in a marathon – and then went on to compliment me on how great it must be to have such big feet to run on!!!! Oh yes – and I am the one who’s boyfriend took her sneakers and wore them around the quad when I was in college showing everyone that we wore the same size and saying, “Look at me I’m wearing Claire’s sneakers” and I’m saying in my heart, “Look at you, I’m breaking up with you”– we broke up soon after that.

I do know about Zappo’s and other catalog stores available for large sizes – but I would just like to walk into Payless or the Rack Room or Dillard’s or Belk and pick up a cute pair of shoes – on sale – I would love to have different colored shoes – I remember one time when I was single and working in New York City I actually found a cute pair of yellow heels in my size – I wore them into shreds – but it was a happy summer. The choices are better now than they were - but the styles lag by about a year or two – and I am used to that too.

So – I will go shopping with you – just don’t ask me to go in your shoe store – I’ll find a nice bookstore and meet up with you later!

7 comments:

kenady said...

I love that you have size 12 1/2 size feet! I know it is a pain in the a**, but I just love it. I hate shoe shopping anyway, because I have arthritis in my right foot from when I completely smashed every bone in my foot. I can't wear the cute shoes that Kiki wears, so in a sense, we are kindred on the shoe thing:) Thanks for sharing.

Logzie said...

I am always self conscious about my feet too!! My reason is because I have a toe that sticks up more than the others...nothing freakish...but I hate it!! I did not get a pedicure for YEARS because of this! I hate flip flops and oh...I just hate it! I wish I had cute feet! I don't. It was a giant step for me to get a pedicure for the first time 2 years ago...and now I am never going back...still self conscious about it but love the pedicures more!

Oh yah, and I have bunyons so no cute shoe is comfortable for me. Heels are a nightmare...but I still wear them occasionally.

Thanks for being vulnerable with us Clare...this is a safe place. :0)

Kiki said...

I can't believe my mother wrote about her shoe size....
when we were kids we would pre-warn our friends to not say, or look at my mom's feet, because if you did it was on!!!

Mommy, you are brave and see what love everyone has for you!!! And those feet of yours!! Love you!

Rock Chef said...

Wow, that must be a real pain!

I am size 12 and have some trouble getting shoes - most shoe lines seem to top out at 11 over here. Trainers tend to go to a 12 a lot of the time so I wear these most of the time.

We have a friend who has the opposite problem - size 3 feet, which means that she has to wear children's shoes and has real trouble getting anything that looks mature!

Wouldn't life be dull if we were all the same, huh?

Claire said...

You all are the best - I never got pedicures until about a year ago when a girlfriend literally kidnapped me and took me - I am embarrassed about my feet but I go to a regular place now and they know me - and Logzie - I didn't even mention my bunions from when I found a pair of ballet slipper-like shoes in 5th grade and squashed my feet in them for forever and now when I put my feet together they make "V" for victory in the middle!!!

Kenady - thanks for sharing - I have heard that foot injuries are one of the worst to recover from because of the constant stress on them - I think by sharing I get my perspective in the right place -

Hey Rock Chef - I see by putting this out there how many different views I am getting back - size 3 - and I never ever think about men having a problem - thank you for sharing!

Rock Chef said...

Just to let you know that you inspired my latest post!

Rachael Rae Diaries said...

I kinda know how you feel! I am the girl who has the widest, double EE feet around. It drives me crazy. I could never buy the "pretty" shoes or the shoes that were in and if I did then they didn't last too long. I am still a little self-concious about my feet but if they have a good pedicure then I can deal with it! Sorry it took me so long to visit! Crazy life. and thank you for the encouraging words a couple weeks ago it really helped!