I have 4 pair of shoes in my trunk. 2 flat mules (black patent and woven black) and 2 flip flops (metallic and leather)
When I was a freshman in high school back in 1984 I was already a size 13M.  Like most women, there was not a shoe that I didn’t like.  Unfortunately my size was very hard if not impossible to find.  When we did find a store that carried shoes in my size the selection was usually only one of two shoes in black, blue or brown. (Nothing like designershoes.com, where were you 20 years ago???)   It was constantly disappointing to go new shoe shopping.

My freshman year, my parents really wanted to send me to Catholic school.  I had my own ideas and was really set on going to the local public school because I had been in parochial schools since I was 8.  This was to be my first chance at freedom in a public school.

My parents took me shoe shopping for the upcoming school year.  We came into Boston to the only shoe store at the time that carried size 13.  When we were there, I found these beautiful brown, soft leather boots that I absolutely fell in love with.  The problem was that they were over $100 and my parents did not want to spend that kind of money (in 1984 that was even more than today) But, they relented if I would change my mind and go to Catholic school.  I thought, “I’ll agree to go, wear them the first day, then go back on my side of the deal and continue to go to the public school I was already enrolled in. Since I will have worn the boots, there would be no way my parents could return worn boots.

My plan backfired.  My parents sent me to Catholic school in my new boots and 4 years later I was still there wearing them.  Is there nothing a girl won’t do for her favorite pair of shoes or boots?

I’ve had big feet since I was a little girl. I was teased a lot by other children. My mama always told me when kids pick on me to say God blessed me with big feet because tall graceful women always have balance.

When I graduated college I lived in a neighborhood that was OK, but had a lot of break ins. Sure enough one night my place was broken into. The day it happened was rainy and the ground was covered in mud. I was wearing size 11* men’s Timberland boots. The police and crime scene investigator came to check the place out and see if they could get any evidence. I followed them around the apartment without thinking to take my shoes off first.
The crime scene investigator looked around and noted, “looks like the perp didn’t wipe HIS feet before HE broke in. This might make good evidence against HIM.”
I stuck my boot covered foot into the print onto the carpet and told the bewildered cops, “those prints belong to me and I didn’t break into my own place!”

N

2.10.06

*note:  Size 11 men’s is roughly equivalent to size 12.5 – 13 women’s.

I’ve always been Tall and been super conscious of the size of my feet.  My husband tells my daughters that when he first met me 12 years ago I would never take off my socks, and I wore sneakers.

Recently, with the availability of stylish shoes in large sizes for women I’ve shed my socks.  Now, I can’t wait for summer so that I can get a pedicure and don my open toe sandals.  I get compliments for men and women alike.  The best compliment I received was from girlfriend, a lady who wears a size 6 1/2.  She told me that although I wear a size 13 you couldn’t tell because my shoes always look good.
Finally, I earned my right of passage! I can now talk with the girls about shoes, the styles, which designer I’m wearing and the feeling is great. To know that I can find the same shoe and sometimes and even better looking shoe than my girlfriends who wear “average” sizes. HOORRAY! So at 6ft size 13 shoes, I stand out and set the pace for them to follow, and they’re having a hard time keeping up. LOL!

Adrienne 12.9.06