Why You Should Love Your Big Feet

Anybody who knows a woman with big feet has likely heard her lament about the size of them. It's not easy having snow skis for feet. I should know: My feet were about a size 7 when I was seven and they continued growing until they were a whopping size 11s. Sure, 11s may not seem that large in North America, but when you live in Asia and people have dainty little feet, anything above a size 9 is unheard of. Granted, I stand at 5'8" (taller than some buildings in the continent), so it measures out quite nicely, unlike Emilia Petrarca's plight.

I've spent many school-going years coveting cute mary janes made for smaller feet that would go perfectly with my blue pinafore uniform. My teenage years wondering why Sketchers was punishing me by not making pink sneakers my size. On that note, nobody makes pink sneakers in size 11s, do they? I've ogled while my girlfriends tried on shoes at sample sales, and had to endure people telling me that I should be sharing shoes with ladyboys in Bangkok.

Over the years, I've accepted (and learned to love, at least most of the time) my yeti feet. And you if haven't, here are reasons why you should.

1. You get more bang for your buck for your pedicures

You and your best friend pay the same amount of money for a pedicure but you have more surface area on your feet, so you really are getting your money's worth. Just don't forget the tip: All that stuffing your feet into too-small shoes all those years have done a number on your toes whether you want to admit it or not.

2. You get the size 11 and 12 clearance racks to yourself.

While everyone else scrambles for the size 7 and 8s, you can take a leisurely stroll down rows of bigger shoes.

3. You never have to share shoes

Sure you may miss out on the pleasures of being able to share shoes with someone, but really, are you sure you want to share shoes? You don't know where they've been. All feet (big or small) are kinda weird.

4. You can wear men's shoes

You know those super cool wingtips (these are from Sperry) all your friends wished were made in women's size? You can rock them with your flirty summer dresses.

5. Your big feet could save your knees

You don't even realize this but your feet are multitaskers. They not only support your weight, they balance and propel you, and safely absorb the shocks of your motion.

6. Nobody can say you don't have your feet on the ground

Like Jerry Hall was famously quoted, "I have big feet and they keep you firmly on the ground." So there.

Images: Maegan Tintari/Flickr (3); Faz Abdul Gaffa-Marsh (2)