Experiences from Pretty Big Feet - Shoe Stories from Designer Shoes

Designer Shoes have been running a monthly competition in conjunction with their e-newsletter, where they ask subscriber to share their shoe shopping experiences. The aim of this competition of for Designer Shoes to learn more about their customers, find out what it's like to "leave a larger footprint" and also find out what the are challenges in trying to find stylish shoes to fit your feet!

Here is this month’s winner, Kacy and her experience:

“My dismal relationship with footwear probably went back to my 3rd year, when I had my first pair of custom-made shoes. From birth onward, I had experienced a rapid-fire series of growth spurts that perplexed doctors and my parents alike. As an unusually tall, big-footed 3 year old, I got my first pair of shoes-brown, heavy, orthopaedic boots to correct my pigeon-toed walk. According to my parents, I was pretty unhappy with having to wear the brown boots everywhere and voiced my dissent every chance I got with a stream of "No no no no no"s (fortunately, I didn't have a sense of personal style and only objected to the shoes for their weightiness, not their ugliness). I experienced more than a few growth spurts in grade school, junior high and high school, reaching the height of 6 ft.3 in. before I turned 17. I had to accept in fourth grade that I couldn’t wear jellies like the other girls, and would have to settle for conservative options in a women’s size 8. By sixth grade, I wore men's hiking boots for the most of the year, and by high school, I was choosing from very few size 11/12 options through mail-order catalogs, most of them looking like my much disliked orthopaedic boots.

In college, I increased to a size 12/13 and stayed in denial, trying to fit into the more stylish options in size 11 footwear. My cramped feet and jaded view towards shoes were remedied toward the end of my college career, when a mother of a friend told me about DesignerShoes.com. From there, it has been smooth sailing.

I love the variety of styles offered on the website, especially in the "Fashion Fun" category - finally, in my 20s, I can wear the trendy, colorful shoes I've always admired in sizes that are comfortable. Admittedly, the sudden availability of options has sparked a bit of a shoe fetish on my part. But suffice it to say, my formerly dismal relationship with footwear has changed into a full-blown love affair. Thanks, DesignerShoes.com!”

Do you have a similar story you would like to share? What's your favorite story about leaving a larger footprint in the world? Email your story with your name and hometown to info@designershoes.com; put “Shoenews Story” in the email subject line, so that you email is clearly identified. Monthly winners will receive a $25 gift check from American Express to spend on whatever you want! Designer Shoes will also publish the winning stories in their blog!