Aliyah C.

Size: 11|Age: 21|Michigan, USA

I hated the size of my feet growing up. I was already being teased for my dark complexion and being taller than all the boys in my classes. On top of this, I had long feet, or “boats” as some people would call them. I wouldn’t say much in class, because I didn’t want to place any focus on my feet. In the eighth grade, I began playing sports. My mom would buy my basketball shoes in men’s sizes because the stores didn’t carry anything past a size 10 in women’s. Throughout high school, this pattern continued. Yet, most of the shopping for my shoes was done online.

Today, I still wince a little if someone puts me on front-street about my feet, but, I am more confident now than I have ever been. It became easier for me to accept once I realized all the women in my family wore a size 9 shoe or above. Additionally, I am rather taller than the average female. I think I would look weird at 5’7” with a size 6 or 7 shoe. Stores like DSW and Payless (don’t sleep on them) makes shopping for stylish shoes in my size a bit easier, as well. Over time, I realized that there is nothing I can do about the size of my feet. They’re just feet! After all, as my mom said, they are the feet God gave me!