It’s that time again SSLs! Today, we get to hear from another Queen Feet superstar. I got a chance to hear from actress, producer, and athlete Sarah Brown Carter about her Queen Feet experience as she wears between U.S. footwear sizes 12-12.5. I thought it’d be really interesting to get a glimpse of the Hollywood Entertainment Biz through a Queen Feet lens. This Canadian/ American triple threat #girlboss is LITERALLY a showstopper in the making, and I’m so glad to introduce the Queen Feet community to her. Before she’s absolutely too busy for press, I wanted to get her take on her Queen Feet life as an entertainer. She took a moment  between shooting to answer a couple questions. Enjoy!

SSL: At what age did you realize that your feet were growing beyond an average/ traditional size for a young woman? How did it make you feel?

As a freshman in high school, when my dad and I not only had the same size foot, but also matching tennis shoes. My mom would just buy two of the same shoe; one for him and one for me. So embarrassing. It was convenient though having the same size foot as most of my guy friends, because when we’d play soccer after school and I had forgotten my shoes, I could always wear their extra ones.

SSL: Has your Queen Feet ever come up in your dating/ social life? If so, what kinds of comments have you received?

In high school, I got a lot of “clown feet” jokes and even now people comment on how big my feet are, especially if I’m bare foot. But my come back is always, “Yeah, but I’m a really good swimmer! I have built in flippers.” It’s good to be able to laugh at yourself.

SSL: While some girls grow as either being tall or having larger feet, you experienced both. Do you think that either your height or shoe size affected your perception of yourself?

I was definitely self-conscious in high school, being taller than pretty much everyone in my class, even the boys. I always felt more self-conscious about my height than my feet, and yes, it affected my perception of myself and made me feel very awkward. And it wasn’t until other people started getting taller than I begun to feel less awkward.

SSL: Queen Feet Ladies might be known to be a bit clumsy. What’s the most embarrassing or hilarious thing that’s ever happened to you?

This isn’t really foot size related, but one time when I was walking in a fashion show, part of the runway was coming apart and my right heel got wedged in the stage and I couldn’t pull it out. It was mid walk, so I jimmied my foot out of the heel and walked the rest of the runway on my right foot tippy-toes; one heel on, one heel off. And I was wearing a shorter dress too, so everyone could definitely see I was only wearing one heel… the other heel was stuck in the stage. But the show went on!

SSL: Growing up, was there a brand/shoe that you absolutely wish you could have purchased in your size?

So many! Growing up, most stores didn’t go above a size 10, so when I was a  size 11 in high school it was nearly impossible to find shoes. And even now as an adult and a size 12 foot  (well, one foot is a size 12.5 and the other is a size 12, so fun), most stores still don’t carry that size. And I hate ordering shoes online; I like to try them on first.  I really wish Nike carried larger woman’s sizes in their stores so that I could try them on before buying them.

SSL: I know a lot of women suffer in ill-fitting shoes. Have you ever worn shoes too small for your feet for the sake of “the perfect look”? What happened?

I’ve definitely worn plenty of shoes that were too small during both fashion shows and on set while filming. Even though I’ve always put my correct shoe size down, so many times I’d get to set only to realize that wardrobe didn’t have my size and I’d squeeze into a 10 or an 11. So many blisters. Now, I always bring my own shoes to any set just in case.

SSL: What are the biggest misconceptions that people have about you or other Queen Feet women?

I don’t really know any misconceptions people have of me and my big feet. If I were shorter, it would definitely be unusual, but being 5’11, it’s pretty understandable that I would have big feet… just maybe not this big ;).  And people always assume I played basketball. So, I guess that’s a misconception.

SSL: Some Queen Feet ladies might hate shoes/ shoe shopping? What are your sentiments toward the shoe shopping process? What’s your most helpful footwear shopping tips?

Nordstrom Rack! It’s the ONLY place I go to buy shoes now. There is a running store in LA that I got my running shoes from, but once again, it is a men’s shoe and not a woman’s shoe because they didn’t carry my size. And as far as shoe shopping goes, I hate it. I absolutely hate buying shoes and clothes, it’s probably because my whole life it’s been so difficult to find things that actually fit well. So now my motto is, if I see a great shoe [at Nordstrom Rack] that looks great and fits well, I buy it. Because I probably won’t find another pair like it.

SSL: What are the most annoying aspects & benefits of having larger size feet, if any?

Annoying – difficulty finding shoes. For sure. Which is surprising, because I feel like more and more women have bigger feet now, so shouldn’t stores carry larger sizes? It’s also annoying that I can’t borrow any of my friends super cute shoes.

And benefit – When I’m on my tippy toes, I can reach things that are so high up! My toes are also so long that they are like fingers, and I can pick things up with them. I’m also a great swimmer ;).

SSL: As Queen Feet women, we often get very limited shoe color and style options. How would your dream shoe look?

All of the above. Heels, flats, running shoes, sandals, flip flops, boots. Our options are very limited, I just wish there were more options.

SSL: What would be the perfect everyday shoe for your Queen Feet life? What would be the perfect heel size, color(s), style, characteristics, etc. of the perfect shoe to help you transition from day to night?

I love a good open toe, heeled sandal to transition from day to night. I have a black pair from Report that are about 2.5-3 inches tall, and I wear them all the time. It’s my I’m-wearing-heels-but-not-seven-feet-tall look, and it goes with basically everything. I’m still looking for a good, comfy pair of flats that don’t look like clown shoes. So, if anyone has a brand they love, let me know!

SSL: What advice would you give to a Queen Feet lady who’s struggling with self-acceptance?

Your foot size and height is something that is totally and completely out of your control. No need to be self-conscious for something you can’t control. Embrace it, learn to love it and realize that’s what makes you unique.

There are times I still wish I was shorter or had smaller feet for convenience sake, but I can tell you that the limited clothing and shoes I have, I take very good care of and everything gets worn. When our options are fewer, I think we take better care of them.

Oh! And next time you go to a concert and wear heels, you’ll be glad you did because you can see EVERYTHING. Times like that, I can’t imagine being short and not being able to see! I haven’t always been okay with my height and my foot size, but the older I become, the more I realize that they just make me who I am. I can choose to be negative about the difficulty of finding clothes and shoes that fit, or I can be grateful when I do find those treasures (and for being able to see over everyone’s head in a crowded place).

If you’re struggling with self-acceptance, I challenge you to look at yourself in the mirror and find five things you find beautiful, unique, or appreciate about yourself and say them out loud, “I love my _______.” It starts with you. When you accept who you are and the things that you cannot change, it doesn’t matter what anyone says about your feet or height; they help make you you. And next time someone needs something of the top shelf, you’ll save the day. Jokes on them . 😉

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Be sure to follow Sarah @sarahbrowncarter to stay up-to-date on her lastest films and projects!