# Are men who talk about their large shoe sizes in public just trying to talk about their penises? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2024, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480 "2024-07-19T23:36:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/1 "2024-07-19T23:36:58Z")
Weird premise, but I’ve seen it enough I think it may be the case. Inspired by a dude at work who randomly brought up his “big” size 10 feet in front of a female coworker and made a big deal about how hard it is to find shoes for himself. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/2 "2024-07-19T23:38:59Z")
Wow. I never thought of trying that. I’m 5’7” with size 11 feet… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/3 "2024-07-19T23:40:24Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Inspired by a dude at work who randomly brought up his “big” size 10 feet in front of a female coworker and made a big deal about how hard it is to find shoes for himself. Since size 10 isn’t very large or hard to find your assumption may be correct. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/4 "2024-07-19T23:40:30Z")
It’s lost on me if they are. How strange. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/5 "2024-07-19T23:42:09Z")
Probably. That said, size 10s aren’t particularly big; this site indicates that the average shoe size for an American adult man is a 10.5. > **[What is the average shoe size for men?](https://kizik.com/blogs/news/average-shoe-size-for-men)** > > Learn about the average shoe size for men. Explore the common range of sizes to find the right fit and understand sizing variations. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/6 "2024-07-19T23:46:15Z")
Maybe, but I think guys also tend to be more unaware of, and consequently more impressed by, the extent of potential difficulty and frustration in garment shopping. Generalizing oversimplistically, men are perhaps more likely to expect that buying clothes or shoes will be like buying tools or groceries: you know what you want to get and what size you want to get it in, you go to the appropriate aisle in the appropriate nearby store, you get what you’re looking for, end of story. So if the process turns out to be unexpectedly difficult, you’re gonna hear about it. However, I share your [ETA: and everyone else’s] puzzlement about why a reasonably clueful American man would be at all inclined to consider, or describe, a men’s shoe size of 10 as “big”. AFAICT the average American male shoe size is 10 1/2, so your coworker actually has slightly smaller-than-average feet. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/7 "2024-07-19T23:51:24Z")
Size 12 W. If I apologize because my feet get in the way I am not bragging. I am apologizing. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/8 "2024-07-19T23:52:24Z")
I once heard some men bragging about their shoe sizes while I was using the urinal in the men’s room. I just smiled silently, shook my head, threw my penis over my shoulder so I could burp it, washed my hands, and exited. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/9 "2024-07-19T23:52:55Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Generalizing oversimplistically, men are perhaps more likely to expect that buying clothes or shoes will be like buying tools or groceries: you know what you want to get and what size you want to get it in, you go to the appropriate aisle in the appropriate nearby store, you get what you’re looking for, end of story. While I agree with this, being a size 10 myself, I’ve almost _never_ had an issue in which I chose a shoe style, only to find that they didn’t have my size in stock. It sounds to me like he’s either trying to imply genital size (eeeew), or to say something that sounds impressive. Either way, he’s coming across as either skeevy, or clueless, or both. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/10 "2024-07-19T23:55:52Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > It sounds to me like he’s either trying to imply genital size (eeeew), or to say something that sounds impressive. Either way, he’s coming across as either skeevy, or clueless, or both. And either way, it sounds as though replying mildly “Huh, that’s odd, the average shoe size for American men is 10 1/2, you’d think any shoe store would have lots of size 10s” would probably shut him up pretty effectively. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/11 "2024-07-20T00:01:49Z")
While I would generally not be looking for a reason to make a reference to the comic strip _Dilbert_ (because the creator went around the bend a long time ago), there’s a minor character in that strip named “Topper,” whose one schtick is to inject himself into a conversation by making outlandish claims about himself, in order to “top” whatever someone else has said. It sounds like this guy may be a bit like him. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/12 "2024-07-20T00:07:43Z")
Slightly related - my son had to explain to me what “hung like a baby” meant. [20 inches/8.5 pounds] ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/13 "2024-07-20T00:25:16Z")
I know a guy who’s a size 14 A. He’s had to special order his shoes since high school. So, impressive length, but minimal girth. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/14 "2024-07-20T00:28:07Z")
More likely he is talking about how he has one of the most common shoe sizes, so stores are often out of that size, making it difficult to find what he wants. (Because everyone else is buying them up) Nobody would ‘brag’ about having a size 10 foot. If the coworker had a size 13 or something, then maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/15 "2024-07-20T00:31:22Z")
Maybe this guy is the guy with the largest feet in his tiny family who have tiny feet. Or just stupid. The Lady should tell him she wears a 12 woman’s shoe, they could share. She has some heels she’s tryna get out of her closet. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/16 "2024-07-20T04:18:31Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Slightly related - my son had to explain to me what “hung like a baby” meant. [20 inches/8.5 pounds] I would have parsed that rather tasteless phrase as more referring to a specific portion of the baby, which would be a LOT less impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/17 "2024-07-20T07:18:22Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > If the coworker had a size 13 or something, then maybe. I think 13 is the new size 12. I always wore a 12, and typically still do, though some shoes I wear a 13. Used to be I never had trouble finding a 12, but 13s weren’t always available. They’re pretty standard now. If someone talked about how big his size 10 feet are, I’d find it odd. I always thought the wives’ tale was that hands were supposed to suggest penis size, not feet. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/18 "2024-07-20T13:17:02Z")
I mentioned my size 13 feet last night at a dinner party. But we where talking about airplane seats. My big feet are one reason I prefer the aisle seat. With my long legs and big feet at least I can stretch one leg into the aisle for a couple of seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/19 "2024-07-20T13:19:08Z")
Being someone with “gigantic” size 10 1/2 feet, I can say that the correlation is absolute. I don’t drive a monster pickup truck though. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480/20 "2024-07-20T13:31:11Z")
And how big is the schnoz on Bigfoot? I find some noses very sexy on their own. Not really into feet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-who-talk-about-their-large-shoe-sizes-in-public-just-trying-to-talk-about-their-penises/1004480.md?page=2)