# Jimmy Choo rumor \[Toe removal to fit into shoes\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372 "2018-10-03T15:25:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/1 "2018-10-03T15:25:05Z")
Years ago, someone casually mentioned to me that women (not sure how many) were getting pinky toes removed so they could fit into Jimmy Choo boots. I know little about women’s fashion or elective surgery, and I had no reason to doubt it at the time: I wasn’t online yet and the SDMB was unavailable to me, so it went unquestioned for decades and I seldom thought about it. I mentioned the Jimmy Choo toe-ectomies in a conversation recently, assuming it was common knowledge, but apparently it is not. I can’t find any mention of this online. Has anyone ever heard this bizarre claim, and is there anything to it? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/2 "2018-10-03T15:49:34Z")
There was an article in the New York Times about [women who sought cosmetic surgery](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/fashion/foot-surgeries-so-women-can-wear-designer-shoes-in-comfort.html) to fit into shoes. One doctor said he got a request to remove a pinky toe to fit into her shoes (did not mention the shoe brand) and he declined. I could not find a case where the pinky toes were actually removed. I am guessing that if one woman requested it, there are more out there, and if one doctor refuses, another will agree. I have seen photos of some pretty bizarre body mods done by doctors. But for now it’s still a rumor. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/3 "2018-10-03T17:10:26Z")
Title edited to better indicate subject. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/4 "2018-10-03T17:33:57Z")
Jimmy Choos only come in one size? 😕 There’s some really bizarre cosmetic surgeries out there, but this one seems particularly impractical. It would require physical therapy and a complete renewal of that woman’s complete shoe rack. Those Jimmy Choos better do come with their own prince and their own medical team. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/5 "2018-10-03T17:47:21Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Those Jimmy Choos better do come with their own prince Nah, the women who cut off parts of their feet to fit into the shoe are the ones who **don’t** get the prince. [Source](https://www.bustle.com/articles/61053-9-things-about-the-original-brothers-grimm-cinderella-story-that-are-nothing-like-the-disney-version). ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/6 "2018-10-03T18:55:03Z")
Google Cinderella surgery. Very bizarre. No reports of little toes being amputated, but people do all sorts of weird things. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/7 "2018-10-03T19:02:29Z")
But, but…what about cute strappy sandals in the spring?☹ Cute sparkly pedicures aren’t possible, no pinky toe is ugly. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/8 "2018-10-03T19:26:35Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Jimmy Choos only come in one size? 😕 It is not so much the size per se but the cut. To pull it off, you have to have dainty feet. For the woman whose foot is a little to wide to cram all the toes into the front of those oh-so-fabulous shoes, you might need to lose one. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/9 "2018-10-03T19:49:24Z")
This sounds like the factoid about Cher getting her lowest ribs removed to shrink her waist. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/10 "2018-10-03T20:00:42Z")
I read, somewhere, Joan Crawford had molars removed to get better cheekbone curvature. I wouldn’t doubt someone, somewhere ask for pinky toe removal. People do the weirdest shit in the name of beauty. Watch one episode of ‘Botched’ ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/11 "2018-10-03T20:17:15Z")
Besides Cinderella, this bit of urban folklore sounds inspired by the practice of [foot binding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/foot_binding) to fit into shoes, which was a real thing (“up to 100% among upper-class Chinese women”). ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/12 "2018-10-03T21:37:35Z")
Nothing on Snopes. Perhaps you should submit it! ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/13 "2018-10-03T23:00:22Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Jimmy Choos only come in one size? 😕 Many fashion items cut off at small sizes. Levi’s 501 Jeans stop dead at 44 W. I haven’t been able to buy pants or suit jackets off the rack in years, and this is truer since I moved to Korea. I know bupkis about women’s shoes, but it wouldn’t surprise me if some trendy brand limited its sizes to something freakishly petite and narrow. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/14 "2018-10-04T06:31:22Z")
I heard this story about a famous actress from a friend of hers…which means FOAFOAF. I don’t think it’s true, at least about this particular actress; my friend backed off the story later, though I was willing to believe it when I heard it, because Hollywood. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/15 "2018-10-04T07:25:38Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Many fashion items cut off at small sizes. Levi’s 501 Jeans stop dead at 44 W. I haven’t been able to buy pants or suit jackets off the rack in years, and this is truer since I moved to Korea. I know bupkis about women’s shoes, but it wouldn’t surprise me if some trendy brand limited its sizes to something freakishly petite and narrow. Speaking as a woman who in the US needs to shop in the children’s aisle… what you find “freakishly petite and narrow” might be what I consider “man’s sizes”. ---
**Author:** ![fedman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@fedman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/16 "2018-10-04T13:04:08Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Jimmy Choos only come in one size? 😕 > > There’s some really bizarre cosmetic surgeries out there, but this one seems particularly impractical. It would require physical therapy and a complete renewal of that woman’s complete shoe rack. Those Jimmy Choos better do come with their own prince and their own medical team. as someone who was shoe salesman, I can confirm that women lie about their real shoe size, no matter how painful to their feet, so I would not be surprised ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/17 "2018-10-04T13:20:11Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Many fashion items cut off at small sizes. Levi’s 501 Jeans stop dead at 44 W. 44" waist is not a small size. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/18 "2018-10-04T14:02:14Z")
I don’t dispute the anecdote, but I’ve shopped for shoes with a lot of women, and recall nobody lying about their foot size. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/19 "2018-10-04T14:17:18Z")
Originally Posted by Horatio Hellpop View Post Many fashion items cut off at small sizes. Levi’s 501 Jeans stop dead at 44 W. > [@CookingWithGas](#): > > 44" waist is not a small size. And Levi’s are not fashion items. ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372/20 "2018-10-04T15:33:26Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I don’t dispute the anecdote, but I’ve shopped for shoes with a lot of women, and recall nobody lying about their foot size. I think it is a generational thing. My mother told me about she and her friends squeezing into shoes a size too small, but they were born in the 1930s. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-choo-rumor-toe-removal-to-fit-into-shoes/822372.md?page=2)