# Would you talk about your shoe size? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 29, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845 "2007-05-29T01:06:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/1 "2007-05-29T01:06:18Z")
The husband and I got into a serious arguement over this, so now I need more people to weigh in. Would you ladies be embarrassed to talk about your shoe size at a party attended mostly by other girls? The hubby and I were at a party the other day where we only knew 3 other people. A group seperate from us were discussing a pair of shoes one girl had brought to see if they fit another girl. The shoes didn’t fit. I called over to ask what size the shoes were, since they were cute, and was instantly shushed by the husband for my egregious faux paus. So what do you guys think? Did I commit a serious party foul, or is the husband being over cautious? ---
**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:** [May 29, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/2 "2007-05-29T01:09:50Z")
Shoe size isn’t like asking dress size. For what it’s worth, neither would bother me. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/3 "2007-05-29T01:12:42Z")
I can’t imagine being embarrassed about shoe size. Heck, I’ve talked about bra sizes in mixed company. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/4 "2007-05-29T01:21:45Z")
There is a certain element of … dis-glamour for women to have big, honking feet\*, and from a man’s perspective, he probably feels like he isn’t allowed to ask ANY sizes about women, and he isn’t far from the truth. I can see some women being the same way about their dress and shoe size as they are about their age. (I don’t care about shoe size and age, but I’m not too keen on talking about my dress size.) \*5’6", size 10 feet. I have the feet of a super-model. I don’t know how women balance themselves on those teeny little size fives. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/5 "2007-05-29T01:23:35Z")
Doesn’t bother me at all. Featherlou and I could share shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/6 "2007-05-29T01:29:13Z")
My feet are flat and wide. So I don’t do the cute shoes thing, because cute shoes don’t fit my feet, aren’t comfortable, and probably don’t look cute once on my feet. I’d probably be disinclined to state my exact size–especially since after I inspected my collection of SAS shoes prior to going to a store with the intention of adding another pair of SAS shoes to my wardrobe, I discovered that I had everything from an 8 to a 9 1/2 with varying degrees of width, from medium to Extra Wide. But would I think it bizarre among those who do like cute shoes? Not really. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/7 "2007-05-29T01:30:47Z")
I don’t doubt that there are women who are uncomfortablt mentioning their shoe size, particularly to a guy. I’ve just never encountered one, and the party go-ers didn’t strike me as the kind of folks who would take offence to slightly personal questions. Just prior to this, we had been discussing the drama the hostest had been through when her tattoo artist had suddenly left town, leaving her full back portrait of yin-yang koi fish half done. (the topic came up because part of the tattoo was visible over her tubetop) I can see where the husband’s initial freak-out came from, being a shy guy in a room full of strangers. But he wouldn’t let it go and still feels that I was being incredibly socially reckless and annoying. I guess it doesn’t help that I argued the point with him right then, in front of everyone. But damn it, I don’t think I was committing so horrible a sin. Don’t know why I bothered. No one makes cute shoes in size 11 anyhow ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/8 "2007-05-29T01:35:27Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] I called over to ask what size the shoes were, since they were cute, and was instantly shushed by the husband for my egregious faux paus. So what do you guys think? Did I commit a serious party foul, or is the husband being over cautious? [/QUOTE] I think that the issue isn’t talking about shoe sizes, but rather the appearance that you were trying to get the shoes for yourself when they were not specifically offered to you. With a group of people you didn’t know, I think that is a mistake. If you really wanted them, you could approach the person with the shoes privately and see if they were available. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/9 "2007-05-29T01:35:37Z")
I think it’s entirely a “meh, no big deal” situation. I wouldn’t much like it if someone asked if I got oars with my shoes, but otherwise, who cares? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/10 "2007-05-29T01:54:43Z")
I’ve got monster big feet (11 AA), and I’ll talk about them if someone wants to. I can’t hide the size of them anyway. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/11 "2007-05-29T02:01:00Z")
[QUOTE=Dag Otto] I think that the issue isn’t talking about shoe sizes, but rather the appearance that you were trying to get the shoes for yourself when they were not specifically offered to you. With a group of people you didn’t know, I think that is a mistake. If you really wanted them, you could approach the person with the shoes privately and see if they were available. [/QUOTE] Fair enough, but that’s a seperate faux paus all its own. The shoes had made the rounds among everyone in the side group, and they were too large for all of them. I guess that’s what made me think they might fit me and why I decided to insert my big ego. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/12 "2007-05-29T02:52:32Z")
I don’t know any women who find discussing shoe size embarassing. Rather, unlike say blue jeans, it’s the one thing we can all freely bitch about not being able to find in our size. Someone ashamed to cop to dress or pants size, sure, but shoes? Nah, never. ---
**Author:** ![missouri65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@missouri65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missouri65)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/13 "2007-05-29T03:52:59Z")
There are women who are sensitive about their shoe size and it would be at least mildly rude to ask about it unprovoked. Those women would not be passing their shoes around at a party, however. Under the circumstances, it wasn’t in any way inappropriate to draw attention to her shoe size. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/14 "2007-05-29T10:51:14Z")
I used to be a 35. Now that we’ve got European sizes I’m a 36, yay! Still makes it very difficult to find adult shoes in my size, and please don’t ask me out if you’ve got a high heels fetish. So one of the things that happens to me occasionally and at the weirdest times is that I’ll be standing beside someone (usually a guy) and he’ll look down… fall silent… and go “WOW!” I’ve become quite adept at reminding people what is it we were talking about, once the Cinderella conversation is out of the way 🙂 I can see someone being offended by something like “oh my God, that woman has some serious barges!” but just by someone asking “what size do you wear?” No. ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/15 "2007-05-29T10:56:58Z")
I have no problem with it at all. But I know a lot of women are sensitive about it. It’s getting very hot here, so all the women on the street are wearing sandals, mostly high-heeled. It’s painfully clear that a lot of them buy sandals which are one or two sizes too small, as you can see their heels hanging over the back of the shoe. Makes me do a double take every time. Why do that to your feet? With presumably a knock on effect on your spine, joints, and the alignment of your body overall. It’s summer. Everyone can see what size your feet are. Buying shoes that are too small isn’t going to make your feet any smaller. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/16 "2007-05-29T12:32:40Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] There is a certain element of … dis-glamour for women to have big, honking feet\*, and from a man’s perspective, he probably feels like he isn’t allowed to ask ANY sizes about women, and he isn’t far from the truth. I can see some women being the same way about their dress and shoe size as they are about their age. (I don’t care about shoe size and age, but I’m not too keen on talking about my dress size.) \*5’6", size 10 feet. I have the feet of a super-model. I don’t know how women balance themselves on those teeny little size fives. [/QUOTE] My childhood best friend wears like a 4 or something. She thanks her lucky stars she’s a 32A bust…she fears she’d fall over if she was any bigger. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/17 "2007-05-29T12:34:24Z")
I’m a 6.5 or a 7, but I don’t have attractive feet. I’d trade bigger for cuter any day. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/18 "2007-05-29T14:16:55Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] \ I can see someone being offended by something like “oh my God, that woman has some serious barges!”\ [/QUOTE] The term I hear most often is “skis.” From my husband. The small-footed freak. My feet may be long, but they are cute - I’ve never mangled them in awful dress shoes, so they have a very nice footy shape to them. Speaking of high-heeled mangling shoes, I hope there will be some backlash from Jenna Fischer falling while wearing bunny-killers and breaking her back in four places. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/19 "2007-05-29T17:22:29Z")
**Surok** , are you male or female? I’m curious if the experience of other folks being shy about their shoe size falls along male/female lines (women being unwilling to divulge to men, but fine with other women) or if I just hang out with girls who are especially comfortable with their bodies. Humans are complicated. I think I’ll stick with chickens. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845/20 "2007-05-29T17:29:18Z")
[QUOTE=Queen Tonya] I don’t know any women who find discussing shoe size embarassing. Rather, unlike say blue jeans, it’s the one thing we can all freely bitch about not being able to find in our size. Someone ashamed to cop to dress or pants size, sure, but shoes? Nah, never. [/QUOTE] Exactly. I’ve certainly known women who wouldn’t want to talk about their clothing sizes in a large group, but I’ve never known one who was particularly embarassed about their shoe size, inlcuding the women I know with very large feet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-talk-about-your-shoe-size/405845.md?page=2)