Friday, August 03, 2012

Revenge of the Shoes!

A long time ago, I had talked here about my shoe addiction. How obsessed I was with shoes, and how I could never have enough. I had the chance to revisit this conversation with myself lately. You see, I've been doing a lot of shoe-shopping over the last few months (the benefits of finally FINALLY having a job). I went a bit overboard buying shoes of all and every design, shape and form.

Then I realized that I needed to think this through. Why this atavistic shoe compulsion? Sudden as a flash, I got my answer, an answer that was hidden in the depths of my yesterdays. I was (and still am) a tall, big girl (yes, that is a euphemism for fat). But there are enough fat people in India, so that is not the issue here, the issue was my height. I am very tall for an average Indian girl, a bit more than 5'8". And that means big feet. All my growing up years, I never could find pretty shoes/slippers/sandals for my big, fat feet.

Oh, I remember the snide insults of all the shoe-shop owners, "Ab itne bade pair hain to kya hi milega"... The only kind of shoes that I could get were the ugly broad black ones, made for somebody thrice my age. No amount of hunting would get me nice shoes-and if rarely I did find shoes that were my size, and pretty, they were inordinately expensive (atleast back then).

I am a shoe size 9, which is just fine in this country. I get every sort of style and design for my feet size, and nobody tells me that pretty shoes are not made for my big fat ugly feet. Nobody tells me that I can not wear heels because I am already so tall (there are tons of taller women here, and lots wear heels). Nobody tells me that the only shoes I can wear are the ugly ones.


Yes, that is why I buy shoes all the time. Pink ones and orange ones and red ones and heels and higher heels and Mary Janes and pumps and wedges and everything else! Because they fit, they look good and they are pretty. Because despite my big feet, I can still get any style I want. Because finally, this is my revenge on all those shopkeepers who broke my young girly heart back then.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have the opposite problem...not a big shoe person but could find shoes easily in India whereas here I find it a lot harder. I'm a size 5.

Rachna said...

@PB- You're lucky! You do know how people in India say anything at all. So it was really hurtful! I guess I am going to stock up on a lifetime of shoes now :-)

Unknown said...

I am a Kenyan woman and I lived exactly the same life growing up. I live in my country so haven't quite gotten to the place where my size 9 is easily available. I envy you!

Rachna said...

@Kitty- Welcome to the blog! Glad you empathize- it is really bad to not get good shoes, and even worse to listen to random people making bad comments on one's shoe size!

What about big global stores/malls? Have they come to Kenya? I managed to find some shoes in these fancy places in India- but I could not afford them at the time :-(