Lately, I’ve been on a bit of a clothing kick, writing different articles about my frustrations with clothing. I realized though, that I was leaving out the one thing that frustrates me the most: shoes. Cerebral Palsy affects how I walk, which is obviously a factor when it comes to shoes. I have an awful time with anything that isn’t a tennis shoe. Flip-flops are a no-go because my feet constantly fall out of them. I have to have a strap on the back of my sandals. Another factor that comes from how I walk is the fact that my shoes don’t last long, they got through a lot of wear and tear. So saying I have problems with shoes is a bit of an understatement.
I recently realized, during a conversation with my aunt, that I am not the only who finds shoes impossible. Many people have different sized feet, myself included. I used to always wear two different sizes due to my brace I wore as a child. I had no idea that others debated on whether or they should do this, mainly because there was no other option for me. But the truth is, nobody’s perfect. We, as humans, are pretty weird. Every foot is different, which makes shoes sizes pretty much irrelevant.
The fact is, the fashion industry can’t accomodate everyone, because we’re all so different. So they try their best, and we just sort of deal with it. But, they could help in some ways. I would appreciate it if cute shoes came with more straps, so that I can be comfortable in the summer and not have to worry as much about tripping or my shoe falling off. There are so many cute shoes that are just unavailable to me because of my disability.
Another thing that bothers me about shoes is the fact that they might work out fine in the store after you’ve walked up and down an asile in them, but as soon as you actually go out and wear them in the real world something goes terribly wrong. Often enough, you realize they give you blisters or awful pain. You could return, but I always end up having problems after I’ve worn a pair a couple of times and the store wouldn’t take them back.
I often wonder how much simpler our lives would be if it was acceptable to not wear shoes. But then I remember that my feet are totally sensitive and would probably fall off if I didn’t wear shoes most of the time. But why can’t I be cute and comfortable? I understand this may be a harder task, because like I said, everyone’s different, but it doesn’t seem impossible. All I want is a pair of shoes that will fit comfortably and will last.
