Puppies grow into their paws.

I wasnt even a 41, it turned out.

I wasI ama true size 42.

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GIANT STEPSThese days, bigger shoe sizes aren’t as elusive as they once were. The author gathers some options from Alaïa, Mansur Gavriel, and Proenza Schouler.Photographed by Hunter Abrams.

And just how long had I been wearing the wrong size?

Its simple economics: Engineering and producing shoes in outlier sizes just wasnt cost-effective.

Then again, maybe this whole embracing-big-feet thing is about more than just correct sizing.