With the Easter indulgencies becoming a distant memory and our mountain of chocolate eggs dwindling, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that the British waistline is expanding.
But what we here at Shudoo are interested to learn, is that it’s not only our waists that are increasing, but also our shoe size…
Demands for longer men’s shoes are soaring while women are seeking a broader fit. If you are after a shoe with more space, why not try Birkenstocks which are available in broader fittings and are ultra comfy - Sales at a popular department store can confirm that.
The average man’s shoe size has risen from eight to nine over the past five years, the store is also considering increasing its biggest fitting from a 12 to 14, given the increasing demand.
Younger, taller (and let’s face it) trendier men, are said to be fed up with the boring boat-shaped shoes that often seem to be the only option for them, try shopping Shudoo’s stylish Jumbuck men’s collection for size 13 footwear.
Birmingham is said to be the capital of Big Feet according to recent research, followed closely by Liverpool, Cardiff and then London. Women’s feet are changing too, but becoming broader rather than longer. We Brit’s buy, on average, £6 Billion worth of shoes a year; we’re sure the likes of Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow help to contribute to this number!
It’s not just us mere mortals that can have larger than average foot sizes, those in celebville are also affected. Celebs with a whopping size 11 shoe include, Nicole Kidman, Tyra Banks, Kate Winslet, Paris Hilton and Uma Thurman. However the legendary basketball player, Shaquille O’Neal, has to top all of these with gigantic size 22 feet!
Elaine Davies, of the British Footwear Association says: “People are just bigger than they used to be,” she said. But keeping up with demand for larger sizes “is a bit of a pain”, partly because of the time it takes for manufacturers abroad to adapt to changed demand, she added.
As for style and trends, the reports show that trainers are still top of the list, Crocs have been ‘in’ for the last 2 or 3 years, and one of the next big things, especially amongst women, is said to be sandals that exercise leg muscles while the wearer is walking.
Now, we don’t know about you but this sounds suspiciously like one of our fave brands here at Shudoo, FitFlop! These ingenious flip-flops tone your leg and bottom muscles with every step, improving posture and lessening joint strain.