We can all agree that shopping for jeans can be a soul-crushing experience. But what about shoe shopping? In the August issue of Lucky, Editor in Chief Kim France writes, “… time spent in the shoe department is rarely less than delightful.”

Well, Kim, not when you wear a 10N. Make that a 10 1/4 narrow. When you have long skinny feet with tiny ankles, nothing fits properly. Your big toe hangs over the edge of sandals just slightly enough to render the shoe too small, but the larger size is always too big. Ankle straps don’t hold your feet in place, and walking can be dangerous when they’re sliding left and right in your sandal. And since stores receive fewer 10s than, say, 8s, you’re lucky if they even carry your size.

An afternoon in the shoe department often results in zero purchases and a whole lot of frustration. And don’t get me started on online shoe shopping. If I can’t try them on first, there’s a 99.9% chance they’re going back. Thank goodness for sites like Zappos that offer free return shipping.

I wish it were possible to have toe-reduction surgery. I would love to be a size 9. Could you imagine?! Plus, I heard that your feet grow when you are pregnant. In my case, I hope they get wider, because if I become a size 11 when I’m preggers I may be forced to perform a toe-ectomy on myself.

What do you have a hard time shopping for? Shoes? Jeans? Something else?

(photo of my “Barbie” feet, which fit perfectly in pointy-toed stilettos but not much else)