Simone Biles is an advocate for the small feet population.
“I hate when shoe companies start their sizing at 5.5,” the record-holding Olympic gymnast wrote on Threads in April of this year, following this statement with, “typed by a size 5 wearer.”
Having taken to social media in the spring to express her frustration with limited sizing options, the four-foot-eight athlete, who is currently competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, is clearly open about her smaller-than-usual foot size. Her Threads post prompted a myriad of empathetic responses from small and large feet individuals alike, sparking conversation about size inclusivity.
“Amen, sister. I’ve been a 4.5 my whole adult life. Yes, I can wear kids shoes, but they have no padding and my feet are old,” typed one Threads user. On the other of the spectrum are those who can’t find shoes that are large enough for them; many commiserated with Biles on Threads, with one user writing, “And they stop the 1/2 sizes at 10. Typed by a 10.5,” while another wrote, “I hate when they stop at 14 (Size 15 wearer).”
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Another user raised a question about fair pricing, writing, “No what I hate is seeing a kids shoe for 50-60 dollars and the same damn shoe in ‘women’s’ that’s the equivalent size for 150 dollars. Same brand same shoe. You tell me the difference?”
Meanwhile, footwear company Kizik responded to Biles with, “we carry size 5…just saying.”
From the opposite perspective, Biles can relate to the seven-foot-one former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, who is a size 20 but prefers to wear 22 for a roomier fit — something he didn’t experience growing up as his family couldn’t afford shoes that accommodated his feet. With Biles currently taking the Paris Olympics by storm, an old photo of her and Shaq is trending again — amusing to all because of their drastic height difference.
Biles has certainly found some shoes that fit her — she wore a striking pair of white leather platform heels during her wedding ceremony, which brought her a little closer in height to her husband Jonathan Owens, who is an NFL safety for the Chicago Bears. Nike presented her with a pair of white Air Max sneakers that fit her at the U.S. Olympic trials. A former Nike athlete who departed the brand for Athleta in 2021, Biles is also a fan of On running sneakers. When she’s not in athletic mode, she’s slipped on a wide variety of heels over the years, ranging from sandals to platforms to boots. See more of her shoe style here.
