Why Duchess Meghan Markle Always Wears Heels That Are Too Big

Meghan Markle is a fashion influencer. There's just no denying it — she's been nominated for a Teen Choice Style Icon Award, after all. However, some of her wardrobe choices have left us puzzled. Like why she often wears high heels that look to be a size too big.

As the Today show pointed out, Markle always seems to rock a pair of shoes that leave a sizable gap between the back of her heel and the actual footwear. To get to the bottom of this questionable style decision, the popular NBC morning program spoke with New York City-based podiatrist Dr. Suzanne Levine, who works at the Institut Beauté. Levine theorized that the Duchess of Sussex is simply attempting to keep her heels as pain-free as possible. "I guess what she's doing is trying to avoid any kind of skin breakdown or blisters," she said.

Levine explained that, due to the long hours she spends standing, Markle is trying to stay comfortable without breaking any major royal rules (though she's not exactly opposed to doing so every now and then). "I'm sure there are certain protocols where you can't sit no matter what, and (she wants) to avoid not just blisters, but actually skin breakdowns, swelling, bursitis," Levine shared.

However, while Markle may go a size up in her shoes in order to provide her feet some relief during royal duties, it's likely a trick she picked up as an actress in Hollywood. Apparently, wearing shoes that are too big for your feet is a method some stars use to feel more comfortable at A-list events, as style guru Harriet Davey told The Sun in June 2018. "There's nothing worse than uncomfortable shoes (we've all been there on a night out) and when celebs like Meghan are wearing heels for a long period of time their feet can often swell up," she noted. "The swelling can cause blisters and in the long run bunions — like long-time heel fan Victoria Beckham has been rumoured to suffer with."

Or perhaps Markle may just wear bigger shoes because one of her feet is slightly larger than the other and she's decided to don a pair in the bigger size. There's not always a complex reason for a style quirk.

Regardless of Markle's reasons for wearing big shoes, we're relieved that the royal hasn't received harsh criticism for her choice in footwear, especially considering the hate she's faced in the past. Shortly after marrying Prince Harry, Markle was slammed for wearing a dress that was deemed "inappropriate" by the public. Just what was so bad about the outfit? Well, the dress — which was modest by all other standards — showed off the former Suits star's shoulders. How scandalous.

Fortunately, if Markle has been upset by the negative comments about her looks, she's certainly never shown it. The girl is as composed as ever. And why shouldn't she be? She's gorgeous, talented, and compassionate — and, oh yeah, she married an actual prince. She's clearly doing just fine.