A mega orthopedic boot and a pair of crutches are a surefire conversation starter. So when I arrived thus accessorized for an appointment with Victoria Beckham, she not only expressed kind concern, but acknowledged seeing her future -- as well as a recent past episode with the British tabloid press -- flash before her. It seems that the few unlucky genes Beckham inherited went straight to her feet, as has been well chronicled in print and online, most recently after photos of a seemingly wholesome beach jaunt with her kids became tabloid-fodder when uncharacteristic flip-flops exposed -- horror of horrors! -- bunions!

"It really was embarrassing," Beckham said. "I think I'll have to have the surgery, but I've heard it's the most painful." (Note to similar sufferers, au contraire. It may be pure luck, or maybe my doctor, Jonathan Deland at Special Surgery, but the greatest pain this normally clumsy gal has experienced is the ample stress of regaining ambulatory status.) Back to Beckham: She insisted the tabloid photos misrepresented reality. "In true British tabloid form, they touched it up to make it look worse," she said. "If [my feet] were as bad as all that, I wouldn't be able to wear these fabulous shoes by Brian Atwood," she extended her foot to show off a killer pump in tan patent, "the first time I've worked with someone on my own shoes!"

As if on cue, Atwood walked in -- with a doctor, Jake Deutsch, who noted that there are better-looking boots than mine. Agreed, one of which has a certain industrial street-chic, rather like Helmut Lang at his height. I then mentioned a thought I have every day when getting dressed: Why doesn't someone do a non-orthopedic boot for the other foot, so at least you'd match? "We should look into this," Atwood said to the M.D.

Copping to bunions was not Beckham's only revelation. She also pointed out which dress from her beautiful collection she plans to wear to the Oscars: A languid tan silk jersey. She'll be a knockout, right down to those Atwood-shod feet.