ses petits souliers - Mot du Jour

feeling uncomfortable - French expression

Part of Courses About the Holidays | Christmas

être dans ses petits souliers – to be in one’s little shoes. Un soulier is another way of saying ‘une chaussure’, a shoe. This expression is kind of obsolete in every day French. However, at Christmas time, ‘un soulier’ is what you put in front of the fireplace, for Santa to put his presents in. ‘un soulier’ is the equivalent a French stocking. But let’s go back to the expression ‘être dans ses petits souliers’. It means ‘to be ill at ease’, ‘to feel self-conscious’, ‘to feel uncomfortable’, ‘to feel really bad’, ‘to feel awful’. It might be because it’s uncomfortable to wear shoes that are too small. être dans ses petits souliers is often used when you feel you’ve done something wrong.

« Elle a complètement oublié d’acheter la bûche. Elle doit être dans ses petits souliers. »
“She totally forgot to buy the yule log. She must be feeling uncomfortable.”