Interesting Article

Quite an extraordinary feat
UIC swimmer earns dough with her toes
By Areli Padilla
Published: Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Article Tools: Page 1 of 1


Media Credit: Michael Radziewicz
Stephanie Murphy, a swimmer at the Univesity of Illinois at Chicago, shows off her famous feet.


The swimming season for the University of Illinois at Chicago is at an end, leaving some girls on the team wondering what to do with their spare time. There's one girl on the team who doesn't necessarily share that worry.

Stephanie Murphy is a fourth-year student majoring in English writing. She has also been on the swim team for four years, competing in events such as freestyle, butterfly and backstroke.

While in the pool, Murphy gains strength and endurance, as well as a nice cardiovascular workout through her swimming. But the pool has also helped Murphy uncover a hidden talent, and it's earning her some extra cash. Murphy has found a way to use her feet to work for her, and it's not your average gig.

On her spare time, Murphy is a foot model. Yes, a foot model. The job began last summer when she was working as a pool attendant in Lincoln Park. A photographer who lived in the same building she was working in pitched the story to her, and well...she took the bit.

"I wasn't really reluctant," Murphy said.

"[The photographer] is a really nice guy. He's really friendly and approachable."

So what exactly does the job consist of?

"I always have a pedicure before the session. He paints my nails and stuff. The first time I did my toenails on my own, but he didn't like them. It was all wrong, he said, and he had to redo my polish. Sometimes there are props involved. I've done hosiery before, foot products."

Yet the job does have its downs. Murphy says that she gets hassled by some of her teammates, or anyone who knows about the gig, for that matter, as they immediately associate foot modeling with foot fetishes.

Not so, Murphy said.

"It's very professional. If I don't feel comfortable with a pose or with the picture, I can always change it."

"I care more about getting the money anyway, than I do about where the pictures actually go."

And money she gets. Stephanie gets a handsome $80 an hour, and the sessions usually last about an hour and a half. "Hey, it pays for groceries," Murphy said.

Okay, so let me figure this one out...$80 an hour, plus a free pedicure for posing my feet in front of a camera? Yeah, I could deal with the teasing any day. Just tell me one more thing: Where do I sign up?

Staff writer Areli Padilla can be reached at chicagoflame@chicagoflame.com