We’ve all been there, you go shopping, find the perfect pair of shoes but they don’t exactly fit right. You buy them anyways because you’re so in love with them and all they end up doing is causing you nothing but problems.
You might think that they’ll stretch or that you can deal with the pain, but badly fitting footwear can actually do some serious damage to your feet. From bunions, to calluses, to blisters, shoes that don’t fit you right can leave you in pain and your feet looking less than appealing, well as appealing as feet can be.
There are some steps you can take when you’re buying footwear to make sure that it is the right size, comfortable and won’t cause you any problems. Luckily for you, we’re going to give you the top tips for making sure your shoes fit right.
1. Get measured regularly
Your feet are fully formed when you reached adulthood, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t change shape and size as time moves on. Your feet shape can and will change over time for a number of different reasons so your standard size may not stay the same throughout your adult life. Because of this you should aim to get your feet measured in a shop at least once a year, so you can be assured of your shoe size.
2. Size
Most people have one foot larger than the other, it’s true and perfectly normal. Always make sure you fit your shoes to your larger foot. You don’t want to have to squeeze one foot into a shoe as this can cause damage and is ridiculously uncomfortable. You can always use insoles with the smaller foot to make the shoe fit better if needed.
Another top tip – when you are trying on shoes either in a shop or once they've been delivered, do it later on in the day. Your feet tend to be their largest at the end of the day so it makes sense to make sure your shoes fit properly at this time.
3. Brand
Sizes may differ when it comes to different brands, sort of like clothing. Don’t adopt one universal size policy and assume that all brands will have the same sized 7 or whatever size you may be. The sizing on shoes may not be the same across brands, which is why it is important to try your shoes on.
Your measured shoe size is just a starting point for selecting the right footwear.
Two completely different brands shoes. The red shoe is a size 4 1/2 and the black shoe a size 5, but if you look in the picture they look the exact same size or the red one maybe slightly bigger. Brands do not use a universal size for shoes so make sure you try them on.
4. Comfort
Nobody wants to be wearing uncomfortable shoes so you need to make sure that the shoes you are purchasing fit comfortably. You can do this by looking at the shape of the shoe and making sure that is resembles the shape of your foot. Your shoes should fit comfortably when you first try and put them on and if they do – that’s an indicator that they are the right size fit for you.
DO NOT RELY ON YOUR SHOES POSSIBLY STRETCHING. Time and time again people adopt this strategy when they see a nice pair of shoes that are a bit too small. Yes, your shoes will change a bit and possibly widen once you’ve worn them, but there will not be a significant change and they still will not fit correctly.
5. Width
The ball of your foot is the widest part of your foot. Make sure when you’re first putting on and trying on a new pair of shoes that the ball fits in the widest part of your shoe. If it doesn’t, they’re not the pair for you.
Essentially, width is just as important as length. A shoe that is too tight or wide won’t be comfortable, can damage your foot and won’t give you the protection you need. Don’t be a doughnut and make sure both the wideness and length are correct.
6. Spacing
Not everyone does this but it really should be something that is universally adopted when getting new shoes as it helps to assure you that you’ve got the right sized shoe. When putting on a new pair of shoes or trying them on for the first time, slide an index finder between the heel of your foot and the shoe. If it slides in too easily, then go half a size up or down and if it doesn’t fit, go half or a full size up.
7. STAND UP
Stand up and walk about a bit once you have put your new shoes on. A lot of people will try new shoes on sitting down and think they fit perfectly and then just buy or keep them. DO. NOT. DO. This.
Stand up and walk around in your shoes to make sure they’re a comfortable fit. By doing this, you will also be able to make sure that they don’t rub either.
Also, while standing up, make sure that there is at least a ½ inch space between your big and second toe and the end of the shoe. If there’s less or more, change your size!
A few extra tips:
- Insoles are important if a shoe is slightly too big and they can make a shoe slightly more comfortable.
- Wear the sock you’ll be wearing with the shoes when you trying them on
- Your heel should fit comfortably in the shoe with minimum slipping - shoes should not ride up and down
- If your shoes have laces, make sure they are laced properly and tied comfortably tight to support your ankle
Remember: IF THE SHOE DOESN’T FIT COMFORTABLY TO BEGIN WITH, IT NEVER WILL.
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