Find Beautiful Shoes That Fit

How To Find Shoes that Fit
From Terence Vanderheiden, D.P.M., former About.com Guide
Updated May 20, 2008
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Shoes can either help with foot problems or have the potential to cause foot problems. There are several ways to help get your feet into a properly fitting pair of shoes. Learn more:

Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 45 minutes

Here's How:

   1. Have your feet measured 1 to 2 times per year

      Do not rely on a foot measurement taken 10 years ago. More than just your hairstyle has changed. The ligaments and other soft tissues in your feet tend to relax and stretch out as you get older. This causes your feet to change shape and size. Make sure to measure the length, width and arch length of your feet.

   2. Measure the arch length

      An important part of the shoe fit is the arch length. The arch length is measured from your heel to the ball of your foot (where your big toe joint bends). The bend in your big toe should match with where the shoe bends. With both shoes on, rise up onto your toes. If you feel the shoe bend before or after the big toe joint, then the shoe is not a good fit for your arch length.

   3. Shoe shop later in the day

      Most everyone develops some swelling in their feet by the end of the day. If you wait until later in the day to shoe shop, you will be more likely to avoid getting shoes that are too tight.

   4. Fit shoes to the larger foot

      No two feet are the same. One foot is usually slightly larger than the other foot. Buy the shoe size that fits the larger foot. There are different pads and inserts that can take up room in the shoe if it is too big, but you cannot add space to a shoe that is too small.

   5. Wear appropriate socks/hosiery

      It is important to wear the socks, nylons, etc. that you would normally wear with the type of shoes you are trying on. For example, if you are trying on high heels for a wedding, you do not want to wear the socks you wore to the gym to exercise on the elliptical machine. The thickness of the sock will affect the fit of the shoe a great deal.

   6. Stand when measuring

      Be sure to stand up when measuring your feet. When standing, your feet will spread out more. It is better to have someone else take the measurement, because you need to stand tall and look straight ahead with your weight centered over your foot. How you stand can affect the size and shape of your feet.

   7. Leave 1/2 inch at the front of shoe

      There should be about a 1/2 inch between the end of your longest toe and the end of the front of the shoe. Generally this is about the size of the tip of your index finger (small hands) or pinky finger (large hands). Be sure look and see which is your longest toe; it is not always your big toe.

   8. Leave 1/8 inch at the back of shoe

      You do not want the back of the shoe too tight against the back of your heel. This may cause skin irritation and blisters. It is OK to have about a 1/8 of an inch between the back of your heel and the shoe.

   9. Room in the toe box

      The toes need room to move. Not having enough room for your toes may lead to corns, callouses, neuromas or deformed toes. Your toes should have enough room to "perform" a symphony by Mozart. Note: If you could not perform chopsticks with your toes before, just because you have room in your toe box does not mean Mozart is going to happen, but you should have room, just in case.

  10. Walk with both shoes on

      Do not be afraid to take your time and try on both pairs of shoes and walk around the store. Walk on different surfaces (carpet, tile, etc.), if available. Ideally, it would be best to take the shoes to a gym and walk on a treadmill. This will keep the shoes clean and give you a chance to really try the shoes out. Some stores offer this service so do not be afraid to ask.

  11. Size does not matter

      Try not to get too concerned with the shoe size number. There is a big difference in shoe sizes between shoe companies because of the lasts used. A last is a form that a shoe is molded around. Each company uses different lasts, meaning that a size 8 New Balance will not fit the same as a size 8 Nike or a size 9 Manolo Blahnik will not fit the same as a size 9 Jimmy Choo.

Tips:

   1. Fitting shoes to the larger foot has a limit. If your feet are more than 1 1/2 sizes different, then get two different sized shoes.
   2. Shoes should be comfortable in the store. Do not buy shoes with the hopes that some day they will be comfortable enough to wear.
   3. Shoes with laces are easier to adjust and easier to keep on the feet. Shoes without laces cannot adjust for swelling variances and they are harder to keep on the feet, making your feet work harder.
   4. The height of the heel should be no more than 1 1/2 inches. Any higher and this puts significantly more pressure on the forefoot and may lead to foot problems.
   5. If you have foot problems or are unsure about proper shoe fit, it is highly recommended that you go to a shoe store that offers professional, personalized shoe fitting. A thorough shoe fitting/buying may take 45-60 minutes.

MY THOUGHTS

no wonder i get blisters sometimes from weariong new shoes.  that 1/8 inch allowance at the heels should help.  and yes.  our feet size does change.  so, it's best not to stick to your shoe size.  sizes are not always standard anyway.and yes again.  the wear won;tget better.  only worse.

Converting Men's to Women's Shoe Sizes

How Do I Convert Men's to Women's Shoe Sizes?
By Desiree Stimpert, About.com Guide

Question: How Do I Convert Men's to Women's Shoe Sizes?

Answer: As a general rule, converting men's to women's shoe sizes is fairly simple - you would subtract two sizes from your U.S. women's size to find the appropriate size in U.S. men's shoes.

For example, if you wear a size 9 in U.S. women's shoes - you would most likely take a size 7 in U.S. men's.

That is the general rule, but I've seen this vary quite a bit.

For a perfect fit in any type of shoe, you'll want to try them on - or measure your feet and compare your findings to a specific manufacturer or brand of shoe.

MY THOUGHTS

useful to know. but i don't think i'll ever wear men's shoes.  so, why bother?

Beautiful Shoes: Confession of A Shoe Addict

Fashion in the City: I'm a Shoe Addict

Melissa Kagan ON Feb 16, 2005 at 6:01AM
http://www.ivillage.com/fashion-city-im-shoe-addict-0/5-a-146778

My name is Melissa and I'm addicted to shoes. How do you know if you have a shoe-shopping addiction? Take a few moments to consider the following. Have you ever lied about a shoe purchase to friends and family? Have you ever experienced shortness of breath at the sight of a shoe sale? Do you consider a pair of shoes marked down from $750 to $450 a great deal? Do you talk to your shoes as if they were people? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then welcome to the club. We embrace you with open arms and empty wallets.

If you are not a member, let me try to explain. The first inkling I had that I might have a "shoe problem" was when I moved into my first Manhattan apartment after college. My rent left me with little to no extra income for shopping and dining out, so every penny had to be accounted for. I started off with every intention of "budgeting wisely" as my parents had instructed.

But then I saw "them." It was like destiny, being struck by a bolt of lightning, love at first sight. They were a pair of black patent-leather, pointy-toe pumps with a stacked wooden heel, and they cost hundreds of dollars. They spoke to me. They didn't say, "We're too expensive for you." They purred, "Hey, stranger, what's a fashionable girl like you doing without a shoe like us?" They were way above my price range, but my common sense evaporated and what I call "retail reasoning" kicked in. They were expensive, yes, but they were an investment, right? I mean, my parents wanted me to think about my future, and here, right in front of me, was a pair of amazing shoes that I knew I had a future with. I bought them and ate beans and rice for a month. That was the beginning.

"A woman with a shoe habit is like a man with a gambling problem" was the warning that my fiancé received from his friends when he confided in them that he suspected I was a compulsive shoe shopper. (He married me anyway.) But what constitutes a true shoe habit? I mean, don't all women go a little crazy from time to time with the shopping? Isn't it part of being the changeable, moody, mysterious, adorable, amusing, multitasking, fashionable, stressed-out females that we are?

The truth is, since obsessive shoe lovers tend to stick together, my perspective may be skewed. We enable each other. We say things like, "Yes, you should use your emergency credit card for those $450 Jimmy Choo strappy sandals," or, "Of course, it's perfectly okay to hide your purchases in the bushes until you can retrieve them when your husband won't notice." All is fair in love and shoes. When I get together with my shoe friends, any excuse is a reason to go shopping. New boyfriends, recent breakups, promotions, Groundhog Day. For us there is never an occasion that doesn't warrant a trip to the shoe department.

What's the allure? There's just something about a new pair of shoes that makes me feel good about myself. They have this effect even when I'm wearing a humdrum outfit or my "fat" pants. I feel sexier. I feel confident and fashionable. With a great pair of shoes I even feel skinnier sometimes. I don't want to be mushy, but when I buy a pair of shoes from my favorite designer, it's like reuniting with an old friend. And it always feels like we should have gotten together a lot sooner.

I'm addicted to shoes, but I don't think it's a problem ‑- I think it's my calling. I deserve beautiful shoes. We all do. Besides, giving up shoe shopping would be like giving up a part of myself. I'm good at it. It's a God-given talent. It would be like Picasso not painting or Beethoven not composing. What a waste that would be.

MY THOUGHTS

well,i'm not a shoe addict. i don't talk to beautiful shoes. maybe i've hidden a box or 2 of beautiful shoes but i don't experience "shortness of breath" at the sight of them.