Shoe buying tips...

[Majo]

Recently I've had a weird experience, but I recall that it's not the first time it happens to me. Usually, the buying tips say you should try shoes or boots in the evening rather than in the morning as your feet tend to swell at the end of the day. This past weeks I've been looking for every day tall boots, low heel -1.5" or less-; specially when I have to go into grasslands or non-paved surfaces where heels can be a draw back. As men boots here are quite ugly, or too casual -they look like sneakers-, for my taste; or I have to go to Polo/equestrian boots which are uncomfortably expensive -from u$600 to u$1200- I decided to go to the ladies stores where large sizes fit me reasonably well. The point is I went at the end of the day, so I could try them and be sure that I wasn't going to regret them because they ended up to snug. The fact is that, they fitted well in length, but tight on width. Bought two pairs, one with zips on the back and the other ones, taller and with a zip on the side. When I tried them on next morning... the tall ones were just impossible to get them in. The other pair, the shorter one, were snug but fitted; and I had been wearing them all week so the leather -which is also thinner- had stretched. I was going to return the tall ones today, but gave them a try yesterday night and they fitted as they did in the store. Well... recalling other pairs of heels and boots I have, I realized that this is not the first time it happens to me. Has anybody had a similar experience?

[Wedge]

It's a strange one this. I've never had a problem when buying men's shoes when it comes to fitting. It doesn't matter if I buy in the morning, afternoon, or evening. When it comes to buying heels however, I have noticed that at various times of the day, the shoe seems to fit better than it does at other times of the day. I think there is much more variation in women's sizes than there is in men's (from my experience). For some heels, I can fit into a (UK) size 8 no problem, for others a size 8 feels ridiculously small. Also, I've tried size 9's, and in some cases found that they are just too big for me, and in others they are too small. It's sod's law that it tends to be the case that the one's that are too small are the one's that I like the most. Yet I've never had that problem when buying men's shoes in size 9. Never, ever, ever (so why only when it's "women's" shoes (grrrr)?). The answer to that question is blatently obvious by the way

[hhboots]

I've owned heels that can fit me from US size 9 up to size 11, though the bulk of my shoes are size 10 and that is usually the ideal size for me to get. Usually the size variation you speak of (for me anyway) has to do with the width of the shoe, and almost always a fitting issue stems from how narrow the shoe is rather than the length. Women's shoes are normally quite narrow anyway, but some of them are completely unrealistic, even for petite feet. I think the issue is that many shoe manufacturers do not scale width adequately in proportion to the length of the shoe. As you would expect a longer foot normally is proportionally wider than a shorter foot, but if you compare some shoe company sizes, the width does not correctly increase in width as the size goes up. I'm not talking about the width sizing variable you sometimes see added to shoe sizes, just normal proportional width increases as length increases, many companies do it correctly, but some companies don't seem to get it. Not sure if many others have that issue - maybe I just have slighty wider feet proportionally.

[Shafted]

One thing to keep in mind is that a women's medium width is equivalent to a men's narrow width. This implies that the average guy is not going to get a true proper fit in women's heel, which typically are only offered in women's medium width.

[Majo]

Ok. But the point is it happened with the same pair of boots, not with others.

[Shafted]

It could be the shape of the toebox, especially in the ball of foot region. This is the widest part of the foot and is the part that is most prone to expansion during the day.

[Gary]

I've even experienced variations in sizing in womens shoes when looking at the same shoe, but in different colors. But, I've had this same experience in mens shoes, too. Womens shoes tend to vary so much in style (a good thing) that it's hard to predict how a specific shoe will fit without trying it on. And as you've said Majo, it's best to try them on at the end of the day when your feet are biggest.

[Majo]

And as you've said Majo, it's best to try them on at the end of the day when your feet are biggest.

Well, that's the point.

I try them on in the morning: they are snug.

I try them on the evening: they fit well.

At least for me, that statement works the other way round.

[Tom-NL]

I try them on in the morning: they are snug.

I try them on the evening: they fit well.

In the evening: do you switch immediately from your daytime shoes into your new ones? Or do you take take off your daytimeshoes, walk around a bit doing things, and only later put on your new ones?

[Majo]

Well, the story is I bought them around 4/5 PM, and tried them on. They fitted and with some exercise -braking in, I mean- they would feel like a glove: perfect in length but tight on the sides. Next morning, when I tried to put on the taller pair, I struggled and couldn't get them in. I was pretty pissed off because I had to go back to the store and change them, so that same evening, before heading to the store, I tried them on and I could put them on without struggling. As a matter of fact, today I had the same experience. And right now (11PM) I have them on. I hope I will not struggle tomorrow morning as it would be great to use them for an whole day so they loosen up. So I must assume the rule, at least for me, works the other way round.

[Shafted]

Okay Majo, I'm baffled. The only other thing I can think of is you work nights. That would explain the fit mystery.

[Majo]

jajaja.... not at all shafted. I haven't got the slightest idea. That's why I was asking if somebody had the same experience. Thanks for the replies.

[Steve63130]

Majo, I've had times where, especially after eating salty foods, my body retains water and my feet swell, to the point where some of my shoes feel tight, but never to the point where I couldn't get them on. Here's what I suggest: soak your shoes in water for a few minutes to get them softer and more pliable. Then wipe them with a towel, and put them on. Wear them all day until they dry on your feet. They will conform to the shape of your feet and you should find them I much more comfortable. All it usually takes is one time. It won't ruin the shoes (the leather got wet when it was on the cow after all) and it's a technique I've used successfully for decades. It works on non-leather shoes, too, but not as well. Give it a try. Steve

[Majo]

Yes, Steve. That's a good idea. I was thinking of using oil or some kind of stuff like that to soften the leather and enable it to stretch faster. As a matter of fact, I've done that a with other boots and it worked great.

[benno]

I often find my shoes are tighter in the morning too. Actually it's probably my feet that are larger. We are organic, living, ever changing beings. So it's not surprising that body parts go through subtle changes. I would guess that it's a water based issue. Maybe we need to do a wee before putting our shoes on! I also think that maybe wearing shoes all day makes your feet conform to the shoe's shape. Our feet are maybe more relaxed in the morning as they have spent the night free to expand back to size. When I was about 14, my family and I spent about a month camping on a beach in Italy. I pretty much either wore flip flops or went bare footed the whole time. When we packed up to drive back to England, my Reeboks (which fitted me fine before and after the holiday) were agonisingly tight and I had to wear my mum's trainers which were a size bigger. Try an experiment... Wearing a pair of tights or stockings, slip on a pair of slim fitting heels and walk about for an hour or so. Then take both shoes off. Without putting one foot on the floor at all, put your weight on the other foot and see how much wider it gets. It's quite a shock the first time you see the comparison. You need to do this wearing fairly taut tights as they hold the foot in the shoe shape for longer. I also find I have shoes that fit better in the winter (or when it's colder) than in the summer. I have used the hairdryer trick on many pairs of slightly too tight shoes. Wear a pair or 2 of thicker socks and heat the tight parts of the shoes for a minute or so. Then walk about for a few minutes. Put on the thinner hosiery and have a test walk. Bear in mind the shoes might feel looser because of the contrast. If they are still tight try again. It worked for me. I'm sure some might say it's not good for the shoes, but I have only tried it on shoes that were only a tiny bit too small. Our local shoe repair guy almost always has some women's shoes on a stretching machine on his counter top. I asked him how it works. He said the shoes are given a spray on the inside with a gentle leather stretching liquid and then he cranks the machine little by little to expand inside the shoes. He does this for a day or 2. He said you can only really expand the width and not the length.

[Majo]

Well, Benno, it seems I'm not the only one. Although I have to say if I use loose shoes I have more or less the same result through out the day. Any way, I see what happens. For sure -as I have many pairs of this particular brand- they are going to get stretched with some use. I have another pair with 6.5cm that were tight for a week or so and now they are just perfect.

[HappyinHeels]

ALL, This is a fascinating topic that I have talked about before but will do it again here. It combines the best of what benno, Gary, Steve63130, and pussyinboots have all said here and with the knowledge I have gleaned from my friend Gary who owns a shoe shop in Chicago and my own experiences. Shoes vary in size from company to company and even where on this planet they are made. A peep toe pump in size 11 from Bakers will fit me fine but an Aldo shoe marked EUR42 (size 11) will not. They also vary from one shoe dye to another. The lighter colors may fit you well but a black dyed shoe will always be a little bit tighter as the darker dye makes the material contract a bit more. Our feet are NOT exactly equal as our arms are not. Generally speaking here, there is a tendency of whites and hispanic people (to include Brasil for these purposes) of having a slightly larger right foot than left. Black people tend to have a larger left foot. I don't have information about asians or others. This may explain why the right shoe predominates on many shoe stores' display shelves EXCEPT those in areas here the majority of customers are black. Obviously knowing this helps the store owner keep the customers busy. One's body does tend to have more water in the morning so don't be surprised when your shoes are a bit more snug in the morning than at any other time of say. Using water to stretch leather and non-leather shoes does work but it does work more effectively on real leather. Wearing the wet leather will stretch the shoe to the contour over a day or so but it will not stretch the shoe by more than a half size. I know this a problem since so many here need a size 11 at a minimum. My last point in this "shoe fit guide" is to encourage everyone to "TRY THEM ON" wherever in the world you live. While you may not be trying them on in front of your wife or boss or whomever, you can just go at a time of your best convenience and find a pair you like. The take the time and try on these shoes. Precisely because of all the variations as outlined above or, for the reason stated about variations in foot contour between two people wearing the same size shoe. You may be the same size as your spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, or friend, but I doubt a mold of your foot will exactly match that other person's and this is the reason we all different. There is simply no substitute for buying and trying on in-person. Those who do it already will swear by it and those that are thinking about it should slay those imaginary gremlins and get out there and claim your heels today. HappyinHeels:wavey:

[Majo]

Happyinheels. Just for the record. I used to have problems with my left foot as my right foot used to be slimmer than the left one. That was until 35/40 years old. Now my left foot has grown a little bit wider and I have the difference otherwise. This might be because I've had stricken more my right foot -specially the knee- than my left one. As a skier, my left foot has always been a nightmare with ski boots, and the right one was never a problem. So, it seems time affects our body in many senses... not only in gaining weight and not being able to loose it so easily.

[HappyinHeels]

Majo, I imagine you ski places like Bariloche or Portillo but am curious if you ski the bunny slopes (green) or ski the blue, blue/black, or expert (black) slopes?? I have never skied in South America but love the continent. Being quebecois in ancestry and living in Wisconsin I am VERY familiar with snow and lots of it. Now back to skiing in stilettoes...... HappyinHeels:wave:

[Majo]

I almost grew up in Bariloche, Happyinheels. We used to go there in summer -December, January and part of February-; and almost all July or August in winter. I've skied the whole place, in and out of tracks, walked the peaks to get some fresh untouched snow... Blacks, reds, blues and greens... any thing goes for me. Now carvins are short skies but I used many years 205cm GS skies, even on bumps. I've skied in other sites, but I feel -despite the nasty weather- this is the best place to go in South America. Actually I met my wife skiing in Las Leñas. If you think of giving it a try, just let me know!