Why a bigger size ?

[Paul (North-East)]

My wife has just recently received the above shoes from Icon stilettos which she ordered in January. She is normally a size 5, but sometimes goes down to a 4 1/2, and even on the odd occasion a 4. When ordering them on the phone she was recomended to get a bigger size than usual due to the 5 1/2" heel height. Now I would have thought with the elevated angle of the foot forcing the toes further down into the shoe, that if anything, she would have needed a smaller size. After many E-mails we agreed on a size 5, but when they arrived they were far too small. We sent them back and exchanged them for a size 6 which are a little large but at least they fit.

I would be grateful if anyone can explain why a bigger size is needed with higher heels ?

Although she got them from Icon stilettos, I reckon they were made by Leatherworks as I saw an identical pair on their site.

Thanks, Paul.

[Becky]

Hi Paul, I think this has been explained before but I can't find the thread - sorry I have over 20 pairs of shoes from Leatherworks from sandals to boots. For some reason you have to order a sizes larger in courts and boots, and your normal size when ordering sandals, mules or slingbacks If I was you I send them back and order a half size if those are a little too big - I'm sure Andrew wouldn't mind. Regards Becks.

[6inchspikes]

Paul/Becky, My wife had this same problem, ironcially with a pair of shoes as per Becky's picture (K501LP from Bananashoes.com?). These are 5.5 inch high long toed black patent stilettos. We ordered a 7.5 in these, as Bev is usually a 6.5-7. However, when they arrived she couldn't even fit them on her foot. We're now waiting for 8.5s which should be here any day now. 8.5 sounds massive but hopefully at least they'll fit, and as the heels are so high I don't think they'll look too big. By the way, only came across this site a few days ago, and I think it's great. And aren't high heels just brilliant? 6inchspikes

[Firefox]

This (quite old) picture originally from Bizarre may explain why in these higher type of fetish heels a larger size than might be expected is needed due to the empty space at the heel on account of the angle and the design at the top of the heel.

[Heelfan]

Firefox has a point worth considering. However, I maintain that the current situation is utterly daft! Any sizing changes due to such heel-height factors could and should be compensated for by the last-makers and shoe-makers when making the footwear. If they did that, then there should be no reason why I, with a size 9 1/2 UK foot, should not be able to expect ALL size 9 1/2 UK shoes and boots to fit me, irrespective of heel height. As I pointed out on another shoe statistics thread months ago on this very forum, if we look at the avaiable data available data from all angles, applying month-on-month dissemination, heel-height to boot-type ratios, the average-versus-extremes disciplines both on the one-to-one principle and also the one-to-all principle, collating all the knowns with precepts of the unknowns, plus, as Dr. Shoe has perceptively suggested, carrying-out structured analysis of the avaiable charts and graphs and putting all the pertinent information through a statistical monitor with all the relevant filters applied. After taking into account all the quartiles, the mean, the relevant percentiles and then arranging the discrete elements into ascending and descending orders and then differentiating the resulting curve, I added the final stage of crunching the resultant statistics through Blenkinsop's Stratagem to give us mean quantitive results rather than formulated cognitative figures only. Therefore, as I said in the first paragraph, there is no reason whatsover why the footwear manufacturing industry should not help the public consumers by adopting this pre-compensation policy so that everyone's individual foot size can be catered for by all footwear of that size actually fitting. That concept is hardly rocket science! Cheerfully yours, Heelfan

[Bubba136]

Hmmm! I agree with Heelfan, I think. Isn't he really saying, in around about way, try them on before you buy them?

[Firefox]

The size of shoe lasts depends on the length which was originally based on 1/3 of an inch between sizes. Therefore the makers don't want to disrupt the basic pattern, instead relying on the customer to try for fit and move up or down in extreme styles where the length of the last may not reflect the length occupied by the foot.

[Becky]

Heelfan, you took the words right out of my mouth Becks

[Paul (North-East)]

Thanks everyone, Your interesting replies have answered my question and given us lots of useful info to consider next time we order through a website. Looking at the diagram, it makes sense why a larger size is needed. I guess there is no substitute for being able to try them on, but until more mainstream outlets start stocking higher heels then the net is our best option. Hope your wife's shoes fit when they arrive 6inchspikes. I'd be interested to hear. Thanks again, Paul.

[Heelfan]

Gosh! Thank you for your support, Becky. I shall always wear it (tee-hee)! Cheerfully yours, Heelfan

[Dr. Shoe]

When someone who is not used to extreme heel height tries to wear a pair of shoes of a certain size they will be too small. This is owing to the tension of the tendons in the bottom of the shoe and the inflexibility of the instep. However, an experienced heel wearer will fit the given size better as everything would be more relaxed and supple. I have several pairs of 5 inchers that I couldn't wear years ago when I first got them but are quite comfy now and they haven't been stretched at all!

[JeffM]

Just maybe with more and more people getting their shoes via the internet, therefore not trying before buying, manufactureres will be forced to change their sizing from the "1/3 inch between sizes" (ref FF) to "my foot size is my foot size" regardless of the style of shoe (Ref Heelfan). This would mean as some one progresses up the heel ladder from 1 inch to 1 1/2 to 2 to 2 1/2 and so on up to 5 inch and beyond they wouldnt have problems like those Dr Shoe had. Isnt that a logical step? Jeff

[Dr. Shoe]

Yes, that's the secret. If you get very used to a certain heel height you can move up to the next height. It needn't be incremental as it will be a curve ie: 1.5", 2.5", 3.5", 4", 4.5", 5", 5.25, 5.5, 5.75, 6, 6 and a bit, 6 and a bit more, 6.25 and so on. As you get higher, you'll find that from the point of view of wearability and fit, a small difference in heel height will feel enormous and where you might have been able to walk on 5" heels say, 5.5" heels will take some getting used to.

[Anne_Louise]

I must have unusual feet as I take a size 8 U.K. whatever heel height, and always have done. In fact a pair of 'almost 7" ' that I tried seemed too big, as there was a gap between my foot and the back of the shoe. Perhaps that is necessary for some reason. The only time I need a larger size is for hiking boots! And they are decidedly not high-heeled! A recent pair of 'almost 61/2" ' size 8 fit perfectly.

[Dr. Shoe]

Probably you have an unusually supple foot. To some this is natural, the rest of us have to practice.