First pair, right size?

[2Tight]

Hi all Just got my first pair of heels, 6 inch stilettos, so in at the deep end, they look and feel great. But I'm still unsure about sizing. I've got a wider than normal foot, which I allowed for when I ordered them, and they feel like a comfortable fit, they're just right across the front of the foot (no wiggle room either side of the foot), and when I'm sitting my heel is snug in the back. But when I stand up my foot slides forward a little, leaving a small gap at the back, maybe half a centimeter, and so I lose that snug feeling at the back of the foot. So have I got the right size? Should they feel too tight when new across the front? I am being careful not to get a size too small because being tight across the front of the foot can be quite uncomfortable and I intend to wear heels a lot. Should I get my next pair a size smaller and then compare? It's all subjective, but I'd appreciate some advice from some experienced guys, thanks. (When I chose my username for these forums, I was concerned about avoiding a size that was too tight, and was looking for information)

[CassieJ]

When you walk, do your heels slip out of the shoes?

[2Tight]

When you walk, do your heels slip out of the shoes?

No they don't slip out, but I feel a bit of looseness there because the foot has moved forward a little.

[hoverfly]

For pointed shoes you are always going to have a problem with fit with that type of foot. I pretty much have given up on pointed toes,as I have a wide front foot and a narrow heel. However semi-pointed works very well, but you will have a hard time finding fetish heels with such toe box. Also in my case the heel is all ways lose, either thicker socks or a heel grip will help.

[tallguyinheels]

A few cotton balls in the toe of the shoe or a Dr. scholls pad will limit some of that foward slide.

[2Tight]

A few cotton balls in the toe of the shoe or a Dr. scholls pad will limit some of that foward slide.

Forgive my ignorance, hoverfly mentioned a 'heel grip', and you mentioned a 'dr scholl's pad', is this an adhesive pad that goes on the floor of the heel of the shoe so the foot doesn't slide?

[micha]

Hi all

Just got my first pair of heels, 6 inch stilettos, so in at the deep end, they look and feel great. But I'm still unsure about sizing.

I've got a wider than normal foot, which I allowed for when I ordered them, and they feel like a comfortable fit, they're just right across the front of the foot (no wiggle room either side of the foot), and when I'm sitting my heel is snug in the back.

But when I stand up my foot slides forward a little, leaving a small gap at the back, maybe half a centimeter, and so I lose that snug feeling at the back of the foot.

So have I got the right size? Should they feel too tight when new across the front? I am being careful not to get a size too small because being tight across the front of the foot can be quite uncomfortable and I intend to wear heels a lot.

Should I get my next pair a size smaller and then compare?

It's all subjective, but I'd appreciate some advice from some experienced guys, thanks.

(When I chose my username for these forums, I was concerned about avoiding a size that was too tight, and was looking for information)

What have you expected on such extreme high heels? That's simply a phenomenon of gravity. On a skew plane you are sliding downwards if gravity is stronger than the adhesive friction. You are reaching a stable situation if the counterforce of the shoe box on your toes compensates your downwards pushing weight m*g*sin(alpha) where alpha is the elevation angle. On flat shoes alpha is zero and there is no force. On ballet shoes alpha is typically 60 or 70 degrees and sin(alpha) ~ 0.8. You have to compensate almost your whole weight by the lateral forces of the narrowing toe box and the power of your toes. Typically 20 to 30 kp for each foot or 2 or 3 completely filled buckets of water

From a physical standpoint there are only few ways to mitigate the situation:

1. Wearing lower heels - the most effective!

2. Wearing boots - a lot of your weight is kept back by a tight instep.

3. Wearing your shoes barefoot. The moisture of your foot soles is increasing the friction coefficient.

4. Wearing rubber inlay soles - for the same reason.

You can buy your shoes without any problems one size smaller. The half cm freedom at the rear side is useless and unaesthetical. It doesn't change anything at the front side!

nice greetings from micha (*a theoretical physicist but not a warning podiatrist*)

[hoverfly]

Forgive my ignorance, hoverfly mentioned a 'heel grip', and you mentioned a 'dr scholl's pad', is this an adhesive pad that goes on the floor of the heel of the shoe so the foot doesn't slide?

Yes heel grip for the back of the shoe pads for the ball of the foot. Look in the foot care section of any store you will see products that will help with fiting of shoes.

[ScoobyHH]

Something else to consider is that they will more than likely become looser than they are now as you wear them in.