Shoes are one of the most important things you should have in your wardrobe. Your shoes represent your base, so it is very important to wear only shoes that are comfortable and that fit well.

If you ask a shoes expert about “how a shoe should fit”, they will give you information that will be overwhelming. This is why we believe that the modern man needs a quick yet practical guide to shoes fit.

When it comes to shoes’ fit, most people simply rely on their size matching the size of the shoes they want to buy. However, brands and manufacturers don’t work with universal sizes and these can vary between brands. Even though you might know your foot size and go shopping with a chart, you could be a certain size in a brand and another size in another brand.

Therefore, you need to have a few things to check off before committing to any pair of dress shoes.

Here is the rundown:

 

 

What to know

Know your shoe size

While we just said that your shoe size can vary from brand to brand, it is important to still know your size and use it as an approximate standard. If you know around what shoe size you are, you can can try on shoes that are a few measures up or down.

 

Dress shoes should fit right from the first wear

When you buy new dress shoes, regardless of their style (brogues, Oxfords, etc.), they should fit you well right from the start. Many men try on shoes, especially leather ones, and believe that they will wear them “in”. While it is true that leather shoes do become more flexible in time, if a shoe doesn’t fit and feels uncomfortable that is not going to change. It is normal for a shoe to fell a little new, but this doesn’t mean that it can be uncomfortable and too tight or too loose, as this won’t change much in time. In short: Shoes can be a little different when new, but not too much.

 

Try on shoes in the afternoon

You might not know this, but your feet tend to swell through the course of a day. This is why it is recommended for you to try on shoes in the afternoon, as this way you will get a more realistic size and fit of the shoes.

 

Both shoes must fit

It is not a known fact that your feet are not the exact same size. Even though in the case of most people, the difference is not very big, there is still a difference. This is why when you try on shoes you should try on both shoes and not just one and walk around in them for a few minutes. This is time well invested and should not be skipped.

In case you know which one of your feet is larger, make sure you try on the larger foot first and not the smaller one. The reason is that wearing a shoe that is a little bigger than your foot is can still be  comfortable, while wearing a shoe that is slightly smaller than your foot is extremely uncomfortable.

 

 

How to try on dress shoes

Here are the things you should always take into consideration when you are trying on dress shoes:

 

Socks

When you are trying on new dress shoes, you should try them on with the type of socks you would usually wear them. It is not recommended to try them on with thick woolen socks or with really think ankle socks, as these can mess with the way the shoes fit.

 

Width

Dress shoes should not put any pressure on the sides of your foot. They should not squeeze it or make you feel bad in any way. If you feel anything like this, you may need to up half a size and see how you feel. If this does not fix the issue, you should check whether the brand makes the same model in a wider size (some brands do), but if they don’t, you should go for another shoe or another brand.

When you are checking your shoes’ width, you should also make sure that you don’t have any room on either side of your foot that allows your foot to move right or left when it’s laced up. If you have this issue, go down half a size and see if that fixes the problem. If not, check whether they have a narrower width for the same shoe model. If not, go for a different style or brand.

Most brands work with average widths (D is the average width size marker). If a shoe does not have the width specified, it is probably a D, even though, as said eariler, every brand has a different definition of “medium”. Narrower shoes are marked with a B and wider shoes are marked with an E (an extra-wide width is marked with a 3E).

In case your foot falls between a B and a D, we recommend going with the larger width.

 

Length

A shoe must fit well in all parts, including to front and back. If you feel any pressure, grazing or bunching against any of your toes, your shoes are probably too small.

Dress shoes should not be touching anything in the front. If your shoes are grazing your toes when you walk, your toes will be squeezed in the front, which will cause you a lot of discomfort. If you have this issue, you should either go up a half size or a full size or check the width of the shoe again. If this still doesn’t fix the issue, go for another shoe.

 

Heels

After you have checked the width and length of your shoes, you should check to have a little space between your heel and the shoe. Your shoes should not be tight and press against your heels, but they should not be too loose as well. Make sure you don’t feel too squeezed in your shoes, but that you don’t “swim” in them either.

If there is any slippage in the heel, you might try on a new pair, as this can cause blisters. Stitches, fabric parts or anything else should never be uncomfortable and rub against your heels either.

 

 

Additional information

Some people and brands say that if you wear lace-up shoes, such as Oxford dress shoes, you should be able to tie the shoe laces so tightly that the two edges of the shoe touch. While this can be seen as a style rule, it is not an essential one, as some people have bigger feet than others. To conclude, we can say that if the shoe fits everywhere else, it doesn’t really matter whether the two edges of the shoes touch or not.

Also, make sure you walk in the shoes you try on in the store for at least a few minutes. Some people find this embarrassing, but it is an essential thing if you want to buy good shoes and is time that you should take. Making sure you purchase well-fitting shoes will save you a lot of foot discomfort, money and time.

 

It is very important to have a good grasp of the thing you should know about shoes and what you should look out for when you are trying new shoes on, as this will guarantee you that you will have a wonderful experience with your shoes.

 

Fraquoh and Franchomme

 

 

 

 

 

Further reading:

The guide to the different types of men’s dress shoes

The guide to colorful shoes

The guide to leather shoes

The guide to polishing your shoes

What are the differences between loafers and moccasins and how to wear them?

The guide to shoe laces

16 creative ways to tie your shoe laces

6 ways to maintain your shoes in the winter

15 shoes facts

P.S. We want to hear from you! What questions do you have about dress shoes? What type of shoes do you like?  Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook or Twitter!