Oh my. All the hours I’ve spent skulking around in shoe bins in men’s discount stores looking for a loafer that would seem cute; and feminine. This question brings back memories.
The simple answer: if you wear a men’s size 11 then you should be buying a women’s size 13. But that’s too easy. Let’s get down to some of the things to consider.
First, technically men’s sizes tend to be 1.5 numbers less than the equivalent women’s size. So, technically, you should be wearing a size 12.5. But no shoe manufacturers that we know make a 12.5. So move to the 13. There are charts on DesignerShoes.com’s Shoe Size Chart that have detailed measurements.
Then you must consider that men’s shoes tend to be wider than women’s. Are you shloshing around in your men’s shoes? You may be delighted to find that a women’s 13M fits you fine. But if those men’s shoes do fit – look for a 13W (wide) or 13WW (extra wide). The difference between an M to a W or a W to a WW is only about 0.25 inches around the CIRCUMFERENCE of the ball of your foot. …. a very small measurement. But it can make a big difference when you are walking or standing in these shoes all day. Try to get the one size and width that fits you best. But if your preferred size isn’t available – you might find that the next width over or a shorter but wider size will work too.
DesignerShoes.com actually has a whole article on shopping in men’s sizes.
Now that you’ve got a ball park range for what size to wear…. you must consider shape. Look objectively at the shape of your foot. Do your toes taper to a point? Or are they squared off like a rectangle? Is your foot shallow and flat or thick and muscular? Can your foot fit into narrower shoes comfortably because it has no discomfort with a squeeze around the sides?; Or does that thought put you in agony? Even if your foot on the bottom is a medium width, if your foot is thick and doesn’t like to be squeezed – you may be happier in a wide width.; Do you long for the pumps that come to a point?; Or do you love those baby doll round toe ballet flats? If you have a rectangular foot shape – you should plan to go up at least half a size to fit into a pointed toe shoe.
Now that you know about what size you are and you know something about adjusting the size based on the shape of your own foot and the shape of the shoes you want, there’s one more thing to keep in mind. Sorry to tell you this but. Shoes made to the same size standards will fit and feel differently! Despite the international standardization of shoe sizing – factories don’t, and can’t, always make such different styles of shoes to fit exactly the same way. Even if they are the correct length and width, some will feel roomier, some snugger because of the shoe design, the materials, the heel height, etc. So once you determine your preferred size – never assume it will be the last and only size you’ll ever buy!
Coupon Codes & Discounts