Dear Shoe Lady,
My feet are abnormally wide. I can never find the right shoe size. I am a 11.5 wide and I can never find shoes that look good on my feet, like dressy shoes and tennis shoes. Please help. ASAP.

My Dear ASAP! Cute name!
I too am a women’s size 11.5 and I can tell you, very few places make these sizes. So you need to learn how to think more flexibly about buying by size. First, some homework. Read this: http://www.designershoes.com/about-size/size.

Shoe sizing, when it comes down to hundreds of different manufacturers using hundreds of different factories, can be less than completely precise. And, come to think of it, our feet aren’t exactly precise either. They can change a full size or width between morning and evening on a hot day. Pregnant? Double that.

So take 11.5 wide as your base. Then look at your feet. Are they wider in front? Do you need a wide size because they are thicker from top to sole? Do you need a wide size to accommodate bunions? Keep the shape of your feet in mind when you consider shoes. Look at the shape of the shoe. If your feet are squared at the toes, a square toe box will work well, for example.

Can’t find anything in 11.5W? Look at 11WW. Look at 12M.

But maybe you are saying 11.5W is not fitting correctly. Put all your weight on one foot, standing on a piece of paper. Have someone draw a TIGHT line around the edge of your largest foot. Your foot should be 10.7 inches long and 4.4 inches across the widest width. But be very suspicious of the width. If your foot is thicker (like mine!) you may need to move to a wider width, no matter what the chart says.

If you decide to move to a wider size, here’s another problem. Your heel may slip out of the flats or pumps. And, of course, here is the solution. You just can’t wear flats or pumps. You need to look for flats and pumps with a “maryjane” strap or a high vamp so the shoe will stay on your foot, and still fit across the top.

Take a look at these size 11.5W styles.

And, with a good sense of the shape and thickness of your feet, take a look at these 11WW styles.

Jaden by Trotters is a Low Heel Dressy Slingback

A shoe that I wear myself!

Happy Hunting!

The Shoe Lady