Advice needed on Shoe Sizes & Fit

[Stirling-C]

Hello I've been lurking on the forums for quite a bit without registering and posting but I've read to a large extent about the large amount of shoes available and I need some advice on buying shoes.

I've always worn a Euro 44 / UK 10 shoes and I've discovered recently that the main reason for doing so was really because of the width of my foot. My feet measures 28cm/11cm or 11"/4.3" which actually puts me in the wide category.

I tried some fittings recently and the results are:

UK 9 Carmina & Loakes : The length feels snug but the width absolutely cramps. My toes and front of the foot feels a lot of pressure.

UK 9.5 Carmina: The length is fine but the toes are a little cramp with no room to wiggle.

This gives me the impression that UK 10 fits best because of width (it does need some stretching / breaking in to become comfortable) or UK 9.5 with wide width.

So I'm left with two choices:

1. Buy a leather shoe at UK Size 10 Medium Width (I know where to buy these shoes from)

2. Buy a leather shoe at UK Size 9.5 Wide With (I don't know who sells these with patina)

3. Custom build a leather shoe at UK size 9.5 Wide Width (I don't know if anyone provides this with patina)

My budget is currently at 400 Euros for Option 1 & 2 but I would consider going up to 700 Euros for option 3.

My personal preference of design is the French and Italian designs with patina (e.g. Carmina, Altan Bottier etc.) but I can see that they are generally built for Medium width.

What can you guys advice for shoes that fits these requirements?

 

[Testudo_Aubreii]

My advice is to learn about lasts. Some lasts are long and narrow; some are short and wide; some are long and wide. Some are narrow at the ball and wide in the toebox. Some are wide in the ball and narrow in the toes. Some have a high instep, some a low. Some have a wide heel, some a narrow. A different last in the same size from the same maker will fit a foot quite differently. And makers do not interpret sizing in the same way.

Go to the most expensive shoe shop in the nearest big city. Dress well, and look like you mean business. Get each foot measured on a Brannock. Figure out your heel to ball measure and the width of your heel, as well as the heel to toe and the width. Feet can be the same length but require different sizes because they have different heel to ball lengths:

Ask the salesperson to bring you the two or three pairs of shoes that will fit you best. Walk in them and feel how they fit. In a well-fitting shoe, every part of your foot except the tips and tops of your toes should feel the shoe. But it shouldn't be cramped anywhere. Ask to try a longer size, ask to try a wider width. Ask for the shorter size, ask for a narrower width. Figure out why the best-fitting size and width fits best.

Then start thinking about what type of last in what size would work for your feet. There's really no other way than trial and error. It sounds like you'd do well looking at 9.5 Wides on lasts with an elongated toebox, or 10 Mediums on lasts that were a bit shorter in ball to toe and a bit wider across the ball. It sounds like your basic length is 9.5, but you have toes on the longer side, so you need length in the toebox..

 

[usctrojans31]

To piggyback off of that absolutely perfect post, get out of your head. We get fixated so much on numbers that we ignore logic. I can range from a S to an XL in brands. I go from a US 11.5 through a 13. It's about learning what works for you, and that's through trial and error.

I have a low instep and a narrow foot, which makes finding things an absolute pain, but I know a few lasts that fit me perfectly and tend to stick with those. You'll get to the same level with patience and guidance. But first, get fitted. Properly.