This week, we sat down with our Fit & Feel experts, Sean Hartford and Alike Boggan. Read on to find out what they had to say about finding the best shoe for you.
Ultimately, when it comes to women and their shoe choices, there is always an emotional element to take into consideration. For many of us, comfort can sometimes be overlooked for aesthetics. However, maintaining your foot health is extremely important, as bad care can adversely affect so many aspects of your overall health. Here are a few guidelines to determining proper fit when selecting a new pair of kicks!
— Don’t start off with shoes that are uncomfortably tight with the intention of wearing them so that they will “stretch out.” Just like with clothing sizes, it’s best not to get hung up on a number. Almost every brand varies slightly in sizing, so make sure to always try on shoes for comfort! (Additionally, most people’s feet are not exactly the same in size, so you should always fit to your larger foot.)
— Shoes should fit the shape of your foot. For example, if you have a wide forefoot or wider foot in general, pointed-toe pumps will most likely be an uncomfortable option for your foot shape. Your forefoot should fit comfortably within the width of the shoe (i.e. the ball area of your foot should be sitting within the widest part of the front of the shoe).
— Except for the very front tip of the shoe, you should be able to feel the shoe around your entire foot. There should not be so much space in your heel that it is lifting out of your shoe at every step, or that you experience rubbing and friction against your heel. There should be less than a finger’s width of space between your longest toe and the tip of the shoe.
A great benefit of Vionic’s men’s and women’s adjustable shoes is that they can accommodate for comfort needed as the feet swell throughout the course of a day. They allow for more wiggle room– literally! However, there are still some guidelines to take note of when shopping for shoes that have points of adjustment:
— Once you have initially secured the strap(s), walk around to make sure you have allowed for natural motion without restraint or discomfort.
— As a rule of thumb, you should be able to slip a finger snuggly under a fastened strap. There should not be much visible gapping. Too much gapping will not hold that part of the foot in place and will allow the foot to slide around on the shoe.
— The adjustment points on the shoe are there to keep the shape of your foot in alignment with the shape of the shoe. You should not be sliding forward or experiencing friction from your foot or heel rubbing against the straps.
— Straps should never be so tight that your circulation is cut off or your skin is feeling pinched.
— Make sure if there is a strap at the front of the shoe, all your toes fit underneath or in front of the strap. If a toe (or two) is not reaching the strap, it may be an indication that the shoes are too long, or that it may not be the right style for you.