FIT TO BE TRIED

How to assess the size of a shoe

Take the insole out of the shoe and stand on it – it should match your foot. Your toes should not spill over the front or sides and the tip should come to a point roughly where your toes narrow. Put the insole back in and put the shoes on. Lace them tightly enough to lock the shoe over the top of your foot, but not so tightly that you constrict nerves. You should be able to slide a finger between knot and shoe. Stand up and check the feel and fit. You want about a thumbnail’s worth of width between your longest toe and the front of the shoe (your longest toe may be your second toe). As for width, check there’s little to no pressure on your little toe and only slight pressure on your big toe. Walk and, if possible, run. Check that your heel doesn’t slip and that nothing pinches or rubs against your ankle. Also, check the fabric of the upper – if it gathers, you might need a smaller size and if it bulges or stretches, you might need to go bigger. Don’t buy tight shoes, thinking you’ll break them in; they should fit well right from the start.