Very often, shoe sizes have been simplified to a single number like US size 7, European size 26, etc. These numbers assume that the longitude and latitude proportions are all the same. But as you might expect, some people have wider feet than others. For those of you who have wide feet and constantly wear unsuitable shoes for work and daily exercise, it makes your feet sore or even painful. Some may think that no matter what shoes they wear, daily work automatically causes pain in their feet, and they think this is normal. No it is not. Do you know it doesn’t have to be like this? At the very least, you can alleviate the pain or pressure on your feet by wearing shoes that actually fit you. That’s why you need to try on at least one pair of wide-leg shoes and see if you feel good. You should notice the difference between improperly fitting shoes and perfectly fitting shoes as soon as you start wearing them.
The Myth: Wearing wide shoes makes you look bulky
No woman wants her feet to look huge. Will a pair of wide shoes make your feet look bigger? No it won’t. A wide-width pair of shoes is only less than a quarter of an inch wider than a narrow one. I would say 99% of people can’t tell the difference with the naked eye. The difference in appearance is so small that it makes a world of difference to the comfort of your feet.
How to label shoe widths
In the US, there are generally 9 sizes for width, namely AAA, AA, A, B, C, D, E, EE, and EEE, with AAA being the narrowest and EEE being the widest. In women, B is often thought of as mean or mean latitude. C and D are considered broad and E is particularly broad. So if you find that most of the shoes you try on at local shoe stores are too narrow, look for C, D, or E. (Some shoe brands have F and G instead of EE and EEE. And for some other brand names they 2E and 3E instead of EE and EEE.)
Wide heels
Some may think that wide shoes are usually shaped like flats. No, there are all forms such as heels, sandals, flats and sports shoes. If you plan or plan to buy your first pair of wide-width shoes, you should spend a lot of time trying different widths until you find the perfect pair. Note that width D for one shoe manufacturer is usually not perfect for another manufacturer. I go so far as to say that even for the same shoe manufacturer, different shoes for the same size will sometimes still have a difference that you can notice on your feet. That’s why I always take the time to try on shoes. I will never buy a pair of shoes even if they have a look I absolutely love if the right size and width is not available.
Wide sandals
Wearing a pair of flat wide sandals at the weekend is so relaxing. Let your feet get some fresh air when you’re not working. Although you will feel fine, if you have to walk a long distance (e.g. even 2 km), it is better to wear shoes that will help you walk better. It feels good initially, but with almost no shock-absorbing ability, you can easily increase the pressure on your feet and legs, increasing the risk of injury. However, if you don’t work out for 5 hours or go for a walk in a mall, the flat wide sandals are the perfect shoes for hanging out with friends on the weekends.
Wide running shoes
Not every single pair of running shoes will make you comfortable, although all the stunning TV and online commercials would have us believe that all popular brands have wonderful and supportive running shoes that you can trust. That’s not to say these commercials are lies, but everyone’s feet are different. And many of the shoes on the market usually have what is called “average” foot width. I’m glad to see that there are some popular manufacturers working to make bespoke shoes more accessible as technology has continued to evolve. But before custom-made athletic shoes are comfortable enough for everyone, I’m glad there are still some shoe manufacturers that offer lines of running shoes that are wider for people with wide feet. If you have wide feet I would recommend trying the Asics and Puma. For Asics, most of the lines are pretty wide. For Puma, most of the lines aren’t that wide. But there are a few lines I’ve tried that are very light and wide, so I’m very comfortable jogging or walking.
Another point I want to make about jogging is that my feet tend to get bigger after about 15 minutes of jogging. I don’t know the exact science behind it. Perhaps it is due to the flowing fasting of the blood, or the constant shock experienced directly by the feet. It just feels that way to me and it feels awful to have shoes that wrap the sides of my feet super tight. For running shoes, I usually buy shoes that are wider than the shoes I wear for work. Maybe it’s just for me, but if you also feel a lot of stress in your feet when walking in narrow shoes, maybe you can explore it.
Do you buy wide shoes online or in local stores?
I have a mixed answer to this. I’m a blogger with all reasons to support online shoe shopping. And it’s a lot easier to find wide shoes online than at most local shoe stores. But honestly, as someone with two wide feet, I buy shoes from local stores most of the time. I usually only buy shoes online if I change the exact shoes I have. Let’s say it’s time to swap out my running shoes and I decide to stick with the same style. I also do it sometimes when buying from the same line of shoes from the same shoe manufacturer. The size and width are very similar in most cases with the same manufacture and line. But there was one instance in my past where I felt a significant difference and the shoes didn’t feel so good that I couldn’t wear them at all.
This is an interesting blog post as I have a pair of wide feet and am only speaking from my own experience and feelings. I remember slowly getting rid of the pain in my left calf a few years ago after getting a pair of wide running shoes. Since then I’ve used it for all my running, walking and heavy shopping (I find shopping quite intense when the mall is big and I need to shop for at least half a day). If you have never tried different widths for your shoes, unless you are sure you are very happy with the shoes you currently have, do give them a try. Find your perfect fitting shoes to help relieve stress and pain.
If you find this blog post helpful, be sure to check out our other articles which are also very helpful information and tips to keep you looking good inside and out.