With e-commerce sales of footwear soaring and continuing to grow, you may find my tips useful when buying your footwear this season. I think footwear is particularly difficult to buy confidently online, each of our feet are unique and one size does not fit all. I know Returns are a pain, often customers do not bother. In many cases I know ill-fitting footwear is, at best, sitting in a wardrobe, or at worst, being worn anyway and damaging/hurting our feet. It would be good to get it right first time, but it is not easy.
- Know your feet! These are the sorts of questions you should be asking yourself: – Do I have a wide forefoot? Maybe a narrow heel? High arches or fallen arches? One foot slightly bigger than the other? Does my footwear need to accommodate an orthotic? Etc.
- According to recent studies by shoe manufacturers, most people in the UK are wearing footwear a size too small for them. Always buy the size that fits the bigger foot, not the other way round. Otherwise, your footwear will start to hurt quickly and cause other problems.
- Make sure you can wiggle your toes and the heel does not slip.
- Pay particular attention to the toe box. Most enclosed shoes in the UK have a pointed or almond toe shape which forces the little toe and the big toe to move inwards. If you are not sure, place your shoe next to your foot and see if the shoe is narrower than your forefoot. If it is, then you could cause problems such as bunions, nerve pain and corns. Forcing your feet into smaller footwear also changes your centre of gravity and reduces your foot function as you walk, so can affect balance.
- Some shoe brands have particularly narrow styles, and some brands have wider styles. Get to know which brands suit your foot shape and search them out.
- Be open to going up a size or down a size from your usual shoe size. My ‘Rule-of-Thumb’ is – sandals and slippers you can go down a half size, trainers and boots go up a half size. For example, if you are a UK 5.5 (Eur 38), then a UK 5 sandal will usually fit and a UK 6 trainer. Walking boots may even be a UK 6.5 if you wear thick socks and/or have a wide forefoot.
- Make sure your footwear is suitable for the job. For example, if you are on your feet all day or very active, then a soft upper, thin materials, cheap foam sole, etc., are not giving the support and comfort your feet need. Another example – Flip flops are not for walking, driving or cycling (yes, I see it every summer).
- Paying less for shoes may not be a saving long-term. Cheaper materials are often being used to cut costs so will give less support, wear out quicker, etc. So, if you find your favourite brand is too expensive, wait for their genuine Sales. I think it’s worth having a few good pairs of footwear than a mass of shoes sitting at the back of the wardrobe never being worn because they are uncomfortable.
- If you are buying online, make sure the company is genuine. Ways you can do this are to check out their UK address, maybe look to see if they have a social media presence, look for customer reviews on Google, watch them on YouTube, etc. In particular beware of cheap copies that sound too good to be true.
- If you are buying from an overseas supplier, make sure the sizing guide they are using is UK or European sizing, not U.S or Australian as these are different. Also, you may have to pay customs duty on delivery, so be aware of any hidden shipping costs, Return costs, etc.
- Be prepared to send them back. Wear them round the house for a few days to be sure your feet are happy and don’t throw away the box and packaging until you know you are keeping them.
- I am often asked to recommend a brand, and there are many I recommend depending on your lifestyle and what will suit your feet. If you need advice/recommendations for brands/styles, etc. individual to you, I offer Footwear Consultations via Zoom, Facetime and in Clinic. These are £30 for 45 minutes. I can also include a review of the current footwear you have before you make any new purchases.
- Finally, I am a stockist for Vionic and Strive footwear which I sell online and in Clinic. If you would like to view and discuss the current range of Vionic and Strive footwear, I offer these viewings for FREE! Again, they can be a 45-minute virtual consultation or face-to-face with a ‘try-on’ session. Contact me to arrange a convenient time.