How to Measure Shoe Size and Width? Guide To Find Perfect Fit

Buying a shoe that isn’t your fit is no fun at all. If the shoe is not right in size, it will give you blisters and press your skin which will be painful. It will hurt your feet, and you will be uncomfortable while moving around. In the other case, if your shoe is bigger than your actual size, it can still risk you a potential injury.

While shopping online for footwear, you should know how to measure your shoe size because that will make the process hassle-free and you will find a perfect fit for yourself. And you will not have to visit again to return it. Measuring the length and width of your feet before buying is one of the most crucial steps to avoid finding unfit shoes.

You will know you have found the right shoes when your toes are not bumping into each other, and they are at rest and comfortable in the shoe and heels fit perfectly in the heel cup. And the shoe will not feel too tight or loose and will not pinch you on the back while your feet perfectly align with the footbed.

How to Measure Shoe Size and Width

How to Measure Shoe Size at Home

As you know, ill-fit shoes can have significant consequences. You can measure your shoe size easily at home by using only a few things like; pencil, about two pieces of paper so that the measurement should be accurate, and a ruler. Following are the steps that are done for accurate measurements.

Trace the outline of your feet and if you are following this method.
Try taking measurements at night because your feet are a little expanded after walking the whole day and are in good shape for taking measurements for a comfortable shoe.
Place your foot firmly on the paper after bending your knee.
You can sit on the chair while taking these measurements as it will be a bit easy, but you can stand as well.
While tracing your feet, you can also wear socks if you are looking for sneakers or shoes with which you will wear socks.
With the help of a ruler, mark the length of the shoes and width as well.
Write the measurements in numbers so that you won’t forget them.
Measurement of width is also important as it will provide the exact size of your feet apart from the length as there are shoes of different widths in the same length.

Shoes vary in size if the measurements are not taken properly. The shoe size is usually written in centimeters, but there is a variety of widths among the same shoes also available. Normally the width starts from range AA and goes up to EEE. D is the average size of males, while B is common for women. Shoes that belong to the E category are usually large.

How to Measure Kids Shoe Size

Due to rapid development in children, they tend to grow fast, due to which their shoe size usually changes. If you have a toddler or a small kid, the following steps will be taken to ensure that they are comfortable in their newly bought shoes.

To measure the length and width of any shoes, put on the shoe and let the child stand straight in it. Check if there is any space in the front or the back of the shoe.
Make sure if their feet are comfortable in it in case of depth as well. If they are not, then don’t buy the shoes.
Check if the widest part of the child’s feet is comfortable in the shoe and there is the presence of any irritation, or it is not pinching the skin from the back of the shoe.
You can check the depth of the shoe by pinching the fabric of the shoe. If you feel depth while touching the feet, that means the shoe is deep for the toddler or kid. If your hand can easily detect the presence of your thumb and other toes, that means the shoe is too tight and is pressing the feet of the child.
Check for the presence of space as well in front of the shoe and on the back and ensure that the shoe fits properly.
While looking for shoes for a small child or toddler, make sure to buy a shoe with adjustable straps.
As the kids are in the continuous growth phase, their shoe size will keep on changing within two months, so buy a shoe that can last at least a season.

Adult Shoe Sizing

While buying shoes, you should keep in mind both the length and width of your feet matters equally. Make sure that you know the length of your feet properly, and you can measure by using tape on the wide part of your feet, which is barefoot. Place the foot on the floor and measure the width of the feet on the widest spot of your feet.

Through this, you will be able to find the perfect size for you while sitting at home. Shoe sizing for men and women is changing throughout the decades due to your nutritional supplements and growth differences occurring nowadays. In 1970 average shoe size for females was 37, but now it is 39, and for men, it was 39-40, but now it is 43. Shoe size can also vary if you are overweight, so you should measure your shoe size accurately to find the perfect fit.

Size and Width Charts

Nowadays, as the industry is becoming more and more innovative, there are specific values for each thing. In the case of shoes, there has been the development of size and width charts. Once you know the length of your feet, you can check your feet’ width, and your feet will become that size. Every country has its own chart size, while the US and UK have the most popular size and width charts that are known and worn globally.

FAQs

What does d mean in shoe size?

D in shoe size is mostly known as the common size of width that men usually wear. The narrowest shoes start from AAA, while D is considered normal for males but wide for females. EEE is one of the widest sizes available for men.

What does m mean in shoe size?

In shoe size, M is known for medium width for women’s shoes usually. This size means that the shoes are average width or perfectly medium in size, not too wide or too narrow. Medium shoe size is widespread and is usually used for the female population throughout the world.

What does b mean in shoe size?

When it comes to narrowing or wide feet, the medium is a known and commonly used shoe in women; similarly, the standard width for women’s shoes is indicated by B in shoe size. While for men, the standard width is D. B is considered very narrow for men’s shoes. B width shoes are commonly present from 3.6 and 4.1 inches across the ball of the foot.

What size shoe does 1-year-old wear?

The shoe size for a 1-year-old infant varies as it is different for every individual and mainly depends upon the height of the infant. You can measure it accurately before buying shoes through the method explained in the article. For infants, the average shoe size for a 1-year-old is 3-4 sizes in sneakers and 5 sizes in child pairs.

What size shoe does 4-year-old wear?

Show size varies according to person height and gender as well. Kids grow fastly and an average size that generally fits a 4-year-old boy is size 4 or 4T. This shoe size is equal to 10 ½ to shoe size 11. For girls of 4 years, the shoe size is 10 but to remove any discomfort and be on the safe side, go for the shoe size 11.

What size shoe is Kevin Durant?

Kevin Wayne Durant is also known as KD and is a professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association who plays for the Brooklyn Nets. His shoe size is trendy, as the size is 18. His shoe is a bit on the narrow side, which helps avoid slippage as it helps set the foot properly without any pain.

How much bigger is half size in shoes?

Measurements of shoes vary from each other, which different companies make. In the United States specifically, the half-size shoe for a woman is 0.5 cm bigger than the normal shoe, while for men, the shoe is 0.4cm bigger than the standard size.

Conclusion

Sometimes it is difficult for us to know our size. If you are interested in online shopping and looking for ways to know your exact size, I am glad that you came across this article and hope it will be helpful for you in finding your exact shoe size which will fit you properly and will be extremely comfortable. Do try this at home for your own ease while going out to purchase any shoe.