Only 1% of Women’s Shoe Brands Make Shoes for over 25% of Women!

Dear Shoe Lady,
I am very certain that I am not the only woman in the world that has a size 10 1/2 shoe. Why do manufacturers not make 10 1/2 shoes?  Tens are too small and 11 are like boats on my feet.   How can I get a hold of any shoe manufacture to suggest that they start making them? Also my heel is very narrow and I can never fit in any shoe.Ros_Hommerson_Ruby_Black_Kid-200x150

Yes I can buy one of those heal add-ons but then my foot moves forward and shortens the shoe.   Then my toes are very long and there is never enough space in the toe area for them.  I have a nightmare trying to find shoes that fit. I love when I can wear sandals but I can’t wear them in the winter.  I don’t know exactly how writing this letter can help my situation but I found you on the Internet and I thought I would give you a try. Thank you very much for your consideration.

Christine Bennett

 

Dear Christine –
Approximately 25% of all women in the USA wear shoes OVER size 10, yet fewer than 1% of all brands selling shoes in the USA actually make shoes over size 10.
They say that capitalism is a great way to get products to meet market demand.  But that does NOT hold true in the women’s shoe industry!  I have no idea why there is such a huge mismatch between production and market need, but there is.  The shoe industry folks who make these decisions still think it is 1952 and the average women’s shoe size is 6.
Here are some brands that make women’s shoe size 10.5: Naturalizer, Bella Vita, Ros Hommerson, Aerosoles-Outrider-250x Stuart Weitzman.  Find the brands that make the shoes that fit you and let them know you love them!
Best to you and your toes,
The Shoe Lady

Long Toes? Short Toes? It Makes a Difference in Picking Shoes

Dear Shoe Lady,
I’m a male, and I have an arch length that is much longer than my foot length. I’ve heard two schools of thought on this:
1. Take the higher of the two measures.2. Split the difference of the two measures.

My foot length corresponds to a size 14.5, but my arch length corresponds to about a 17 (I’m not exactly sure on that, because my arch length is off the chart on the Brannock Device, which tops off at 16. My arch length is 9″). Because of the major difference, would it be better to split the difference or go with the higher number? Thanks 🙂

The Shoe Lady <Shoelady@designershoes.com>
May 15

to Heath

Dear Heath –

So sorry.  But I can not even find an “arch length” reference on Google!  I use a Brannock device and have never heard of anyone measuring the arch length.  I suggest you not worry about arch length, worry about foot length and width.  Then pick your style of footwear, shape, vamp design, etc., based on whether you have a high or flat arch.  Also consider using orthodics for a better fit.
Best of luck.
H E
May 15

to Shoe
 Thanks for the response. 
I had done some more research since I contacted you and pretty much answered my question.
Shoes are actually made for your arch length; Manufacturers simply count on everybody having regular sized toes. The arch length (heel to ball length) doesn’t concern most people (hence why I and almost everyone else hasn’t heard of it), because most people have arch lengths that correspond to their foot lengths (in other words, they have “normal” sized toes). There are some people, however, who have extra long or extra short toes. This makes the arch length and foot length very disproportionate (short toes correspond to a long arch length and long toes correspond to a short arch length).
I have short toes in proportion to the size of my foot, so the length of my foot will fit well into a size 15 shoe, but the break of my foot is much higher up than the break of the shoe. This makes the shoe too tight on the ball and presses the toes together. The widest part of your foot us supposed to match up with the widest part of the shoe. This can cause big problems in the future and could be part of the reason why I have mild bunions on both feet.
On the Brannock Device, the heel-to-ball measurement is on the opposite side of the width bar. The numbers correspond to the shoe size. When I measure the length of my arch on the Brannock Device, it goes off the chart. My arch length corresponds to between sizes 16.5 and 17. This is the size I’m supposed to wear, even though I will have extra room in the toe box.
People with extra long toes have a special problem: If one’s arch length corresponds to a size 11 but their foot length corresponds to a size 13.5, they can’t simply go with a size 11. Their toes would be squished. These people either have to buy a pair of shoes that are too wide for the rest of their foot to accommodate for the ball, or they have to find a shoe that has a extra longer toe box.
Hopefully that made sense lol.

The Shoe Lady <Shoelady@designershoes.com>
12:49 PM (2 minutes ago)

to H
 Dear Heath-

Thank you for the clarification.  And the detailed description.  I’d never heard this referred to as “arch length” before.  But I am painfully familiar with the “ball to heel” length.  You are absolutely right, this is the dimension that shoemanufacturers use.  And they assume an average toe length.  So people with short toes and people with long toes have to take that into consideration when they buy shoes on line.  I tend to suggest that they think of the shape of their foot in relation to the shape of the shoe.  But non-average toe length alone is often the culprit.
Best to you,
The Shoe Lady

Shoe Sizes: EU vs US vs UK, How To Know What Fits?

Hello Shoe Lady,
My shoe size in The Netherlands is 43. My search for really nice shoes has taken me far beyond the borders, to the US. I found different size conversion charts, resulting in conversion of my european shoe size to US size somewhere between 10.5 and 12.5. What is the right US shoe size for me?
Hope you can help me out!
Thanks,
Elis

Dear Elis,

I am so glad you found me!  I am continually MORTIFIED by the bad information given out to women “who leave a larger footprint” by people in the shoe industry who should know better!
The short answer:  US size 11.
Here’s a little more information:
Take a look at the international size chart here:
Some of the confusion might be that Great Britain uses a women’s shoe measuring system similar to that of the USA.  Except different.  A Euro size 43, US size 11 women’s shoe in Great Britain is a UK 9.
Another source of confusion is that one of the most common sizes in the US is size 8.  It is close to (actually a bit smaller than, but wider than a US medium so feels about the same) an EU size 8.  So shoe people, who should know better, assume if US 8 equals EU 38, then US 9 equals EU 39 and US 11 equals UK 41.  On the surface this sounds logical.  But it is so wrong.  Here’s the mathematical back story.  In 1374 the King of England decided to base shoe sizes on the length of a barleycorn. Each barleycorn represents a jump from one size to the next.  This was refined in 1880 in the USA when Edwin Simpson got all scientific with the inch (I know everyone on the metric system will laugh at this, as silly as barleycorns) and set the standard for US sizing,  In his system, still used, 1/3 of an inch equals one full (not half) size difference.  But wait, there’s more!  Unlike EU sizes which have a standard, proportional width that runs comparable to a US wide, US shoe sizes also come in width measurements, narrow, medium, wide, extra wide.
Your best size may be size 11M ( M equals Medium), but I think you need to know more!  I strongly suggest you read up on Measuring Your Feet and Understanding Shoe Sizes (http://www.designershoes.com/about-size/size) so you will be able to pick the right length, width and shoe shape for your feet.  You want to get the right size the first time when you are ordering from another country!
Thanks for asking!
The Shoe Lady

 

 

How to Convert Men’s to Women’s Shoe Sizes

Dear Shoe Lady,
I am a men’s size 9. What does that translate to in women’s shoes, particularly high heels?
Thank you
-N

Good Day N,
The first step in converting a man’s shoe size to a woman’s is to measure your feet! Refer to this recent post for step by step instructions. Without your your length and width measurements (so important) I will use the given men’s size 9 which converts to a women’s size 10.5.

Depending on the style you desire I selected a couple shoes which happen to be favorites of mine. Always remember pedicures are your best friends in summer and keep you feeling sexy all winter long.

I love leopard shoes. They make a rather dull outfit pop. Don’t be scare to jazz up your standard work outfits to add a touch of glamour. The heel height is 2.25 with a rounded toe pump and platform sole.

Naturalizer Lennox Natural Jungle at DesignerShoes.com

Naturalizer Lennox Natural Jungle is a High Heel Dressy Pump

A fantastic new brand, Takera, designed by Asjha Jones, WNBA All-Star, made exclusively for women sizes 10.5 through 15. She recognized the void in the market place for this exotic sizing due to her own personal pains of not being able to fulfill her shoe fetish due to limited styles and quality in her size, 13. The Takera Milan Black Leather (my top pick) rocks a 3.2 inch heel, zip up heel and sexy black netting.

Takera Milan Black Leather at DesignerShoes.com

Takera Milan Black Leather is a High Heel Dressy Pump

Be sure to browse all women’s size 10.5 high heels at DesignerShoes.com. Our sister site!

Best of luck!

Are Heels Appropriate for Tall Women?

Hi Shoe Lady,
I am going to this party with my college friends this coming week so i want to ask if a 4-5 inches heels are appropriate for my height. I am standing 5`8 tall my shoe size is 12 hope your answer!

Great question, and you are not alone! I wouldn’t look at heel height in terms of visual appropriateness, but rather what looks good for you, and what is most comfortable. Are you planning on lounging versus dancing? Heels have that undeniable ability to elongate legs, and create a sense of elegance with either jeans or a skirt. I personally love being tall, and jump at the chance of clearing 6 feet in heels every now and again. As long as you feel great in your shoes then you have succeeded. I hope the party is a blast and browse DesignerShoes.com collection of women’s size 12 shoes with a high heel!

A red pump should be a staple of a women’s wardrobe!

Samanta Viv Pump Red at AskTheShoeLady.com

Viv Pump by Samanta is a High Heel Dressy Pump

Take care,
Shoe Lady