Are you thinking about starting your shoe collection? Or maybe you already have one but want to add more? If your answer to even one of these questions is yes, then you should read further in this article.
You might be thinking that buying dress shoes is easy. It is not like you have to pass certain requirements, do weird rituals, or answer tests before you could successfully buy one. However, even though you don’t need to get through all those, choosing the right pair of dress shoes can be challenging.
It is not hard to choose styles and colors. But when it comes to the perfect fit, you might be in trouble.
Here are the factors that you should consider before taking out your card or cash to pay for the dress shoe that you have chosen:
- Socks
Before going to the store, make sure that you are wearing the socks that you will normally wear dress shoes. Never wear thin ankle socks or thick woolen socks when trying out dress shoes. The fitting would be affected if you do not wear the usual socks that you would wear for dress shoes.
- Length
When trying on dress shoes, make sure to feel it carefully. If you notice that your toes are bunched or if your toenails are pushed against the shoe, it means that it is too small for you. Other people say that your toes should be closely touching the front of your shoes to make sure that it perfectly fits but this is incorrect.
Always remember that your toes should not be touching anything on the front of the shoe. If it is, you will surely feel uncomfortable when you walk because your feet will move forward as you step.
You can solve this problem by going up half-size. However, if doing this does not change anything then it might be a width or style issue. If possible you can find another brand that manufactures the same size or choose a different style instead.
Fortunately, when it comes to dress shoes, it is easy to find exactly the same style manufactured by different brands.
- Width
Aside from the length of the shoe, you should also consider its width. Make sure that your feet are not squeezed or do not feel any pressure anywhere. Once you notice any kind of pressure, you might want to go up half-size and see if it fixes your width problem. If not, you can ask if the brand manufactures a wider variety of the same style. But if they do not offer wider varieties, you can choose other styles or look for the same style from other brands. Take note that there are other shoe brands that are wider than others.
Moreover, you should also make sure that there is not too much space on both sides of your feet that would allow your feet to move sideways. If this happens, it means that the shoe is quite larger and you should go down a half-size. If nothing happens, you can ask for a narrow variety or just choose a different style or brand.
Achieving the perfect fit is a trial and error which means that it might take some time in choosing your dress shoe. With that said, you can easily achieve the best fit when you know your shoe size.