It is easy to shop for width and forget about length. A size up stops the toes pressing, and then the heel slips at every step because the shoe is now too long. The fix starts before you order anything: measure the length of your foot properly, and let the shape of the shoe take care of the width.
Why length comes first
A wide foot needs a wide front, not a longer shoe. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons makes the point directly: if a shoe is too narrow, look for one with a wider toe box instead of going up a size, because the bigger size can let your foot slide forward.
The shape of the toe box matters as much as its width. The AAOS notes that a round or square toe box lets the toes lie flat, while a pointed one can crowd them together. Every shoe we make has a round, wide front for exactly that reason, so the job left to you is the length.
When to measure and what you need
Pick the evening. According to the AAOS, feet can swell by up to 8 percent over the course of a day, and a morning measurement will come out short. The American Podiatric Medical Association gives the same advice: measure both feet late in the day.
- A sheet of paper larger than your foot
- A pencil held upright
- A ruler or tape measure marked in inches and centimeters
- The socks you plan to wear with the shoes
- A wall and a hard floor, not a rug
Put the socks on first. A winter sock and a thin summer sock can make a real difference inside the same shoe, and the AAOS advises trying shoes on with the thickness of sock you will actually wear.
Tracing both feet
Tape the paper to the floor with one short edge against the wall. Stand on it with your heel touching the wall and your weight on that foot. Standing matters: the AAOS points out that body weight spreads the foot, so a tracing made sitting down is too small.
Ask someone to trace around your foot with the pencil held straight up, or do it yourself while holding onto a chair. Then mark the tip of your longest toe. On many feet that is the second toe, not the big one.
Measure from the wall edge to that mark and write the number down in both inches and centimeters. Now do the other foot. If the two lengths differ, the larger one decides your size. Both the AAOS and the APMA say to shop for the larger foot.
Turning a length into a size
There is no single conversion from foot length to a US size that holds for every brand. The AAOS warns that sizes vary from brand to brand and even between styles of the same brand. So take your number and hold it against two things: the size chart of the shoe you are looking at, and a pair of sneakers that already fits you well.
For our shoes, the short version is this. Order the size you wear in sneakers, and do not go up a size for width, since the front is already cut wide. If your length falls between two sizes, take the larger one.
Our men’s loafers run from US 7 to 17, and the Wide Slip-On Loafer also starts at men’s 4. The men’s barefoot shoes run from 7 to 16. The women’s knit barefoot sneaker and the women’s winter boot run from US women’s 5.5 to 12.
Trying the pair on at home
Wait until evening again, put on the same socks and lace the shoes the way you will wear them. Stand up and press the front of the shoe above your longest toe. The AAOS suggests about half an inch between that toe and the end of the shoe.
Then walk. Cross the room on a hard floor and come back. The APMA advises walking in a new pair before you decide, and adds that shoes should feel comfortable right away: breaking them in will not rescue a pair that pinches from the start.
Watch your heel while you walk. If it lifts clear of the insole with every step, the shoe is too long. If your toes press the front, it is too short. The AAOS also cautions against keeping a shoe that only fits once it has been stretched.
If the fit is not right
| What you feel | What it usually means | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Heel lifts with every step | Too long | Half a size down |
| Longest toe touches the front | Too short | Half a size up |
| Right length, snug across the toes | Needs more room at the front | Take out the insole, or a different style |
| Fine barefoot, tight with winter socks | Sock thickness | The larger size for boot season |
Our barefoot models and two of our loafers have an insole that lifts out. Taking it out gives your foot a little more height inside the shoe, and you can also swap in an insole of your own.
Keep the tracing. Feet can change with age, and the AAOS recommends having them measured every year. A sheet of paper in a drawer is the cheapest record you will ever keep.
If you are still unsure, the size guide lists the size run of every style, and you can write to us with your length and the pair you are looking at.