I’d like to talk to you about how your dress shoes should fit in this men’s clothing fit guide.
Intro
I’ve seen a lot of articles and videos about all the many measurements you need to know about your feet, such length, width, arch, and toe-hair length.
Every detail you’ll need to know in order to locate the perfect pair of dress shoes.
And here’s the thing.
You don’t need to be aware of any of it. All you need to know is your overall shoe size. Trust me, I work with shoes every day.
This is due to the fact that each designer’s sizing is defined differently. It’s possible to be an 11 in one brand and a 10 in another.
Simply know your average shoe size, and we’ll figure out and adapt to provide you the perfect dress shoes.
4 Things to Know Before Trying on Dress Shoes
Before you try on your dress shoes, there are only four things you need know.
Shoe Size
The first step is to determine your shoe size.
I’m presuming you’ve tried on shoes before and know your shoe size in general.
When you try on the shoes, we’ll start there since, as I mentioned before, each designer and brand manufactures their shoes differently.
Shoes Should Fit Perfectly The First Time
The second tip to remember is that your dress shoes should fit perfectly the first time you put them on. It’s a common misperception that leather dress shoes expand over time. So, if they’re feeling a little tight, why don’t you go get them?
Leather softens over time and becomes a little softer, so it’s no longer as stiff, but it only gives a little. You should make certain that they fit precisely when you first try them on.
Feet Swell
Your feet swell during the day, which is the third point. When trying on your dress shoes, try them on in the afternoon if at all possible.
That way, you can get a better idea of how your shoes will fit.
The Size Of Your Feet Is Not The Same
The last and most important thing to remember before shopping for a dress shoe is that your feet are not the same size.
One of your feet will always be bigger than the other. Make sure your dress shoes are large enough to accommodate the larger foot. It’s preferable to have slightly larger shoes than slightly smaller ones.
4 Things to Know When Trying on Dress Shoes
Now that we’ve covered what you should know before trying on your dress shoes, let’s talk about what you should know and do when you’re trying them on.
Try on Shoes With Socks
The first thing I can’t stress enough is that you should try on your shoes with the socks you’ll be wearing them with.
I’m hoping it’s not a pair of white athletic socks. I’m hoping they aren’t heavy wool socks or thin cotton socks. You should try on the shoes while wearing your regular socks.
That’s crucial in order to ensure that they’ll fit and to obtain a genuine idea of how they’ll look.
Length
The length of your dress shoes is the second thing you should consider when trying them on.
Make sure your toes are about an inch from the top of your dress shoe when you put it on. Your toes should never take up the full space. Toes should not feel bunched.
If that happens, or if your toes feel like they’re pressing up against anything, go up half a size. If you still feel cramped, go up half a size. That should take care of your issue.
The Width
The next step is to determine the proper width of your shoe.
This is where I’m going to get a little technical. The majority of males have a D-width.
Most shoe makers don’t even state this, so you don’t really need to know.
When they don’t, it’s usually due to a D-width issue. It’s the standard width for most men.
You must not feel any pressure or scrunching around your feet when you put on your shoe.
If you start to feel pressure in your shoes, it suggests they aren’t wide enough for you.
So, I’d go half a size higher since you don’t want to throw off the length of your shoe.
Check to see if this resolves the problem. If it doesn’t, you’ll either have to attempt a different style from that brand or you’ll have to try the same style from other brands.
The beauty of dress shoes, on the other hand, is that most designers produce similar styles.
If your feet feel like they can practically slide left to right in your shoes, if there’s a lot of room in there, then the shoes are too wide for you.
As a result, try scaling down half a size so that the width is narrower.
If that doesn’t work and there’s still room, you’ll have to attempt a different style from that brand or go with a different brand.
There’s one more thing to say about width.
When they’re tied, if the parts where shoelaces are touch each other, that means the shoes are too wide.
But, in my experience, some men simply don’t have enough meat on the profile of their feet, especially the tops of their feet, which is why it’s touching.
I don’t believe it is a problem at all. It should fit as long as the width at the ball of your feet is adequate. In addition to the length.
It’s not a problem if these two parts contact when you lace them. It makes no difference.
Heel
The heel of your dress shoes is the last and final thing I think is worth noting, even though it should be a non-issue if you’ve got the length and width of your dress shoes right.
Start walking once you have your shoes on, laced up, and ready to go. Take a few steps back and make sure your heel isn’t falling out of your shoe. If it does, it is too long and there is too much space.
Reduce your size by half a size, and the problem should be resolved.
The strange stitching and layers on the back of cheaply produced dress shoes might irritate your heel. Do not purchase the shoes.
You don’t want to have to deal with blisters and other unpleasantness.
It will not become softer with time. It’s never going to get any better.
Instead, save your time, money, and sanity by choosing a different pair, style, and brand of dress shoes.
When you’re walking, you don’t want to experience any discomfort in your heel.
That’s all there is to it.
That’s all you need to know about finding the ideal pair of dress shoes.
I know a lot of guys who are scared to wear dress shoes because they believe they are uncomfortable, which is not the truth.
You must ensure that they are comfy the first time you try them on, and if you hit these points, you will locate the perfect fitting pair.
