Did you know that the average shoe size has increased over the last few decades? For instance, women’s average shoe size has increased from size 3.5 or 4 at the beginning of the 20th century to size 8.5 to 9 nowadays. And men’s average shoe size increased from 8.5 to 9 to 12.5 to 13.
Not only that but depending on the time of day or what kind of food you ate, your feet could be bloated or swollen more than the average, leading you to purchase shoes that are too big for you. How do you choose the best shoe size for you when sneaker shopping online then, considering that most people nowadays are buying shoes online rather than going to a retail store?
Keep reading for some tips you can use when you buy sneakers online.
Do You Know Your Accurate Shoe Size? – Shoe Size Changes over Age
You probably noticed this yourself, but your shoe size isn’t the same as it was when you were 20 or 30 years old. It changes quite a bit as you get older, due to a wide variety of factors. That’s why you need to keep checking your true shoe size as the years pass by (remember both of your feet could be differently sized as well).
One way to do so is using the following steps:
- Put your foot on a piece of paper
- Put a dot where your big toe ends and your heel ends
- Measure the distance between the two dots
- That’s the length of your foot in centimeters
- Do the same with your other foot
- Use a footwear size chart to determine your shoe size according to the nation you live in
- If one of your feet is bigger than the other, use the bigger foot size to buy shoes so your bigger foot doesn’t feel uncomfortable in tight shoes
Remember that there is no universal shoe size standard, so you will need to ensure you follow the standards that your country follows, or if you move, follow the shoe size standards of the country you move to. You will notice the shoe sizes used by Europe or America are quite different.
When you have your accurate shoe size, you will be able to order and buy sneakers online without that much of an issue. Thankfully, a lot of vendors online will accept returns on shoes if they don’t fit you well, so take advantage of this option if it’s available. Just make sure you don’t wear the ill-fitting sneakers outside before returning them.
Pay Attention to the Shape of the Shoe
The shape of the shoe will greatly affect what shoe size you would purchase. For example, if you are looking at sneakers that are on the narrower or pointy end, then you will want to purchase shoes that are a bit bigger, to accommodate that pointy toe end.
Also, if you have wider feet, you will need to be cognizant of that, and purchase shoes that don’t stuff your feet into a narrower version. It’s extremely important to purchase and wear shoes and sneakers that fit you well, because ill-fitting shoes can cause a wide variety of shoe ailments, and can cause you much pain in your old age. It’s not worth it!
Think About Half-Sizes When Buying Sneakers
If you have feet that go to half-sizes, then you need to be mindful of that as well when you go to an online sneaker store like KicksCrew. Many brands understand the needs of the half-sized shoe crew and will have shoes made especially for that.
Do not try to fit your shoe into a shoe that’s smaller than your half-size. It’s always better to go one size up rather than one size down. Many people, particularly women, might feel embarrassed if they have big feet and tend to purchase smaller shoes than their feet need. Avoid doing that to your poor feet.
Pay Attention to Seasonality
You might have noticed this already, but your feet are different sizes depending on the season. For example, in the summertime, feet are often swollen and are larger. That’s why if you are going to go shoe shopping in the summertime, know that you might end up with shoes that are too big for you when wintertime rolls around.
Also, if you are purchasing shoes with fur inside, then make sure to choose a larger size, since squeezed feet tend to get cold much faster.
Don’t purchase shoes after you have had a salt-heavy, or MSG-heavy meal, like if you went out for Chinese food or if you had a big bucket of fried chicken with gravy. Your feet might be swollen with all the salt traversing about in your belly and bloodstream.
Finally, avoid going sneaker shopping after you have spent some time at the pool or the ocean. The salty water of the ocean or chlorinated water of the pool could result in your body releasing some water, which could change your shoe size.
Thus, you need to be careful about the circumstances under which you purchase shoes, and ensure you measure your feet accurately before you go to an online sneaker store. Doing this every single time might seem like a pain, but it’s well worth it if you end up with sneakers that fit well.
Sneaker Shopping Is Fun Only if You Have the Right Shoe Size
As shopping at an online sneaker store becomes more common, you will need to ensure you have your right shoe size before ever clicking on that ‘Buy’ button. It’s a hassle to deal with returns and many online vendors don’t even cater to returns.
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