Wide Width Shoes
From LoveToKnow Shoes
The Search for Wide Width Shoes
If you've ever tried shopping for wide width shoes, you'll already know just what a thankless task it can be. Shoe retailers will normally only buy a selection of shoes in the most popular sizes. Despite the large number of buyers out there who need wide or narrow fittings, all too often that means that those of us with non-standard size feet lose out.
Dress shoes are particularly difficult to find in wider fittings. Although sports shoes will stretch to an extent, strappy sandals and formal shoes are far less forgiving. Women with wider than average feet often find formal events a real challenge for that reason. Why do retailers assume that women with wider feet only want to wear huge, clumsy shoes? It's just not the case, and it's only with the rising popularity of internet shopping that the balance has started to be redressed.
Where to Find Wide Width Shoes
Thanks to the internet, non-standard shoe sizes are getting easier to find. Here are just a few of the places you might want to go looking for them.
It's one of the largest online shoe retailers in the world, so it's perhaps unsurprising that Zappos is a great source of wide width shoes. Because internet-based stores like Zappos don't actually have to hold stock of each and every shoe available on the website, it's much easier for them to be flexible with size. Most are shipped to the client directly form the manufacturer. Zappos also stock narrow-width shoes and a selection of half-sizes, so all shapes and sizes of feet are catered to.
This independent retailer specializes in larger-sizes and wider widths only, which makes it a happy hunting ground for anyone tired of the limited wide width stock available in ordinary shoe stores. With a range of sandals, dress shoes, pumps and boots available, the store also offers a gift wrapping service. You can either surprise someone else with that hard-to-find shoe they've been searching for, or just treat yourself!
Proving that wide width shoes can be just as fashionable as any other size is Newport News. They have a selection of styles available in a wider width. Check out their multicolored suede Mary Janes--perfect shoes for summer!
As the name suggests, this is another retailer specializing in wide width shoes, and you'll find footwear for all occasions, for both women and men.
Still Struggling to Find the Style You'd Like?
Some more wide width shoe retailers to try include:
Many people who wear wide width shoes have become used to settling for any shoe that fits properly. Because the internet has made it so much easier to access unusual styles and sizes, though, it’s important to shop around. Don't give up. If you see a style you like that doesn't appear to come in a wider fitting, ask! The store may be able to order it in for you, or put you in touch with the manufacturer. Even if they can't, remember that the more people who request larger sizes, the more likely retailers are to recognize that we're not all the same size!
Of course, if you’ve truly started to despair of ever finding the shoes you love in your size, there is another option–-have them made to measure! In days gone by, where every town had it's own cobbler, handmade shoes used to be much more common. These days you won't find them available on every street corner, but handmade shoes are still around. They could be your key to finding shoes that fit perfectly. You should expect to pay more for shoes that have been made to measure, but if you're tired of searching for hours only to come up with nothing, you may decide it's worth the price.
James Taylor and Son make made to measure shoes in the UK, while Siam Leather Goods will also make your shoes to your specification.
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