Shoes That Fit

It's never easy to decide whether a shoe fits well until you've spent some time walking around in it. As Will Rogers once put it, never judge a man till you've walked a mile in his shoes--and the same is true about judging a shoe. Unfortunately, it usually isn't to try out shoes as extensively as necessary to really get the feel for the shoe without rendering the shoe used--and therefore, non-returnable--in the process.

There are a few helpful hints to determining whether a shoe fits properly, however, without the wear-inflicting activity. First of all, wear the shoes around the house while you'll be spending a large amount of time on your feet. For example, if you bought a new pair of heels for an event that will involve dancing and standing around (a wedding, perhaps, or a cocktail party), try cooking a meal while wearing the shoes.  The time you spend on your feet, cutting, cooking, and cleaning will help give you an idea of what it would be like to wear the shoes to the function in question.*

Second, spend as much time as possible wearing the shoe in question while in the house. If you have stairs in your home, go up and down the stairs to stimulate repeated strenuous walking activity.  The more time you spend in the shoe itself, the more it will contour to your foot--and the more you will be able to tell whether the shoe actually, in reality, fits.

Third, spend time standing and walking along different surfaces in your home. If possible, meander around floors of different materials--spend time on the wooden living room floor, and the tiled kitchen, and the carpeted bedroom to get a real feel for how the shoe feels when walking on different surfaces.  These experiences can tell you a lot about the shoe itself and your foot within it.