In part two of our series ''Finding the Perfect Fit - Abbot's Tips for Choosing the Right Size' we’re looking at shoe widths, what they mean and how they will affect the fit of your shoes.
Now that you've read the first part of our series, you've decided on which size is right for you - but what are those letters at the end of the size, and what do they mean? You may not have encountered shoe widths when buying regular shoes or trainers, but in formal wear where shoes tend to fit more tightly, it’s important to get the right width to prevent constriction or a loose fitting shoe.
If you don't normally buy wide fitting shoes and don't struggle buying shoes off the shelf, we suggest choosing the normal, standard width fitting of the brand you are considering. If you have wider or flatter feet and find you often need to size up to get a good fit, you may consider selecting a wider width fitting, such as a G width.
Widths & different brands
Some brands use different formats for providing width fittings, like different numbers or lettering systems and may have varying measurements. It is also important to note different countries use different measurements for width. For example, a US D width would be a standard width, but a UK D width would be considered narrow.But don’t worry if you see something you don’t recognise - at Abbot’s we translate all of these for you into plain text, so you’ll always know the correct width is on the listing! Below we've set out how some of our bestselling brand's represent their different width fittings:
Church's, Loake and Joseph Cheaney:
E = narrow fitting
F = standard fitting
G = wide fitting
H = extra wide fitting
Edward Green, Crockett & Jones and Gaziano & Girling:
D = narrow fitting
E = standard fitting
F = wide fitting
G = extra wide fitting
If you need advice on width or are unsure of your size, don't hesitate to contact us - we're always happy to help.
