Shoes too tight or too big - Tips & tricks for a good fit - FIV

Uncomfortable shoes – How often has it happened that you walk into a store and fall head over heels in love with this one shoe? But then the shoe is simply no longer available in the right size. Often you think about the decision at home and decide after one or two days to search for the shoe online or to get it in other shops. If the shoe is not in the right size, you buy the great and usually not so cheap shoe, but still because you think it is absolutely great and now you have set yourself in the head to have exactly this shoe. But now the problem is that you have to buy it either one size larger or one size smaller and after a few days you are annoyed because the shoe does not fit. But at this point you still don’t have to despair! We have summarized our tips and tricks here, what you can do if the shoe does fit or at least is a little more comfortable, although you didn’t buy the right size.

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Shoes too tight – Shoe trees or stretch spray?

Shoes too big – Heel pads, insoles or cotton wool?

Fitting shoes – How do I know if a shoe fits?

Shoes too tight – Shoe trees or stretch spray?

The first and probably best known way to widen your shoe is a classic shoe tree. It is simply clamped into the shoe and helps to expand the space in which your toes are located. This should always be used in combination with an expansion spray. In the best case you can put on your favourite shoes again without any problems and you will not have any pain on your thick toe anymore. If you want to use cheaper alternatives, there are simple ways of stretching your shoes, which you can find in every household. With a hairdryer and a pair of socks, you can stretch your shoes to a certain extent. First you put the socks rolled up in the front of the shoe dome and then you heat the shoe with the hairdryer, so the shoe dome expands a little and the shoe fits a little better again. You can also make your own shoe tree by putting some water in a freezer bag and let it turn to ice and then put it in the front of the shoe for a few hours. The same principle also works with newspaper. If you rub the shoe with alcohol and then put it on again immediately, the shoe will fit your foot and you will also get your shoe stretched. It works the same way with vinegar. If nothing helps, it is still the best way to go to a professional and let him help you. Maybe the shoe can be made a little wider. Here I have summarized our usual tricks and tips for you.

Stretch with a hair dryer and socks
Make your own shoe trees
rub the shoe with alcohol / vinegar

Shoes too big – Heel pads, insoles or cotton wool?

If your shoes have gotten a little too big, for example, they were no longer available in your size, but you really wanted them, there are a few tricks you can use to prepare your shoes so that they will ultimately fit you anyway. The well-known method with cotton wool is probably still the most helpful method. You just have to put some cotton wool in the front of the shoe and in the best case they will fit like a glove again. Another helpful method is hairspray. By spraying the inside of the shoes with hairspray, you usually won’t slip back and forth in the shoes and they won’t feel too big anymore. If you want something from the shop, then heel pads or insoles are also a great way to stuff the shoes. This makes the shoes a few millimetres tighter and makes them look like a smaller number. With these methods, you could easily convert shoes that were bought too big into a suitable size. Here I have summarized the tips for shoes that are too big.

Cotton wool
Hairspray
heel cushion / insole

Here you can find a tutorial, where tips and tricks are shown to make shoes that are too big smaller.

Fitting shoes – How do I know if a shoe fits?

No foot is like any other, but still everyone wants to find the perfect fitting shoe for themselves. You know your shoe size, but since different shoes are different, you have to try on the shoes you choose. The shoes have to fit perfectly and must be neither too big nor too small. Because the orthopaedic aspect of shoes is at least as important as fashion awareness. But how do I know if the shoe fits me? If you’re not sure whether the shoe you’re trying on fits perfectly, here are a few helpful tips to find out. It is important that when you try on the shoes, you also put on the socks that you would normally wear in everyday life. If you are wearing summer shoes, you should also wear thin socks. Just as you should wear thick socks when you walk. In addition, you can have your feet measured in a shoe shop first, so that you can orient yourself to your shoe size. Ideally, your toes should have 10 millimetres room. The shoe should also fit tightly around the ball of the foot and the heel, but not press extremely hard. Nevertheless the shoe should be comfortable! Another tip when buying shoes is that feet are thicker in the evening than in the morning. Therefore, one should also buy evening shoes in the evening in order to avoid that they are too tight later on. Shoes for everyday life can be best bought in the afternoon in order to have, so to speak, the average thickness of the foot. Finally, you should check whether the shoe you choose fits the shape of your foot and try on both shoes. If you walk around in your shoes for a few minutes and they feel comfortable on your feet, you’re probably wearing the right size! If you want, you can ask a sales assistant for advice, just to be on the safe side. Here I have listed all important aspects you should consider when buying shoes to find the right size for you.