Ever bought a pair of shoes that felt fine in the store but turned out to be a bust once you brought them home? That is because most people don’t really know how to properly shop for a shoe that fits their particular foot. Shoes should have a bit of give and take, provide support, and a contain certain level of cushioning. In practical terms, the sneaker is the closest thing to a perfect shoe yet invented, but even they have their problems. In the first place, you no longer just buy a sneaker, you have to choose between a tennis shoe, a basketball shoe, a running shoe, a walking shoe, etc. Even so, most sneakers will do you better than dress shoes. Unfortunately, sneakers are still looked down upon in most professional situations.
The first thing that most people do wrong is trying out a new shoe with their foot. You read that right. It is actually a mistake to judge how a new shoe will fit by how it feels on your foot. So how do should you look for a shoe that fits? With your hand, of course. The ideal shoe will provide a space between the end of the shoe and the tip of yours toes that is roughly the distance of the width of the tip of your index finger. For that reason, most people should begin looking for their next shoe by going up half a size over what you walked in with. Try them on for the index finger trick and if they are too big, go down a half size until you get what you’re looking for. When you stand up, the shoe should remain taut and keep its shape.
Those with flat feet have finding the perfect shoe much tougher going. The fact is that the shoe industry simply doesn’t make shoes designed to fit those with low arches. This is a bit surprising since many great athletes achieve their sense of balance through having flat feet. Ideally, a flat-footed person should wear a shoe with a low heel that provides the balance you feel in your bare feet. Any shoe that makes you feel as if it is tossing you off-balance in a forward motion should be avoided. Moreover, people with flat feet should try Mindinsole that can help them in getting a perfect shoe sole for their feet. With this they will enjoy the fitting of their new shoes as they will perfectly blend in with their feet structure.
High heels are medically considered a no-no, of course, but women will continue to wear them for at least as long as guys like long legs. And let’s face it, guys are going to like long legs forever, so women should probably just get used to wearing high heels. Some heels today are ridiculously high, four-inches and up in extreme cases. Then there is the choice between the stiletto and those clunky Spice Girls heels. Even though extensive wearing of these devices of torture can cause chronic back pain down the road that in some cases have been a contributing factor to surgery, if you absolutely must wear high heels, then go no higher than two inches. One and a half inches is even better. This advice goes for drag queens and any other men as well. In fact, a one and a half inch heel on a men’s shoe would actually provide more stability and comfort than the ¾ inch heel that is the norm.
Finally, the ideal time to actually go shoe-shopping is at the end of the afternoon. By then those feet have been put through a workout that gets them into the most appropriate condition for trying on a new shoe.
