UPDATED MARCH 2008
Introduction
How to find your shoe size
Youth sizes
UK and European sizing
Width
Online Shoe Retailers with Small Sizes
Appearing Taller: About Shoe Lifts and Shoes with
Built-in Lifts
Introduction
Just as it is difficult at times to find men's clothing in smaller sizes, it
can be even more difficult to find small-sized men's shoes. This section lists
a number of online retail sites that feature small men's shoes and size-based
search engines, lift shoes (shoes that add height), as well as pointers for
shoe size conversion between women's and men's shoes, as well as boy's/youth,
UK, and European sizes.
How to find your shoe size
The easiest way to find your shoe size is to go into a shoe store and have a
sales clerk measure your foot. If you would rather measure your feet at home, the Payless web site features a U.S. men's foot sizing chart
(downloadable as a PDF) that can be printed out to measure your own feet. Just
be sure to calibrate using the inch measurements on the side to verify that
the printout is to proper scale.
If you already know your U.S. size in women's shoes, the conversion to men's is simple-- just subtract 2. So, if you wear a U.S. size 7 in women's shoes, then you should wear a U.S. size 5 in men's shoes. (Please note that this is an approximation, and that each style of shoe may fit differently.)
Youth sizes
If you have very small feet (men's size 5 or below), you may also wish
to try boy's or youth size shoes. In fact, this can be a distinct advantage
when buying a quality name brand shoe, as youth sizes are sometimes less expensive
than adult sizes (for example, Timberland makes a waterproof work boot that
costs $145 in adult size but only $75 in a junior size, yet they look identical,
and the quality of the junior boot is excellent). Do be sure to check the quality
of the particular youth shoes you are considering, however, as some youth shoes are not
made to the same standards as adult shoes.
UK and European sizing
Opinions on the conversion from U.S. sizes to UK and European sizes vary widely
on the web. For the most part, UK sizes seem to run a half size to one full
size smaller than U.S. sizes in men's shoes (i.e., if you wear a U.S. men's
5, you would wear a UK 4 or 4.5).
When converting from U.S. sizes to European sizes, it is best to follow the recommendations of the store that you are purchasing from, or have them measure your foot for European sizing. If you are ordering online, you may wish to simply to provide your actual foot measurements in inches or centimeters; some online sellers provide sizing charts based on physical measurements. When in doubt, contact customer service and check on the company's return policy. A number of the online sellers listed below offer free return shipping if shoes do not fit properly.
Width
Different vendors use different terms for shoe widths. Check with the store
you are buying from to see how they designate width. In general, narrow widths
are designated by the letters A, B, and sometimes C for men's shoes (Please
note: the letter C may be considered wide for a women's shoe designation, but
narrow for a men's). Very narrow widths are designated by AA or AAA. Wider shoes
are designated by the letters E through EEEEEE (sometimes noted as 2E, 3E, 6E,
etc.). Occasionally, shoes may be marked with a "W" for wide, "N"
narrow, or "S" for slim. Each manufacturer's shoe will fit a little
differently. If a shoe does not feature a special width notation, you can assume
it is a standard or "medium" or "M" width. Remember, some
companies standard widths run wider than others.
Online Shoe Retailers with Small Sizes
Zappos
zappos.com
Zappos has one of the best search engines for finding small and specialty sizes.
Their men's size search engine goes all the way down to size 3, and widths can
be searched from 3A to 6E. You can also do very specific searches on shoe type
(numerous subtypes are included within dress, casual, and athletic), and even
shoe color. Their selection is huge, plus they offer free shipping and free
return shipping. You can also search sale items by size, and there are often
great deals on smaller men's sizes.
Shoebuy.com
Shoebuy.com
Shoebuy.com also has a fantastic advanced search engine for finding small sizes.
Their men's size search goes down to size 1 (though the selection really begins at size 3), and you can also search by category,
type, color, width, and price. They offer free shipping, and have a very wide
selection.
Boot Bay
Bootbay.com
Bootbay.com features a large selection of work, western, and outdoor boots, in addition to many styles of shoes in adult and youth sizes. Their size search engine goes down to size 1, and search results can be sorted by gender, brand, category, features (i.e. waterproof, steel toe, etc.), color, width, and price range. They also offer free shipping.
Onlineshoes.com
Onlineshoes.com
Onlineshoes.com's advanced search engine goes down to size men's size 3. You can also search by brand, category, width, and price. They also have a wide selection, and offer free shipping.
Payless.com
www.payless.com
Payless shoes are affordable, and they often carry smaller men's sizes. A nice thing about visiting a Payless store in person is that they arrange their shoes by size rather than by style, which can save a lot of time.
6PM.com (formerly Shoedini)
www.6pm.com
6PM.com sells hundreds of name brand shoes in athletic, casual, and dress shoes,
as well as slippers. Their search engine goes down to size 5 on men's shoes. Searches can be sorted by price
or style, and they offer free shipping.
Hitchcock Wide Shoes for Men
www.hitchcockshoes.com
Hitchcock Shoes specializes in men's shoes in widths EEE, EEEE, EEEEE and EEEEEE
in sizes 5 through 15. Use their "shoe finder" feature to search by size and a variety of other criteria. They sell more than 200 men's wide width styles in dress
shoes, casual styles and moccasins, athletic footwear, work boots and even slippers
and sandals. Good for guys with small, wide feet!
Appearing Taller: About Shoe Lifts and Shoes with
Built-in Lifts
For guys who are on the short side, shoe lifts or lift shoes are an option to
add a couple of inches in height.
Shoe lifts are plastic, cork, or foam devices that are inserted into your regular shoes in order to give a slight increase in height. The advantages to lifts are that they are generally less expensive than shoes with built-in lifts, and you can use them in any pair of shoes that you already own (so that you can be taller in all of your shoes rather than just one pair). Lifts can be bought in incremental sets to gradually increase your height over time so that your sudden "growth" is less noticeable.
The disadvantages of lifts are that they need to be replaced every few months (due to hygienic reasons), they may be uncomfortable, and the larger-sized lifts may not fit in smaller shoes. It may be best to try a modest-sized pair of lifts first (perhaps 1 inch or 1.25 inches) to see if they are comfortable, and then think about working up to larger lifts.
Lift shoes differ from removable shoe lifts in that extra height is built into the shoe's design itself, thereby (usually) allowing for a better fit and feel than lifts. However, many still find lift shoes to be uncomfortable; as with any shoe, some styles and brands may be more comfortable and fit better than others.
Shoe Lifts
Levitator Lifts
www.talleryou.com
This company makes affordable shoe lifts in 8 sizes, ranging from 1/2 inch lifts
($9.95/pair) to 2-1/2 inch lifts ($24.95/pair). They are made of a lightweight foam
that remains firm under pressure. These lifts may be better for men with smaller-sized
feet because they are not full insoles; they simply slip into the heel area
of the shoe.
Serendipity Shoe Lifts
www.talltall.com
This site offers 1-inch polyethylene foam shoe lifts for $8.99 per pair. They
are not full insoles; they slip into the heel area of the shoe.
Lift Shoes
Richlee Shoe Company
www.elevatorshoes.com
Features lift shoes in dress, sport, work, and casual styles that make
you appear 2 to 3 inches taller, depending on the shoe model. Their web site
cannot be searched by size. It is easier to search for smaller sizes in Richlee's
printed mail-order catalog, which can be obtained for free by calling 1-800-343-3810
or emailing Richlee@elevatorshoes.com.
Walk Tall Shoes
www.walktallshoes.com
Features dress shoes and a few casual styles that make you appear 2.5 to 2.75 inches taller, depending on the shoe model. The site is not searchable by size, and the smallest size they offer is size 6.
Tall Men's Shoes
tallmenshoes.com
Features dress, casual, walking, and extra heightening styles that add 2-4 inches
in height, depending on the shoe model. The site cannot be searched by size;
the smallest size they offer appears to be size 5, but not in all models.
Increasing Shoes
www.increasingshoes.com
Features dress and casual styles that add 2-4.25 inches in height, depending on
the shoe model. They now offer a shop by size option, and the smallest size they list is 5.5. You can also shop by height increase range.
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