Complete Guide to Professional Shoe Fitting/Sizing 

Finally, someone is talking about arch length. You would not believe how often I have to tell the person fitting me that my arch length is 9.5. I am constantly told that my shoe size is 9D. I have found that my best size for better comfort is 9.5C in the 65 last. In the 201, 9.5B feels great.

Super knowledgeable guest, super informative video. Thanks Bob!

Bob , great video, I learned a lot! I actually have a Brannock device I purchased from Amazon about a year ago and I am thrilled that I now know how to properly use it! This video is a great tutorial for any shoe aficionado or even parents taking their kids to the mall for shoes. What is amazing to me is the fact that it seems that most people actually have two different size feet and for 99.98% of shoe buyers that purchase off the rack, it really is a compromise to get the best fit. It’s really too bad that full bespoke shoes and even made to measure are so far out of most people’s budgets (mine included) , when you consider we spend about 50% of our day or more wearing shoes. Amazing & informative!! Thanks so much!!

I too thought I knew a bit about measuring my feet. Having said that after watching this video for five minutes, I realized how little I know. Very informative and interesting video Bob….I got a kick out of the bloopers at the end of the video.

So much for keeping your AE’s for 20 years. I have 15 pairs of AE’s all 11b. I think I would be a c today but not giving my shoes up😎

Woah! This is an amazing video. I learned so much.

Thank you so much for the detailed video! Bob and Brian, I love the texts inputs during the video edit and time stamps, so much easier to enjoy! enjoyed the bloopers too. I have a Chinese background and a lot of my Chinese friends tend to have wide feet from E to EEE.

This video is informative. Socks, especially secret socks are also tricky to wear for me

Wow! What a wonderful information packed hour!

Outstanding video, Bob. I'm going to have to watch it a few more times, lol. That vest and tie color looks great on you, BTW.

Another brilliant video. Kudos.

Great video thanks

Amazing content, learned so much.

I’ve got a ton of “And 1” socks too….they’re great

What a great conversation on fitting shoes. Brian was very knowledgeable. I know what size I like in Allen Edmonds on the 65 last already but this makes me want to get my feet sized in the Woodmere store.

Really cool video.

Great informative video! 📚 I have flat/low-volume feet, and I struggle to find shoes that fit properly, especially when it comes closure at the topline around the ankle, it bows outward. Since Brian has the same feet, does he experience this? I'm a 7D and have a couple AE, but the issue remains. I haven't been re-measured in a while and perhaps AE's lasts just don't work for me. 🤷‍♀️

One way I judge a shoe store is 1 if they have brannock devices at all in the store. And 2 if they have all the pieces on it. Tons of shoe stores will take off the ball of foot and width because they do not care, want to care or know how to fit people.

Oh dear. I just redid my whole shoe collection in the last couple months. (I caught the vintage bug) Now I learn I might have my shoe size wrong…..😂😂😂

Just figured out that I always measured half a size too low. Thanks

This makes me want to get my foot sized. I bought a pair of F2 Cornwallis in 9.5 E, and they are some of my best fitting shoes I own. I later bought a pair of their strand sneakers in the same size, and I also love them, but I hear the regular 65 last for their non-sneakers is very narrow. I wonder if I'm a 9.5 EE or 9EEE for the regular park avenues if those are longer and narrower. It's so tricky when trying to order online.

I've been so busy I missed this video. I thought I would only agree with 60 to 70% of what was shared but I would say it was 91.8% I agree with. I was surprised to hear him admit AE does not have arch support and that super feet would add that support. On forums and Google God's they will claim AE has arch support. The 2 mil of cork will not form an arch support. It can't, when you put pressure down it gives and is to little. Measure sitting and then standing. Resting measurement vs pressure measurement. It is ridiculously common to see a quarter up to full size difference between the 2. Your length measurement is not where your toe ends. It is a half size longer than the end of the foot. Mixed with the arch length and volume of the foot a size is then determined. Also accounting for inserts socks and fit preference. Note on this that is interesting and it was moved over on. When someone vacations then goes back to dress shoes and finds they are to tight. That means they were in the wrong size shoe. At foot at rest is a happy foot. If youre cramped in a subway with no space and no room, you're going to be tight and uncomfortable. But when everyone leaves you have space and you immediately relax and fill up that new found space. Feet do the same every day and from shoe to shoe. You can make a shoe smaller you cannot make it bigger. I am 100% against stretching shoes, it is a cheap shortcut to bypass proper fit of footwear. Synthetic liners are in all shoes, you cannot stretch synthetic material. So if I fit a customer for dress shoes and weekend casual shoes and their workout shoes it will be 3 different sizes but the same fit. If I have 0 give at different stress points of the shoe then I did something wrong. The heel in Wisconsin would be the closest to Ohio where in my opinion would be a world class fitting experience. Chiapetta would be another one. Volume of foot wasn't talked about enough in my opinion as I think with AE this is why some guys fall in love. It was mentioned a 11.5 3e can fit similar to a 13 d. And that is true because of volume. The amount of space available in the shoe is almost the same. AE within the next 3 years if their retail stores will continue to do well will have to get 3d scanners in the stores and do modern fitting mixed with classic fitting. The independent stores I manage is in Utah if you're in Provo please come in and I'll show you a lot of different things. We have been independently owned since 1940 and just moved to a bigger location. All because we need more space to grow and help customers with their feet. Classic and fit with a modern edge. Numbers don't mean a thing. I loved when he reiterated that multiple times. Focus on fit and you will be good. Now in my sizing, having sized a lot of people (calculations easily a few thousand the last 10 years). Every foot in this video had bunions forming and I would not be surprised to see calluses in a couple places either. If there is pressure there is an issue. Sized a couple hundred diabetic feet, pressure sucks. If I can decrease pressure and relax all the nerves and muscles in the foot the entire body will relax. Goes back to vacation tim vs work tim. One is relaxed on his feet and sandals then work Tim noticed his feet are sore at lunch. Improper fit. Today I sized 4.5 people. 2 I asked if they had foot aches or issues. They said no. I asked how their feet felt at the end of the day and they said oh well they are just tired. I followed with my questions and low and behold they want to get off their feet and rest every day at the same time. Improper fit is a major issue and I teach my staff don't show numbers show fit. We don't talk numbers in our fittings. We know what we are looking for and go through the process once we find it we list off the 2 or 3 sizes we brought that fit the customer. Over 90% of the time it is a size they would have never chosen for themselves. And we can only do this if the customer is open to it. Every doctor patient I fit I explain what will happen. Their feet will magically grow. I explain the subway analogy and then fit them. Months later they come for another type of shoe and what do ya know I am adding a width or half size. Women have a very hard time with this. At least twice a week I get rebuttals from women stating they have always been a size 7 and nothing else when I fit them in a shoe that fits better looks better and won't give them bunions. But they cannot get past the number on the box. I cannot force anyone to wear what we believe as a store is the proper size. Even listing the why's behind it all. The customer still has to wear it. If they don't want to or cannot wear it then it's no good. Safety work boots is an entire other beast but many things still apply. You don't have to be in pain, or have sore achy or even tired feet. I just a 10 hour day running around and have 0 foot ache or fatigue. If your feet are overworking then the rest of the body follows. I enjoyed this video. I waited till the very end to make this very long comment. And I agree with a lot of what he said. And if anyone takes his advice they will 100% be better off. I don't agree with AE and their 20 widths and variations. Having sized so many feet that is very meticulous and would almost be searching for a unicorn fit if you literally choose between e and ee width. They can cut half their widths and still service 96% of the customers feet. But anywho that is more of an industry thing. I really hope that all AE stores have this level of detail and brand knowledge as well. That will keep more banks open. One thought I forgot to mention was supination and pronation. He is correct but I also think is a bit off in some regards. Resting pronation can be seen and is partly by pressure and where you put it. Active pronation is what running manufacturers will claim how their shoes help and aid people who pronate a specific way. The main thing is alignment and comfort. How you walk is how you walk. If it is natural and pain free cool. If not then we need to know why. A ridiculously huge amount of people will "supinate" when looking at their standing position. But when they walk they will hit their back outside heel into the mid side of the heel and cross over to end on the big toe. From my research and my fittings, I boil this down to not have arch support in footwear. Bodies are amazing. And feet are even more amazing. Going back to the subway. If the seat next to you has space you're going to move over to have more room and be comfy. Now we would maybe even do that if the seat was a bit worn down or bumpy and not as clean. We adapted and changed to try to be more comfortable. Feet do this constantly. 3 minute test. Stand up straight and try to stand with both feet flat on the floor and hands to your side for 3 whole minutes. Almost every person I do this is either sweating by the end or adjusts themselves halfway through. The feet are uncomfortable and need to reposition to try and be comfortable. So many patients I help spend hundreds on inserts but are not taught how to use them. You have to embrace the arch. Especially hand made ones custom molded. It is something so foreign to the body it has to adjust but it should quickly adjust. I mean within like 10 minutes. The foot relaxes walking is easier and that 3 minute test is almost always passed first time. So when someone walks on the outside of their feet and they wear AE, or Johnston and Murphy, or Florsheim, or Brooks, Hoka, ecco, keen, Merrell and so many other brands. Apart from pins and plates, it is their foot avoiding the arch because when they walk on the arch of the foot it hurts. Our body doesn't like pain so it adapted by not being in pain but caused it another way in foot fatigue and such. It was the lesser of 2 evils. I wear my aetrex in my AE Dalton's and my Johnston and Murphy dress shoes. Wearing 16 3e AE doesn't make my size in a last that fits me with an insert and even without an insert. I can wear shoes without my insert but not as long and usually I have to stretch the next day to relax it again from overworking. I wanted to mention this part because the one guy, you did the thrifting haul with him, it's okay to be on your outside toes if you have 0 pain. But if he gets a correct size and adds the insert his foot would relax and it would be even more apparent. Solid video Rob, really love what you do in sharing.

Going to be a good one for anyone who hasn’t gotten their measurements taken before!

I've noticed, today's modern style lasts..."top line fit", hit my ankle, and it is quite uncomfortable. A simple fix is usually to just place an insole of a bit of thickness into the heel area. It doesn't always work that well...but most times it does. I don't recall in my youth, (I'm 55 now)...ever having had that problem. I assume it is the modern lasts used today. Anyway...another great video. Thanks to you both.

Where does 4E, 5E & 6E come in? Almost all nice Goodyear welted shoes stop at 3E. Buy a longer shoe in 3E? (I plan to visit my Allen Edmonds store to find out.)

This is fascinating and so educational. Still, the ability to find a shoe that meets all the criteria will amount to compromising somewhere. That said, I know I'll blow away some sales rep.

I've got 2 pairs of Fifth Avenues in size 13 2A which fit really well. However, i recently bought a pair of Strand and Strandmok in the same size and there is no "V" in the lacing at all. The piping touches when tied snug. Would going down a half size or going to a 3A be a better? I can't seem to get guidance from AE and they never have narrow enough sizes in store to try.

I have seen on several sites that say with Allen Edmonds you should buy at least a half size if not a full size smaller then what you normally wear, becuase they run larger/longer than most other shoes. Do you find this to be a fair statement? There isn't a store near me and I am wanting to purchase a pair but just not sure what size I should purchase.

Hey, Bob, that's an awesome guide! Let me share with you my story short: I live in Bulgaria (a country in Eastern Europe, same size as Tennesee by area) and I looked anywhere around the country for a Brannock device but I couldn't find one. We don't have any dress shoes with GYW or BS construction. I suppose I also have wide feet (Roman foot type, widest at level of the base of the smallest toe). This is how I measured my foot: in the evening, wearing socks, I stepped on a piece of paper, I used a pen and drew around my foot. Length is 10.9 inches and width is 4.3 inches. AE customer service told me that's not a reliable way of measuring. I really want to nail the fit and order a nice pair of AE. What should I do? Order a Brannock device from the US? Any advice is appreciated.

Popcorn ready!

just one question, I don't have a braddock device and dont know where to get my foot sized. What is the closest thing to do in measuring without the device? thank you

I tried on 10.5 and 11 Ds and went with the 11s. They’re maybe a tad long and my heel slips a bit (they are new though). Would a tongue pad help and if so what kind would you recommend? I measure an 11 C/D on both feet.

Great video, but the math regarding 1/2 size is a bit off. Should be 1/6 at 4.2 mm approx. :-)

i find the brannock devise to not be very accurate overall and when people line up in the devise and measure lets say 12 i would recommend a half size bigger and as for the width its up to the consumer as every brand is different and every brand has several shoe lasts within a typical size including width.

If you bought the shoes used the wear areas and creases could have been from the previous wearer.

1/63" is not 17 mm. 17mmx63= 1051 mm - more than a yard.

Great video thanks

Bob , great video, I learned a lot! I actually have a Brannock device I purchased from Amazon about a year ago and I am thrilled that I now know how to properly use it! This video is a great tutorial for any shoe aficionado or even parents taking their kids to the mall for shoes. What is amazing to me is the fact that it seems that most people actually have two different size feet and for 99.98% of shoe buyers that purchase off the rack, it really is a compromise to get the best fit. It’s really too bad that full bespoke shoes and even made to measure are so far out of most people’s budgets (mine included), when you consider we spend about 50% of our day or more wearing shoes. Amazing & informative!! Thanks so much!!