Before trying on your new shoes

• Wear the type of sock you will also be using in your new shoes.
• Feet swell a little during the day, so try the shoes on at the end of the day or at different times during the day.
• Try on the shoes indoors on carpet and use a shoehorn. Shoes with signs of use will not be accepted for return.

Trying on your new shoes

To asses the fit properly, make sure you are standing up straight with your full weight on both shoes. Then, pay attention to the following:

• When trying on shoes, It is fine for the width of the shoes to feel quite tight and rigid. Of course, they should not be painful, but the shoes certainly don’t have to feel loose like slippers or an old pair of sneakers.
• A shoe that feels comfortably tight when trying on can shape itself nicely to the foot when breaking in. Shoes that are on the roomier side when trying them on for the first time will only become more roomy later on and will not hold their shape as nicely.
• The toes must never touch the front of the shoes. A shoe should have about 1 cm of space at the front, so that the foot can move forward slightly when walking. In pointed shoes, the extra space could be more than 2 cm.
• Shoes should offer enough room above the toes. You have to be able to move your toes a little.
• If the edges of the lace stays slide over each other when the laces are tightened, either the shoe is too wide or too big overall.
• The heel should stay in place nicely while walking. If this is not the case, the shoes are too big.

After trying on your new shoes

• Dress shoes take a little more time to be broken in than a pair of sneakers; they may even feel slightly uncomfortable at first. If you chose the size correctly, the shoes will shape themselves to your feet perfectly after a while.
• If the shoes turn out to be just a little too tight or roomy after wearing them for a while, your local cobbler may have a solution. The width of a shoe can usually be stretched a little more by a professional, and they can also use bunion pliers to stretch the shoes in a very specific spot, for example, in case of a lump on the foot. For shoes that are too roomy, slightly thicker insoles may offer a solution, nicely lining the inside of the shoes.
• We recommend that shoes bought for a special occasion are properly broken in beforehand. If the shoes are worn intensively and for the first time on your special day, the chances of sore feet and blisters are very high.

Shoes with Derby lacing can be identified by the two so-called quarters on the vamp (instep). Shoes with bar lacing look like they have a slit on the vamp with eyelets on either side. Derby lacing offers a wider fit range than bar lacing. The design of the quarters on a Derby shoe and the tongue’s positioning underneath ensure that the shoe can be laced tighter or looser without sacrificing model or fit. Shoes with bar lacing do not offer this flexibility. As such, if you have broader, narrower, higher or flatter feet, it is a good idea to pay attention to the width of the shoe as well as the type of lacing.

If you are making the switch from sneakers to dress shoes, please bear the following in mind:

• When trying on and breaking in dress shoes, it really does take some getting used to.
• It may feel like your walk is different in a pair of dress shoes. Because of the more rigid materials, the heel, and a different construction, your so-called gait cycle will be slightly different. This is not an issue and you’ll get used to it fairly quickly.
• Allow several days for breaking in your shoes. Slowly build up the time you wear your shoes every day.
• A well-made pair of dress shoes offers better foot support than a pair of sneakers. In the long run, dress shoes are a healthier option than sneakers.