Shoe size is two measurements, not one: length and width. Most people know their length size but have never measured their width, even though width is the usual reason a shoe of the "right" size still hurts - squeezing at the ball of the foot, pinching the little toe, or letting the heel slip. Five minutes with a sheet of paper tells you both numbers, and it makes the width letters on shoe labels (B, D, 2E and the rest) finally mean something.
Measure in the late afternoon or evening, when feet are at their largest, wearing the type of sock you plan to wear in the shoes. Measure both feet and use the larger foot's numbers - most people have one foot measurably wider than the other. The Apparel Search education guide to shoe measurements shows the detailed per-size width charts the industry uses; this page covers the home method and what to do with the result.
The Tracing Method
Place a sheet of paper on a hard floor against a wall. Stand on it with your full weight on the foot - seated measurements understate width, because the foot spreads under load. Trace around the foot with a pen held vertically, then step off and draw two straight lines: one across the widest part of the tracing, which is the ball of the foot from the big-toe joint to the little-toe joint, and one from heel to longest toe for length. Measure both lines in inches or centimetres and repeat for the other foot.
Your width number is the ball measurement. On its own it does not convert to a width letter directly - width letters are graded relative to length, so the same ball width is a medium in a larger size and a wide in a smaller one. That is why the practical route is the combination: know your length size from the shoe size chart, then judge width by the fit signs below and by whether standard-width shoes in your size consistently squeeze the ball of your foot.
US Width Letters Explained
Width letters run from narrow to extra wide, and the letter that means "medium" differs between men's and women's shoes - the most common source of confusion.
| Width | Women's letter | Men's letter |
|---|---|---|
| Narrow | AA (2A) | B |
| Medium (standard) | B | D |
| Wide | D | 2E |
| Extra wide | 2E (EE) | 4E |
So a women's medium shoe is a B width, while a men's medium is a D - and a men's D is roughly a women's wide. Each width step changes the ball girth by roughly a quarter inch at the same length size, which is a small number with a large effect on comfort. Not every style is made in multiple widths; athletic shoes and classic dress shoe brands offer the widest choice, while fashion footwear is often medium-only. When only one width exists, fit signs become your guide.
Signs the Width Is Wrong
- Too narrow: pressure or bulging over the little-toe side of the shoe, numbness or tingling across the ball after standing, redness along the sides of the forefoot, and the upper material straining or wrinkling sharply across the widest point.
- Too wide: the foot sliding forward so the toes jam the front, heel slipping with every step despite snug lacing, and creasing across the vamp because the upper has more volume than the foot fills.
- Right width: the ball of the foot sits at the widest part of the shoe, the upper lies smooth without straining, and the heel stays seated when you walk - with about a thumb's width of space ahead of the longest toe.
A common mistake is buying a longer size to escape a narrow fit. That puts the shoe's flex point in the wrong place, leaves excess length ahead of the toes, and usually still squeezes at the ball. If the length is right and the ball is squeezed, the correct fix is a wider width in the same length - the same logic as the shoe size conversion chart, which converts length only and assumes the width is chosen separately.
Common Questions
- Does foot width change as shoe size changes?
- Yes. Width letters are relative to length: each width letter stands for a slightly larger ball girth in a larger size than in a smaller one. That is why width must always be read together with the length size, never as a fixed measurement.
- Should I size up in length if shoes feel narrow?
- No. Going up a length to get width leaves too much space ahead of the toes and moves the shoe's flex point off the ball of your foot. Keep your length size and choose the wider width letter instead.
- Why do my two feet measure differently?
- Most people have one foot slightly longer or wider than the other, and feet also spread gradually with age and weight change. Always fit shoes to the larger foot, and re-measure every few years rather than trusting an old size.
- Do orthotics or thick socks change the width I need?
- They change the volume your foot takes up inside the shoe, which feels like a width change. If you always wear orthotics or heavy socks in a given shoe, measure and try that shoe with them in place, and consider the wider width if the ball feels compressed.
Measure & Convert: The Full Series
This page is part of the Apparel Search measuring and size conversion series. Browse the full series below, or start from the size guides hub.