Daily Mail’s Femail asks Ellie why high street shoes never fit March 21 2016
If you find your usual size doesn’t fit, you’re not alone. The Daily Mail’s Marianne Power appeared to be a different size in every shop, and asked me, Ellie, to explain why.
A standard size 7 – does it exist?
Struggling to find shoes that fit is a very common problem, because there is no standardisation of shoe sizes in the UK. Not only can you be different sizes in different shops, you can be different sizes within the same shop.
In some shops, as a size 7 you will be given a European 40; in others, you'll be given a 41. (It should be a standard EU 41 by the way.) To complicate matters further, there are two kinds of European sizing: Italian European and standard European.
Marianne visited 9 different high street shops. The quality of many of the shoes tried was appalling, and shop staff knew nothing about sizing or shoe fitting.
Badly fitted shoes can lead to bunions, fallen arches & nerve damage
Matthew Fitzpatrick, a consultant podiatrist from the College of Podiatry, noted that ‘Badly fitting shoes can contribute to fallen arches, plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the tendon that runs along the base of the foot), bunions (when the toe joint becomes inflamed and the big toe points inwards), the hardened skin of corns, nerve damage and pins and needles in the toes.’
I couldn’t agree more. Wearing poorly fitted or wrongly sized shoes can do irreversible damage in just 3 days. There should be a government health warning!
Ellie Dickins is the Immediate Past President and Fellow of the Society of Shoe Fitters. All of her staff are fully qualified shoe fitters, and can help you find the perfect fit for your feet.
