The Evolution of the Shoe Sizes Scales

There are numerous types of shoes and their different sizes, you can really name all the types of shoes present in the world as you won't know. Similarly, you are oblivion to the research and work that has been put in to create the generalized she sizes for the oxfords you're wearing right now.

No product in its present form was made as it is the first time it was perceived. There have been years of evolution taking place, which then translates to what we see today. In the same way, the shoe size we see today have been through rigorous research.

The concept and history of shoe sizes

The concept of fitting the shoes is a subjective one; however, size is not the only factor. According to the Battelle Memorial Institute, there are almost 38 individual factors that are involved in the size of the shoes fit.

The shoe fit and size are determined by the distribution of the foot mass within the shoe. The material of the shoes also affects the size. An injection-molded shoe is more resistant to widening and not preferable as plus size heels for wide feet.

There are different manufacturers who also follow different specifications and dimensions when manufacturing their brand's shoe lines. Also, the toe and sides of the feet determine the width size; a narrower toe may need a whole size longer to fit well.

The length and the ball of the feet are most commonly used for fitting a shoe. The manufacturing of the last, and the upper of the shoes, need more specification to give a better fit to the owner. The attributes include widths, heel to ball length, waist, and instep girth of the shoe.

Modern Show system

There were some very crude methods used in the earlier centuries, from the 13th to the 17th century. From those limited methods, the modern system was evolved. There were different systems in different countries like the USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada that developed entire numbering methods.

Let's explore some of the major shoe size scales that are used the most.

The UK shoe Size system

The Adult sizes range from 1 to 15, and the children's sizes are divided into 13 different sizes. They start from being 5 inches long and every fourth part of an inch until size 12. the size 13 or short 13 consists of 8 inches and a quarter, which is the adult size 1.

It was not until the time of Queen Vitoria that children's sizes and shoe scales were developed. The children's shoes were made as a miniature version of the adult shoes. The motifs and different designs on the children's shoes are derived from the middle class of Victorian times, where children used to match their fancy dresses.

Also, there were no such designs for the plus size heels for wide feet. There were many people who could not afford the extravagant shoes and used to walk barefoot.

The American Shoe system

The man Edwin B Simpson of New York prepared the first chart of standardized measurement in late 1880. This was the first shoe structure in the country, which came from North America.

It was after seven years later that the Retail Boot and Show Dealers National Association Adopted the system and helped become the standard of the masses. The instigation of shoe sizes and manufacturing on a large scale came during the civil war.

It was then the soldiers were given shoes and a name tag for the different types of feet. May of the armies fighting the war fought were barefoot while these men had the privilege of having a right and left shoes.

It took another half-century when these shoes were available for the public as well. The current shoes are based on the manufacturers' other imperial measurements, which determined how large the size will be.

There is the standardization of women's shoes in the US, where full size is one-third of an inch longer than the previous size. These women's sizes are marked one and a half inches different than men's. There was still no research done for the width of the women's shoes where heels for women with wide feet were generally not available.

Widths with emphasis on Wide Width Heels for plus Size

This was all about how shoe sizes were eventually evolved into what we so easily demand today. However, the story of shoe' widths' is not as extensive as the lengths. Mostly the standard sizes have similar widths.

The people who need wider shoes than the standard are less in number. Therefore, these shoes are produced in a less quantity. It happens when you love some shoes, and it's the right size for you as well, but once you try it on, you just can't get your feet into it. In disparity, you leave the shop.

Broad feet might be a problem for the women as heels for women with wide feet. Broad feet require a broader last and upper to contain the feet comfortably.

Different width available in the market

The majority of manufactures do not have differences in terms of widths. The past 20 years have been encouraging for the people who have wide feet, and some of the manufacturers have started embracing mil width sizing.

New Balance, Munro, and Clarks all now have a selection of widths for plus-sized heels for wide feet. There are now multiple shoe sizes for wide feet, such as normal, medium, wide, and extra-wide. There are also letter sizes, for example, M, D, E, etc.      

Why do wide feet need different shoes?

The length of the people having wide feet is the same as normal feet; however, the forefoot and the toes are wider. Wide width shoes also need to have a greater depth base. The people are usually taller and heavier; therefore, they need an extra cushion to exert the pressure.

Explanation of the Short widths as letters

'A' Widths sizes

The A in these sizes is meant for having extra narrow shoes. The more 'A's in size, the narrower the shoe. For example, the shoe 4A will be narrower than the shoe size 2A. The women's shoe sizes are also referred to as slim and super slim, which is the same as the narrow or an extra narrow.

'B' Width Sizes

A “B” size is one of the most common sizes for women and is considered as normal, medium, or standard width for men. It is considered as standard widths.

'E' Widths

E has the same ideology as A. It is more commonly used for plus size heels for wide feet women. The higher the number with the letter, the more will be the width of the shoe. 4E is considered as an extra-wide shoe. For some diabetic patients, a 10E shoe size is usually present.

Heels for Women with Wide Feet and their sizes

We all know how important heels are for all women. Most of the occasions, be it formal or informal, are accompanied by a set of heels. However, the plus-sized women who need broader heels need to look for these aforementioned sizes.

There are some women who never realize that they need extra width shoes. They usually try to cram in the standard sizes, and when it is not comfortable, they move to the next larger size. These women should know that they have a large width size and need to shop from the manufacturer who provides such heels.

Women should never suffice larger sized heels to accommodate their width as clumsily fit heels can lead to tripping.

One way to measure the size of your feet is the Bran Cook Device, which is mostly used to measure the shoe size but also has a slider to measure e the width of the feet.

There can be a slight change in the width

There are reported cases where people have had changes in their shoe widths, to be particular. The size of your plus size heels for wide feet might change with an increase in weight. Sometimes, the feet' ligaments stretch to adapt to the added weight of the body.

These ligaments are responsible for the slight change in weight plus size women experience. It can be similarly reversed with time; however, it has not been seen in most cases.

A Note for the Wide Fetter

If you were born in the earlier centuries, you certainly would have had a difficult time looking after your feet. On the other hand, today, you now have options in terms of different brands that have produced different widths of shoes for you specifically.

Therefore, if you're still wearing your old tight shoes, just don't. Try out the new shoe sizes, and you will feel as if your world just got better.