Yes that’s right, not typical straight dope material, maybe just straight ignorant :D…
Anyway I’m Christmas shopping, I’m buying some “Wild Diva” brand boots with 3.5 in. heels on them for my best friend (female) (I am not;) )
She is a size 6.5, however the closest size they have is a size 7 ( I can’t find these boots anywhere else) I looked on the website’s sizing chart then subtracted the difference in sizing -long-story-short the difference is 3/16 of an inch.
So I go back and order them, because for some reason these sell fast and I lost out from a ebay seller last time. Then I message my friend who has been through this before with high heels, The 7 is too big for her and the 6.5 is ok… 3/16 of an inch makes so much difference?
Now I feel I’ve made a mistake ordering a larger size. Only, they are bo-ots, So I’m wondering if it might still workout if I purchased some thick hiking socks or something along those lines… Any women want to weigh-in on this? I didn’t really know where to go with this question so, hopefully everyone can understand why a guy has very little clue about sizing for boots with heels on them. heh
When you say she’s “been though this before” do you mean with these boots? I don’t ever buy shoes online because the sizing is inconsistent from one maker’s product to another’s. This week I’ve bought both boots and sneakers, and the they’re not the same size (one’s a 7, the other 7.5. I’ve had others that are all the way up to an 8). So…I wouldn’t worry that they’ll necessarily be too big.
No, it was between sizing with 2 different branded pairs of high heels…but she measured the difference this morning and it came out to roughly 4 or 5 mm difference in the sizing which is consistent with the sizing variation on the website between products that are the same brand.
I was consoling myself some about the the screw-up with the sizing by emphasizing that these are boots with heels on them; in high heels there’s no option to throw some thick socks on for the right fit Whaddya think?
Let her try them first. I’m by far the most knowledgable with boots, but my favorite pair is 8, when I’m usually a 7 or 7.5. They have bulky heels (nothing like stiletto). I love them.
I got mine as hands me down from another roomate, many years ago.
In the meantime, can you check their exchange policy? Do they have any other shoes your friend may like that are in 6.5?
Frankly speaking Karl, I didn’t come to compromise my choices, even though that has happened already because of this sizing problem. So I’ve searched around for others that have a similar style and I wish there were more like what I’ve found, but when i say these have heels, I don’t mean small ones, they are thick and I’m guessing easier to balance on, especially if some snow or ice happens.
Shoes can be so tricky with sizing that there’s no guarantee this other person’s experience will match what your friend will feel. One might have wide feet, another narrow, or something about the shaping of the foot might make one shoe feel great and another, same size but different design, feel lousy. There’s really no way to be sure until she actually tries them on.
I agree, shoe companies size a bit differently, not to mention differences in width. I have a pair of shoes that are size 8, and on the other end, a pair that are size 10. Both fit the same. She’ll just have to try them on and hope they fit.
Is there a possibility for exchange if it’s not the right size?
Yes, there’s possibility for exchange up to 60 days but the sizing available goes: 6, 7, 8… so not alot of flexibility if I stay with the same style for her. I wouldn’t be so adamant on things if I didn’t think this was what she’d want if she could buy them herself.
I think you’re better off going up to the 7 than down to the 6; a too small boot is too small no matter what you do, but insoles, padding inserts and an intelligent choice of socks can make the 7 fit quite well. My sister has bought me boots without being sure of my shoe size before, and they fit wonderfully (and they are awesome boots!)
In the worst case scenario, she exchanges them for another size once she’s had a chance to try on the ones you’ve bought for her, and while that’s a little inconvenient, it doesn’t reflect poorly on you or on the thoughtfulness of the gift itself. If you are sure she’d love them, then buy them and deal with the size issue later. I’m pretty sure, though, that were your friend in a store without half-sizes, the first one she’d try on would be the 7.
I wouldn’t buy boots for a woman neither on the Internet nor at the store. Especially without her present to try them on and choose the style. Get her a gift certificate from the store that sells boots and shoes. That way, she can decide what she wants. I always find this the best soluction.
With boots that have a high heel on them she will probably want to buy padded inserts anyways which will take up some space. Hiking socks probably won’t work because they make your feet wider as well as longer. If it’s any comfort, I almost always wear a 6.5 but the shoes I am wearing now are a 7. Also, if i loved a pair of shoes and they didn’t come in a 6.5 I would by they 7. Too big is much better than too small.
I always wear boots a half-size bigger than I wear regular heeled shoes because I wear socks with boots. Plus, heeled boots don’t slip off the heel the way a too-big pair of pumps will, especially if they have a taller shaft (not booties).
I think they’re probably going to be fine, but don’t be too upset if she says they don’t fit. She may be using it as an easy out if she doesn’t like them. Women can be very particular about their shoes.
ETA: By socks, I mean just normal socks, not hiking socks.
Don’t do it. I sell shoes on the net as a hobby and I know way too much about shoe sizing for my own good. I personally measure each shoe I sell in millimeters insole-out sole-heel height and width across ball of foot. There is SO much variability in manufacturer sizing unless the person says to you “this brand, in this style, in this size will fit me” avoid guessing. Your odds of success are poor esp. with women’s shoes and boots.
I’m about 6.5, and I usually size up to 7 when it comes to boots with heels. If it has a pointy toe, or runs really narrow, or has no “in between” sizes, I’d size up as well. That’s what happens to work best for me. It’s also true that some brands run true to size while others can run large or small, but it shouldn’t matter too much if it’s a smidge too large. I think of it as more of a fall/winter item, where you’d layer it with patterned hosiery and knee high socks anyway. I wouldn’t worry too much about the size. Maybe more about the style you picked out for her
You are in luck. It’s pretty fashionable to layer boots with textured tights/ knee highs / thigh highs these days.
Whaddya think?