some objectivity please - YouLookFab Forum

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some objectivity please

Indigoprint

Veteran

Given so much of our shopping is online, what do you fabbers take into account regarding sizing? More specifically, I received these booties that I have had my eye on since the Fall and I love the way they look and they will fill a hole for me similar to what Lana recently discussed regarding Spring/Summer footwear.
My conundrum is if I was in the store I would have asked to try on the 9.5 and the 10 after wandering the store and going back and forth I might have settled on the 9.5 but I ordered the 10. It is roomy even with a thicker sock. I probably will keep them but wondered what words of wisdom regarding sizing you could offer to help me be objective beyond "I do not really want to hassle with returns...."(from Nordies so free returns but would have to order from a different store to get the 9.5 which is also at a higher price than I paid)
Thank you in advance...

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Shopping

21 replies

Latest reply was from Style Fan

Jules

Veteran

If they are a little big you could try an insole.
In general, with footwear I try to listen to my gut - because if the fit doesn’t seem 100% it’ll probably get worse with actual wear. I have reordered in different sizes a couple of times recently and it was the right call both times. I definitely have to be firm with myself about it, because of the hassle of returns and the sense of being a burden on the smaller businesses I’m trying to support. But nobody wins if you end up with the wrong shoes.

rachylou

Veteran

I try twice and then give up… I will say one thing for Amazon, they have a try-before-buying thing now…

Lana

(website)

Veteran

I would pay a little more to have the right fit if the insole doesn’t work. It’s not worth being uncomfortable imo. Sometimes stores will price match so worth asking if you go in.

Liz

Veteran

I'm ruthless about returning if something isn't right. I look at anything i buy online not as an actual purchase, but something I am trying on in order to decide if I want to purchase it. For that reason, I limit my orders to places where returns are relatively easy.

For your shoes, I'd go ahead and order the 9.5. After they come and you've tried both pair on and compared them, return the pair that you don't want.

unfrumped

Veteran

Mostly empathizing here.

From Nordstrom’s I have ordered 2 sizes more than once. Partly because I also do eenie- meenie— do I add thickness or target thinnest sock/ nude knee- high— may depend on what role as well as just the fit. It’s better to have both right at once- rather than hold a pair for 2 weeks. Of course often it turns out shoe would be too uncomfortable any size, or the color is not as pictured, so I hate that. Also it’s common for something to sell out in other sizes. I do this with some clothing items too. I learned not to pay attention to the size number. I could be XS to L. If it were not such a burden I would do that all the time.
Listening to gut is great advice. My shoes seldom “ get better”. Nor solve any actual serious shoe deficiency with sizing. But looking for that “ aaahhh “ feeling when shoe shape and size are right.

AndiB

Veteran

I’ve learned the hard way for shoes that if the fit isn’t perfect…return! I’ve settled too many times only to not wear the item and it languishes wastefully in my closet gathering dust until I pass it along. I just did same as you did with a beautiful pair of oxblood / burgundy Geox lug sole booties. Didn’t have my size, ordered down a size … of course way too small, went over by a size and they were oddly perfect. Kept but would have returned if they hadn’t fit. I just bought two sizes of BR denim trousers. Hope one works, will rerun both if not. Yes it’s a trip to PO but like someone said above: I order to try on, buy if I keep.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Insoles often get less comfortable (not more) over time - the leather might soften as they 'break in' but, generally speaking, it's the *insoles* that will end up losing their 'bounce' over time. And they do the 'heavy lifting' on the support front...

So whether I return an item will depend on these factors of longevity & alterability (?) - sure, you can add heel grips/ toe caps/ arch supports to customise the fit of a shoe, but I often find these don't last for me (either they slide around or harden over time - a full insole works only if the shoe is deep enough to accommodate orthotics without my foot popping out). A cobbler may be able to stretch the shaft of a pair of boots a little or resole them, but they cannot change the fundamental shape of the shoe.

In other words, I tend to be strict with my shoe criteria - but that's likely because I only have (the space for) 13 pairs! Modern technology has made leaps & strides (pun intended :P) in comfort *straight* out of the box, so it *is* achievable - but it just has to be in the right brand, size & width for you.

I'm a little more lax with clothing if the fix is easy enough for my rudimentary sewing skills (shortening a hem & sleeves, swapping out buttons, taking in the waist, sewing a slit). I'd recommend doing a *thorough* test drive with multiple sizes before you commit though (doesn't Nordstrom offer 1 year returns anyway?) - you can see my recent weekend-long experiment with corduroy trousers in the forum, for example.

Anonymous

I generally buy brands I’m familiar with so I can have a reasonable expectation that the item(s) will fit me. I rarely have to return anything, But I do this because I have wide, problem feet that aren’t happy wearing just anything I put on them. They scream at me if they’re not happy.

Runcarla

Veteran

I’ve been getting less and less brave, and buying more repeats of things that are tried and true (for shoes and clothing.) Shoes are the trickiest, and I’m in the process of returning a pair that didn’t work out.

My most successful online shoe purchase was lemminged. The thorough description provided by Toban in relation to her NoBull shoes lead me to believe they would work for me. I have two pair, and they are a perfect shoe for my foot.

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Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Lately I have found that with closed shoes and boots I often prefer an IT38 although my true size is closer to IT37. The extra room allows me to add insoles as needed to customize the fit. Does not work with open shoes of course.

Joy

Veteran

If I order online it is only if I know my size in the brand and am probably ordering an exact duplicate or the same style and brand that has worked for me. I find that it is hard to go by the colors on the screen compared to the actual color that arrives. I also only order online if their is a brick and mortar store in the area that will take returns.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Shoes are hard! And I walk everywhere. I empathize.

These have great potential!

For me personally, there is no way to get around the effort that it takes. Order, return, order, doctor, road test - REPEAT.

I would try a size down just to be sure, AND try insoles in the larger size too.

kkards

Veteran

so, if i'm buying a new to me brand on line, i'm pretty ruthless about reading the reviews and finding reviews of the same brand (hopefully the same product) on other websites as well. if possible, i will order multiple sizes if i feel that i might be between sizes...and then i cross my fingers.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I do try to order the second size when I think the first one I ordered might not be the right one. Because I, too, am that person who always wants to try two sizes in the store. In this situation, I would order the second, more expensive size, just to see how it compares, even if didn't ultimately want to pay that higher price. At least the comparison would tell which (if either) size is best.

JAileen

Veteran

I only order online where I have free returns, or can return in person. The other thing is I wear size 10. Few stores carry 10.5. This is infuriating. So I return a lot of shoes.

ETA: I believe that in some cases, the translation from European sizing to American sizing is done wrong. So whereas I wear size 10, I’m pretty sure I wear size 41. Nordstrom sometimes calls size 10 EU size 40. But I know that 40 is too small. So I keep that in the back of my mind when ordering, too.

Indigoprint

Veteran

thank you everyone for your thoughtful replies and words of wisdom. I have ordered the half size down to compare.
I was trying to rationalize if the fit was good enough as it seems like such a waste of resources to order another pair knowing I will return one. However, I also know my brain will remind me each time I wear them " Would the other size have been a better fit? " , taking away some of the pleasure wearing them.
Thanks so much!

Anonymous

@JAileen: I wear U.S. size 7.5W (D width) & EUR size 38. My athletic shoes are U.S. size 8W (D width). My biggest issue is that many wide width shoes are C width, & my bunions demand a D width.

Tina

If you contact Nordstrom customer service for an exchange, vs. returning and re-purchasing, you may be able to get at the lower price.

Anonymous

They look good to me! I'm all for sizing up on boots- to accommodate thick socks, but good to try both.
Unfortunately I always forget cause I shop for winter things in October, when I'm still wearing sandals everyday!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I agree with Tina—ask for a price adjustment. If you’ve seen the same thing at a different store for a lower price, show that to the folks at Nordy’s. Good luck!

PS. I prefer to get leather boots slightly tight in the beginning, so that as they stretch out, they fit my foot perfectly. These were all very snug in the beginning, and are among my favorites now. (The metallic ones might be on their way out because of a discoloration issue, but I’m trying to fix it)

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Style Fan

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I order the same brands, so I know my size. Not very adventuresome. If I am unsure of my size, I order a couple of sizes. Fit is important. I am a size 8 or 8.5. In European sizes, I am a 39. But then there are always those times when I end up in a different size.