Mainstream women's shoes only going up to a size 8

[AlwaysFreezing]

And even then its not always a 42!

Took ds school shoe shopping today and while I was in and out of the various shoe shops, I had a quick look in the women's sections.

I am a 9, but a 43 9. Sometimes a 10. Not a single shoe was bigger than an 8.

Now, luckily I know where I can buy shoes that fit, but I was thinking about this, and isn't it ridiculous?

So, I'm wondering how many women here have feet larger than an 8? I mean, I imagine there aren't tens of thousands of us, but there just be enough to warrant shops selling 9s and 10s?

Size 43 here. I like Vans and Asics and dr Martens. I cant wear any high heels so most fashion shoes are not for me. I am quite tall and high heels make me even taller which makes me so uncomfortable.

ASOS, Koi and Ego also have larger sizes than an 8 if you need trendy or cheap and cheerful vegan leather plastic shoes (in fairness ASOS do have a few pairs of leather ones usually.

I remember being a size 8 in the 80s and being stuck with shoes only a nun would wear until I found DMs (my first pair were £24.99 from Famous Army Stores!)

I'm an 8 too and also find this. I've also found that many shops now equate a size 8 with a eu 41. I'm definitely a 42.

New look are fairly good.

I'm a 8 but narrow (now of anyone else has the problem you will know the pain) because shops seem to assume because your feet are longer that you will also need size 8 wide 😒😒

Also just some cheaper alternatives- primark boots aren't bad (bare with me) I have seen quite a few 9 and 8 of late. Word of warning the shoes especially boots are narrow on the feet and calf.

Just in case there are any other 8+ feet that struggle with finding narrow shoes.

I think anything above an 8 is unusual for a woman TBH. I'm a size 4 which I think is quite average and I often can't get my size as the shops have sold out.

This post makes me less alone hurrah someone who gets it !

I explain people my dilemma and most say oh well at least they have a size 8 even if it's wide 🙄🙄

Like I should be grateful I can buy shoes that will cover the length of my foot but not the width 🙃

I’d really appreciate some smaller men’s shoes. The quality difference between mens’ and women’s’ boots and brogues is irritating. At a similar price point dh gets his resoled while I have to buy again

Yes it's ridiculous, and even worse at the children's stage. Age 4-12 which only goes to a size 4/5, if you have bigger kids they're way above that at 12.

I'm a wide 9, my DSis is a narrow 9, our whole lives have consisted of accepting most shoe shops will have nothing in our size. Either you buy men's shoes, or you pay a fortune somewhere like Magnus. Even in places that do stock 9s there is very little choice.

Sadly one of my teenage DDs is also a 9, the other one is currently managing to stay an 8 (we are all tall).
When I visit family in the USA I often buy shoes as there are better choices of larger sizes there.
We were genetically doomed as our DM has size 8 feet and our father has size 13 feet.

@Charrington , look at brands that can be resoled. I have some shoes that are probably men's shoes and they're a man's size UK5. Can't remember the brand (charity shop, £2, feel like slippers).
I think that makes like Church's can be resoled. They're not cheap, but less £££ if you buy second hand. If you know what size you need, you might be lucky to find a pair that has hardly been worn.
Solovair do UK 3 to UK 14, I think, and some styles are unisex.
Lanx might be worth a try but I've not worn them and they only do women up to 8.5

The quality difference between mens’ and women’s’ boots and brogues is irritating.
It's not just shoes. Men's clothes tend to be better made too. They don't get clothes with no pockets, fake pockets or those silly tiny pockets barely big enough to put keys in.

9 since I had my kids. Buy online usually.

I’m a size 7 with narrow feet and there is rarely anything that fits me - everything seems aimed at people with wide feet.

I'm size 8 (42) in my right foot and 8.5 (43?) in the left. It's a joy (not!) looking for shoes! And my life is further challenging because of flat feet and orthotics. I now only buy specific brands!

If you are a UK9/US11 and need something prettier/fancier than Birkenstocks, Converse and Dr Martens, look at ASOS. Saltwater sandals are a generous size too.

In Australia almost all the fashion brands sell that size now, but those are the 2 international ones I can think of.

If you're bigger again, take a look at Cinderella Shoes in Ireland, they have an online shop which has very large sizes - up to EU47 I think.

@AlwaysFreezing Gabor, Rieker/Remonte, Ecco, Joseph Seibel & Merrell all go up to a size 9 (43) too.

Footwear shop worker here 🙋🏻‍♀️🙃 The issue with sizing comes from the size 40. It’s nearest uk equivalent is a 6.5 but for a lot of high street stores that don’t stock any other half sizes that seems to be a huge hassle so they stock a 40 as a 7, 41 as an 8 etc. in reality they should be 39-6, 40-6.5, 41-7, 42-8, 43-9.

Also, in terms of the stock levels - a LOT of shoe manufacturers sell their stock in size runs, Eg - 36x1 37x2 38x4 39x3 40x3 41x1 42x1. To buy in 5 pairs of size 42s in that style I need to buy 5 size runs which leaves me with 20 pairs of size 38s. So unfortunately, it’s not always just as easy as stocking more of one size. It’s crap, I really do agree. But business wise, selling the 5 size 42s doesn’t make up for the 10 excess 38s that are sitting in the stockroom and will have to go into sale.

But to answer your original Q - yeah, size 8/9 is very common. Also size 1/2! Lots of adults shoe manufacturers start at a 35 (uk2.5). We don’t personally get asked for size 10 as often but definitely happens from time to time.

Thank you for the Otto and Ivy tip.
I’m a size 8.5. My current favourites are Camper.

I work in a shoe shop, 8 is most definitely a 42. We are seeing so much more demand for the larger sizes in recent years. And are buying more stock accordingly. Even StartRite school shoes are now going up to a 43, which is great.

Another brand I’d recommend looking at is Josef Siebel. They often go up to 43 and beyond.

There was a brief period in late 90s early 00s where I could walk into a physical shop and try on size 9s. All gone now. Saxone, Barritts, Dolics, Evans, LTS.
I have long since stopped asking in independent shops.

Had a quick look at sale rails when getting my DC shoes this week. Tiny amount of 42s that looked small. Nothing bigger.
No idea what market research mainstream retailers have on foot sizes but definitely an untapped market. They would need to promote new sizes widely. A PP mentioned their company lost money on 9s. If I had heard that they were being made I would have been all over it. I am in multiple FB groups for large shoe sizes and have been for years. Not a peep on there that I remember seeing.

Stores increasingly have very little stock actually in store - holding only the most common sizes. While there might be thousands of size 9 women nationally, in each town there may only be a handful so its of very little commercial value holding size 9s in store - same for the smaller sizes.

Online you'll find plenty of choice.

What happened to Brantano? They used to be brilliant with their affordable shoes in a full range of sizes from a ladies’ size 2 to size 10 or even 11. I bought a lovely pair of size 2 prom shoes for my daughter back in 2012. There are very few people who don’t have problems with their shoes to be honest. I take size 4, sometimes 4.5 but have a very high instep. T bar shoes are best for me but laces and one strap over the top are fine too. My feet fall out of traditional court shoes and slingbacks and Birkenstocks are very uncomfortable. Boots are a nightmare apart from one or two styles in Hotter. To be honest, I think that shoes are designed for the lady who has average width feet and takes size 6. There are very few of them around, clearly.

Exactly. You'll sell a lot more of say 30 size 9s online than you would by sending 1 pair to 30 stores and crossing your fingers, plus store items make less profit than online, sad to say.

Administration. Kind of a case in point. Charged too little and stocked too many lines and sizes.

I’m a wide size 3, I pretty much never find shoes that fit me in shops, if they stock size 3 at all they’re almost always too narrow

Size 10 here! I actually made a post the other day asking where my mother (size 9) could try on shoes in person. I just buy men's trainers online.

We were advised Hotter, but they didn't have anything in stock. In the end she got a pair of Sketchers in TK MAXX.

I used to buy from Evans as you could just walk in and find a pair, but that's gone now to.

I had to pay through the nose for a pair of basic boots, double what I used ti pay in evans.

It's a nightmare.