Shoes for narrow feet

[Nell16]

My daughter (23) has narrow feet and finding shoes that fit is a bit of a problem for her. So she mostly has been wearing trainers. But today she was measured in Clarke's and given her size as 5.5 F. I have checked the Clarke's sizing online and their website gives D as a standard for women and E onwards as wide. So F should mean even wider? But her feet are really narrow!

Can someone explain shoe widths for me?

Thank you

I think you'll find you may be confusing children's and women's scales.
If they used a child's measuring gauge ( and I don't think they have gauges for adults any more) the widths start at D ( used to be C) and go up to something like G or H. So rather oddly an E and F are considered 'narrow' compared with an H fitting.

Feet have got fatter because when I was a child I measured a C and E was considered wide. (I was also a Clarks shoe fitter at one period of my life!!)

My DD has very narrow feet and was a C in Start Rite- we always had to order them specially.

In women's shoes the lowest width /average in Clarks is a D fitting with E being wider. That's all you will find- no other widths.

If you buy from specialist shoe shops for narrow feet ( james Inglis is one) then they start at a AA ( very narrow), then A, B,. But most main line brands only offer D and E fittings which are wide.

I have very narrow feet and I find that I have to spend a lot on shoes and boots. The more expensive lines can have narrower fittings. But I generally still need to buy lace ups. I have had success with Hobbs, Hudson ankle boots, occasionally Toast. Also some success with Fly London.

Shoe shopping is a total pain and always has been. I feel your daughter's pain!

I have narrow feet, c as a child. I find continental shoes often have a narrower fit. Do you have anywhere like cara?

I have very narrow feet and use special feetures but they are expensive. They sell in US sizes, but will advise you of what size you need.

Places like M&S and Clarks offer wide fittings but no narrow equivalent which is frustrating.

James Inglis is another narrow shoe retailer but I find the styles generally very frumpy. The most well known is Duo but again their styles aren't the most stylish, lots of coloured suede and everything a bit too dainty.

I have most luck with heeled boots (as my feet can't fall out and the angle of the heel stops my heel slipping around) and with Mary Jane and T bar styles. Foam or terry insoles and thick socks are also life savers. I sometimes wear one full and one half insole in each shoe. Sandals tend to be easier if they have straps (ideally at both ends of the shoe). For in between seasons, elasticated ballet flats sometimes work. Lace ups are another option but sometimes even these don't lace up tightly enough.

Some people say French Sole ballet pumps come up narrow but I don't think they are narrow enough. Same with Birkenstock's alleged narrow fitting (indicated by a filled in white foot on the shoe, as opposed to just an outline on the standard width).

I wish heel grips did more but they don't seem to help.

Bespoke may well be the way forward, e.g. Mood By Me. I've not tried them yet myself but you can design a classic pair of ballet flats and specify the exact width and length of the shoe.

Needless to say I also find shoe shopping a trauma not a treat!

Feragamo are narrow but very expensive.
French Sole are not that narrow if you get the right length instead of shoving your feet into one size smaller!

Mixed feelings about Special Feetures. I bought from them for years and even went to the shop for a fitting ( hours by train) then had a lot of disappointments with shoes sent by mail not fitting me and having to do returns- and can you believe this- they refused to serve me( by mail order) any more! I was disgusted as well as it was me who was paying for all the postage and returns at huge cost. I wouldn't even try to buy from them again as I thought that customer service was appalling.

Thank you for all your replies, very helpful. My apology for not surfacing sooner - was off radar for a while!

Nx