✉️ Learn from my mistakes: Buy Larger Shoes

I love getting email etc. from readers (hint, hint), and recently, I got an email regarding an older blog post about a great pair of sneakers from Crown Northampton.

In the original blog post, I said I first bought them too small — but it took me a year to realise it. I bit the bullet, and bought another pair (of the quite expensive shoes), and I hope that’s a testament to how much I like them.

Here’s the email I got:

Hello there!

I just got these babies. I do have a question for you. I know you’ve said that it took you a year to admit they were too small. I think, I’m having the same problem. They’re a bit tight on the toe box.

I just tried to go for a walk (first wear since I received them), and I already have blisters on my ankles.

Should I re-send them to get the wider option? I just don’t feel like paying $160 to send them back and wait another 4 weeks.

My dilemma is whether I should be patient and try breaking them in a little more instead of getting the wider option. What would be your advice? I’m disappointed that a shoe this expensive is not as comfortable out of the box.

I look forward to your reply!

Best,

Luis ¹

And here’s my first reply:

Hi!

And how cool that you’re contacting me. 🙂

They look great! 👌🏻 But sadly, I think you should return them…

Here’s the thing:

Many low-quality items are at their most comfortable, and look their best, brand new, and then only get worse. While many high-quality items aren’t quite as comfortable brand new, but only get more comfortable, and look better, with wear.

For instance, shoes with lots of foam in the soles will be really soft when new, but will wear out rather quickly. And jeans with 100% cotton will be less comfortable than someone with stretch while brand new, but will shape to your body with wear. The same is true for leather shoes.

This makes some high-quality items a hard sell (literally), as they aren’t as nice when people try them in stores, etc. But patience will be rewarded! ☺️

However (and here’s the most relevant bit for you), while the leather of the upper will stretch a bit, your toes rest in the area below the upper — in the area between the rubber. (If you know what I mean.) So that won’t get better with time. 😔

Furthermore, too many people (myself included) has taken the fact that leather (and denim) stretches and conforms, and ended up buying things too small. But most of these items should fit well while new. Shoes can feel like “a firm handshake” around your foot while new, but they must be long enough, and must have enough width for your toes.

Blisters on your ankles are a different story, though. My wife got that as well while they were new, but now she loves them to death. 😊 I had the same with my Rancourt moccasins.

My advice there, is the following:

When you know you have the right size, wear them with pre-emptive blister band-aids in the beginning. After a couple of wears, try without, but bring band-aids with you. If you notice discomfort, put them on before your skin gets pierced.

I know it’s rough to pay for the extra shipping… (And having to wait!) But you waste more money if these don’t become your favourite shoes ever! (Also, I get that you might be a bit annoyed at no “free shipping and returns” at this moment. But know that the alternative is that they bake that cost into every item, even if you don’t use it! I prefer this, more honest, pricing.)

Don’t be like me… I got some bad advice while buying some Wolverine 1000 Mile boots; not only did I buy those too small, the next years I bought several pairs of shoes too small, including the Crown Northamptons.

Whatever you do, I hope you’ll end up loving the sneakers! And if you haven’t already, I’d contact Crown directly for advice as well. They were very helpful with me.

-Erlend

Here’s the reply I got:

Hello Erlend!

Thank you for your quick response!

I thought it was better to get my skin pierced 🤦‍♂️ And I went through the pain of it; my left heel skin pierced, but it is now healing. Lesson learned if you will!

On the toe box side on top of my big toe, I just got a little blister, which tells me there’s somewhat of friction there. As you’ve mentioned, lesson learned: I am going to be wearing some band-aids next time I wear them.

On second thought, I don’t think the shoes are that bad. For instance, the left once isn’t as tie on the toe box side. Keep in mind, I didn’t tie the laces as tight; as I don’t need to. That seemed to have helped.

The right one still feels a little tight. I think, as you said, just like a baseball leather glove, you gotta break them in.

I’m going to give them a few more days, before I decide on getting a wider replacement. I also feel that CN should come with a more efficient way of talking/showing how to size your shoes. But that’s another topic on its own.

If you have any other thoughts, feel free to let me know.

Best,

Luis

And my last reply:

Lesson learned indeed! The reasoning is that the shoe will adapt at the same rate with or without the band-aids on. So the only difference is the amount of pain, hehe.

Regarding the sizing, I think it’s a good sign that the blisters are on the top of the toe - as that area will stretch more than the rubber part. And adapting the laces is absolutely a good idea.

If you look at this image, of my wife’s Crown Northamptons, and compare it to your image, the portion below the laces is pretty straight on her shoes, while on yours it’s more triangular. Hers are more worn in, of course - but that could give an indication that yours could benefit from being the wider model. But if you loosen the laces a bit (also all the way down), and wear them in, it’s absolutely possible that they’ll turn out great! Especially as you say that they aren’t too bad.

Mine are also a bit more “straight” - but again, they are worn in. And it’s obviously impossible for me to judge from a single image! Your feet knows best, heh.

Keep me updated about what you’ll end up doing, and how they’ll turn out! I hope they become your favourite shoes, whether it’s in this size or in a larger one.

-Erlend

Luis also replied with a great thread by “Derek Guy / @dieworkwear on X” about shoe sizing:
(A great follow, that I’d love to see on an ActivityPub platform!)

HOW TO FIND SHOES THAT FIT

In the spirit of @lingerie\_addict, who has said on many occasions that there's no shame in not knowing something, as everyone learns for the first time, here is a thread on how to find shoes that fit 🧵 https://t.co/ty4qadFrqm

— derek guy (@dieworkwear) June 18, 2023