Are shoes in US size 12 large enough for you?

I've been asking myself: Should I be listing companies that sell footwear in up to US size 12? I know that not all tall women require shoes in US size 13 (and above), so I wanted to ask you directly. I have created a "What's your shoe size?" survey so I can get a better idea. You can answer anonymously (if in doubt).

Thanks a lot!

Why finding large women's shoe sizes can be a problem

By Caroline Bullock
Business reporter

18 August 2017 Business

The UK footwear chain Jones Bootmaker was saved from administration earlier this year but its new owners are still closing a number of its stores - which is a setback for women with larger feet and few options.

And I should know: as Jones is one of the few High Street staples to offer a larger than average range of big sizes, my local branch was the first port of call to accommodate my own size nines.

Now it lies empty, the latest instalment in a troubled footwear history that sentenced me to boy's lace-ups at school and overhanging toes in any sandal since.

With independent shops rarely stocking shoes above size seven and larger brand outlets offering merely one or two options - if I'm lucky - finding suitable shoes remains the Holy Grail.

Since the 1970s, the average shoe size of men and women in the UK has increased by two sizes, from a size eight to 10 and four to six, respectively, according to research from the College of Podiatry.

"When size five was average the industry would think providing two sizes above to a seven was just about the fringe of adequate for women, but now that it's a six, we should be seeing far more eights and even nines as standard," says the college's Dr Jill Halstead-Rastrick.

She believes the footwear industry is not moving with the times to accommodate a nation that is taller and heavier and so by evolutionary logic, has larger feet, and warns this is an issue that could be a time bomb for the next generation.

"Increased weight splays the feet and we are seeing a lot of adults wearing shoes that are too narrow or small. This is only going to become more of a problem as we continue to grow in stature - we need a wider variety of larger sizes."

It's a familiar narrative to Laura West of the Society of Shoe Fitters.

She estimates around 30% of inquiries she receives are from girls aged around 12 unable to find school shoes above a size eight, and who have to wear boys' shoes as a result. Irrespective of any aesthetics this has serious repercussions for girls' foot health, she argues.

"Boys' shoes will fit differently, and ill-fitting footwear does change [girls] physiology.

"If feet hurt you shift your weight unnaturally when you walk and this wears out other joints and tendons leading to hip, knee and ankle and neck problems later on."

West believes the problem stems from the demise of British manufacturing in the 1980s, when many UK brands shifted production overseas to cut costs. This has meant less research into foot development and a deeper disconnect between the manufacturer and consumer needs, she says.

"When we produced shoes here we could run short production lines including larger sizes at little extra cost, but in an overseas factory you have to order in far greater numbers, which becomes cost prohibitive.

"Independent shops can't compete with low cost imports - and they would have been the ones to feedback the inability to supply certain items like larger sizes to their manufacturers' representatives.

"Now consumers trawl from High Street chain to supermarket and the staff have little involvement; it is a self-service mass market approach and an 'if we've got it you can have it - if not tough' mentality, so manufacturers don't have a clue."

A focus on fashion over quality has compounded the problem for many UK women's shoe makers. By contrast the men's market has benefitted from higher-priced items such as Goodyear welted shoes which enjoy a healthy export trade to Europe, Asia and US.

"The price commanded for them makes UK production profitable," says British Footwear Association chief executive John Saunders.

By contrast "most UK women's shoemakers were operating in the volume to mid-tier market," he says, and were hit hard in the late 20th Century by increasing Asian competition, retailers demanding a greater share of profits and consumers turning to cheaper shoes.

China now accounts for about 65% of shoes made worldwide, and with this production coming from a country where the average female shoe size is a UK three-and-half, this virtual monopoly has hit shoes sizes.

Former luxury shoe buyer Naomi Braithwaite, now a fashion marketing and branding lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, recalls how standard sizes of shoes at the company she worked for reduced after it switched production from Italy to China.

"Sample sizes were based on Chinese feet which are smaller boned and narrower. As well as this, many of the designers at the luxury end simply didn't like to see their shoes in bigger sizes as they didn't think they looked as beautiful as the more petite sizes."

The additional cost involved in producing larger sizes to cover the extra material and increased shipment weight is another deterrent for a somewhat already reluctant industry, she concedes.

It's a gap in the market that Long Tall Sally, a specialist in fashion and footwear for tall women, has successfully exploited. Its shoe range starts at size seven and goes up to 13.

Making shoes above a size eight costs the firm about £5 extra a pair because of the extra material, and it also uses a bespoke 'last' - a three-dimensional foot shaped mould on which each shoe is made.

Yet it seems to be paying off with footwear growing from a 5% to 15% share of the total business. Size 10 is now its most popular size, representing 30% of footwear sales.

"Demand for larger size women's shoes has risen steadily," says Long Tall Sally's shoe buyer, Chris O'Shea.

The other option if you've larger feet, is to buy German.

"Germany is very much an exception - it has always had much better selection in larger size footwear and what they do well is shoes with quality, comfort and longevity'" says O'Shea.

While Germany still outsources production to Asia, many of its footwear brands retain head office, marketing and design in the country - with a consistent focus on function and quality over fashion.

It's why Dr Halstead-Rastrick often directs patients to German brands. But she says the industry could better use technology to provide more personalised fittings without the prohibitive prices that handmade shoes usually command.

"You can even scan and measure feet via a phone app now, so surely we can't be that far off a situation where we can send our measurements to companies and say, this is the shape of my foot can you make me something?"

Here's hoping change is afoot.

Read the original article

WideWidths.com

Large size women's boots in up to US size 13

Do you have trouble finding knee high wide calf boots with a calf size that is large enough to fit your plus-size calf or athletic calf? Do you feel frustrated and embarrassed whenever you try on boots in the store and they won’t close on your calf? Many of you have probably been extremely discouraged by companies claiming to sell “wide calf” boots only to discover that they don’t even come close to zipping on you. Well, you’ve come to the right place! At WideWidths.com, EVERY boot comes in plus calf boot sizes and we are the only company that lists the calf size for every foot size and width to ensure the best possible fit. Since we know that many women have problems finding boots for large calves or boots for athletic calves, our mission is to bring the most new and exciting fashions each season to all of you, our loyal customers.

WideWidths.com understands that every woman wants to be stylish, feel beautiful and look sexy, no matter what her size. Our designers, such as Ros Hommerson, Naturalizer, David Tate and Blondo are known for their comfort, quality, and fit and we work closely with them to create beautiful, fashionable boots with extra wide shafts that are custom made specifically for our company. Our entire collection of extra wide calf boots is geared to women who do not fit into a "standard" boot. In addition, we even carry knee high wide calf boots that can accommodate athletic calves.

We are proud to offer the largest selection of wide calf boots and wide width boots on the Internet. In 1988, we began to specialize in boots for wide calves in our original brick and mortar retail business in Tribeca, New York. We closed the store in 2006 in order to focus our efforts on our growing online Yahoo Store, which was launched in 2001. We have been providing our valued customers with beautiful, comfortable and fashionable wide calf boots in hard-to-fit sizes since then.

Note: The majority of our wide calf boots have a 14" - 15" high shaft and the heights are listed in each description. This refers to the height of the boot from the base of your bare foot NOT including any heels. Please make sure to measure the circumference of your calf about 14 - 15" up from the floor (we recommend adding one inch to it's widest part if you are petite) since that is the height of most of the shafts on the boots. If there is a portion of your calf that is wider than that measurement, then please order using the larger of the 2 measurements. Once you know that measurement, you can look at the styles that you like and each foot size has a corresponding calf size. This makes it very simple to make sure that you are getting the correct calf size and it would reduce the chance that you may need to return the boots.

Visit their website

WideWidths.com

Large size women's boots in up to US size 13

We are happy to let you know that we have completely restocked our Fall 2018 wide calf boot collection and we hope that you will love the selection. We sell the largest calf sizes on the internet (they are custom made for us!)

At WideWidths.com, we really carry the widest calf boots available - up to 24 3/4 inches wide. Our genuine leather boots are made to last well past this season. Shop all our styles: riding boots, dressy boots, high heel boots, ankle booties, rain boots, low heel boots and more.

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Willow Shoes

They have shoes for long feet in New Zealand up to size 14 - great website and stores in NZ. They also cater to customers in Australia.

Willow Shoes is New Zealand's #1 store specialising in Shoes for Long Feet with a fantastic easy to use website and four absolutely gorgeous retail stores – Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch.

All the women at Willow Shoes are tall and have long feet – they make you feel totally at ease and will do anything at all to help. Their range is huge and they have scoured the globe to get the best selection to suit down under customers and have something for everyone.

You feel fabulous every time you shop at Willow Shoes and the gorgeous ribbons they use on your online order is really cool. All their shoes are great quality (almost always leather) and Willow Shoes are great at standing by their products and helping if you ever have a problem or need some help.

You can join up online and receive emails about sales, new season arrivals or special offers or you can be left alone and just shop!

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By Munson Steed | April 15, 2016 2:31 PM EST 

WNBA star Swin Cash, 36, was selected as one Sports Illustrated’s inaugural “Fashionable 50” and graces the cover of the coveted issue. She ranks among Russell Westbrook, Victor Cruz, Serena Williams and Misty Copeland, who are also considered the most stylist athletes in sports.

“I’ve always dabbled back and forth between the fashion and sports worlds because when I was 14-years-old I had the opportunity to walk in New York Fashion Week,” she tells SI, “…then I went on to play basketball in college and now in the WNBA. Because I am 6-feet tall, I’ve always had to be creative and versatile with my clothes. I love to come to games dressed from head to toe, but I also work in TV as a commentator. So I can do that classic look or I can pull off an elegant dress for a black tie event. Or I can be tomboy chic at a football or basketball game. I love that I can be this chameleon and my fashion can really transcend through the different avenues and areas I work in.”

...

Name a few of your favorite designers from head-to-toe?

Shoes – I’m a big Stuart Weitzman fan. I wear a size 11 or 11.5 in heels and SW always come through for me with fashionable ones. Also Vince, Jimmy Choo and Sam Edelman.  Clothing – Ted Baker, Helmut Lang, Robert Rodriguez J brand jeans Top Shop (tall) My dream would be to partner with a designer or store like Top Shop to do a signature tall line for women and girls. I am asked all the time where do I find clothes because of my height and body type. Tall women love to dress fly too and everyone, I would love to do a collaboration like that one day soon.

Read the full article

• Caroline Stillman has designed 10 pairs of shoes for women with large feet
• Wears a size 11 and is 6ft 4in tall as a result of Marfan Syndrome
• Was buying footwear in a size 8 shoe when she was just 12 years old
• 23-year-old will launch Carobella shoes online in coming months

By Martha Cliff for MailOnline
Published: 12:36 GMT, 13 April 2016 | Updated: 15:44 GMT, 13 April 2016

A woman is set to launch her own collection of footwear after struggling to find shoes to fit her size 11 feet.

Caroline Stillman, 23, from Rutland, Leicestershire, stands at 6ft 4in tall and was wearing an adult size eight shoe before she was 12.

Throughout her teens she struggled to find footwear in her size - meaning that while her friends wore fashionable designs, the leggy blonde was left in frumpy flats.

Frustrated at the lack of options for tall women with big feet, Caroline - who wears a size 10 or 11 shoe depending on the shop - decided to take matters into her own hands.

Caroline, whose legs alone are more than 3ft long, studied a fashion course at her local college before enrolling at the London College of Fashion.

Spurred on by the petite, small-footed fashionistas around her, she began thinking up designs for shoes she would love to wear herself but had never been able to.

Now, after years of pining to wear beautiful shoes, Caroline has turned her dream into a reality - and will launch her own range of footwear this summer.

The shoes - fashionable flats inspired by top designers like Valentino and Christian Dior - will be made in sizes eight to 11 and sold on her website.

Caroline said she hopes her shoes will be stocked at fashionable high-street stores like Topshop and Selfridges one day.

She said: 'I was really interested in fashion from an early age but I struggled to find nice shoes to go with my outfits.

'I remember going into shoe shops with my mum as a child and trying on size eight adult ladies' shoes when I was about 10 or 11. It was frustrating.

'If I was going somewhere nice with my girlfriends they would always have really nice shoes. I thought I would never be able to wear or find anything like that.

'I would always have to buy shoes from different websites. There wasn't a big range of styles and there weren't any fashionable ones at all.

'They would all be aimed at older women - not teenagers or girly girls, like me.'

After walking through her teenage years in unfashionable footwear, desperate Caroline decided enough was enough.

She said: 'I've always been into fashion, so I decided to study fashion design at college.

'That was when I realised there was a gap in the market. I started designing and making shoes that I would love to wear myself.

'I thought, if I can make these shoes easily then why can't I make them for other girls?'

She added: 'I'm launching this range because I think everyone deserves to be able to experience wearing a beautiful pair of shoes.

'I hope that I can help bring that dream to life for some people who might find it harder to find shoes like myself.'

Caroline's height is due to Marfan Syndrome, an inherited chromosomal disorder which can cause heart and eye problems as well as exceptional growth.

Common complications include a leaky and enlarged aortic valve, meaning Caroline is being closely monitored by medics and will one day have to have open heart surgery.

Sufferers also often have extra-long arms and legs, are tall and thin and have long, slender fingers - like the Stillmans.

Although being tall is not unusual in the family - Caroline's mother, Sarah, stands at 6ft tall and her brother Sam, 24, is 6ft 7ins - she hasn't always felt normal.

At secondary school, cruel bullies taunted her relentlessly about her height, calling her a 'lanky b****' and 'giraffe legs'.

Caroline, who has just graduated from her final year at De Montfort University with a degree in footwear design, said: 'I was always tall, always different, even as a little girl.

'In primary school I didn't have any problems but at secondary school I was teased all the time. Girls would call me lanky and a giant.

'It made me feel so horrible. I didn't have a problem with how I looked, so it was horrible that other children did.'

The teasing was so severe that Caroline was forced to move from Uppingham Community College in Rutland, Leics., to Stamford Girls School, Lincs.

Since then, Caroline said most people have been supportive and complimentary, and she was even approached by a model scout about a job on the catwalk.

But the passionate entrepreneur decided she would rather design shoes than model them and set up Carobella Boutique, in spite of warnings from doubtful tutors.

Her first range, which is set to be unveiled in the coming months, will consist of around 10 pairs of luxury flat shoes for tall women.

'The shoes are all kind of simple. I have got big feet so I don't really want them to stand out any more than they do already,' she said.

'They are all very elegant and beautiful. I'm so excited to let everyone see them.'

Caroline's dad, Bill, who is 6ft tall himself, added: 'Dealing with the Marfan Syndrome has been really difficult for the family.

'I'm so proud of what Caroline has achieved.' 

Read the original article (contains pictures)

As a woman with size 42 feet, Sylvia Jeffreys has an important message for the shoe industry.

Jessica Wang - November 18, 2018

Two months from Sylvia Jeffreys' wedding in April of 2017, her then-fiance, Peter Stefanovic, did the unthinkable.

He accidentally threw away her very expensive, designer wedding shoes with "floral appliqués" and "sensible block heels" from UK label Sophia Webster – and the Today show host just knew she would not be able to replace them.

Sharing her story on 9Honey, Jeffrey aired her grievance with the shoe industry – something that any woman with a shoe size north of a size 10 Australian, or size 42 European, will understand.

"There was no other pair. It was the last pair in a size 42 IN THE WORLD," she writes for the publication.

"Depending on the make, I am between a 42 and 43 in European sizing. On a good day, I'll squeeze into a 41 strappy sandal, with my toes hanging over the edge.

"But when it comes to a pointy pump, nothing smaller than a 12 US will fit. Therefore, shopping has been an endless source of frustration and disappointment ever since I was fitted for men's trainers as a fully grown 14-year-old."

Writing about her footwear gripe, Sylvia complained that while more brands are extending their shoe range to a size 11, women with size 12 or 13 feet are still not being catered for, with the few shoes on offer in the size range selling out fast.

"If you're a size 12 or 13, which isn't as rare as you'd think, you can forget about stepping out in style," she says, an issue the journalist is well-versed with.

"Not that any woman in this category needs to be reminded of that harsh reality. She's lived a life of low expectations when it comes to footwear."

Instead, Sylvia is calling for retailers to accommodate the roomier shoe-needs of taller women, a community she says is growing, referencing 2014 research from the College of Podiatry which found the average foot size of British women has grown from a size 6 to an 8 in the past 40 years.

Although the Todayshow host lists Stuart Weitzman, Country Road and Sophia Webster as just some of the designers who cater to her feet needs, having feet that differ from the size 5-10 norm is something the owners of Soleful shoes, Pradhima Shyamsunder and Kuppal Palaniappan can relate to, so much so that they've created their own brand that exclusively caters to women with size 1 to 5 and 10 – 14 feet.

"I had been struggling to find my shoe size for many years, I would often go to the popular shoe stores to find no size 11 shoes or buy size 10 shoes and squash my feet in, much to my pain and discomfort," Palaniappan told Mamamia.

"I would then visit specific shoe stores that catered for people with large feet, however the style of shoe, was outdated or for an older target market."

And while Soleful shoes is doing their part for the shoe collection of plus-shoe-size women, Sylvia is adamant that there's so much more that needs to be done.

"So the next time you tell a tall woman you'd love to have her height, consider her pain. The grass isn't always greener," she writes.

"And even if it were, it would be impossible to enjoy through the agony of crushed toes."

"It's high time the shoe industry ended its discrimination against us," she writes.

"Retailers are out of step with their customers and ignore our pleas at their own peril.

"Judging by the speed at which big sizes fly off shelves, there's clearly a huge market to tap."

Read the original article

We all know how hard it is for tall women (or women who simply have larger feet) to find suitable footwear. As a matter of fact I have friends who wear a size 16 (mens)!

That's why I have compiled a list of selected stores that sell women's shoes in large sizes as required by most tall women. Most of the stores have a selection of shoes in up to at least a (US) size 12. Plus: I'm always adding new stores to the list. If you know of a company that is not listed This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please select the country of your choice from the Footwear menu above or right here:

• Featured Footwear Companies
• Footwear Australia
• Footwear Austria
• Footwear Belgium
• Footwear Brazil
• Footwear Canada
• Footwear Czech Republic
• Footwear Denmark
• Footwear Finland
• Footwear France
• Footwear Germany
• Footwear Greece
• Footwear India
• Footwear Ireland
• Footwear Italy
• Footwear Latvia
• Footwear Mexico
• Footwear Netherlands
• Footwear New Zealand
• Footwear South Africa
• Footwear Spain
• Footwear Sweden
• Footwear UK
• Footwear USA

Here's a conversion table:

Zapatos Detella

Tienda online de zapatos de tallas grandes y pequeñas para mujer y hombre

En Zapatos de Talla encontrará todo lo que necesario para calzarse, y acompañar a su calzado: bolsos, pamelas, tocados, pañuelos, conjuntos a juego de zapato y bolso... Desde la moda más femenina y sofisticada hasta las colecciones más cómodas de los mejores fabricantes, siempre con las mejores calidades y la garantía de un gran grupo de zapaterías con 8 tiendas.

En zapatería para hombre va a encontrar la mayor variedad de calzado para vestir o para ceremonia, desde el estilo más tradicional hasta el más innovador. También el calzado para diario siempre con las mejores marcas y el mayor confort: Pikolinos, Geox, Camper, Clarks, Martinelli, Sebago, Castellano, . . . Y todo se puede acompañar con cinturones, carteras o corbatas.

Todo nuestra calzado de tallas especiales está en stock, lo que le garantiza que su zapato o complemento será enviado en un plazo máximo de 48 horas, sin portes mínimos, y con toda confianza. Seleccione su talla y comience su búsqueda en un catálogo con más de 4000 zapatos y complementos.

Seleccione su talla y comience su búsqueda en un catálogo con más de 4000 zapatos.

Website

Zappos

Large size women's shoes in up to US size 20. Shoes larger than size 16 are mainly unisex though.

The year was 1999, and our founder Nick Swinmurn was walking around a mall in San Francisco looking for a pair of shoes. One store had the right style, but not the right color. Another store had the right color, but not the right size. Nick spent the next hour in the mall, walking from store to store, and finally went home empty-handed and frustrated.

At home, Nick tried looking for his shoes online and was again unsuccessful. Although there were a lot of "mom and pop" stores selling shoes online, what was interesting to Nick was that there was no major online retailer that specialized in shoes. So, since it was 1999 and anything seemed possible at the time, Nick decided to quit his day job and start an online shoe retailer... and Zappos.com was born!

The original idea was to create a web site that offered the absolute best selection in shoes in terms of brands, styles, colors, sizes, and widths. Over the past 9 years, the brand and aspirations have evolved, and in addition to offering the best selection, with the goal to be the company that provides the absolute best service online -- not just in shoes, but in any category.

Visit their website