How to decrease a shoe size?

[mg428]

Hi guys,

As a new member of the forum I have been vastly enjoying it and benefiting from your comments and assistance.

There is another issue for which I require your help.

As I indicated in my last thread, yesterday I started to check out what shoes I have in my collection. The thing is that I have been buying some dress shoes I am seeing every now and then but obviously without proper knowledge. The result is that I have got many unnecessary shoes, some with pretty bad construction, some with inferior leather quality et cetera.

Interestingly there is a shoe that is 1/2 to 1 full size larger to my feet! I don't know how this happened. But it is quite obvious at the time I bought these shoes I did not have any knowledge about proper shoe fit. I must have said: "OK, 10.5 is out-of-stock but never mind, this also fits, it is quite comfartable. Nothing would happen if I wear just a 1/2 size bigger?" Now I am aware that a lot will happen.

Anyhow, it is good to become aware of my mistake before too late. However I do want to exploit these shoes. So I was wondering whether it would be possible to decrease the size of a shoe, for instance, by putting something into the shoe? And if my feet perfectly fits into the shoe's vamp after placing such thing, would it be equally comfortable and the same thing as if I had purchased the right size? I am asking this because I know that the upper leather would normally crease after wearing a shoe but for a shoe that is bigger than my size it would crease more. So I was wondering if my feet fit very well after placing something into the shoe, am I going to overcome a possible excess crease that may form on the leather?

Thanks.

[Roger]

There are some things you can try. The most obvious--and likely the one that will work--is to put in an extra insole or two. These come in various thicknesses and materials. There are Dr. Scholl ones I've seen that are a foam rubber material covered with a fabric top. These come in two thicknesses, one with a single thin layer of rubber and the other with a double thickness of rubber. Other insoles are made with a leather top layer and a thin layer of rubber. By trying these both alone and in combination, you may well be able to reduce the volume sufficiently for your shoes to afford a decent fit to your feet. You're right about excessive space under the vamp leading to excessive creasing, but with the addition of insoles this problem will be greatly lessened. Although it might be expecting too much for this solution to provide a fit equal to that afforded by precisely the right size, you may well, with luck, achieve a fit that will be quite comfortable. One additional advantage might be that, with the addition of these insoles, the shoes will be nicely soft underfoot. Good luck.

[billiebob]

Insole and thicker socks.

[fusherino]

dr sholls heel liners will take up some room. they dont stick especially well on leather tho, i plan on glueing mine in place.

[alliswell]

advertise in the 'For Sale' forum. Even if you add insoles you may still have longitudinal sliding of your foot, or your foot may cause the shoe to crease in the wrong place. You'll have better luck buying a new pair that fit right and trying to recoup your losses before you do any damage to the shoe.

[Antonio Centeno]

I agree on trying to recoup your losses with a sale. You won't have problems if you walk 400 meters a day, but if you ever have to walk 4000 thousand, you'll be in a bit of pain.

[eidolon]

letmebefell is probably right in that you should try and sell them. The only real way I know of to deal with too much room at the toes and the heel is to wear two socks, specifically wearing dress socks and putting a thick athletic quarter sock over it that won't show above the shoe. I've seen people recommend tissue paper/toilet paper at the toes, but if you have to go that far you should probably just try and move the shoes.

[borderline]

Originally Posted by Antonio Centeno

I agree on trying to recoup your losses with a sale. You won't have problems if you walk 400 meters a day, but if you ever have to walk 4000 thousand, you'll be in a bit of pain.

4000 thousand meters is a very long walk. About 1/10 of the Earth's circumference!

[Jumbie]

Originally Posted by borderline

4000 thousand meters is a very long walk. About 1/10 of the Earth's circumference!

lol, I'm slow.

I almost posted that 4000 meters is only about 2.5 miles.