How should new loafers fit?

[Dan9019]

Hi, I just bought my first pair of nice shoes, some Allen Edmonds loafers. They are part of the line made from Italian leather, not US. The guy at the store seemed very knowledgeable, and eventually I settled on size 9. I wear a 9.5-10.5 in sneakers. He said these shoes should stretch quite a bit after they are broken in. He himself was wearing an Italian AE shoe that was a year old and was made on the same style last in a size 8.5, and as an example let me try them on. I was able to put them on and walk around without any difficulty. My new shoes are quite tight though. My toes don't touch the front but the sides are pretty tight and my heel hurts after walking in them. Are these the wrong size or is it normal for new loafers to be pretty tight and somewhat uncomfortable? My foot measures between a 9 and 9.5 and between a D and E in width. I tried on the 9.5's in the store and they fit well but already the heel was every so slightly loose. I was afraid after stretching they would be too loose. Is it realistic for my shoes to stretch about a quarter or half size? Do you expect to have to break shoes in for a week or so before being able to wear them for hours without pain? Thanks for any help.

 

[sho'nuff]

i find the shoes being a bit tight widthwise is fine with me and is something you can work with. shoes being tight lengthwise or that you feel is too pinching at the toes is incorrect.

 

[Dan9019]

Hmm okay, is it okay if they are tight where the bone sticks out a little next to the big toes, in the area highlighted in this picture (not my feet by the way)? Beyond that my toes seem to have enough room. They are tight at the highlighted area, along the back of my heel, and a little bit at the top.

 

[augustin]

Length has to be right. In other dimensions, my experience is that tight heels will loosen up, and also the arch. Less so pressure on the outside of the foot. On the other hand, if this is your first pair of good shoes, then you'll find that the sole of a goodyear-welted shoe is stiffer than what you're probably used to, and the shoe will feel less good on first wearing and take longer to get comfortable in than what you've been wearing before. On the other hand, you'll be wearing it in comfort 10 years from now if you care for it.

 

[Sperry]

Shoes are funny. As kids we take what we are given, and deal with it.
As we become older, and begin to make our own choices, [and spend our own money], we want more from our shoe.

A loose heel isn't the end of the world. As the sole loosens up, it would bend with the foot, and the heel would stay put.
The 9.5s might have been the right size.

I'd be most concerned if the shoe was pushing my toes to the point where one toe was crossing under another.
Other than that, the width can be stretched fairly easily.

My right foot is a size 10, measured heel to BALL, but a size 9.5, heel to toe. So I'm wanting a bit more width in my right shoe.
Stretching just doesn't do it, and my next pair will probably be 10s, unless I can find a air of 9.5E in the style I like.

I had been wearing 10s for years, for the comfort. Laced shoes could always be made tighter,
so the shoe dealt with the difference between my right foot and left. Now that I went to a loafer for work, things are different.

The local fine-shoe seller decided I could wear 9.5s, and guaranteed my satisfaction when he sold me AE Mcgraws.
After a bit of stretching my them, I'm almost satisfied.

Here's the funny part. I never knew how good shoes could feel until I tried on a pair of Aldan cordovan loafers.
They just about walked themselves. I tried a pair of 9.5 Aldan cordovan loafers, along with the 10s.
At the time [before the AEs came in], I was happy with the 9.5 Aldan.

After I experienced the AE right foot pinching, I went back, and tried on the Aldans again while the AEs were stretching.
The toe pinch was there also. I didn't notice it at first. So it was back to 10s in the Aldan, and they felt wonderful.

They also held the foot wonderfully, even though the shoe is a little large on me. My next pair of loafers will probably be 10s in cordovan.
Something about the leather and the way it hugs the foot.

As for your shoe, talk to the guy. He has stretching tools, and can set the shoe up for an hour, or a week. Maybe all it wants is a little width.

 

[Dan9019]

Okay so If a shoe is a bit painful (my toes aren't crossing or anything though) then just wearing them to break them in won't do it? Shoe stretchers are what everyone does in this situation then? I don't really like walking any distance in them as is. If i put moleskin on the areas that are really tight, it's a bit more bearable but still not too fun.

 

[BillyMaysHere!]

If it's not TOO painful in the really early stages, then it will pass with a little time, as the leather will naturally stretch and conform somewhat, assuming that the pain isn't located right at a stitched area, as stitching, unlike leather, will never stretch. Breaking in shoes is a feeling that a number of us just have to accept occasionally as part of the early stage in shoe wearing. After that, your shoe should feel comfortable and snug. Exactly how long this will take depends on a few factors, one being how often your wear them, the other being how tight it is around the painful areas (the tighter it is, the longer it'll take to stretch, at a guess).
tl;dr wearing them to break them in SHOULD be enough to solve your problem.

 

[chethondo]

Sounds like you have the correct size. Loafers are a different beast for me because I have skinny heels. I usually size down .5 to a whole size because I like my heel to be in place. If they're tight in the width then I just let them break in. I bought a pair of Gucci bit loafers a whole size shorter than what I normally wear and they are still breaking in nicely i.e. the more I wear them the more comfortable I am.

 

[Dewey]

Wear them once a week. Take them off after four hours if they harass your feet. After six months you will know if they were too small.

 

[Dan9019]

Thanks for all the help. One last question: Are there considerations to be thought about when stretching new shoes on cobbler's tools vs. breaking them in on your feet over time? For example, will the leather not last as long?

 

[Dan9019]

bump

 

[ZON_JR]

Originally Posted by Dan9019

Thanks for all the help. One last question: Are there considerations to be thought about when stretching new shoes on cobbler's tools vs. breaking them in on your feet over time? For example, will the leather not last as long?

Only your threshold for pain.

 

[JanD]

Hello everyone.

The season has came so I bought my first pair of Loake loafers. I usually wear size 6UK in laced shoes so I was hoping to fin size 5.5UK. Because size 5.5UK was not available and I was told that lasts used for loafers are slightly smaller I decided to try size 6UK - my usual. They are made of high quality leather and have a leather sole.

Back to fitting. My new pair came in post today. I love the shoes but I do have slight problem with assessing their fit. They seem to be 'OK' in general. When I push my foot to the front I get about 0.7-1mm tops space behing my foot. I was trying to test the fit by shaking the shoes off my foot but they fit nicely. When I cross my legs when sitting (also a way to see their fit) they fit nicely. They seem to fit properly (not too tight) in width.
My concerns are - shouldn't these shoes (especially bare foot loafers) be visibly too tight at first? What if my shoes it properly now but will loose too much in a couple of weeks?
Also, because of the fresh leather sole when walking I feel that my soles do not stick to back of my foot. They slightly slip off. I know that leather sole needs to be broke in and after that it might stick to the back easier.. These are new shoes so I can return them and hope for a size 5.5UK to arrive or current buy.
I was trying to describe sizes and materials as good as I could. Can anyone advice me on this?

Thanks!

 

[Snedley]

Hi, I just bought my first pair of nice shoes, some Allen Edmonds loafers. They are part of the line made from Italian leather, not US. The guy at the store seemed very knowledgeable, and eventually I settled on size 9. I wear a 9.5-10.5 in sneakers. He said these shoes should stretch quite a bit after they are broken in. He himself was wearing an Italian AE shoe that was a year old and was made on the same style last in a size 8.5, and as an example let me try them on. I was able to put them on and walk around without any difficulty. My new shoes are quite tight though. My toes don't touch the front but the sides are pretty tight and my heel hurts after walking in them. Are these the wrong size or is it normal for new loafers to be pretty tight and somewhat uncomfortable? My foot measures between a 9 and 9.5 and between a D and E in width. I tried on the 9.5's in the store and they fit well but already the heel was every so slightly loose. I was afraid after stretching they would be too loose. Is it realistic for my shoes to stretch about a quarter or half size? Do you expect to have to break shoes in for a week or so before being able to wear them for hours without pain? Thanks for any help.

These AE Italian made shoes come in all sizes and widths B-D-EEE so there is no reason that you couldn't get a perfectly fitting shoe. Shoes don't need to be "broken in" and I have never bought a shoe at AE in the past 40 years that didn't fit perfectly from the day I bought it, on any last. And btw, shoes don't stretch and in fact may shrink which is why people use shoe trees although even if this is not as necessary with modern made shoes.
Which AE store was this and what measurements did the salesmen get on the Brannock?

 

[cptjeff]



These AE Italian made shoes come in all sizes and widths B-D-EEE so there is no reason that you couldn't get a perfectly fitting shoe. Shoes don't need to be "broken in" and I have never bought a shoe at AE in the past 40 years that didn't fit perfectly from the day I bought it, on any last. And btw, shoes don't stretch and in fact may shrink which is why people use shoe trees although even if this is not as necessary with modern made shoes.
Which AE store was this and what measurements did the salesmen get on the Brannock?

Leather shoes (and anything else made of leather) will stretch if they're a bit smaller than your foot. If you always buy shoes of a size where you aren't putting pressure on them, they won't. And shoe trees aren't for preventing shrinkage, they're for keeping the shoe in a nice shape and reducing creases.

Jan, sounds like your shoes fit well, you don't need to go down a size. The issue with your heel popping up will be solved once the sole breaks in a little bit and gets more flexible. You're not putting a whole lot of extra pressure on the leather, so it shouldn't stretch too much.