What If I Can't Find Shoes That Fit Anywhere?

Have you ever walked into a shoe shop knowing that finding a pair of shoes that fits you properly is going to be difficult?

Perhaps you have arthritis, a bunion, hammer toes or swollen feet. Maybe one foot is bigger than the other. Perhaps your feet are particularly wide, narrow, short or long.

You may have diabetes, lymphoedema, neuropathy or another condition that has changed the shape, size or sensitivity of your feet.

Or perhaps you've simply tried everything and nothing seems to work.

You buy a bigger size to give your feet more room, but then the shoes are too long. You try a wider fitting, but it creates space where you don't need it and still doesn't give you enough room where you do.

You try different brands, different styles and different shops.

And eventually, you start to wonder:

“Is it my feet, or is it the shoes?”

Sometimes, it really is the shoes.

Standard shoes are designed to fit a range of feet

Most footwear available in shops is created around a standard range of shapes and sizes.

This makes sense. Shoes need to be produced for lots of different people, and standard sizing gives us a useful starting point.

But your feet aren't a standard size.

They have their own shape, length, width and volume. Your left and right foot may not even be the same.

For many people, a standard shoe works perfectly well. But for others, there simply isn't a shape available that accommodates everything their feet need.

This can be particularly frustrating if you have arthritic feet, bunions, hammer toes, swollen feet, foot deformities or changes following surgery or injury.

And that's when finding suitable footwear can become difficult.

When going up a size doesn't solve the problem

One of the most common things people try when their shoes don't fit is to go up a size.

It seems logical.

If your foot needs more room, surely a bigger shoe will give you that space?

But a bigger shoe is also longer.

If you need extra width rather than extra length, you can end up with a shoe that is too long while still not fitting properly around the part of your foot that needs more space.

The same can happen when trying a wider fitting.

Making the entire shoe wider doesn't necessarily solve a problem that exists in just one particular area.

You might need more room around your toes because of hammer toes, claw toes or arthritis, but not around your heel.

You might need additional depth over a bunion, but not more width everywhere else.

You might have swelling that changes throughout the day, meaning the volume of your foot is different at different times.

Or you may have one foot that needs something completely different from the other.

This is where standard sizing can reach its limits.

What if you have arthritis and can't find comfortable shoes?

Arthritis can make finding comfortable footwear particularly challenging.

Changes in the joints of the foot can affect the shape of the foot and the amount of space you need inside your shoes.

Some people with arthritis find that shoes which once fitted comfortably no longer feel suitable.

You may need additional room around particular joints or toes. You may find certain areas of a shoe uncomfortable because they press against sensitive parts of the foot.

And because arthritis affects people differently, there isn't one particular shoe shape that will work for everyone with arthritis.

The important question isn't simply:

“Which shoes are best for arthritis?”

It's:

“What does your individual foot need?”

Sometimes a suitable ready-to-wear shoe may be enough. In other cases, an assessment may identify that specialist or bespoke footwear could be more appropriate.

Your feet don't have to fit the shoe

This is one of the fundamental differences with bespoke footwear.

Rather than starting with a standard shoe and asking:

“Which size fits you best?”

we start with:

“What do your feet need?”

At Sweetmore & Firth, the footwear is created around the individual.

That starts with listening.

Everyone who comes through our door has their own story

At Sweetmore & Firth, we have created shoes for people with wide feet, narrow feet, short feet and feet that simply don't fit the shapes and sizes available in standard footwear.

We've worked with people whose footwear requirements have been affected by arthritis, diabetes, lymphoedema, bunions, hammer toes, claw toes, neuropathy, swelling, foot deformities and changes following surgery or injury.

We've also worked with people whose feet have been affected by conditions or circumstances such as polio and post-polio changes.

But the condition isn't always the most important part of the story.

Everyone who walks through our door has their own struggles, their own frustrations and their own reasons for coming to see us.

Some people have spent years trying to find shoes that work.

Some have cupboards full of shoes that they simply can't wear.

Some have become used to putting up with discomfort because they don't believe there is another option.

And some people have never really had a pair of shoes that felt as though they were created for them.

A big part of our journey with you is listening.

We listen to you, your story and what you need.

We want to understand what you have tried before, what hasn't worked and what you would like your footwear to allow you to do.

Sometimes technically isn't the answer.

What should work in a book doesn't always mean that is what you need.

By building a relationship with each and every customer, we can hear what you are telling us and what your body is telling us.

That is an important part of the bespoke process.

It is just as important as the fit of the last.

What if you have bunions or hammer toes?

Bunions and hammer toes are two common reasons people can struggle to find comfortable footwear.

A bunion can change the shape and width of the forefoot, while hammer toes or claw toes can require additional space and depth around the toes.

Simply buying a larger shoe doesn't necessarily solve the problem.

The extra length may leave your heel slipping while still failing to provide the right shape or depth around the toes.

A wider shoe may create too much space in some areas while still not providing the specific accommodation your foot needs.

Bespoke footwear offers the opportunity to consider where additional space is required rather than simply making the whole shoe larger.

The aim is to create footwear around the individual shape of your foot.

What if your feet are swollen?

Swelling can make finding suitable shoes particularly difficult.

Feet affected by lymphoedema, oedema or other changes in foot volume may not fit comfortably into standard footwear.

You may find that a shoe fits in the morning but becomes uncomfortable later in the day.

Or perhaps your feet have changed in volume over time and shoes that used to fit no longer do.

In these situations, it is important to understand how your feet change and what your footwear needs to accommodate.

A bespoke approach can allow the footwear to be considered around your individual measurements and requirements rather than relying solely on standard shoe sizing.

What happens when standard footwear can't accommodate your feet?

If your feet don't fit comfortably into standard footwear, there are different options to consider.

Sometimes a different style or fitting of ready-to-wear shoe is enough.

Sometimes an off-the-shelf specialist shoe may be appropriate.

Sometimes custom orthotic insoles can help address particular footwear requirements.

And sometimes the shape or requirements of your feet mean that bespoke footwear is worth considering.

This is why an individual assessment is so important.

Bespoke shoes aren't automatically the answer for everyone. The aim isn't to create bespoke footwear simply because we can.

The aim is to understand what you need and work out what approach is most appropriate.

What can bespoke footwear accommodate?

Every pair is different, because every person is different.

Bespoke footwear can be considered when you have requirements that standard footwear cannot easily accommodate.

This might include:

• Wide feet

• Narrow feet

• Particularly short or long feet

• Different-sized feet

• Differently shaped feet

• Bunions

• Hammer toes

• Claw toes

• Arthritis

• Swelling or changes in foot volume

• Lymphoedema

• Oedema

• Areas that require additional space

• Foot deformities

• Neuropathy

• Changes following surgery or injury

• The need to accommodate custom orthotic insoles

• Footwear requirements associated with diabetes

• Footwear requirements associated with conditions such as polio or post-polio changes

The important thing is that these aren't simply boxes to tick.

Two people with the same condition may have completely different feet and completely different footwear requirements.

Two people with arthritis, for example, may need completely different approaches to their footwear.

The same is true of people with bunions, diabetes, lymphoedema, hammer toes or swollen feet.

That's why we don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.

What if one foot is different from the other?

This is something we see regularly.

Your feet may differ in length, width, shape or volume.

With standard footwear, you're generally choosing one size and one shape for both feet.

But what happens if your left foot is a different size from your right?

Perhaps one foot is longer.

Perhaps one is wider.

Perhaps one has a bunion while the other doesn't.

Perhaps swelling affects one foot differently from the other.

Bespoke footwear gives us the opportunity to consider each foot individually.

The footwear can be developed around the requirements of each foot rather than assuming that they are identical.

Sometimes the differences are obvious.

Sometimes they're much more subtle.

Either way, they are part of understanding how your footwear needs to be created.

What if you have tried everything?

If you've already tried different shops, different brands and different sizes, it can be tempting to think that comfortable footwear simply isn't possible for you.

Perhaps you've searched for shoes for wide feet, shoes for swollen feet, shoes for bunions or shoes for arthritis and still haven't found anything that works.

Perhaps you've bought specialist shoes that promised a better fit but still didn't accommodate your feet properly.

Or perhaps you've simply stopped looking because you're tired of spending money on shoes you can't wear.

Before reaching the conclusion that comfortable footwear isn't possible for you, it can be helpful to have your feet and your footwear requirements properly assessed.

At Sweetmore & Firth, we take the time to understand your situation before deciding what is appropriate.

We look at your feet, how you move, your previous footwear experiences and what you need from your shoes.

Measurements, foot impressions, 3D scanning and gait analysis can form part of the assessment where appropriate.

From there, we can start to understand whether bespoke footwear may be suitable and how it could be created around you.

It's not just about making a bigger shoe

This is an important distinction.

Bespoke footwear isn't simply about creating a shoe that is wider, longer or deeper.

It is about creating the footwear around the individual shape and requirements of your feet.

You may need more room around a bunion but a close-fitting heel.

You may need additional depth over hammer toes but not a wider shoe overall.

You may have one foot that requires a different shape from the other.

You may need your footwear to accommodate a custom orthotic.

The answer isn't necessarily to make the entire shoe bigger.

It is about understanding where and why your footwear needs to be different.

The bespoke last is at the heart of the process

A bespoke last is a fundamental part of creating individual footwear.

A last is the three-dimensional form around which the footwear is constructed.

At Sweetmore & Firth, the last is created from the information gathered during your assessment.

It becomes the foundation around which your footwear is developed.

And because your feet are individual, the last is individual too.

This is one of the key differences between buying a standard shoe and having footwear created specifically for you.

Rather than trying to make your foot conform to a standard shape, the footwear can be developed around the shape and requirements that have been identified.

What if you need orthotics as well?

Sometimes the challenge isn't just getting the shoe to fit your foot.

You may also need to accommodate a custom orthotic.

In these situations, the relationship between the foot, orthotic and footwear needs to be considered together.

At Sweetmore & Firth, where appropriate, the bespoke last can be created to match the base of the foot and the custom orthotic can then be created to cradle the foot before the shoe is created around them both.

This allows the different elements to work together as part of the overall footwear.

If you already have orthotics, bring them with you to your consultation so we can discuss your requirements.

Could bespoke footwear be right for you?

If you've struggled for years to find shoes that fit, you may be wondering whether bespoke footwear is something you should consider.

There isn't one simple answer.

Bespoke footwear isn't necessary for everyone, and sometimes a well-fitting ready-to-wear shoe, specialist footwear or custom orthotic is the better option.

But if standard footwear consistently fails to accommodate your feet, an individual assessment can help you understand what options are available.

Whether you're struggling with arthritis, bunions, hammer toes, swelling, lymphoedema, diabetes, differently sized feet, wide feet, narrow feet or another difficult-to-accommodate foot shape, the starting point should always be understanding your individual requirements.

At Sweetmore & Firth, we don't start with a shoe.

We start with you.

We listen to your story, understand your feet and work with you to explore what your footwear needs to do.

From there, we can create something that is genuinely individual.

You're not difficult to fit

Perhaps the most important thing I'd like you to take away from this is this:

Your feet aren't necessarily the problem because standard shoes don't fit them.

Standard shoes are designed around a range of shapes and sizes.

Your feet are individual.

If you've spent years feeling that you're somehow “difficult to fit”, or that you simply have to put up with uncomfortable footwear, you may not have found the right approach yet.

At Sweetmore & Firth, we work with people who have often spent a long time trying to find something that works.

We listen to what you've experienced, look at what your feet need and take the time to understand what is important to you.

Because bespoke footwear isn't just about creating a shoe that fits.

It's about creating footwear for the person who wears it.

Could we help?

Sweetmore & Firth offers one-to-one bespoke footwear consultations from our workshop in New Mills, High Peak, with clients travelling from across the UK.

If you've been struggling to find shoes that fit — whether because of arthritis, bunions, hammer toes, swollen feet, lymphoedema, diabetes, differently sized feet or simply because standard footwear doesn't accommodate your feet — we'd love to hear your story.

Get in touch to discuss your footwear requirements or arrange a consultation.