I remember nostalgically how I loved to go to the local “Shoe Show” before the beginning of each school year as it was time for me to pick out my new shoes!!  Yay! The excitement within me was palpable. I would run through the aisles looking at all of the shoes hearing each delicate pair whisper ever so softly, “Pick me! Pick me!”  How could I choose! They are all so beautiful! My mother would then sit me down allow me try on each shoe that I desired knowing full well that she would only buy me one pair. I would throw off my old shoe and place my socked foot into the new shoe and feel immediately like a Superhero.  It was then that my mom did her tried and true “let’s see if this shoe fits trick”. She would place her thumb over my big toe and say, “wiggle your toes”. I would oblige freely and in some magical way she would decide if that size was correct or if I needed a larger size!  Whoa! I think this woman may have been a magician!!

I use this anecdote to portray the most common way we were all taught to buy and properly fit shoes. Below you will find a quick list of do’s and don’ts of proper shoe fit.DO- Try your shoes on in late afternoon: Our bodies are composed of mostly water so you retain fluid as the day progresses, thus your feet will be their most swollen. If shoes are comfortable at their most swollen, they will be comfortable all day.DON’T-  Wear shoes until they scream for retirement:  Most shoes if worn on a consistent basis are good for only one year, sooner if you are speaking of running shoes.DO- Wiggle your toes like you are playing the piano: Adequate room in the toe box is paramount. Wiggling your toes as is you are playing the piano will denote if there is adequate room for your toes.DON’T- Use your big toe as a litmus test for shoe fit: Your big toe is not always your longest toe. Use your longest toe, which may be your second toe, to decide shoe fit.

Use these few tips on your quest to find the perfect shoe and Cinderella will have nothing on you!