Shopping for Shoes

One of the most exciting things to go shopping for is shoes. Well, at least for women, that is. And most often, in the hurry to hit the shopping malls and get the best deal on the so longed-for footwear, some shoe shopping survival skills are forgotten. So to ensure that you go home with a pair of happy feet, here are some essentials in shopping for shoes.

What kind
Aside from the occasional impulse buy because your most sought after shoes are on sale, know exactly what kind of shoe you are shopping for. Pumps? Flats? Wedges? Sports shoes?

Size
Well this is obvious. But we often forget that sometimes shoe manufacturers have slightly differing sizes even if the shoe labels say a pair is a size 6. It also may vary on the type of footwear you’re shopping for. You can be a size 6 for pumps but half a size or a full size bigger when it comes to flipflops or open sandals. It would be best to know what your exact size is for a particular kind of shoe.

Go well with wardrobe
Always think of what’s in your wardrobe when shopping for shoes. They should go well with not just one ensemble or look but should match a couple or so outfits.

Shop late in the afternoon
It would be ideal to go to the shopping mall and purchase our shoes later in the afternoon than in the morning. The reason for this is your feet aren’t swollen yet earlier in the day and to shop for shoes at this time might give you footwear you’d think to have “shrunk” as you wear them throughout the day. It’s really not that the shoes have shrunk as much as your feet have expanded because you’ve been using them all day. So it would be best to visit your favorite shoe store after a day’s work.

Enjoy trying it out
You won’t be able to tell how well a pair of shoes will fit you unless you slip them on and try them out for size, comfort and awesomeness on your feet. If you’re buying dress shoes like pumps or wedges, consider if you’ll be wearing stockings. If so, bring a pair along and try them with the shoes. This way you’ll know how the shoes you’re about to purchase will match your clothes.

Most shoes stores in shopping malls have mirrors so you can see how the shoes look on your feet. You can see them from all angles aside from just the top view when you’re looking down on them. Sometimes they look pretty top view but aren’t that spectacular-looking on your feet when viewed from the front or side. They might make your feet look too big or too broad or too long.

Comfort
It’s good when your new pair of shoes look good. But more importantly, they should be comfortable. What good would it do you if your feel looked beautiful in your newly bought shoes but they were killing you inch by inch because they were uncomfortable?

Keep these few tips in mind when you step inside the shopping malls to go hunt for the perfect pair of shoes. They’ll guarantee happy feet from the time you try your shoes on to the time you take them home.