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I was fitted for dress shoes for the first time - and I was surprised to find out my real shoe sizehttps://www.businessinsider.in/i-was-fitted-for-dress-shoes-for-the-first-time-and-i-was-surprised-to-find-out-my-real-shoe-size/the-allen-edmonds-store-at-551-madison-avenue-is-pretty-unassuming-a-corner-retail-spot-located-on-a-busy-intersection-in-a-major-shopping-district-i-expected-something-a-bit-more-flashy-/slidelist/51232640.cms2021-07-26T12:46:23+05:30

I was fitted for dress shoes for the first time - and I was surprised to find out my real shoe size

Jul 26, 2021, 12:46 IST

The Allen Edmonds store at 551 Madison Avenue is pretty unassuming. A corner retail spot located on a busy intersection in a major shopping district, I expected something a bit more flashy.

As I walked in, I took stock of my surroundings. A picture of Allen Edmonds' factory in Port Washington, Wisconsin, hung on the wall.

But the store was rather small by square footage. I was informed it boasts the highest sales volume store out of the brand's 437 stores across the country, however.

I met with Stan Kilbourne, an Allen Edmonds master fitter. He was there to guide me in the finer principles of shoe fitting.

He directed me to choose a pair to get started. I chose the Strand, a classic model in Allen Edmonds' lineup.

The Strand is a brogue cap toe balmoral model. Balmoral means it has a closed lacing system, and doesn't allow for much expansion in the upper to accommodate your foot. That means the fit has to be exact, or there will be too much pressure, and the shoe will be extremely uncomfortable.

The first step was using the Brannock Device, which measures not only the length of the foot (I'm about an 8), but also width. The Brannock put me between an E (the first grade of wide) and a D (regular width). Kilbourne emphasized that the Brannock is merely a starting point for shoe sizing.

With that information, Kilbourne went to go fetch a range of sizes to try out. The many, many different shoes in the store were hidden behind a mirror right in the middle of the store. I didn't even notice until he slid the mirror aside.

He brought back two sizes: an 8 E and an 8 and a half D. They both had the same problem: too much pressure on the ball of the foot. Kilbourne also brought an 8 EEE, but it was too large.

He also brought me an 8 E in an open lacing system shoe, the Leeds, to see the difference between open and closed lacing systems. The open lacing allowed much more forgiveness in the fit, and the 8 E fit great.

There were no 8 EE shoes in the store at all, unfortunately — that's how rare of a size it is. Kilbourne had to order it for me from another store, and it would come in a few days. I had to come back.

When I came back, I faced the moment of truth. As Kilbourne tied the 8 EE, I was nervous. This was my last chance before I had to give up on this model forever.

Luckily for me, that wasn't a problem. As soon as I put on the 8 EE, I instinctively knew these were exactly my size. The shoes felt absolutely fantastic, and it took all of my willpower not to walk directly out the store with them on my feet.

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