( 
)This guide discusses buying vintage, pre-owned, and used shoes and how to measure for the best fit so you can buy with confidence.
If you're looking for name brand shoes at bargain prices, consider buying vintage, used, or pre-owned shoes.
"What? Put my feet into shoes someone else has worn? Yuck!"
But that may be just what you're doing when you try on a pair of "new" shoes in a retail store! Do you know how many other feet were in those shoes before yours? Were they protected by footies or socks? Did the store sanitize the shoes before putting them back out for sale? How can you be sure? On the other hand, when you buy a pair of pre-owned shoes from a reputable seller like pack_rat_009, you can be confident they have been sanitized for your protection.
"Good, no germs! But what condition will the shoes be in? How will I know, if I can't hold them in my hand?"
You should be able to accurately determine the shoe's condition from the listing text and pictures. For example, the listings at Packrat's Emporium include a general description, special features, and photos of the sides, top, bottom, front and back of the shoes. The text will also point out any defect the seller has detected, and will often include a photo highlighting that defect.
(Photos should always be of the actual item being sold. If a stock photo is used, you may want to request a set of actual photos from the seller.) After reading the listing text and examining the photos, if you still need more information, never hesitate to ask the seller.
"Excellent! The shoes are sanitized and I know their condition. But how do I know they'll fit? Can I rely on the size marked on the shoe?"
Because shoe sizes can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and because size standards change over time, it is generally not a good idea to rely on the marked shoe size. Instead, measure your own shoes -- or your bare feet -- and compare your measurements to those in the listing. Simply follow the steps listed below.
Method A: Measuring Your Own Shoe For A Good Fit
Step 1: Choose one of your own shoes that is comfortable and similar in style to those you are considering buying (pumps, flats, loafers, sneakers...).
Step 2: Insert the end of a flexible tape measure into the shoe. The tape should be centered in the middle of the insole, and its tip should extend to the end of the toe without buckling. Holding the tape flat against the insole, smooth it upward until it meets the heel edge of the insole; this measurement is the inside shoe length.
Step 3: Insert the tape sideways at the widest part of the shoe (ball of the foot) and measure the insole from edge to edge, making sure you hold the tape flat; this measurement is the inside shoe width.
Step 4: Place the shoe on a flat surface and measure the heel from that surface up to the seam where it attaches to the foot of the shoe; this measurement is the heel height.
Tip: If you don't have a flexible tape measure, you can insert a strip of paper, mark it, and lay it against a flat ruler to get the correct measurements. (When measuring heel height, be sure the edge of the ruler rests evenly against the flat surface and that the ruler rises straight up.)
"Why are you instructing me to take inside measurements? Isn't it easier to measure the outside of my shoe?"
Measuring the outside of your shoe might be easier, but you need to be sure that your foot will fit inside the shoe, so you need to know the inside dimensions. Relying on outside dimensions is a sure way to get a shoe that is too small!
Method 2: Measuring Your Bare Foot for A Good Fit
Step 1: Sit on a chair and place your bare foot flat on a piece of plain white paper.
Step 2: Carefully trace the outline of your foot onto the paper.
Step 3: Do the same with your other foot.
Step 4: Compare the two tracings (a good method is to place one paper over the other and hold them up to a source of light). Complete Steps 5 and 6 using the larger/longer foot.
Step 5: Measure the tracing from toe edge to heel edge to get the inside shoe length.
Step 6: Measure the tracing from edge to edge at the widest part to get the inside shoe width.
So there you have it. I hope you found this information useful and that you now feel confident enough to shop for great shoe bargains -- because, in most cases, used, vintage, and pre-owned shoes really do measure up to new!
If you're looking for name brand shoes at bargain prices, consider buying vintage, used, or pre-owned shoes.
"What? Put my feet into shoes someone else has worn? Yuck!"
But that may be just what you're doing when you try on a pair of "new" shoes in a retail store! Do you know how many other feet were in those shoes before yours? Were they protected by footies or socks? Did the store sanitize the shoes before putting them back out for sale? How can you be sure? On the other hand, when you buy a pair of pre-owned shoes from a reputable seller like pack_rat_009, you can be confident they have been sanitized for your protection.
"Good, no germs! But what condition will the shoes be in? How will I know, if I can't hold them in my hand?"
You should be able to accurately determine the shoe's condition from the listing text and pictures. For example, the listings at Packrat's Emporium include a general description, special features, and photos of the sides, top, bottom, front and back of the shoes. The text will also point out any defect the seller has detected, and will often include a photo highlighting that defect.
"Excellent! The shoes are sanitized and I know their condition. But how do I know they'll fit? Can I rely on the size marked on the shoe?"
Because shoe sizes can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and because size standards change over time, it is generally not a good idea to rely on the marked shoe size. Instead, measure your own shoes -- or your bare feet -- and compare your measurements to those in the listing. Simply follow the steps listed below.
Method A: Measuring Your Own Shoe For A Good Fit
Step 1: Choose one of your own shoes that is comfortable and similar in style to those you are considering buying (pumps, flats, loafers, sneakers...).
Step 2: Insert the end of a flexible tape measure into the shoe. The tape should be centered in the middle of the insole, and its tip should extend to the end of the toe without buckling. Holding the tape flat against the insole, smooth it upward until it meets the heel edge of the insole; this measurement is the inside shoe length.
Step 3: Insert the tape sideways at the widest part of the shoe (ball of the foot) and measure the insole from edge to edge, making sure you hold the tape flat; this measurement is the inside shoe width.
Step 4: Place the shoe on a flat surface and measure the heel from that surface up to the seam where it attaches to the foot of the shoe; this measurement is the heel height.
Tip: If you don't have a flexible tape measure, you can insert a strip of paper, mark it, and lay it against a flat ruler to get the correct measurements. (When measuring heel height, be sure the edge of the ruler rests evenly against the flat surface and that the ruler rises straight up.)
"Why are you instructing me to take inside measurements? Isn't it easier to measure the outside of my shoe?"
Measuring the outside of your shoe might be easier, but you need to be sure that your foot will fit inside the shoe, so you need to know the inside dimensions. Relying on outside dimensions is a sure way to get a shoe that is too small!
Method 2: Measuring Your Bare Foot for A Good Fit
Step 1: Sit on a chair and place your bare foot flat on a piece of plain white paper.
Step 2: Carefully trace the outline of your foot onto the paper.
Step 3: Do the same with your other foot.
Step 4: Compare the two tracings (a good method is to place one paper over the other and hold them up to a source of light). Complete Steps 5 and 6 using the larger/longer foot.
Step 5: Measure the tracing from toe edge to heel edge to get the inside shoe length.
Step 6: Measure the tracing from edge to edge at the widest part to get the inside shoe width.
So there you have it. I hope you found this information useful and that you now feel confident enough to shop for great shoe bargains -- because, in most cases, used, vintage, and pre-owned shoes really do measure up to new!
Guide created: 04/23/08 (updated 11/17/09)
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