When you are out shopping for footwear, you might be confused as to what all of the size letters stand for. Unfortunately, many manufacturers use letters that seem to be completely random and, consequently, it can be hard to find a design that is wide enough. You will find below a list of the most commonly used sizing indicators.

Men’s Widths:

• AA – the narrowest of all the sizes available. You would do well to avoid any design that has the double-A following the size.
• B – any design with a B following the size is narrow.
• C/N – any design with a C or an N following the size is also narrow, but not as narrow as those marked with a B.
• D/M – footwear marked with a D or M is average or medium sized. It isn’t especially narrow or very roomy.
• E/W – designs marked with an E or a W are wide sized.
• EE – also known as 2E, these designs are wider than E/W.
• EEEE – these designs are also called 4E and they are even wider than 2E.
• EEEEEE – these are called 6E and they are the widest option available.

Women’s Widths:

• AA – the double-A in women’s is, like in the list above, the narrowest option available. It’s best to avoid an AA when you’re out looking for a new shoe.
• B/M – the B or M size in a woman’s design is a medium or average width. It’s best to avoid these options, as well.
• D – the D next to the size indicates that this design is wide.
• EE – the double E is typically the widest.

Children’s Widths:

• M – the M in a children’s design represents an average or medium width. If your child has a wide foot, it would be best not to get them this size.
• W – a children’s design with a W next to the size is wide.
• XW – when the size is followed by XW, the design is usually the widest.

While shopping for a design that is bigger in width than usual, you should consider the upper construction. Why? A stiff, leather upper won’t flex with your movements, and ultimately, it will become a painful, albeit stylish cage. If you require an unconventional size, any little ‘give’ that you can get will mean a lot in the long run.

This is why you should look for flexible, durable materials in the upper construction. A breathable, stretchy mesh is best, as it will flex and mold to your foot’s shape and movements. However, an upper consisting entirely of mesh will have little support. You should take into account the environment you will be wearing this design in. If it’s an athletic environment, you may want to consider a mesh upper with leather or synthetic overlays for support.

Any material that is stiff or tight will not flex or stretch with your foot as you move and that makes for a painful experience for anyone, especially people with wide feet.

The design shouldn’t be so flimsy that you feel like you might twist your ankle or that you’re not getting enough security - especially in the case of doing sports. But it should also not be so constricting that it accidentally cuts off your blood flow. You will need to find a design that strikes a good balance here, one that is both flexible, but also supportive.

Some people need more support built into their footwear than others. However, everyone should consider the supportive features of a design before they make a purchase. You should consider the height of your arches, the strength of your ankles, and your normal gait as you look into buying your new footwear.

A person with flat feet would not benefit from wearing a shoe designed to support someone with high arches. Similarly, a shoe designed for a person with flat feet would not benefit someone with high arches. Someone with weaker ankles or who is prone to rolling their ankles while they’re out would benefit from a design with a higher ankle.

Some features that you should look into as you are shopping for a sufficiently supportive design are as follows:

• Upper Construction – Leather or synthetic overlays offer more support to your whole foot than simple mesh designs.
• Insole Properties – Some insoles are designed to not only cushion your soles but also to support your arches and forefoot.
• Midsole Properties – Some midsoles, similarly, are designed to cushion and support. Midsole caps in the heel, in particular, create a strong stabilizing effect.
• Outsole Construction and Design – A good outsole is sturdy enough to support you but also flexible enough to bend with your foot’s natural movement. Otherwise, you could find yourself in pain at the end of the day.

Ultimately, you will need to determine how much support you need and desire before you make a purchase and then consider what you are willing to sacrifice to get that support, if necessary. Many designs today come with plenty of support and cushioning for ample comfort and safety.

You need your footwear to be comfortable, or else what is the point of having it? You could just as easily wear a tighter, narrower design, but why suffer when you can have the comfort of a well-cushioned, well-designed wide option?

Many designs come with insoles, midsoles, and outsoles built with maximum cushioning in mind, but in the same way many lean more towards being stability designs with minimal cushioning and others rest somewhere in the middle. In the end, you must decide how much cushioning you want and need in your footwear to make you walk, run, or work more comfortably.

Cushioning and Padding Placements:

• Tongue – A padded tongue can be a boon to your upper foot. It protects your foot from painful rubbing. Plus, it’s soft and absorbs impact!
• Padded Ankle – A padded ankle protects your ankles from abrasive rubbing with each step. An insufficiently padded ankle can cause pain and injury.
• Insole – A good insole has sufficient cushioning for your whole foot from heel to toes. Some designs come with specialized forefoot and rearfoot cushioning while others come with more cushioning and support in the arch area.
• Midsole – Some midsoles come with more cushioning capabilities than others. Some midsoles are designed with a focus on stability rather than comfort.
• Outsole – You want your outsole to be sturdy, but you also need it to absorb shock well. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with footwear that feels like running with wooden boards strapped to your feet.

There is no point in buying a design if the opening is too small to get your foot in. Either the upper needs to be stretchy and flexible, the opening needs to be large enough to slip your foot in, or the opening needs to have some type of closure for adjustability. If you have a knee-high boot, for example, you will need the boot’s upper to be flexible enough to allow your foot to slide in and bend to go into the foot area.

The most common closure styles are as follows:

• Lace-Up: This is one of the most prevalent closure styles, and it’s used in athletic footwear as well as that meant for work. With a lace-up design, you can stretch the mouth and tongue to accommodate the entry of your foot and then tie the shoe closed around it. It can be a great, secure fit, but generally, office work prohibits this type of closure unless it’s in a lace-up loafer or something similar.
• Velcro Strap: Like the lace-up closure, the Velcro strap can be adjusted to fit your foot more securely after stretching the mouth enough to get your foot in. This closure style gets a little flack sometimes, but it’s easier than stopping to tie and re-tie your footwear.
• Hook-and-Loop Buckle: This style of closure generally does not get used in athletic footwear, but it’s common in office and casual dress models. The strap closing the design over your foot acts similarly to a belt around your waist and hooks into a belt-buckle style fastener. Generally, the material in the upper construction is flexible enough to accommodate the stretching that is required to slide your foot in and then fasten it.
• Zip-Up: The zip-up closure is what makes shin, calf, and knee-high boots easier for anyone to wear, but especially for people who have wide feet. The zipper usually starts at the side of the foot, so the opening is large enough to slip your foot in. When you zip the boot up, it results in a secure fit, so your boots don’t come flying off.