Shoe Width Guide

How width codes work

Many US and UK brands describe width with letters. For a given length, a later letter or more E's means a wider shoe: in men's sizing D is often the standard width and 2E (sometimes written EE) and 4E are wide and extra wide; in women's sizing the standard is often B and D is wide. But these are conventions, not a standard: brands use different letters, some use words such as "wide" or "narrow" instead, and the actual measurement for a letter changes with the length of the shoe.

Many brands, especially in Europe, make one width only and offer wider lasts or models instead. If a brand below lists no widths, check the individual product pages.

Width and length go together

A width letter describes the shape of the last a shoe is built on, not a fixed measurement in millimetres. Within one brand, a 2E in a larger size is wider in absolute terms than a 2E in a smaller size, because every part of the shoe grows with the length. That is why a brand's width chart, where it publishes one, lists measurements per length rather than one number per letter. It is also why the same letter can feel different from one brand to the next: each brand draws its own lasts, and some models in a range are cut more generously than others.

Choosing a width

• Measure your foot at its widest point, usually across the ball of the foot, as well as its length.
• Compare with the brand's width chart where it publishes measurements, and read its advice for wide feet.
• Going up a full size to get more width usually also adds length; a wide fitting keeps the length and adds room.

Width options by brand

29 of the 93 brands here list width options in their official size guides.

Brands that print a width measurement

Most brands only name their widths. These publish an actual measurement for each size, so you can compare with your own foot.

Questions