Shoe Width Chart

The standard medium width is D for men and B for women. If a shoe has no width marking on the box or tongue label, it is this standard width. About 60% of people fit comfortably in standard width. The other 40% need a narrower or wider shoe — most on the too-narrow side, particularly women.

The clearest signs: shoes feel tight across the ball of the foot even when the length is correct, the sides of your feet bulge over the shoe edges, you get blisters in the same spots repeatedly, or your toenails bruise during extended wear. The definitive answer is to measure your foot width and compare it to the Men’s or Women’s width chart for your size. A three-minute measurement is more reliable than any symptom checklist.

For men, 2E (also written EE) is extra wide — two steps above the standard D width. For women, 2E is XX-wide — two steps above the standard B width. Each E step adds approximately 1/8 inch of width at the ball of the foot. See our Width Codes Explained page for the complete code reference.

Yes — all you need is a piece of paper, a pencil, and a ruler. The standing trace method described in our How to Measure Foot Width guide produces results accurate enough for practical shoe shopping in about three minutes. The key requirements: measure standing with full weight on the foot, hold the pencil vertically, and measure at the end of the day when feet are at their largest.

Almost certainly a width problem, not a length problem. “Size” only refers to foot length — the number on the box. Width is a separate measurement, marked by a letter, that most shoes carry only in the standard medium. If your length is correct but shoes consistently feel tight across the ball of the foot, you need a wider width, not a larger size. Measure your width, find your designation in the width chart, and look specifically for shoes marked with that width. The difference is immediate and significant.