Shoe Size Confusion

Trouble finding the right sized footwear, You're not alone?

Hi everybody, so as this incredible summer continues.. It feels like the sunshine’s gone on almost as long as the rain did during the winter. Back then, I was loving the wellies, and the walking footwear but since mid-May I don’t think I’ve spent more than a couple of days out of my flip-flops or light summer shoes. Don’t get me wrong I’m far from complaining as I’m not going abroad this year, so the odd weekend at the beach is much appreciated.

The Birkenstocks have been unbelievably popular this year and if you want to grab the sandal of the summer, you can buy them from Mastershoe-Myshu with free UK delivery. Our Earth Spirits have been a major seller too and going by the response in our high street stores, they’re one of the comfiest pieces of women’s footwear we’ve ever sold.

Anyway, this week seeing as there can be such a variation in sizes for different footwear, especially our Birkenstock sandals I thought I would bring your attention to the different circumstances around this. For example, did you know that you get a separate men’s UK size and Women’s UK sizes, but with some brands you also get a unisex size guide to accommodate both males and female UK sizes in one. All of this is before you even consider the US and European equivalents. You’d think that it can’t be that difficult, you get your ruler out and the size it measures is the size you advertise. That would just be too easy though! We'll be following this up later in the year as well.  There are so many different things to consider when sizing shoes and getting that perfect fit but we hope this gives you a good insight to start with.

You see a brand sizing their shoe styles will take in to consideration a number of factors. If they are creating a sports shoe you will often find you need something slightly larger this can be to accommodate for the sports socks or possibly a thicker, cushioned insole for impact absorption. Also if you have been on your feet all day or the weather is very warm then your feet are likely to have swollen and this can impact on your true size. Then you get other brands like Birkenstock who actually design their sandals to be particularly spacious. Some people will need to buy a size smaller than their usual size. So, it’s easy to see how it starts to get quite confusing.

People will then have different shaped feet, even your own two feet will vary slightly in shape and size, over times shoes will also stretch and although your last shoes may have been a little small, once they’ve stretched a little you convince yourself that’s your actual size. Then you can have higher arches or wider toes than standard or equally the opposite and while one size may fit one day another shoe on another day could feel completely different and very rarely are two people exactly the same.. So over the course of your lifetime your feet can drastically change.

Shoe shop fitting expertise

For the ladies however it then gets even more confusing, if girls want to buy boots they want something that won’t just fit the foot but also their legs. So they have the problem of the calf fitting. In reality the size of a shoe is never really as simple as sticking a ruler to it. There is so much to take into consideration and occasionally at times it can easily result in the wrong size being bought but if you are looking for something new, don’t be afraid to ask questions a good seller will be happy to answer any number of questions about length, widths or supports. If you go into a store, try them on, see what you think. You never know, you might actually prefer a something slightly larger or smaller. The people in there will have been well-trained and while there’ s rarely a one size fits all solution you can guarantee with the companies who care, they’ll often go the extra mile to help ensure you get what you need.

At Mastershoe-Myshu we include all the main conversions at the bottom of our product descriptions as well as other measurements which we think you’ll find useful in our descriptions, like calf widths, heel heights or boot heights. Ultimately we’d like to ensure it’s as easy as possible for you we’re more than happy to bring out the tape measure.

I hope this helps and although they can vary from brand to brand we’re passionate about getting you the right shoes first time, so if you do have a question we’ll always do what we can to find you the right solution.


Cheers for now!

Glen

Monty Python Live (Mostly)

Hi All,

It’s Pam again this week.  A couple of weeks ago I went to see Monty Python Live (mostly) at the O2 so this week I thought I’d tell you guys all about it.

My dad is an avid Monty Python fan, has the box set of all the sketches and all the movies, and through my adolescence I have also been corrupted.  So when they announced they were doing 1 live performance last year I HAD to get the tickets, and it made an easy birthday and Christmas present for dad.  There I was sat at the computer logged in, the second it opened I was in the queue…..no good though, it sold out in 42 seconds I just wasn’t quick enough….but then…they added extra dates!! Wahoo! Straight back on the computer and this time I got tickets for the 4^th July, think the phone call to my Dad afterwards to let him know is possibly one of the best I’ve ever made.  He had no idea I was trying to get them, and wouldn’t have done it himself.  Next step, get the day booked off at work so we could make a day of it in London, Dad booked the hotel and I sorted out the train tickets.

Last week came around and I was starting to get everything together for going to London, only staying 1 night so not much to take but trying to work out what shoes to wear…that was proving difficult, I know for someone that owns a ridiculous amount of shoes I should easily have something suitable but I really didn't.  I only really wanted to take 1 pair, didn’t want to be carrying another pair round all day until we could book into the hotel and also needed  them to be really comfortable for walking round London all day and night and right to the top of the O2 (I said I got tickets, I didn’t say they were good seats, we were right up on the top level but I don’t think it really made any difference in the end).  I settled on trainers, the problem is I haven’t bought any new trainers in ages and they are all pretty tatty nowadays, I tend to only wear them for walking the dogs on dry days now and wear my boots through winter and straight into flip flops and sandals once it warms up, then have my 'posher' shoes for showing the dogs and more tidy nights out, none of them are really suitable for a day/night in London.  So what did I do....I went shopping! The advantage of working for a shoe company (or disadvantage in the case of bank balance) is there is soooo much to easily choose from.  

I finished work on Thursday evening and toddled up to our Trowbridge store, none of the trainer trainers we have at the moment (DC, Globe, Etnies etc) were really doing it for me and with it being so warm last week I really wanted something that would breathe, then I had a brainwave...Go Walks! My Go Walk Everydays are so comfy I don't know why I didn't think of it before, Go Walk 2's it was.  I tell you what I have barely taken them off since, they are fab!! Instant comfort, the mesh upper breathes really well so my feet didn't get to hot, even on the stuffy underground and no 'wearing in'.

Friday morning me and Dad caught the train into London, we left just after the morning rush hour so we could make the most of the day and got to Paddington just after 11.  First up was an early lunch, a couple of tube stops and a short walk and we found TGI Fridays, I know its not the fanciest place and there are much more 'London' restaurants we could go to but they do good food and it is a treat for us to eat out anywhere...plus they do amazing cocktails!!  Lunch finished we had a wander round London, did a bit of window shopping and headed to the hotel to book in and freshen up before heading off for a quick bite to eat before getting to the O2.

The performance started at 7.30 but being like excited children on the night before Christmas we arrived pretty early, just after 6.  It did give us time to join the mahussive queue for the Monty Python merchandise though.  After purchasing a couple of T-Shirts (my fave being the one that said 'Keep Calm and Buy a Shrubbery') and a program we had a quick wander round the O2.  I never realised how much is there, its a almost a whole street of restaurants and bars, almost like being in Magaluf :) Having a wander round we found some serious Monty Python fans - A Lumber Jack who really must have been a die hard fan it was easily 25°c, he was baking!, Gumbies and a fair few Lumber Jacks girls.  Getting on for 7 we climbed our way to the top of the O2 and took our seats.  We were miles away from the stage but you could still see it all and the screens were HUGE so you didn't miss anything.  7.30 everyone's in their seats and show starts....it was amazing, loads of people said do you think they've still got it after all this time and the answer is simple...YES, totally YES.  It was great mix of old iconic sketches and songs like the Dead Parrot Sketch mixed with some newer stuff and a bit of ad libbing which lets face it always goes down well, John Cleese even managed to get the footy score in.  Changing between sketches they used the enormous screens for the classic cartoons and even had Stephen Hawking chasing Brian Cox in one of the videos.  I know that sounds like it makes no sense but when you watch it, it really does.  

After the performance it took a good 45 minutes to get out of the O2, there were just so many people trying to do the same and I have never seen a queue as long as the one to get into the tube station.  I'll be honest we took one look at it and went back inside for a cheeky drink whilst the queue went down.  A quick stop for a night cap in Canary Wharf on the way back to the hotel completed the perfect day, and my feet in their new Skechers Go Walks? felt like those good old comfy, well worn in slippers.

And the best bit....I get to see it all again, not by going back to the O2...my bank balance definitely can't cope with that twice in one month.  But Sunday 20th July Gold will be showing it Live on TV....wahhooooo! 

Pam

xXx       

Glastonbury 2014

Hey everyone so after the glorious summer weather over the last couple of weeks and our last post on everyones personal taste on sandals.  I’ve had a bit of a reality check while I took a break in the Glastonbury mudfest.  I met up with old friends and had an all round had a great time!  If you’ve never been to Glastonbury then you should definitely consider it. I only went for the Sunday and as a first timer I can honestly say it was a great experience.  I decided to go with a pair of hiking boots for the day as I have weird feet and the less said about them the better, but I’ve never seen such mass support for a single brand, Hunter Wellies were everywhere. The festival itself is like a giant tribute to the guys! It like they’re unofficial sponsors so they’re doing something right and surprisingly a lot of the girl I spoke to were actually wearing kids wellies, so I guess that’s one way to save a little extra spending money!

Hunter Wellies at Glastonbury 2014

So what was everyone like? Well, Dolly Parton has since offered to adopt a dog as you do. It was left by someone in a tent, it’s horrible stuff but to be fair as Pam mentioned in the office this morning, I think it just needs a good home with a good family and somewhere local.  Whatever the situation as to whether or not she really sung it’s nice to hear people care.  Personally I wasn’t anywhere near the front, so I couldn’t say either way but none the less I did enjoy the show.  Bon Jovi’s, Richie Sambora even joined her towards at the end of the set for a rendition of Lay your Hands on Me which was great to see.  Kasabian really looked liked they enjoyed themselves as well as they closed the main stage.  For me though the real highlight was Ellie Goulding, Ellie was superb, you could feel the passion as the singer sung and danced her way through her set, she really was electric. 

Shangri La was something else as well, if anything, the quality of the set was of the sort of standard you’d expect in a full on film with trains and cars coming out of building, it looked insane! 

If I get the opportunity next year I’ll definitely be going back for the whole week however.  I loved the look of the Tipis as well, for the space they look perfect for a family.   Given the price however I think I’d rather just take a tent and slum it with the rest of the commoners.  The one thing I would do differently however is to arrange going with a couple of friends, and getting a helicopter there.  Is that extreme?  Maybe, but if you can fill one up you might be surprised.  I’d heard through the grapevine that if you fill a six seater then you’ll probably be looking at around £100 per person.   I’d do that just for the ride but if you don’t like queuing I imagine it’d save you hours!

Imagine it, your cruising through the sky taking in the sheer scale of the occasion and as the pilot prepares to land the crowd skips a breathe in anticipation, the sea of people parts excitedly with their camera ready for something special, William and Kate, Beyonce, you could be anyone..  and out you step with your friends in your new Original Hunters in a cacophony of colours to a flurry of cameras flashing in your face.  Ok, so it might be a bit of an anti-climax after the crowds look at you puzzled for a couple of minutes but just wear some big glasses with a hat and if you’re lucky they’ll just confuse you for the latest celeb.   Sorry I got a bit carried away with that last bit but it would definitely be a great bit of fun.  Either and it’s an incredible festival.   So to sign of, If you haven’t been, go and just make sure you remember your Hunters, ‘cause Hunters are cool! 

Cheers,

Glen