Shoe FAQ

The Official International Shoe Size Conversion Chart can be found here;

Shoe size conversion chart


What You Will Need:
  *   Two pieces of paper
  *   A writing utensil
  *   A ruler
  *   A friend (recommended, but not essential)
 
Thing You Should Know Before You Measure Your Feet:

  *   It is best to measure your feet after a full day of walking because walking can slightly increase the size of your feet.
  *   It is best to measure your feet wearing the type of socks or stockings you will be wearing in the shoe you plan to purchase. Only measure your feet while barefoot if you plan to wear shoes over your bare feet.
  *   Remember that the difference in shoe size measurements is often as small as 6 mm so your foot measurements will need to be equally detail-oriented to be effective. Rounding up or down will decrease the accuracy of the measurement and your likelihood of finding a good shoe fit.
  *   Measure both feet. Most people's feet are slightly asymmetrical. When buying shoes use the measurements from the larger foot.

Measuring Your Feet In Four Basic Steps:

  *   1. Step down on a piece of paper and trace the outline of your foot. Particularly if you have trouble touching your toes, it will be easier if you have a friend present to trace your foot for you.

  *   2. Use the ruler to measure the length of your foot from the longest toe (usually the big toe, but depends on the foot) to the back of your heel. Write down the measurement.
 

 *  3. Measure the length of the foot across the widest part of the foot (usually across the ball of the foot). Write down the measurement.

  *  4. Compare your foot measurements to the measurements on our international shoe size chart to find the number that corresponds to your shoe length.

What style of shoe is best for me?

Do you have bunions, very wide feet or use orthotics?

Certain styles of Ethnic spirit shoes are perfect for people with bunions or other types of sensitive feet. Our Low Desert boots for example have no seams along the edges, only soft, pliable and mouldable cotton fabric that in a short time will take the exact shape of your feet. When measuring shoes to fit orthotics, many people like to go up one size, or often the orthotics can be placed inside of your normal size shoe after they have stretched in just one week or so.

A perfect example of just how much our Low desert boots can stretch in width was proven to us with our very first customer at Woodford Folk Festival one year, who called out to us, " I'd love to buy your shoes but I was born with six toes so I don't think you can help me!"
We responded that we'd love to at give it a go as our shoes are especially designed for people with wide feet or bunion problems. The customer was very surprised to find himself walking out in new colourful and extremely comfortable shoes! He passed by every day of the festival singing our praises for having helped him to find an awesome pair of festival shoes for the first time ever that fit well!

Do you have very slim feet?

Certain styles of Ethnic Spirit shoes are perfect for a slim foot, especially our Convertible and Traditional Cowboy boots. The important thing to remember is that being a slim fit in a pointy style shoe you can usually go down a size from your normal size because of the extra room at the toe.

Do you have very flat feet or a narrow heel?

All of our shoes have flat soles apart from our cowboy boots, and all fit arch supports inside if necessary to create a comfortable arch for flat feet. Our cowboy boots work well with a heel grip when necessary for narrow heels. Both the arch support and heel grip can be purchased easily from local chemists.

What if the shoes I purchase don't fit?

We understand that buying shoes online can be a risky thing. When we serve you in person at our stall we give all the attention you could possible need to ensure that you find the best type of shoe for your type of feet and size. When buying online our intention is to provide as much information as possible to gauge the exact shoe type and size for a comfortable fit.

We are a small family business and for this reason we don't do refunds for changes of mind, but if you do purchase a pair of shoes that don't fit and even after trying all of the tricks that we suggest for stretching and wearing in, they are still not comfortable (as long as not damaged or worn outside), we are willing to exchange for another pair or give credit in another part of our online store. The postage for returning the shoes to us must be covered by you and we will cover the return to you. We think this is a fair deal and our most important wish is that we are all happy at the end of the process.

Caring for my shoes and wearing them in