Too big/too small
I have acquired a new pair of doc marten boots. My old pair is around 15 years old, and a) too tight and b) falling apart. At the time I bought those shoes, they fit great. Now they would be considered half a size too small.
The new pair is, in theory, half a size too big. My other option is half a size too small. Realistically, these actually feel about 1/4 to 1/3 size too big, but whatever. In EU sizes, they are one size bigger than I need.
So. I know leather stretches, so if I were to feel up to stretching out a new pair of boots, I could, in theory, get 1/2 size too small, and cram my feet into them and wait for them to get comfy. Bleh. However, I've also been told that leather can shrink up some, so after wearing these 1/2 size too big ones for awhile, they'll fit great. These feel mostly ok to walk in, though they're a tiny bit loose. When I'm sitting, I can wiggle my heel around rather a lot, though. I think it's basically the fact that they're snug over the top of my foot that keeps me in place.
Someone want to enlighten me about this whole "shrinking" thing, or failing that, give me other advice? And no, I don't want to soak my boots in water and then walk around until they dry, I'm sorry, I'm a) not that masochistic and b) don't have enough free time to walk around in wet boots for hours.
The new pair is, in theory, half a size too big. My other option is half a size too small. Realistically, these actually feel about 1/4 to 1/3 size too big, but whatever. In EU sizes, they are one size bigger than I need.
So. I know leather stretches, so if I were to feel up to stretching out a new pair of boots, I could, in theory, get 1/2 size too small, and cram my feet into them and wait for them to get comfy. Bleh. However, I've also been told that leather can shrink up some, so after wearing these 1/2 size too big ones for awhile, they'll fit great. These feel mostly ok to walk in, though they're a tiny bit loose. When I'm sitting, I can wiggle my heel around rather a lot, though. I think it's basically the fact that they're snug over the top of my foot that keeps me in place.
Someone want to enlighten me about this whole "shrinking" thing, or failing that, give me other advice? And no, I don't want to soak my boots in water and then walk around until they dry, I'm sorry, I'm a) not that masochistic and b) don't have enough free time to walk around in wet boots for hours.