Whatever the size of your feet it’s important to buy the right shoes — shoes that will fit correctly and offer your feet and ankles the support they need.

The following tips will help you become a smart shoe buyer and help you make informed choices when you go to a shoe store.

Don’t select shoes by the size marked inside the shoe but by how the shoe fits your foot – this is probably the most important rule, since manufacturers will vary sizes slightly from the standard. Select a shoe that is shaped like your foot – if you have a wide foot, don’t select a tight, narrow shoe; if you have big toes don’t try to squish them into a tiny gap at the end of a stiletto. During the fitting process, make sure there is enough space (approx 1cm) for your longest toe at the end of each shoe when you are standing up.

Make sure the ball of your foot fits comfortably into the widest part of the shoe and doesn’t have that ‘hot’, tight feeling. Speaking of tight: don’t buy shoes that feel too tight and expect them to stretch to fit, this may not happen. Your heel should fit comfortably in the shoe with a minimum amount of slipping – the shoes should not ride up and down on your heel when you walk. However, some slippage is fine and is common with new shoes. Don’t try to get a super tight heel.

Ask the shoe store staff to measure your foot with a Brannock Device: that’s the tool used to measure three dimensions of the foot – heel to the ball of the foot; heel to the tip of toes; and width. Each of the measurements obtained using a Brannock Device are used in combination to custom fit the shoe. You might find that you have a mistaken idea of the best shoe fit your feet.