Shoe Widths Explained: M vs. W vs. WW

The letters after your shoe size describe width, not length. M is medium, W is wide and WW (wide wide) is extra wide. A 9 W and a 9 WW are the same length; the WW simply gives you more room across the foot.

M (Medium)

The standard width most shoes are built on.

W (Wide)

One width wider than medium, with more room through the ball of the foot and the toe box.

WW (Wide Wide)

Wider than W, for feet that still feel snug in a wide shoe.

Many of the wide-width shoes at Catherines are offered in all three. The Vida Leather-Like Slip On Pump, a Comfortview style, comes in full and half sizes 7–11 and size 12 in M, W and WW, so you choose your length and your width separately.

Often, but not always. Some brands label width with letters instead of M, W and WW. In women's shoes, B commonly means medium, C or D commonly means wide, and E or more usually signals extra wide, but each brand sets its own scale.

That's why an E from one maker can feel roomy while another feels close to a standard wide. Treat letter widths as a starting point, and when a listing uses M, W and WW, shop by that scale instead of converting.

You likely need W if medium shoes pinch across the ball of your foot or crowd your toes even when the length is right. Try WW if wide styles still feel snug in the same spots.

Signs medium is too narrow

• Your toes feel pressed together or the toe box feels tight.
• Your foot presses against or over the edges of the sole.
• You notice red marks or pressure along the outer edge of your foot.
• The heel fits, but the widest part of your foot feels squeezed.

Signs to try WW instead of W

• Wide shoes still feel tight across the toes after a few hours.
• Slip-on styles feel snug over the top of your foot as well as across it.
• You've been sizing up in length just to get enough room.

A quick at-home width check

1. Later in the day, stand on a sheet of paper with your weight on one foot.
2. Trace around your foot, keeping the pen upright.
3. Pull the insole from a shoe in your usual size, or trace the sole, and set it on top of your tracing.
4. If your tracing spreads past the edges at the ball of the foot, go one width wider.

Wide width is about your foot: extra room across the ball and toes. Wide calf is about a boots' shaft: extra room around your lower leg. They're separate measurements, so you might need one, both or neither.

Need a wide foot but not a wide calf? Shop by shaft fit first, then check widths. Catherines groups boots as wide calf boots and regular calf boots, so you can pick the shaft that suits your leg and then see which widths each style is offered in.

Get the length right first, then choose the width. These habits help you land on the right fit the first time.

• Don't size up for room. A longer shoe adds length, not the width you need, and can slip at the heel.
• Check fit later in the day. Feet tend to be fuller by evening, so that's when a snug shoe shows itself.
• Think about what you'll wear with them. Bare feet, hosiery and socks each change how a width feels.
• Match the width to the style. Be exact in closed-toe pumps and flats; open and adjustable styles leave a little leeway.
• Look for comfort details. Comfortview, a shoe brand sold at Catherines, builds its shoes with padded insoles and flexible outsoles; the Comfortview shoe guide covers its styles in more depth.

Once you know your width, shop wide-width shoes in M, W and WW and filter by the fit that's yours.