When you go to a store to buy shoes, you will generally see that the shop is divided into three sections: men’s, Women’s, and Kids. If you are a woman, it doesn’t mean that you are obligated to buy from the women’s section. Trust me; nobody is going to be mad at you for looking into the men’s collection. So, Can Women Wear Men’s Shoes?
A woman can wear men’s shoes. There is no big deal in it. Once you discover an affordable and veritable treasure trove of comfortable men’s shoes, you will feel like you are in heaven. Sure, the men’s section is separated for a reason. But once you find a few comfortable sneakers, I bet you are going to try out more.
So, the bottom line is that, yeah, a woman can wear men’s shoes.
Is there a difference between men’s and women’s shoes?
The short answer is yes, but you will be surprised to know that the difference is minimal. The manufacturers always decide the color, style, and size. There’s a taboo that women want only sparkly purple and pink shoes, and men wish for black and blue shoes. In reality, it is not entirely true.
Apart from the color, there is some difference between men’s and women’s feet. You will find men with smaller feet, and you will also find women with wider feet. But there are some things that shoe manufacturers have to have in their mind.
Like they should not label colors but differentiate them by wide, narrow, extra padding, etc. But here is a list of things that they should pay attention to:
- Women generally have shorter and narrower feet than men.
- Women move toward the heel, so their feet are significantly narrow.
- Women get knee pain more than men because they tend to wear the wrong-sized shoes.
- Women also get more gluteus medius pain.
- Women’s shoes need more cushioning and shock absorption for less knee flexion.
In this way, they can keep shoes gender-neutral, and customers will choose what they want.
How do you tell if shoes are men’s or women’s?
It is impossible to say whether it is men’s shoes or women’s from your boots or sneakers’ outer appearance.
But thankfully, you can look for the info inside your sneakers. You can differentiate it by the ratio between the US-sized and other standard sizes. You will always find these sizes inside your shoes or on your tongue.
For instance, the Nike shoes, a woman’s US size tends to be 1.5 inches larger than a man’s size. As an example, we can say that Woman’s US size will be 10, equal to 8.5 for men’s.
We will recommend you check the EU or UK size because they are generally the same on paper as always.
are men’s shoes wider than women’s?
The ultimate difference between men’s running shoes and women’s running shoe is generally the width. When you compare the corresponding men’s shoes, you will notice that the women’s shoes are constructed wider in the toe area and forefoot but narrower in the heel. This reflects the main gender differences in the foot shape.
But when you get a closer look at men’s shoes will be noticeably larger and wider size. Some specific shoes labeled as the same shoes for different genders will tend to have different heel support or midsole materials. It will affect the comfort, fit, and sometimes the weight of the shoe.
On average, women have 15% less muscle than men, which causes them to weigh less. For this reason, the midsole of the women’s shoe is constructed to sustain 15% to contain a softer and lighter midsole. It impacts less as each foot touches the ground. So from the discussion we can both shoes can run wider than each other.
How To Convert Women’s Shoe Sizes To Men’s Sizes?
By now, we all can be reasonable about knowing a little bit of math. That is what we are going to need for converting shoe sizes. Yes, a little bit of math.
The main difference between men’s and women’s shoes is about a one-and-a-half size difference. This means a men’s size will be 8 if the women’s shoe size is 9.5. That is how we are going to measure the length.
When it comes to width, it usually doesn’t matter. But, you always should try out your shoes when you are buying them. Sometimes conversions can be a full-size difference and sometimes two full sizes. This thing always differs from the brand.
Are There Any Drawbacks To Wearing “The Wrong” Shoe?
We see that many people tend to wear the wrong shoe size for convenience or style. But everything terrible has its consequences so does wearing the wrong shoe size. We will never recommend you wear the wrong shoe size, even if it is for style or convenience. Here we are going to discuss some of the drawbacks of wearing the wrong shoe size.
- Neuropathy: The first side effect you may notice is neuropathy. It is a condition in which your whole feet will feel numb. This can be painful, and in many cases, it is irreversible.
- Deformities: Another drawback you will face is deformities. The deformations can include calluses, corns, and hammertoes. These can be fixed with proper ointment and medication. But please keep in mind that they are still painful and can cause you harm.
- Reduced Mobility: When you don’t wear the wrong shoe size, it can cause frequent falls, reducing your mobility. You will feel a disturbance to move, and you cannot move faster. The wrong shoes will hold you back.
These conditions are never worth the risk. If you have any queries about wearing the wrong shoe size and feel that you are facing these drawbacks, please feel free to contact a podiatrist. You must wear the right fitting shoes to avoid these problems.
Why are Shoes Separated by Gender?
For some people, it can be ridiculous and arbitrary when you gender shoes. You can put a women’s shoe and a men’s shoe next to each other, and I bet it will be hard to spot the difference. Other than size, shoes, and sneakers of both men’s and women’s are the same. So now the question is, why are they separated?
When you ask retailers, they will tell you that this is how customers like to shop. But I am a customer, and I don’t think I like it that way.
At this point, it is just taboo to differentiate between men’s and women’s shoes. Sometimes, I see people asking is it a girl’s or boy’s shoe when they are buying a shoe for their children. But does it matter if your children like the shoe? It is just how society has been from the beginning. There is no legit reason for gendering shoes.
Our verdict on Can Women Wear Men’s Shoes
Hope we can give you the details you need for wearing men’s shoes. We tried answering every relevant question about it. A woman can wear men’s shoes, and there is no problem with that. I hope you got all the answers you needed.
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Meet Bryen, a true aficionado in the world of fashion, with a special knack for footwear. From an early age, Bryen’s passion for style and shoes was undeniable. He’s dedicated his life to becoming a footwear and fashion expert, immersing himself in trends, craftsmanship, and the cultural nuances of fashion.