How to Measure Your Feet for Custom Shoes
OAK Bespoke: The Ultimate Guide to Measuring Your Feet at Home
Welcome to OAK Bespoke. Creating your perfect pair of shoes starts with perfect measurements. This guide will walk you through the entire process of tracing and measuring your feet, providing us with the precise data our master shoemakers need.
Please read all instructions carefully before you begin.
What You’ll Need:
A Hard, Flat Floor: Against a wall or skirting board.
A3 Paper (Essential): Standard A4 paper is too small. Ensure you use A3.
A Chair to sit in.
A Thin Sock or the socks you plan to wear with your new shoes.
A Sharpened Pencil or a Fine-Tip Pen. Must be thin to trace accurately.
A Flexible Sewing/Cloth Measuring Tape.
A Standard Ruler (in CM).
A Friend/Helper (Highly Recommended): This makes the process much easier and more accurate.
A Smartphone with a Scanning App: Like Adobe Scan, CamScanner, or Microsoft Lens.
Part 1: Preparing Your Foot Tracing
This tracing is the foundation of your measurements.
Prepare the Space: Place the A3 paper on a hard, flat floor, with one edge flush against a wall.
Sit in the Chair: Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor.
Trace Your Foot:
Place your foot firmly on the paper, with your heel touching the wall.
Keep your weight evenly distributed and your leg roughly vertical. Do not press down excessively.
Holding the pencil perfectly vertical, trace the outline of your entire foot. The goal is to trace the true, weight-bearing shape of your foot. Ensure the pen stays in contact with your foot to capture its exact contours.
Crucially, when you reach your toes, you must curl them upwards (dorsiflex) to trace under them, marking the tip of your longest toe and the ball of your foot. This allows us to see the true length and splay of your foot. See the diagram below.
Mark the Measurement Points: Once the outline is complete, while your foot is still on the paper, use your pencil to make small, clear dots at the following points. These are your width and circumference reference points.
Point A (The Ball Girth): Mark the widest part across the ball of your foot. This is typically at the bunion joint (the joint where your big toe connects to your foot) and the corresponding joint on the little toe side (the 5th metatarsal head).
Point B (The Waist Girth): Mark a point on the outside of your foot, about halfway between the ball of your foot and your heel. This is the “meaty” part of your midfoot. Mark the corresponding point on the inside, which is your instep.
Point C (The Instep Girth): Mark the highest point on the top of your foot, where the navicular bone is. This is a prominent bone on the inside of your foot, just above the midpoint.
Length Point: Mark the very back of your heel (calcaneus) and the tip of your longest toe (usually the big toe).
Repeat the entire process for your other foot, as it is common for feet to differ in size.
Part 2: Taking the Measurements
Now, we will measure both the paper tracing and your foot directly. All measurements should be in centimeters (CM), to one decimal place (e.g., 24.3).
📏 Width Measurements (From the Paper)
Using your ruler, measure the straight-line distance between the two points you marked for each section. Avoid parallax error by looking directly down on the ruler.
Width A (Ball Width): Measure the distance between the two points marked for the ball girth.
Width B (Waist Width): Measure the distance between the two points marked for the waist girth.
Width C (Instep Width): Measure the distance between the two points marked for the instep girth.
Total Length: Measure from the heel point to the longest toe point.
📐 Circumference Measurements (From Your Foot)
Using the flexible measuring tape, wrap it around your foot at the points you marked. The tape should be snug but not tight, just like you would measure your waist.
Circumference A (Ball Girth): Wrap the tape around the widest part of your ball, connecting the two points you marked.
Circumference B (Waist Girth): Wrap the tape around the midfoot, connecting the inside and outside points you marked.
Circumference C (Instep Girth): Wrap the tape over the highest point of your instep (the navicular point) and under the foot.
🦴 Additional Measurements
Ankle Circumference (Heel to Navicular): Wrap the tape around your ankle, from the bottom of your heel bone (calcaneus), up over the navicular point you marked, and back around.
Height H (Ankle Height): Measure vertically from the floor straight up to the bottom of your ankle bone (the medial malleolus). A typical measurement is around 5.0 cm.
Part 3: Recording & Submitting Your Data
Write on the Paper: Clearly write all your measurements on the A3 paper next to the corresponding foot tracing. Label them as shown below:
Left Foot: L-A Width, L-A Circ, L-B Width, L-B Circ, etc., Total Length.
Right Foot: R-A Width, R-A Circ, R-B Width, R-B Circ, etc., Total Length.
Also note down your standard EU shoe size (if known) and any width indications (e.g., E, EE, EEE).
Scan the Sheet:
Use your scanning app (CamScanner, Adobe Scan, etc.) to scan the A3 paper.
Crucially, ensure the scan is saved as a PDF and is set to the actual size of the paper (A3). Do not let the app automatically resize it to A4. This allows our shoemakers to print it at 100% scale for verification.
Submit: Send the PDF file along with your recorded measurements to us.
A Note on Shoe Lasts & Final Fitting
You may have pre-selected a shoe last (the form that shapes the shoe) based on your aesthetic preference. Our shoemakers will review your measurements against this last.
Please be aware that your comfort is our primary concern. For example, if you have a wide foot (as indicated by your ball girth measurements) but select a very narrow, sleek last, it will cause significant discomfort. In such cases, our shoemaker will advise you on a more suitable last that balances aesthetics with the perfect fit your custom shoes are meant to provide.
Thank you for your meticulous effort. We look forward to crafting your perfect pair of shoes.
— The OAK Bespoke Team
Frequent Questions About Feet Measuring
How can I measure my foot width?
To measure your foot width, measure the widest part of your foot, usually across the ball of your foot.
What happen if my shoes don't fit?
We would be able to re-fit your shoes and return them to you. Free delivery in Singapore for 1st fitting.
How long does it take to get bespoke shoes?
It typically takes several months to get bespoke shoes. This is because the shoemaker needs to take measurements, create a last, select materials, assemble the shoes, and finish them. WIth OAK, it’s only 3-4 working weeks.
Should I size up or down for shoes?
It depends on the shoe style and material. Leather shoes tend to stretch slightly over time, so you might consider sizing down slightly. However, it’s always best to consult the specific shoe size chart and any sizing recommendations provided by the brand.
