The Best Shoe Stores And Brands For Large Feet

According to Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), Americans' feet have been increasing in size for the past 30 years. Unfortunately, many shoe manufacturers have not remained in step with this development, and the supply of women's shoes in larger sizes—particularly in brick-and-mortar stores—is often scarce.

We women who wear size 11 or larger shoes already know that. As teenagers, lots of us squeezed our feet into too-tight footwear because the trendy styles we fancied were only available in smaller sizes. Do you remember someone—perhaps a family member or even a shoe salesperson—telling you the shoes that pinched your heels or toes simply needed some "breaking in?" Well, according to OrthoInfo, the whole breaking-in thing is a myth. Although shoes may eventually stretch, the feet inside them often become afflicted by blisters, bunions, ingrown toenails, infections, and more.

At some point, many of us realized that comfort, function, and health were more important than fashion, so we settled for practical shoes that made our feet happy. But we longed for more selection and style. Well, we've done a bunch of research and discovered some shoe brands and retailers that may be just what you've been hoping for. Some have offered women's shoes in larger sizes for years, while others are new and exciting. We've done our best to include styles ranging from classic to elegant to super funky. So pull up a chair, put your feet up, and check out these options.

Many brick-and-mortar stores have struggled in recent years as online shopping has become easier and more common, but Nordstrom seems to be holding its own and continuing to grow. According to its website, the company now operates hundreds of stores, and a November 2022 press release announced international shopping in 30 countries. Perhaps the company remains successful because of its spirit of optimism and commitment to making customers happy. We may not often head to Nordstrom for bargains, but we do go there for quality and selection. 

And did you know that the very first Nordstrom was actually a small shoe store in Seattle (via Nordstrom)? Perhaps that's why Nordstrom is known for its wide and diverse selection of women's shoes in all sizes, including larger ones. And the women's shoe section of its website provides a spectacular tool for searching, filtering, and browsing. Take it for a spin! Just type in the size, color, brand (if applicable), features, heel height, heel shape, material, price, style, and width of the shoes you're looking for, then sit back and see what pops up. At the time of this writing, we simply typed in "size 13," and 633 options were available. Prices ranged from about $33 for BP Niya Lug Sole Chelsea Boots to $950 for Jimmy Choo wedge sandals embellished with crystals.

Unlike most other brands and retailers featured here that make shoes in both large and small sizes, Hitchcock makes and sells only wider sizes. It's a tiny company based in Massachusetts and originated in 1951. Its founder, Ethan Hitchcock—who had wide feet—was unhappy with his footwear options after he returned from World War ll, so he decided to do something about it. And although Hitchcock made men's shoes exclusively for many years, in 2014, the brand introduced an extensive women's line (via Wide Shoes).

Another unique thing about Hitchcock is that it sells its own brand of shoes plus a small selection of other brands, like New Balance and Ros Hommerson. As you'll quickly see when you visit the site, nothing sold by Hitchcock is particularly wild or unconventional. This is a place to find well-made footwear that bucks fashion trends and is designed to last years. On the other hand, plenty of styles are far from dull, and if you've got a wedding or conference or your upcoming calendar and are already dreading being on your feet for hours, perhaps these Heidi Sliver Glitter Pumps (currently available in sizes 10.5-13 in 2E width) will make your event a lot more enjoyable? And if they're not your thing, several other dress styles are available, as are plenty of athletic shoes, boots, casual styles, sandals, slippers and clogs, orthopedic styles, and more.

Do you want something really different? Like super funky, European footwear almost guaranteed to elicit comments from friends, officemates, and total strangers? Well, hello, Eytys. The Stockholm-based brand is favored by fashion models (via High Snobiety) and was founded "with a mission to highlight and connect the creative community around the world." A lofty goal, so perhaps these shoes, many priced over $500 a pair, are worth it?

Almost all—if not all—Eytys are gender-neutral in style, and most, in theory, are available up to European size 46 (the loose equivalent of U.S. women's 14). Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, many styles in the largest sizes are at least temporarily sold out. The website offers an option to be notified when the size you seek comes back into stock, but it appears that many offerings here change on a seasonal basis. So if you're interested in winter 2022 styles, you may want to check out Eytys ASAP.

Here's one you may not be familiar with. And if you describe your style as "traditional," "sensible," "preppy," or "basic," you may want to scroll right on through to the next slide.

On the other hand, if your fashion choices tend to skew a bit more punk, alternative, goth, adventurous, or just plain fun, then Demonia Cult, based in Southern California, may be just the shoe store you've been dreaming about. Especially if your feet are larger than size 10 and you adore platform shoes and combat boots. Because at Demonia Cult, all styles are available in sizes up to at least 12. Many also come in sizes 13 and 14, and at least one style at the time of this writing is available in 15 and 16.

The tagline at Demonia Cult is "Defining alternative footwear," and when you browse the site, you'll most likely agree that the store's onto something. It sells only women's and unisex styles, all with a distinctive edge. At the time of publication, 633 different styles are available, so if you're short on time, the search engine that allows you to narrow down your criteria works extremely well. Pricing runs from about $31 for cute black sneakers with side zippers to about $153 for these purple-blue reflective vegan leather platform boots. The sale page features over 50 items to choose from, but most sale selections are limited to one or two sizes per style.

High-end is your thing. You know what you like and don't mind spending a small fortune on your shoes, provided they fit correctly. Or maybe you've got a special event that you want to splurge on in the near future. Net-a-Porter is tailor-made for such situations. Featuring over 50 shoe manufacturers—and with a terrific filtering tool that allows you to drill down to your choice of designer, color, size, style, price, and more—Net-a-Porter brings a dazzling selection of incredible shoes from around the world to a computer or phone screen near you, right now. At the time of this writing, we searched for U.S. size 12 and got over a thousand results. For U.S. size 13, there were 47 results.

And although most of us can't afford these gorgeous Gucci loafers in Italian size 42 (equivalent to a U.S. women's size 12) or these silver metallic Louboutin pumps (also in Italian size 42), we can say one thing about well-made shoes: They last a long, long time with proper care. High-end brick-and-mortar thrift and consignment shops like Modo in Portland, Oregon, will evaluate them for resale value if you no longer want to wear them, as will online consignment stores like The RealReal and ThredUp.

Doc Martens are iconic. They've existed in some form since 1901, predating everyone alive today. In its earliest incarnations, Docs were favored by older women and workers. Nonetheless, ever since musicians and music culture adopted the boots—starting with The Who's Pete Townshend in the 1960s—they've carried an air of uniqueness and rebellion.

A glance at Dr. Marten's website makes it clear that all the company's footwear is made for comfort, versatility, and wearability. The brand is absolutely committed to providing shoes that fit everyone. The site currently lists 364 women's styles in size 1 and 226 in size 12. Even better, if your foot is larger than a women's 12, most Doc styles are unisex, so you'll probably find exactly what you want in a men's size. This sizing guide is great. For example, the popular 1460 Smooth Leather Lace Up Boot in hot pink was available in sizes 5-12 for women at the time of this writing and in sizes 6-14 for the identical men's boot.

The site features a great sale page with hundreds of styles on sale at significant savings. As far as regular pricing goes, the most expensive women's shoes on the site cost $270. Dr. Marten's is committed to sustainability in various ways, including working to combat climate change. They also place a strong focus on the mental health and wellbeing of employees, human rights, social justice, and LGBTQIA+ rights.