• Shop at stores that provide service to their customers and have knowledgeable sales people. Getting properly fitted footwear takes more than picking a shoe off the shelf and having the sales associate ring up your sale.
• Be sure to have both feet measured. Many people have feet of different sizes. Fit to the larger of the two. Have your feet measured and fitted each time you purchase shoes. Your foot size changes with age, weight changes, and other factors. The shoe size you wore in high school probably is not the right size.
• Have footwear fitted at a similar time as when you will be wearing the footwear. For daily footwear go when you've been on your feet all day your feet have expanded.
• Shoes don't stretch. If they don't feel right at the time of purchase they probably will never feel right.
• Correctly fitted footwear can prevent long term foot problems.
• Take time to fully lace and tie the shoe properly and walk around in the shoe at the time of try on.

When the child first begins to walk, shoes are not necessary indoors. Allowing the youngster to go barefoot or to wear just socks helps the foot to grow normally and to develop its musculature and strength, as well as the grasping action of toes. Of course, when walking outside or on rough surfaces, babies' feet should be protected in lightweight, flexible footwear made of natural materials.