Major Differences Between Men And Women’s Shoes

Some of you might want to know if women can wear men’s shoes because of a lot of different reasons.

Your foot could be wider, or maybe you just like how they look on your feet. There could be a million reasons for that, but you want to know that if it is okay to wear men’s shoes. 

The good news is that you are absolutely in the right place because now I am going to tell you the major differences between men’s and women’s shoes which may interest you. 

So, stick with me till the end to know all the important information that you are looking forward to.

The overall appearance of shoes

You might have noticed that men’s feet are wider than women’s feet, so to adjust their foot size, that’s why their shoes are also wider. 

On the other hand, women have narrow and thin feet; therefore, the shoe sizes of women are mostly thin and narrow. They have a very delicate-looking style. 

They are normally very unique from each other and have a huge variety from which a woman can choose from. There are a number of different styles from which you can choose your favorite.

The overall appearances of men’s and women’s shoes are quite different. 

Variety of styles and designs

When it comes to the styles of women’s footwear, the whole market can be filled up with different variations. Each shoe would be different from another. There is a huge variety of styles and designs from which a person can choose from.

 On the other hand, men too have many different styles and designs, but they are very identical. 

The shoes of men are normally not very funky and unique. Most of the designs are very formal. Plain and simple styles are preferred by men.

Standard size and width of shoes

As previously discussed, men’s shoes are normally wider and bigger than women. 

The standard size and width of the shoes are different from each other. 

Mostly, the size difference between a men’s shoe and a women’s shoe is 1.5 inches and two widths wider than that of women. 

For example, size 8 in men’s shoes will be approximately equal to size 9.5 in women’s shoes. 

Generally, shoes of men have a standard size of D while shoes of women have the standard size of B.

Therefore, if you are buying shoes from another gender’s section, make sure to convert the size into your size with the help of the above-given formula.

Major types of shoes worn by men and women

Mostly men like to wear Oxford, Derby, Monk or double monk straps, slip-on, blucher, loafer, chukka, desert boot, boat shoe. 

Oxfords have a closed lasing or V-shaped slipped vamp where you can fasten your laces.

Derby is mostly confused with oxfords. Actually, they have open lacing, and laces are independently tied to the vamp. 

Monks have a buckle and strap, whereas slip-ones are easy to wear as they don’t have laces. As the name suggests, you just directly slip them right on.

On the other hand, women’s shoes come in countless varieties. Some of the major types of shoes that women like to wear are high heels, mules, ballet flats, pumps, slingbacks, ankle boots, etc.

High heels are the most famous type of shoes. Women love them because of their lifted heels. These shoes are at least 2 inches above the toes. Usually, these shoes are worn by women for formal occasions.

Ballet flats have a low heel, and the feet are almost parallel to the ground. They are ideal for warm weather conditions. These are quite comfortable. Therefore, these can be worn for a long period of time.

In slingbacks, instead of fastenings, there are straps behind the heel that go over the foot.

Mules are backless footwear that does not have any fitting.

Pumps are slip-on shoes that are high-heeled. They are also known as “court shoes.”

Read also: differences between Men and Women’s shoes

Decorative additions on shoes

Men’s shoes are often decorated with an extra leather piece, cap, a material that caps the toe or wing-tips, brogues, extended perforated panel, tussles, etc.

Women’s shoes have decorative additions like gems, fabrics, feathers, etc. Pearls on shoes are in trend nowadays, and women love to wear them.

Most of the men prefer simple or textured shoes. Decorative additions on men’s shoes are not very famous.

The color scheme of the shoes

Women prefer bright, funky, or pastel colors when it comes to their shoes. White color is generally used in insoles of their shoes. 

Women nowadays also love holographic shoes and neon-colored shoes. They love to try new trends and different colors. Heels with transparent straps are in trend these days. 

On the other hand, men prefer dark and primary colors. Black and earthy tones are loved by them.

 Black and blue shoes for men are the top-selling colors of shoes of most of the companies.

This is a very basic description of the color scheme of the shoes for men and women, which is quite accurate.

The difference in athlete shoes

In athlete shoes, there is certainly more variety for men than women. All kinds of shoes are available for different sports. High tops and low tops are easily available for men. 

There are limited options for athlete shoes for women. 

Running shoes are easily available for both genders in a huge variety. 

Athlete shoes of men and women are very different from each other but if you have found the right size that fits you, from the opposite gender’s section, consider buying it.

Read if you want to know about Keep Wet Shoes from Smelling.

Midsole material of the shoe

The midsole material that is generally used in shoes is ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam which offers a comfortable fit. 

Now different materials are used in men’s and women’s shoes. It mostly depends on the company. Some companies use the same material too.

The midsole material in women’s shoes is more comfortable as compared to the midsole material of men’s shoes.

 This is because the weight of women is less than the weight of men. That’s why softer midsoles are considered appropriate in women’s shoes

Everyday footwear for men and women

Everyday footwear has a completely different story. These depend on a person’s personal preferences. Some ladies like to wear heels and wedges on a daily basis, while others love their flat slip-on or even sneakers.

Some men swear by their Oxfords and loafers. It only depends on personal choices when it comes to everyday footwear for men and women.

A person should select the type of shoe in which they feel comfortable and relaxed. 

The personal fit of a person

There are a number of companies that sell a wide variety of shoes according to the different requirements of their customers. 

If a woman has a wider foot, she might like men’s shoes better, and likewise, if a man has a narrower foot, he may find that women’s shoes provide him a better fit.

In the above-mentioned cases, you are more than welcome to buy shoes from other genders section. If the shoes are the perfect fit for you, then without having any thoughts, buy them. 

My advice to you is to go and try a bunch of new pairs of shoes until you find the perfect one.

I guarantee you that your experience will be enjoyable.

Read Also: Why do my feet hurt when wake up

The Q-angle of the shoe

Not many people are aware of the Q-angle of a shoe. It is basically the angle of incidence of quad muscle to the kneecap.

Generally, the hips of women are wider than the hips of men. To give women extra support, the Q-angle of the shoe of women is wider. It helps women to pronate. 

On the other hand, men have narrower hips as compared to women. Therefore, the Q-angle of the shoe of men is comparatively narrower. 

The effect of the weight

On average, women have 15 percent less muscle than men. It causes them to weigh less than men of the same height and shoe size.

This is the reason why the midsole of women’s shoes is designed to bear 15 percent less effect as each foot touches the ground.

The midsole of women’s shoes is softer and lighter than men’s shoes.

Deeper grooves in women’s shoe

Both men’s and women’s shoes have flex grooves fixed into the forefront of the outside part of the shoe. 

These grooves are much deeper in women’s shoes because the lower-body mass of the women’s body makes it hard to flex on the midsole. Hence, grooves are added to provide stability. 

Conclusion

Now, if you ask me if women can wear men’s shoes, my answer will be yes. Why not? Just make sure that they are a perfect fit for you and you are good to go.

But, if a woman does not have a wider foot, I would suggest her to look for the shoes in the women’s section because they are made for narrow feet.

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