Christian Louboutin shoe sizing?

[ccgoddess]

I'm so glad I found this thread. It is helpful.

[Butterfly*]

Originally Posted by foxycleopatra

If you're a 39 in the Very Prive, best to go with 38.5 in the Mouche, trust me on that one....b/c compared to the Prive, the Mouche runs big! Moonbow on the other hand runs small, by at least 1/2 a size (or a full size for the larger sizes).

Hmm. My MOUCHEs are a 35 (which is what I normally wear), and they are true to fit.

I guess it mainly depends on our foot shapes.

Although, I CLs, why does his sizing have to be so inconsistent with each design.

[right_in2]

anyone have a pair of the 'sabotage' heels? i normally wear an 8.5 would a 38.5 work?

[HitchcockBlonde]

I agree that Louboutin sizes vary a lot. I have shoes varying by 1 1/2 sizes in Louboutin. But in general, it seems my sizing goes from smaller in Prada and Marc Jacobs to larger in Manolos to downright gargantuan in Louboutin :)

[mcb100]

Anyone know how the fishnet slingbacks CL's fit??

[foxycleopatra]

Originally Posted by right_in2

anyone have a pair of the 'sabotage' heels? i normally wear an 8.5 would a 38.5 work?

"Sabotage" runs extremely, extremely small & narrow. If you're a US 8.5 it would be best to get a 39.5 in the "Sabotage"....perhaps even 40 would work.

[mcs1111]

Originally Posted by Chaneller

Should we start a new thread about the CL sizing? Since they @ CL doesn't seem to get their size standards defined. The Purse Forum CL shoe size chart or something? So everyone tells their true shoe size first, and lists all their CL models and sizes?

great idea. that would be so much easier than trying to research through multiple threads!

[glam2]

Hi everyone. Im new here, so hello. I am a shoe fanatic amongst other addictions and love louboutins. every pair I have is a different size!! In their espadrilles Im a true 8 1/2 (my normal size), in their pigalles and gwenissimas I am a 9 !!!! In other stilletos of theirs Im a 9 1/2.In boots anywhere from a 9 91/2. I have never had shoes that vary so much in size but Ill keep buying them!!!!! but not online anymore.

[glam2]

ps Ive found that if you measure the last (inside of the shoe from toe to heel) that that really helps if buying online or ebay etc regardless of what it says the size is. Ive sold a number of them and bought on ebay and when i do that I havent had a problem or a complaint.

[divnanata]

I am a shoe designer so I know the why's and wherefor's of fit problems. Each shoe is made from a 'last' which determins the fit. The lasts can vary in so many ways. The toe can be pointed or round - obviously - but also the 'wall' of the 'toebox' can vary in height. The shank area under the arch can be more or less rounded. The widths at the ball and heel can be so different depending on how the shoemaker wants the shoe to look. The shoe can be lasted (or fitted on the last form) in many ways to determin comfort levels. Each time a shoe maker designs a new style he has to carve up a last - or he can use those in the archives. Ball measurements, heel measurements - everything can change so slightly yet make a huge difference. We actually wouldn't want things standardized too much since that would detract from a certain fashionable-ness. All our shoes would look a certain way and who wants that???

Through the years certain common measurements have evolved but even those aren't standardized around the world! Did you know that an Asian/Eastern market foot is intrinsically different from a Caucasian/Western market foot? Lasts made from measurements of feet in China and Japan are not that similar to lasts made from American foot measurements. And European lasts differ enough to make an American trying to find a comparable size in their range difficult and confusing - never mind the subtle differences in British, French and Italian sizings. A last is whatever the shoemaker makes it when he carves it - at least the initial last. Last styles are generally copied by machines and a 'run' is made for all the sizes in pairs. Whoops - I think I am getting too technical here.

Recognize too that there is room for human error and variance. Those guys in the third world countries on the assembly lines (and there are a LOT of designer labels produced in these countries) might not be feeling too good after a night of carousing and they could be lax on gluing or something - and it could be YOUR future shoe they are doing it to!

I am hoping that with the globalization through the internet and more and more retailing happening online, that standards will become a little more universal. Either that or free shipping and great return policies will become the norm!!!

[blackbird]

Originally Posted by divnanata

I am a shoe designer

Oh! Can we see some of your designs?

[divnanata]

Originally Posted by blackbird

Oh! Can we see some of your designs?

Unfortunately there is nothing particularly glamorous about my stuff. I had the number one still best selling men's shoe at Wal-Mart USA! WHoo-hoo! I've worked on all the gendersI but mostly with casual styles. 've been at companies that are typically knock off houses. They would buy the latest high end shoes around the world and then copy them cheaply. Trust me - I've seen it all.

[blackbird]

^ That's disappointing. You'd think that with all the talent out there that companies could come up with their own ideas. I've seen a lot of the "budget swap" things in magazines which some stuff is similar while others they managaed to uglify the poor shoe (like someone let loose with a glue gun) to make it look "original".

[divnanata]

Yeah - the point was always to get as close as possible to the original but not get sued. Lawsuits were ugly - believe me. But to do that and keep it at an insanely low price point you would have to substitute the real thing with whatever scraps were left over at factories. New materials would be too costly and the regular designers would be snapping those up. Hence a lot of bu** ugly shoes out there on the retail self serve shelves and elsewhere - LOL! Plus a lot of times after a production deal was cut the factory and middlemen would substitute inferior (to the already inferior) materials to make an extra cent per pair and then it would be soooo embarrassing to say "Yup -that's my darn shoe right there".

In the shoe business there is rarely such a thing as "original". Only the highest top end can call those shots. Otherwise it is copy city. Plus - did you know that all sorts of brands KNOCK THEMSELVES OFF!? Maybe I better be careful but you would be surprised to know how many companies have the same shoe at a variety of levels - private label (Wal-Mart, Payless, Target) to middle tier (Kohls'. Mervin's etc.) to department store brands. Okay so maybe the cheaper ones have more plastic in them - but can anybody reallyt tell? I can't and I have been doing it for years!

[catgirl]

I am a size 6 normally, and a 6.5 in Jimmy Choo. I am considering a pair of CL Iowa Zeppa Patent Mary Janes at Saks in a 36/6. My foot is normal width. From what I'm reading they may be too small for me. Does anyone know for sure?