If you wear shoes that are too big the shoes can come off and cause problems with your feet and discomfort as well as blisters.
The lack of proper support and stability that shoes that are too big can cause can lead to friction of the feet which can result in blisters on the feet forming as well as foot pain and calluses.
Wearing shoes that are too big can also affect your gait and increase your risk of falls, ankle sprains and even cause you to trip.
The lack of support from shoes that are too big can also expose your feet to excessive movement which can cause rubbing, back pain and blisters and your toes are also put under unnecessary strain when wearing too big of shoes, which can lead to long term pain and toe or foot deformity.
It's better to buy slightly bigger shoes than slightly smaller shoes.
Slightly bigger shoes may feel a bit loose although they can easily be fitted correctly using thicker socks or insoles.
However slightly smaller shoes can cause discomfort, pain and blisters and too small shoes cannot be fixed to fit right unlike slightly bigger shoes.
You don't want the shoes to be too big but also not too small.
Half a shoe size also does make a difference and can be noticeable and impactful, especially for fit and comfort of the shoe.
If the shoe is half a size too small it can lead to pain and discomfort and if the shoe is 1/2 a size too big it may try to come off your feet when walking.
A half a size in shoes seems small, although it also translates to around 1/8 inch in width and length, which can significantly affect how the shoe feels and how well the shoe supports your foot, especially when it comes to running shoes or shoes that are worn by kids.
The rule of thumb for shoes is that you should choose a shoe that has about a 1/2 inch or a thumb's width of space between the end of your longest toe and the end of the shoe.
This is to allow for natural foot movement and to prevent blisters and discomfort from shoes being too tight.
Socks also can affect shoe size, especially when you're wearing thicker shoes.
The thickness of your socks can make a shoe feel tighter or more loose.
If the socks are thicker then your shoes may feel more tighter than they would with thinner socks.
Wearing thicker socks adds volume to your foot and makes your foot seem larger which can affect how the shoes fit.
So if you're wearing thicker socks you often need to wear bigger shoes to accommodate the thicker socks you're wearing.
And when wearing thinner socks you may need to wear a slightly smaller shoe size to accommodate the thinner socks.
The extra padding of the socks makes your feet slightly larger than they would be when they are bare without socks.
The extra padding of the socks needs to be taken into account when measuring up for new shoes and when you're trying the shoes on as well.
Socks can also add anywhere from a 1/4 inch to an inch or more to your height depending on the thickness of the socks and the style and thickness of the socks.
Thicker socks such as boot socks, can add more height than thinner socks like shorty socks.