LitBuy Shoe Sizing: Foot Length, Insoles and Size Labels

A photograph of a shoe beside a ruler may still leave the most important question unanswered: what was measured? The outside sole, a removable insole and the wearer’s foot describe different objects.

A community question about requesting an insole measurement shows why “please measure the shoe” can be too vague. The useful request identifies the selected pair and the exact dimension needed.

Keep three records separate

Record	What it describes
Foot length	Your own foot measured using the chart’s method
Insole measurement	A physical component of the particular shoe, if it can be measured appropriately
Size label	A manufacturer’s or seller’s size designation for that variant

Nike’s footwear chart explicitly distinguishes its CM box or label size from measured foot length. It also gives a method for measuring both feet and applying the longer measurement to its chart. Do not turn a number printed beside “CM” into a universal measurement rule for every brand or seller.

Record your measurement method

If using Nike’s chart, follow the measuring instructions on that page: use a stable hard surface, mark the foot while standing and measure the recorded heel-to-toe distance. Keep both feet’s measurements and the unit.

For another chart, check its instructions instead. Keep the chart’s foot-length recommendation separate from any allowance discussed for fit. Do not add a fixed number of centimetres to your recorded foot length and silently rename the result “my foot size.”

Request evidence tied to the selected pair

Example request:

For item [ID], colour [variant] and size [label], can an insole measurement be supplied? Please identify what is being measured, show the measuring start and end points with readable units, and confirm that the image belongs to this selected pair. If the insole cannot be removed or measured, please say so.

This does not assume that an agent or seller offers that service. Avoid asking someone to damage a fixed component to obtain a photograph.

Interpret the result cautiously

Illustrative example: a recorded foot length of 26.5 cm and a reported insole length of 28 cm differ by 1.5 cm. That subtraction alone does not establish usable toe space or predict fit: the measurements concern different shapes and may use different endpoints.

Width, construction and the intended use also matter. An unclear photo should lead to a more precise question, rather than an automatic size change. Save the answer with the listing and variant, and resolve any eligibility or deadline question through the separate returns guide.