William founded BootSpy in 2020 with a simple mission: test and review popular men’s boots and give a real, honest opinion. Since then, we've welcomed over 5 million readers on our boot reviews and boot care guides. Reach out to him for your own personalized boot recommendation at william@bootspy.com. Or join 50,000+ subscribers on the BootSpy YouTube channel, or send him a message on the BootSpy Instagram. Read full bio.
Expertise:Boots, Leather, Heritage Fashion, Denim, Workwear
William founded BootSpy in 2020 with a simple mission: test and review popular men’s boots and give a real, honest opinion. Since then, we've welcomed over 5 million readers on our boot reviews and boot care guides. Reach out to him for your own personalized boot recommendation at william@bootspy.com. Or join 50,000+ subscribers on the BootSpy YouTube channel, or send him a message on the BootSpy Instagram. Read full bio.
Last Updated: Mar 15, 2024
9 min read
Just as with most dress shoes or boots, Allen Edmonds boots run about a half size larger than your normal sneaker size. The key to finding the right size and fit is in measuring according to their sizing scale. Allen Edmonds dress shoes fit like standard dress shoes (the same as your sneaker size, or a half size larger than your Brannock size).
You’re about to drop your hard-earned money on a new pair of boots from Allen Edmonds. You want to make sure they fit correctly—especially if you’re ordering online where you can’t try them on first.
Returns are a hassle that no one has time for, right?
So, how do Allen Edmonds boots and dress shoes fit? Figuring out which size to order can seem difficult, but I’ll give you some tips in this Allen Edmonds sizing guide so you can make sure you do it right, the first time.
Allen Edmonds sizing can be a bit tricky. I recommend clicking over to their page and checking out their True Fit guide and leave this tab open so you can cross-reference.
Allen Edmonds True Fit GuideBy comparing other brands you've tried in the past to the extensive collection of Allen Edmonds shoes and boots, this is the best way to find out what size you should get for the specific style you're looking at.
Allen Edmonds boots run about a half size larger than your normal sneaker size, and their dress shoes run more true to size. If you’re a size 10 in Nike sneakers, you’ll be a size 10 in Allen Edmonds dress shoes and likely a size 9.5 in any Allen Edmond boot (like the Higgins Mill).
Further Reading
Boots are usually cut slightly larger because the leather used to make them is more rigid and thicker than the type used for sneakers and other shoes.
The same goes for Allen Edmonds dress shoes. Leather used for dress shoes is stiffer and doesn’t stretch out much over time, and they tend to fit closer to the foot with a narrower toe.
Certain types of boots, like the Allen Edmonds Venture Chukka boot or the Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill boot, can have a little more room for error because the laces expand, so they don’t hug as tightly.
Further Reading
Even though they might not cause as many problems for you if you’re wearing the wrong size, like blisters and cramping, both shoes and boots that are too small wear out a lot faster over time.
Allen Edmonds recommends that you take their sizing quiz to see which size boot is best for you, based on their True Fit system. This system was designed specifically with their boots and shoes in mind, and they’ve been using the same procedure since 1922. That’s a lot of fitting experience.
They also have some boot styles in sizes 5 to 16, with a selection of narrow sizes C, B, A, AA, AAA, and AAAA, and wide sizes E, EE, and EEE. A huge size range like this tells you that they recommend finding the best fit to keep your feet and your boots in good shape.
You don’t want to be that guy who complains about how much your bunions are hurting, do you?
Allen Edmonds True Fit GuideBy comparing other brands you've tried in the past to the extensive collection of Allen Edmonds shoes and boots, this is the best way to find out what size you should get for the specific style you're looking at.
To get the most accurate sizing for Allen Edmonds boots, there are a few steps you should take.
If you’re able to visit one of their 78 retail locations in the United States, that’s an option. They have a professional master fitter on site at each location and that person’s only job is to make sure your boots fit correctly.
They’re not located in every state, though, and if you’re ordering online, you’ll need to deal with taking measurements yourself. You can also hop into any shoe store and measure your foot on a Brannock device. Here’s my video guide on how to use one:
Allen Edmonds divides their boots into two categories: classic fit and relaxed fit.
Classic styles fit close to the foot, with a narrow toe box and a single leather sole. These are usually your dress boots, or versatile styles.
Relaxed styles aren’t as snug fitting, with a roomier toe box and double leather soles, or sometimes, lug soles. They’re usually casual and worn for everyday use.
The 1757 last is slim and has a sleek instep, which gives this boot and excellent balance between rugged and classy. It’s a beauty. What's more, Allen Edmonds offers a huge variety of sizes, including B and EEE widths, and you won’t find those widths in many other bootmakers unless they’re completely custom.
To keep their shapes and styles consistent, Allen Edmonds, and other boot makers, use lasts. These are foot-shaped forms that a shoe is built around so each one has the same characteristics and fits the same across their range of sizes.
The shape of the last used to make a pair of boots might be very similar to or different from the shape of your foot. Some are designed with more width at the toes, some have a taller cone which works better for high insteps, and some are longer for a sleek look.
Allen Edmonds uses a set of 18 different lasts, so chances are they have at least one that fits your foot shape. There are a few that are primarily used for boots.
Classic styles like the Dalton Wingtip Dress boot use last 511. They refer to it as “the 1 last,” which is very similar in shape to one of their earliest lasts. It’s built to fit closely for the average foot but has a rounded toe that gives added room in the toe box for boots.
Relaxed boot styles like the Higgins Mill use last 1757. This is a wider, more casual fit that has a youthful appearance. It has added space throughout and a rounder toe for a casual or dress-casual appearance.
You can watch my Higgins Mill review below:
You know how the saying goes…measure twice, cut once. It works for boots, too.
Once you know what size Allen Edmonds boots you’re shopping for, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and avoid having to pack them up, drive to the shipping store, wait for the return to process…you know how it goes.
But you won’t need any returns with this guide.
Allen Edmonds True Fit GuideBy comparing other brands you've tried in the past to the extensive collection of Allen Edmonds shoes and boots, this is the best way to find out what size you should get for the specific style you're looking at.
