9 best wide fit shoes for women: The top brands for comfort and cool

Nothing ruins your day quite like an ill-fitting shoe, and for the wide-feet women among us – me included – it’s not always been the easiest to find comfortable wide-fit footwear that’s fashionable too. Thankfully, women’s footwear brands have cottoned on to the fact that we’re not all a sample shoe size 5 and have slowly but surely added wide fit ladies’ collections to their ranges, offering the holy grail of style and comfort.

With brands like Marks & Spencer and Clarks being mainstays in the wide fit shoe market, joining them are the likes of New Look, Next and ASOS, offering heels, trainers, boots and more for those who need a little more width to their sole.

Feel like your feet have widened in recent years? They could well have done, according to foot health expert Margaret Dabbs OBE. “Feet can widen with age. As people age, the ligaments and tendons in their feet can lose elasticity so the arch on the foot drops. It is also natural that the cushioning in the feet decreases with age.”

Wide fit shoes – what to look out for, from the experts

Margaret shares her expertise on what makes a comfy shoe for wide feet, and what to shop for: “A good shoe should offer ample toe room, sufficient arch support, and cushioning to absorb impact and reduce pressure points. For wide feet, the shoe should have a wider toe box to accommodate the natural splay of the foot, preventing issues like bunions, corns and discomfort. And for those with bunions, Margaret suggests shopping for wide-fit shoes, too.

“Wide-width shoes provide extra room in the toe box, reducing pressure on the bunion and alleviating discomfort. They can help prevent further irritation or worsening of the condition by minimising friction and allowing the toes to spread more naturally, potentially offering relief and comfort for those with bunions. Also it really helps that shoes are made with elastic material or soft leather.”

Melissa Epifano, Winnoh founder who created her own wide foot shoe brand after struggling to find stylish shoes for herself, echoes Margaret’s comments: “First, the width will be several millimeters wider in the toe box, giving the wearer more room to stretch out—and fewer numb pinky toes! The vamp (which is the part of the shoe that hugs the top of your foot) is often given more volume. Depending on the shoe style, the entirety of the insole might be widened slightly too. It may be surprising, but it’s these tiny design edits that can make a massive difference in how it feels on your foot.”

How we chose the best wide fit shoes

Size: The brands featured all carry shoes in wide fit, extra wide fit or larger sizing.
Style: As well as carrying wide-fit sizing, I've chosen the shoes and shoe brands that offer a stylish range, from sandals to stilettos and everything else in between.
Reviews: I've scoured online reviews to try and bring the most comfortable shoes. At HELLO! we haven't been able to try all the brands featured, but using online reviews I've brought the brands that seem to tick all the boxes in terms of comfort. If I or another editor has tried the brand, I’ve made sure to include our own personal opinion.

Our pick of the best wide fit shoes

M&S Wide Fit Chelsea Boot
Editor's note: "I've relied on M&S' wide fit shoes for years, and have many styles from them including boots. They always - ALWAYS - fit, and never hurt, not something you can claim from many brands. I've chosen these classic Chelsea boots to highlight as they're sure to outlast any trend."
Shipping: Free delivery with a £60 spend; or free next-day click and collect from M&S stores.
Sizes: 3-8
Returns: Within 35 days
Marks & Spencer is known for catering for women with wider feet, and in recent years, they’ve extended their wide-fit shoe range to be more inclusive of trend-led styles.
Many of M&S’ wide fit shoes include Smart Insolia Flex® technology, letting the wearer place their feet in properly into the shoe, with the aim of keeping them comfy all day long.
New Look Wide Fit Block Sandals
Editor's note: "I've had a few pairs of New Look's wide fit shoes over the years and never been disappointed. They're easy on the credit card too."
Shipping: Free delivery with a £50 spend; or £2.99 for standard delivery on orders under £50.
Sizes: 3-9
Returns: Within 28 days
We've bookmarked New Look for affordable wide-fit footwear that’s on trend too. There’s over 100 styles to choose with prices starting from £15.99, and they've cleverly thought of including flip flops and flat sandals in their wide fit footwear collection - not something many other brands do.
Sole Bliss Star Wide Fit Trainers
Editor's note: "I own a pair of heeled Sole Bliss boots and they're the comfiest pair in my wardrobe, no joke. As someone with a wider foot, you can tell they're made to be kind to those with wide feet, and I've heard nothing but amazing things about their trainers, too."
Shipping: Free delivery with a £200 spend.
Sizes: 3-9
Colours: Six colourways available; white and gold, grey and silver, chocolate brown, black and silver, navy and silver, silver leather.
Returns: Within 30 days
Sole Bliss was specifically created to cater for wide feet women who suffer with bunions – even Queen Camilla is a fan, who owns the Ingrid shoe in a variety of colours.
Their shoes are crafted with comfort in mind, and include three layers of underfoot cushioning and a hidden ‘bunion bed’ stretch panel cushion to disguise bunions.
Clarks Wide Fit Penny Patent Shoes
Editor's note: "Ask anyone for a shoe brand you can rely on, and Clarks is often mentioned. They have a capsule wide fit range which includes a number of classic shoe styles."
Shipping: Free delivery with a £75 spend, or free click and collect to your local store. Otherwise, it's a £4.95 charge.
Sizes: 3-8, and two widths: D (standard) or E (wide).
Colours: Black patent or black leather.
Returns: Within 30 days
The go-to brand for kitting out the whole family, Clarks’ wide fit range includes boots, sandals, sneakers and shoes.
Many of their main collection offer the ‘standard’ width (D) and a wide-fit option (E) in shoe sizes 3-9.
Simply Be Wide Fit Velvet Platform Heels
Editor's note: "Simply Be is a great choice if your budget isn't massive, but you want quality looking shoes in a wider fit. Their range is vast, and includes trainers, heels, flats and sandals and there's an extra wide fit option too."
Shipping: £3.99 for standard delivery.
Sizes: 4-8
Colours: Burgundy velvet or black velvet.
Returns: Within 28 days
If you’re on the hunt for affordable wide-fit shoes, head to Simply Be which has styles starting from £39. Simply Be caters to not just those with wide fit, but there’s over 350 extra wide fit shoes to choose from.
Winnoh Wide Fit Rhiannon Boot
Editor's note: "A small but perfectly formed collection from Winnoh, a female founded brand created purely to cater for women with wider feet. I love these timeless yet trendy ankle boots, available in four colours."
Shipping: Free standard delivery.
Sizes: EUR 36-44
Colours: Four available; ink, white, dark brown and mid-brown.
Returns: Within 20 days
Winnoh was created by Melissa Epifano after she struggled to find stylish shoes to fit her wider feet. "I found you either hurt yourself by shoving your feet into painfully small and ill-fitting shoes or you settle for something bland and orthopaedic, which can destroy your confidence. I started Winnoh to solve this problem, and we have a lot of repeat buyers and customers who are surprised to slip their feet in and find that the shoes actually fit, and can be worn for long periods of time without the expected rubbing, blisters, and squashed feet."
ASOS Wide Fit Embellished Slingbacks
Editor's note: "You can't beat ASOS for style and value for money. Their wide fit shoe range has over 1,000 styles, starting from just £12!"
Shipping: Free with a £40 spend.
Sizes: 2-11
Colours: Green or black
Returns: Within 28 days
For trend-led styles, ASOS’ collection of wide-fit shoes is second to none. ASOS has one of the biggest size ranges, with many of the wide fit shoes available in sizes 2-11 as well as brands, bridal and more.
Calla Wide Fit Gloria High Heel Sandals
Editor's note: "I love that this entire brand has been created by someone who suffers from bunions - they really get the problems women with bunions face when it comes to buying shoes!"
Shipping: Free delivery on orders over £100.
Sizes: 3-9, including half sizes
Returns: Within 30 days
Calla Shoes throws shoe shopping on its head – letting you shop by width, rather than style. Founded by Jennifer Bailey, a bunion sufferer who found it hard to shop for comfortable yet stylish shoes.
Unlike regular wide-fitting shoes, Calla footwear is wide in the toe box but standard in the heel, giving the wearer extra width across bunions but fitting in length. Choose from wide-fit, extra-wide fit and wide toe box fit.
Hotter Wide Fit Rapid Boots
Editor's note: "I know the brand Hotter are applauded by women who need extra comfort, as they not only cater for wider feet but have extra measures to make their shoes as comfy as poss. I think these trainer-boots are pretty cool for the season."
Shipping: Free delivery on orders over £120.
Sizes: 3-9
Colours: Grey and black
Returns: Within 30 days
Hotter is all about comfort first and foremost, and many of their shoe styles include shock absorbing soles, supportive lining and extra cushioned sections.