Naturalizer: Widths, Insoles and Shoes You Can Stand In

Naturalizer builds comfort into shoes that do not look like comfort shoes. The feature that delivers most of that — and the one most buyers ignore — is the width fitting.

Width is the whole point

Naturalizer offers multiple widths across much of its range, which is unusual and genuinely useful.

Most foot pain from new shoes is a width problem rather than a length problem. If your shoes feel tight across the ball of the foot but the toe has room, you need a wider fitting, not a larger size.

Going up a size to solve width gives you a shoe that slips at the heel and rubs — the classic cause of blisters on the back of the heel in an otherwise comfortable shoe.

Measure the width of your foot, not just the length. A narrow Naturalizer fitting on a narrow foot stops heel slip that no insole can fix.

What the comfort construction does

Naturalizer's comfort features are mostly cushioned footbeds, flexible outsoles and contoured arch support.

The realistic claim: these make a shoe comfortable for a working day of normal walking and standing. They are not orthopaedic devices and will not resolve plantar fasciitis or a structural problem.

If you use prescribed orthotics, look for styles with removable footbeds. Naturalizer offers these, and a removable insole is the difference between a shoe you can use and one you cannot.

Which styles hold up to all-day wear

Block heels distribute weight far better than a stiletto and are the sensible choice for a long day. The Naturalizer block-heel range is its strongest for this.

Loafers and flats with a small heel are usually more comfortable than a completely flat sole, which offers no arch support at all.

Ankle boots should be tried with the socks you will actually wear. A boot fitted in bare feet is tight in winter.

Heel height above about three inches is a shorter-wear shoe regardless of construction. Physics does not negotiate.

Leather and sizing

Leather Naturalizer styles stretch slightly with wear, across the width rather than the length. Buy them snug but not painful; they will give a little.

Synthetic uppers do not stretch. If a synthetic shoe is tight in the shop it will be tight forever, and this is where people most often size wrong hoping for a break-in that never comes.

Suede needs protecting before first wear and marks from water permanently. Worth the spray.

Naturalizer boots through the seasons

Naturalizer boots follow the same width logic as its shoes, with one extra measurement to check: the calf.

Tall Naturalizer boots are often offered with a wide-calf option. Measure the widest part of your calf and compare it with the shaft circumference on the product page, allowing room for trousers or thicker tights if you will wear them.

For winter, check whether the sole has real tread and whether the upper is treated against water. A smooth leather sole slips on wet pavements, however comfortable the footbed is.

Naturalizer boots usually reach their lowest prices near the end of winter, when the next season's stock arrives.

Ordering Naturalizer online

Buying Naturalizer shoes online works well once you know your size and width in the brand. The first pair is the risky one.

Try the shoes on in the afternoon, when feet are at their largest, and walk on a hard floor indoors. Keep the soles clean until you are sure, since worn shoes are usually harder to return.

Check the current Naturalizer returns window and whether sale items are final. Policies on clearance footwear often differ from full-price ones.

Not every Naturalizer style comes in every width. If you need wide or narrow fittings, filter by width first and then choose a style from what remains, rather than falling for a shoe that is only made in medium.

Keep a note of the size and width that worked in each Naturalizer style. Fit varies a little between lasts, and the note saves a return next time.

Where the Naturalizer savings are

Naturalizer discounts regularly, and the multi-pair offers are the most interesting:

A two-pair discount is genuine value when you need work shoes in two colours, and a false economy when it pushes you into a second pair you will not wear.

Clearance runs deepest on colours rather than styles. A classic black pump rarely discounts as hard as the same shoe in a seasonal shade.

Most Naturalizer codes cannot be combined. The two-pair code and a percentage code will usually not stack, so price the basket both ways.

Common questions

Should I size up if Naturalizer shoes feel tight?

No — change width. Sizing up causes heel slip and blisters.

Can I use my own orthotics?

Yes, in styles with removable footbeds. Check before buying.

Do the leather styles stretch?

Slightly, across the width. Synthetics do not stretch at all.

Do Naturalizer codes apply to sale styles?

Sometimes not. Check the terms, since clearance Naturalizer styles are often excluded.