I Am A UK Shoe Size 9, Work In Fashion And These Are My Favourite High Street Footwear Brands

Picture me: a UK shoe size 9 at about 14 years old. Back then, shopping for shoes was a nightmare; I was living in the small idyllic country of The Gambia, where the population at the time was just over a million and the pickings in my shoe size were few and far between. It was so bad that my footwear closet consisted mostly of trainers and shoes made for men, interspersed by the occasional second-hand pair of ladies size 9 footwear found at the local market.

Although I now live in the UK, and work in fashion, it can still be an issue to find great shoes on the high street that fit, the reason being that the majority of brands only offer up to a size 8 in-store.

Trying to find a solution once and for all, I decided to comb the high street, albeit online, for the best in size 9 footwear. Here's my essential guide.

1. The Wide Range: Zara

2. The Good Staple: Office

3. The Glam Go-To: Aldo

4. The Inclusive Sizing: ASOS

5. The Formal Range: Next

6. The One With Multi Brands: Dorothy Perkins

7. The Fashion Forward Option: Topshop

8. The Contemporary Design: COS

9. The Sporty Option: Salomon

Which designers do wide-fit shoes?

Duo Boots is my go-to for a great boot with a wide foot and there are various calf sizes available, too! As mentioned above, ASOS Design is wide-fit inclusive, with a wide variety of footwear types; everything from a pretty flat to a utility boot.

There is also Calla Shoes, founded by Jennifer Bailey, a bunion sufferer whose mission statement is shoes that won't squeeze or irritate her feet but that also don't compromise on style. And Calla Shoes delivers, with fabulous shoes from red leather Mary Janes, a flat with a double strap, to a black kitten-heeled slingback, both of which are available from size UK 3-9.

For a trendy wide-fit sneakers or design-forward heels try Winnoh, which was created by Melissa Epifano. Winnoh focuses on crafting great wide-fitting footwear that also speaks volumes style-wise. Epifano's TikTok feed, meanwhile, is dedicated to educating women on everything to do with wide feet.

What shoes look good on girls with big feet?

This might surprise you but some footwear can be used by girls with big feet to make their feet look smaller, for instance the horizontal strap of a Mary Jane, which actually gives the illusion of a shorter foot. Another tip is to choose footwear in neutral and darker tones, which tend to have a slimming effect on a foot.

Finally, shoes with a print, pattern or embellishment can be really good at drawing attention away from the length of your foot, especially a shoe with horizontal or diagonal stripes.

How can you get shoes you've already bought to fit if you're too big or too wide in certain places?

First of all Sizers, which you can buy on Amazon, and which come in either a pointed toe or rounded toe option. These customise not only the size, but the fit of closed-toe shoes, which can work on footwear that is up to two sizes too big. If the shoe happens to be too big at the back of your foot you can use Sibba’s Heel Grips, which are also stocked on Amazon.

Sorbothane’s Shock Stopper Double Sole Insole, which is 7mm thick, is possibly one of the best insoles for ill-fitting shoes. It has moulded heel cups and double-arch support, which helps large and uncomfortable shoes fit comfortably. After extensive research, I consider it one of the best.

Marian Kwei, formerly Kihogo, is an award-winning editorial director, stylist and fashion and royal style expert. She lives in London and is obsessed with the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga and Coco Chanel.