- Place a blank piece of paper on a flat surface and tape the sides to keep it in place.
- Ask the dancer to stand with one foot placed flat on the paper. If the dancer wears tights with her slippers, she should wear tights during measurement. Measure bare feet if the slippers are worn without socks or tights.
- Trace the outline of the foot. Mark the farthest point of the heel and the longest point of the first or second toe. Measure the vertical distance between the two points in centimeters.
- Repeat with the other foot. One foot may be smaller than the other and it may be necessary to order two different slipper sizes for a snug fit.
- Use the sizing chart to determine U.S. shoe size. For example, a foot that measures 22.5 centimeters will wear a size 6 U.S. street shoe.
- Check the shoe manufacturer for their recommendations about what size slipper to order. For example, our ballet slippers for children should be ordered in the U.S. street shoe size, while women's slipper sizes are two to one-and-a-half sizes smaller than their U.S. street size.
- Determine the width of the slipper. Adult dancers who don't know their width should try a medium width of C or D. Choose B, or narrow, for children's feet. A foot that needs extra-width should go up one slipper size.
- Order the ballet slipper in several different sizes so the dancer can personally fit the shoe properly at home. Return the slippers that are too small, and consider keeping larger slippers for young dancers who will need to replace their slippers often due to growth and wear.
- Fit the slipper so each foot is snug without causing the toes to curl. When the toes are pointed, there should be no space between the arch of the foot and the slipper.
Measuring for Ballet Slippers
January 29, 2015