How to Find Your Size in Louboutins: Our Top Tips and 7 Iconic Styles to Shop

It's hard to understate the iconic status of Christian Louboutin heels. Similarly to mainstay designer bags like the Birkin, these shoes (and their unforgettable red bottoms) have made countless appearances both in real life and in pop culture over the years, becoming a true It item with consistent staying power. But while they're popular, forever chic, and a worthwhile investment, one drawback keeps many people from giving the shoe a try: Louboutins are notoriously hard to fit due to inconsistent sizing. Luckily, it's not impossible: We tapped both the brand and a stylist to get their best tips on finding the best size for you. Ahead, learn the best way to find your perfect fit in seven of Louboutin's most iconic styles.

General Tips for Finding Your Louboutin Size

To find your size in Louboutin heels, it's usually best to size up, but you don't want to overdo it, as getting the length wrong can cause blistering and pain. The method you use when determining your size is equally important in getting it right, so check out the below tips before you set out to shopping.

• Be careful when trying on your shoes: When you buy Louboutins and try them on, make sure you do so on carpet. If the heels' signature red bottoms are scratched or show any sign of wear, you may be unable to return them or have to pay a fee. You might want to go to a store to be extra safe, especially if it's your first pair.
• Prepare your shoes before wearing them: Stylist and content creator Lauren Messiah recommends taking your heels to a cobbler right after buying them. “Take them and get the bottom resoled in red,” she advises. She recommends getting a red rubber sole, which keeps the shoe soles red while adding some grip and cushion to the balls of your feet.
• Consider buying multiple sizes: At least for your first pair, “Louboutins are not a shoe you can just willy-nilly purchase online,” Lauren says. If you're buying online, she recommends buying a couple sizes to make sure you find the right fit. This will be a temporary blow to your credit card, but you can send back any pairs that don't work and know for a fact that you have the best size.
• Get advice from brand experts: Chatting with Louboutin’s personal shoppers can be helpful as well, since they have extensive knowledge on fit and can give personalized feedback. You can either do this in person at a Louboutin boutique or get in touch via phone or email.

Style Considerations

Often, Louboutin recommends getting your heels half a size larger from what you usually wear, but the sizing process is a bit more nuanced, as the fit can vary depending on various style factors.

• The shoe material makes a huge difference in fit. Natural leather will stretch over time and mold to the shape of your foot. Patent leather has its own advantages, like being more durable and waterproof, but it doesn’t stretch or mold to your foot. If your shoes are a tad too tight, you can take them to a cobbler for stretching, and you’ll have much better luck with natural leather.
• The pitch (or heel height) makes a big difference in comfort and wearability. It can also affect fit because it determines the shape of your foot in the shoe—some more comfortable heel heights allow your foot to be fairly relaxed, while more extreme stilettos may bend or squish your foot into an unnatural position. Louboutin heels are measured in millimeters, and a 100mm (3.9-inch) heel or less is a lot more manageable than a 120mm (4.7-inch) heel, which is notoriously difficult to wear and walk in.
• The toe box—or where your toes go in a shoe—usually isn't the first thing you think of when considering a shoe style, but its width and length can be a major reason why you may need to size up or size down. In Louboutin heels, the size of the toe box can vary a lot. Especially if you have a wider foot or slightly longer toes, make sure you ask about the size of the toe box in your Louboutin heels.

Find Your Louboutin Size by Style

Kate

The Kate is a classic pointed-toe heel with a sleek silhouette, and you've likely seen it on many people who wear Louboutins. It’s always good to have a well-made pair of black heels in your wardrobe, and the Kate is more than ready to serve this purpose.

For the Kate style, Louboutin recommends ordering half a size up, but for some, a full size up is necessary. The sole is narrow, and the shoe has a similarly narrow, albeit longer, toe box. Because of this, the style is best for narrow to medium-width feet. If you have wider feet, finding your best fit in the Kate may be more difficult, so you may want to try it on in a boutique before you buy, get the shoes stretched, or look at other styles with wider soles.

So Kate

The So Kate is perhaps the most recognizable Louboutin shoe style. It’s an accentuated, dramatized version of the Kate with a higher arch. The So Kate flaunts an extra-high, pencil-thin heel with no platform, so it virtually puts the foot in its most extended tippy-toe position. These shoes offer little support, and while customers love to look at this style, they usually don’t love to wear them.

Like the Kate, the So Kate sole is incredibly narrow. The toe box is shorter and also very narrow because of how the shoe puts your foot in a dramatically arched position.

While Louboutin recommends ordering half a size up, some people need to order a full size up. All in all, it’s not the easiest style to size for anyone—let alone wide feet—so definitely try these on first and ask for expert advice if you can, and consider some of the brand's other styles if you find it to be uncomfortable.

Iriza

The Iriza is Louboutin’s timeless take on a classic half d'Orsay heel—it has a closed toe but an open space on the side. If you’re set on buying a pair of Louboutin heels without a platform, this is your best bet for comfort.

For wider feet, the Iriza is one of the best styles you can get. The side cutout allows for much more room in the shoe, which makes it more comfortable and easier to fit a wider foot than the Kate or So Kate. On Iriza, the toe box is pointy and a bit narrow and long. Because they’re natural leather, they should also fit your foot better over time.

Louboutin’s official fit suggestion for the Iriza is that they’re true to size, but some people still need to size up or down. If your toes are on the shorter or longer side, that may have an effect on sizing.

Pigalle

If the So Kate and Kate styles look too uncomfortable, the Pigalle is probably a much better option for you as a classic heel. Instead of a pencil-thin stiletto, the Pigalle stiletto is slightly thicker—enough to support your feet while still looking sleek.

Because the sole is on the narrower side and the toe box is a bit shorter, this size runs small. The toe box is pointed but slightly rounded and a bit shorter than the Iriza’s, for example. As with most Louboutin heel styles, you probably shouldn’t buy your typical size. Instead, Louboutin recommends going at least one half-size up.

New Very Privé

One thing to know about platform heels is that while they're higher, they're often more comfortable because the platform supports your feet better. For this same reason, the New Very Privé heels are a lot more comfortable than other styles on this list because of their (concealed) platform. Some even say these are comfortable shoes—for Louboutins, that is.

These may be comfier and look a bit more roomy, but like almost every other heel on this list, the New Very Privé heels run small. The toe box is a bit narrow, although the peep toe offers a dash of extra toe space. The sole is narrow on these, similar to a Kate sole, so it’s usually best to size up a half-size or more.

Sporty Kate Sling

If you've been looking for a pair of Louboutins that melds the ever-trendy slingback style with the brand's signature red bottom, you're in luck. This kitten heel take on the Kate—dubbed "sporty" thanks to its softer material, CL logo, and visible stitching—is one of the most comfortable ways to wear Louboutin heels.

Due to the pointed toe and slingback strap, you'll want to choose your size carefully to ensure they're not too uncomfortable. Louboutin says that this shoe runs true to size, but it's sometimes a good idea to size up when purchasing a pointed-toe style, especially if you have wider feet. If that's you, sizing up one-half to one size will give you extra room without making it so the straps slip off.

Santia Botta

Yes, Christian Louboutin even has a take on cowboy boots. This Western-inspired style features an 85mm heel (a little over three inches, lower than most of the above stilettos but higher than the Sporty Kate kitten heel), creating a balance between height and practicality. It has a thicker heel than all the above styles, so this may just be something you integrate into your everyday rotation—but the pointed heel and still-significant height do make this style feel more high-fashion (and less comfortable) than other cowboy boots out there.

The Louboutin brand says that the Santia Botta runs true to size, although we'd say that those with wider feet may want to opt for a half-size or so up due to the pointed toe. Additionally, the shaft width is about average for cowboy boots: roomier than many other knee-high styles, but not tailored to wider calves. If this means the style doesn't work for you, consider trying a lower style like the Santiabooty or looking for similar designs from brands with more wide-calf options, like Dolce Vita and Ariat.

The Final Takeaway

While the above seven pairs are the most iconic and popular Louboutin shoe styles, that doesn't mean they are your only options. If you're not finding your best fit, the brand has so many other styles to offer—many of which are significantly more comfortable.

“If you are open to not going with a stiletto, your comfort options open up considerably,” Messiah says. Block heels, like the Jane Mule 85mm or the Adoxa 70mm bootie, are just one way to find a non-stiletto design that's easier on your feet without sacrificing style. If you're a fan of sneakers, the brand has several popular offerings in that department as well. While it's still smartest to follow the brand's sizing recommendations, the wide range of options out there are proof that there are countless ways to get Louboutins that fit your feet and lifestyle.