I should know the answer to this, but now I'm wondering.

If you're buying shoes with an open heel - sandals, slides, mules, etc., should the edge of your heel be even with the end of the shoe, or should the shoe have extra space so that your heel stops first, then there's a bit of shoe left?

Because I know that makes no sense, here:

This is a pic where the heel is even with the edge of the shoe:

This is a pic where the shoe has extra space (length):

http://www.alistclothing.co.uk/inc/get_product.php?id=2037

I always try and get it close to the edge that way the shoe doesnt slip on my foot. Nothing worse then to be walking and your foot sliding and the back of the sling sliding up and down on the back of your heel. TOOOOO uncomfortable. Not sure if thats correct or not but its what is right for me. Hope that helps

Wheetsin, First of all love your posts. You have been a great help to me.

Your shoes should have just a tad of space behind heel. Keep up the good work.

I hate seeing people wear ill-fitting shoes. Like when some ladie's toes have to curl down over the edge of her shoe. *shivers*

I was buying shoes and I usually go for as close to "heel even with shoe" as I can, without going to "foot over edge of heel". If that means there's a little extra show length (because the freak big foot shoe sizes don't usually come in half sizes) then so be it.

The shoe lady told me that was all wrong, that there should be 1/2" between your heel and the edge of the shoe. I'd never heard that.

The reason a shoe saleswoman would tell you that is so that you have some space for TOM and other times when your feet swell. If you buy it on a perfect day, and then TOM comes around and your feet gain half a size (mine do sometimes) then your foot would be sticking out over the edge. Best to err on the side of caution with this one i think.

you might notice too much space on model's pictures because they might not have the perfect shoe size for that model at the location shoot...

Right, I just used the picture to convey the idea I was trying to describe, not to evaluate whether or not her particular shoes in that particular picture are the right size or not.

Well, I don't know the correct answer, but by looking at the pictures, visually, I think that the first picture (heel/shoe even) look more appealing.

I would have thought heel space would mean the shoe would slip and you'd get blisters.

Personally I think shoe showing behind the heel just looks bad. And it's probably not structurally good for the shoe--I'd think the heel construction relies on the foot being solidly centered on top of it, not a few millimeters in front.

It also looks horrid when the foot slips forward and the toes bunch up or hang over the front. What's up with that? :confused:

i dunno about there, but here in Europe its a big fashion no no to have ur heel over the shoe, OR to have to much space behind it. The best thing is to try and match them up, or to have just a tiny bit of space left, but NEVER let ur heal go over the shoe.