When you are up on pointe, there should be about 1/4 inch of spare fabric at your heel. If there is none, the shoe is too short. If there is more, the shoe is too long. Also, if you do a demi-plie, and your toes are mashed into the box, hurting, the shoe is too short, too narrow, or both.
The vamp should not gape or wrinkle - neither should the sides. There should be equal pressure from the shoe all over the foot.
I’ve tried to keep these articles fairly short - but like your first few fittings - time, patience and detail is needed.
The Soles of the Shoes: The soles of the shoes whether leather or rubber, should be thick enough to protect, yet flexible enough for walking. It is also important to look at the bottom of the soles to determine depth of the grooves. The deeper the grooves the better the traction.
Fitting Children’s Shoes: Parents must remember looking for a pair of shoes to fit their child’s feet, not vice versa. To get a good fit, both the shape and the size of the shoes should comfort to its feet. Foot size increases whether standing, sleeping, or running. Once the shoes are on, parents should check for adequate length and width, depending on their child’s unique case.
The Appropriate Shoe: Certain types of shoes are appropriate depending on the child’s age. Babies and crawlers do not need shoes. They only need booties, warm socks, or pre-walking shoes that do not bind feet. Shoes for toddles, on the other hand, age 9months to 3 years, should allow the foot to breathe due to perspiration. Style and shoe-fit is important for school-age children. For any child age, parents should be aware that problems such as flatfeet or high arch could be developed, and they should always pay attention to the anatomic nature of the shoes purchased.