Orleans Shoe Co. — Fitting Hard-to-Fit Feet Since 2002
Wide & Extra-Wide Shoes in New Orleans & Metairie
Most stores stock one width and hope it works. We stock D, 2E and 4E in men's and B, D and 2E in women's — on the shelf, ready to try on. If you've spent years in shoes that pinch at the forefoot, this is the part that fixes it.
The most common mistake we see
You Sized Up
Going up a half size to buy room gets you forefoot width, but now the shoe is too long. The flex point sits under your arch instead of your toes, and your heel slips. The fix is your real length in a wider last — not a longer shoe.
What the Width Letters Mean
| Width | Who it fits |
|---|---|
| B | Standard women's. If a women's shoe doesn't list a width, it's this. |
| D | Standard men's — and a wide for women. A lot of women who think they need "wide" need a D. |
| 2E | Wide in men's, extra-wide in women's. The most common fix for forefoot pressure and bunion pain. |
| 4E | Extra-wide men's. For high-volume feet, swelling, orthotics, or diabetic fitting needs. |
| 6E | The widest made. Mt. Emey and some Drew styles go here. |
Width isn't the whole story — depth matters too. A foot can be normal width and still need more room through the instep. That's what the fitting is for.
Brands We Carry in Wide Widths
Athletic & running
-
New BalanceThe deepest width run we stock. Nobody else comes close. Fresh Foam and FuelCell running models plus the 990 and 800-series walking shoes, in real widths across most sizes.Men's D · 2E · 4E — Women's B · D · 2E
Women's · Men's · Kids -
HOKAMax cushion in a wide. Bondi, Clifton, Gaviota and Arahi come in wide, so you get the cushioning without the squeeze. The most requested wide running shoe in our stores.Men's 2E · 4E — Women's D
Women's · Men's · Kids -
ASICSStructured support, wide sizing. Gel-Nimbus and Gel-Kayano in wide — a good answer when you need arch support and forefoot room in the same shoe.Men's 2E · 4E — Women's D
Women's · Men's -
AltraWide by design. A foot-shaped toe box on every model, not just the wide sizes. Often the right call when the real problem is toe splay rather than overall width.Standard and wide
Women's · Men's
Depth & hard-to-fit
-
SASHandcrafted in Texas and built for all-day standing, in widths most brands don't attempt. A staple for our customers on their feet at work.Slim through triple wide
Women's · Men's -
DrewExtra depth, not just extra width. Removable footbeds and room for custom orthotics — the brand we reach for on diabetic fittings and severe swelling.Widths through 6E in some styles
Women's · Men's -
Mt. EmeyThe widest we carry. Extra depth and extra width when nothing else has enough room.Widths through 6E
Women's · Men's
Comfort & everyday
-
BirkenstockComes in a regular and a narrow footbed — the regular is genuinely roomy. Check the footprint stamp on the sole.
Women's · Men's -
DanskoRoomy toe box and a stable base for long shifts on hard floors.
Women's · Men's -
KeenThe widest toe box in outdoor. Built roomy in every size.
Women's · Men's -
KizikHands-free and available in wide.
Women's · Men's -
VionicBuilt-in orthotic support, wide options in most core styles.
Women's · Men's
Why the Fitting Matters More When You're Wide
We measure the length and width of both feet on a Brannock device, plus arch length — where your foot actually bends. You step on the Harris mat so we can read your arch and pressure points. We watch you walk. Then we bring out the right model in the right width.
Free, no appointment, every visit. See our five-step fitting method.
Bring your current shoes. A wide foot in a standard shoe leaves an unmistakable pattern — bulging at the sides, wear at the outside edge, the upper stretched over the little toe. That tells us a lot before you take them off.
Also Worth a Look
Shoes for bunions · Diabetic-friendly shoes · Plantar fasciitis · Flat feet · Narrow shoes · Arch supports
FAQ
Should I just size up to get more room?
No. That's the most common mistake we see. It gets you width but makes the shoe too long, so the flex point lands under your arch and your heel slips. Correct length, wider last.
What if you don't have my size or width in stock?
We can usually special order it. Call 504-910-2900 with the style, size, and width, or come in and we'll sort it at the counter.
Do wide shoes cost more?
No. Same price as any other width.
How do I know if I'm wide or just need a different shoe?
Get measured. Some people who think they're wide need a different last, not a wider one — brands cut differently, and a standard-width Keen has more room than a wide in some other lines.
Do you carry narrow too?
Yes, which almost nobody does. See narrow shoes.
Come get fitted. Free fitting, no appointment, at Magazine Street · French Quarter · Metairie Road · Severn. Need a specific width? Call 504-910-2900 and we'll tell you which store has it, or order it. In New Orleans since 2002.
