There’s a trick to finding the perfect pair of Dr. Martens sandals this summer. You should know this before buying Dr. Marten sandals. Allow me to share with you what that is.

Back in January, I bought some Dr. Martens sandals so early in the year because it was my birthday and I didn’t want them to sell out! They were everywhere on Instagram already, and I knew they’d be popular.

I opted to purchase the “Blaire” model because the “Clarissa” platforms I really wanted were already sold out at the time, so I ordered a size 8 in “Blaire” and anxiously awaited their arrival. To my surprise, they really didn’t fit at all when I put them on. I was mystified! How did they not fit!? I ordered my size!

Ah, but my love, this is not the Dr. Marten way, as I would come to learn. Sure, their boots I could get away with ordering a size 8 in just fine, but their sandals were another story.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBbysWzFbDs/

Plain and simply, Dr. Marten sandals are built for folks with flatter feet than I have. That foot shape gets maximum coverage because you’re not “stuffing them in” to the gladiator style just to fit.

My petite frame includes a high instep and not so wide feet. See the problem here already? Those size 8 “Blaire” sandals ended up being too big on me because the gladiator style of the shoe prevented my high instep from really settling in and getting the maximum coverage the sandal allowed.

So, how I did I resolve this? Research. I read reviews for the first time ever in my life, and observed my own experience with the first pair of sandals I bought from Dr. Martens. The reviews suggested sizing down for situations like mine. I learned that it was better for me to size down if I wanted to make these sandals work with my feet, and I was right!

Thankfully, the “Clarissa” platforms I had my eye on first were back in stock, so I took my chances and ordered them in a size 7 instead. Remember, I’m normally an 8. When they arrived, they fit perfectly! I do have to “break them in” still (they are docs after all), but they covered my foot much better and didn’t leave me with the blisters that the bigger size did.

This story has a happy ending, and I hope your summer sandal excursion does too!