adidas Samba Size Guide: How Do They Fit?

Arguably one of the most famous shoes in the world, football fans and fashionistas alike seem to have found common ground in the adidas Samba. Originally designed for icy pitches and indoor football, the slimline silhouette has well and truly entered the fashion sphere lately, suddenly appealing to those who are new to the 3-Stripes range of casual terrace classics. If you’re yet to still buy your first-ever pair of Sambas, or you’ve rediscovered your love for the model, you’re bound to have a few questions, especially when it comes to how the adidas Samba fits, and whether it's comfortable or not. Well new Samba fans, fear not, as we’re about to give you the lowdown on exactly how the adidas Samba fits, and how we rate the shoe for comfort, all here in our handy adidas Samba size guide.

Now - a little history lesson, as the Samba model has tonnes of heritage behind it. In its original form, the adidas Samba dates back to the 1940s, when Adi Dassler designed the shoe as a practical solution for slippery football pitches. The shoe and sport have been linked ever since - it was even named in a nod to Brazil, which played host country at the 1950s World Cup, where it made its first proper debut. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, the Samba became a firm favourite of the football casual crowd, before it was then adopted by skateboarders in the ‘90s and early ‘00s. And, as football and fashion have become more and more interlinked over the years, it was only natural that the Samba became the must-have shoe for those looking to hop on the Blokecore and Blokette trend, naturally earning itself a few celebrity endorsements and co-signs in the process.

As it stands, the Samba is rumoured to be adidas’ best-selling shoe after the Stan Smith, with an estimation of over 35 million pairs sold. That being said, there’s still a lot of confusion about whether you should size up in Sambas, and whether Sambas fit small, so here’s what we think…

First things first, the majority of people will find that taking their true size in Sambas is completely fine, but a fair amount of people complain that the model fits quite narrow. If you have wider feet, we’d suggest going half a size up in the OG adidas Sambas, just to give yourself a little more room.

This rings true for all of the other Samba models too - you should follow the same advice for the platformed Sambarose, Vegan Samba, Samba Classic and the Velosamba Cycling shoe.

We’re going to be honest with you here, the adidas Samba’s comfort levels are subject to a breaking in period. At first, the leather can feel unforgiving, but after a few wears it should start to feel buttery-soft in no time.

It’s also worth mentioning that the adidas Samba features a very flat sole, so if this isn’t something you’re used to, it might be a while before your Sambas feel especially comfy. Once they have been broken and in you’re used to this however, you’ll find that your adidas Sambas are a super-comfortable option that will stand the test of time.

If you’re reading this in 2023, chances are you already have some idea how to style the adidas Samba, and you’re leaning towards the Blokecore look. Differing slightly to your usual football casual style, Blokecore actually incorporates football shirts into the look - often mixing vintage jerseys with straight leg or baggy jeans or jorts. If this isn’t your vibe, then a straight-leg pair of Dickies and a graphic tee will look just as good.

The Samba has also been a super-popular silhouette for women too, trending in athleisure, Scandi-chic and Blokette circles. Try styling your Sambas with wide-leg jeans and a boxy, plain tee for a laid-back, off-duty model vibe, or accessorise them with a football shirt, midi-skirt and cute sock combo for a more feminine take on the Blokecore trend.

Here we’ve pulled together a few of our fave looks from across our social media channels, just incase you need a little more inspo!

Aside from your usual influencer crowd, the Samba has started to gain itself a fair few famous followers. Many celebs have been spotted sporting adidas Sambas, including the likes of Bella Hadid and Kendal Jenner, to Robert Pattinson and Jeremy Allen White. Jonah Hill has also been a long-time fan of the model, which even lead to his own collaborative pairs back in 2020.

Now, the tough part. Since the adidas Samba made its comeback over the past couple of years, we’ve been really spoiled for choice when it comes to the releases. Of course, we can’t help but mention Grace Wales Bonner’s efforts - the Wales Bonner x adidas Samba “Cream/Green” was largely credited for the style’s renewed interest, and the Metallic Silver Wales Bonner Sambas were also all over our social media feeds. Other notable pairs include Ronnie Fieg’s three-way collab with Clarks, which saw the Samba come treaded to a crepe sole, and the Sporty & Rich x adidas Samba White/Burgundy.

So, there you have it. If you’re looking to secure your size (now you know it!) in the adidas Samba, then hit the ‘Buy Now’ buttons below the images to get yours. Lastly, don’t forget that if you tend to struggle with narrow fitting shoes, it’s worth sizing up in adidas Sambas.

If you found this guide helpful, why not check out our other size guides...