I've been putting off writing this review because I feel ambivalent about these shoes. I have two pairs of Lucky Brand Emmie ballet flats in size 6.5W, the black and the nude. Let me start with the good points of these shoes - the leather is really soft, and they have very nice, basic, uncomplicated styling, which I like. The nude were good for the summer, although they were a little darker in person than I expected. The insole has some padding, and I did not find them to be hot or sweat-inducing. I wore them barefoot or with liners in the summer - though the liners tended to show - and wear them with trouser socks or tights now. They fit fine either way. They are very light, so carrying them to change into during snow boot weather will be easy. I've worn the nude ones occasionally, and the black ones several times a week since July and the soles and heels seem to be wearing well. The soles are not slippery. I used waterproofing spray and they will tolerate light rain, though I probably would not wear them in a downpour. I had a hard time deciding what size to get. My regular size for dress shoes is 6.5M, 7 for athletic shoes and boots, and my foot is wider in the front with a narrow heel. I thought I might need the extra width in the front, so I went with 6.5W. The length is snug (i.e. without extra length, like you would wear an actual ballet shoe) but OK - I think the 7 would have been too long. I also think the M would have been too narrow in the front. However, there is a lot of extra leather around the heel. Because of the elasticized topline, the heel does not slide around or cause blisters, which often happens when I wear flats, it just doesn't look great. [Note that since writing this review, I had occasion to try on the 7M in a store, and it was too long and a bit narrow in the front, though the heel fit better. Because of the elasticized topline, the 7M actually turned up a bit in the front where there was extra room, whereas my shoes in the 6.5W do not. I believe that especially for this shoe, where the leather is soft and will stretch and the elastic will hold the shoe to your foot, a snugger fit, with less than the usual thumb's width gap in the front, is better.] The other issue is comfort. If you are the kind of person who can wear ballet flats comfortably, I expect you will find these very comfortable. Although they do not have any kind of arch support, the padding in the insole makes them better than many other ballet flats. However, I am not that kind of person. I have lowish arches and a tendency to plantar fasciitis and thus to heel pain. I knew I was asking for trouble with ballet flats, but I really like their versatility, so I started out prepared to make whatever adjustments were necessary. Initially, I wore them with the little silicone arch supports they make for flats, which I had from my last (even less comfortable) pair of flats, but I would have heel pain. I tried them with the silicone gel inserts they make for flats, and the heel pain was better, but I had arch pain. So I tried putting the arch supports on top of the inserts, and that's not bad - the extra width accommodates the combination, and while they make my feet look wider, I can now wear them all day, including light to moderate walking, without pain. Because I needed a solution right away, I went with drug-store available options, but there are probably better accessories out there, albeit for more money. I got these shoes for quite a good price, so I did not mind the additional cost of the inserts, but I'm not sure I would have wanted to pay for the shoes and better inserts, or for the shoes at full price, knowing I would need to pay for inserts also. In summary, these are nice looking and nicely made ballet flats. I did not size up in length, as many recommend, but you may want to if you want a roomier shoe and are not comfortable with a snug fit. You may want to get the wider width if your foot is wider in the front, but be aware that the heel is also wider. This is a typical ballet flat, which is not a terribly supportive shoe. If you have problem feet, these will not be comfortable for you without some kind of insert, but may be wearable with inserts. I can't say that I love the way the way these shoes feel or look on my feet (although I really wanted to), but I do wear them regularly and they do the job. If someone invents ballet flats that have great arch support and cushioning, simple lines, are made with real leather, don't cause blisters, and don't cost a fortune, I will buy them. Until then, my Lucky Brand Emmies will do.
