Customer Reviews French Sole Sloop

To say that this shoe "runs small" would be an understatement. Silly me, I read the review of a dancer, whom I believed to be more credible than the rest of the reviewers. Hey..dancer...dancer's shoe...SHE KNOWS. Wrong. I ordered my 9.5, the shoe size that is so consistent that ordering shoes online is almost a perfect experience for me. However, this time when I tried the shoe on, my toes stretched the shoe beyond the sole. I could see the outline of my toes. The top of the shoe pressed firmly into the top of my foot into what would surely develop into blisters had I not immediately taken it off. Plus side: these shoes are adorable. The leather is supple, and the footbed is so squishy! I'm ordering a 10, which is crazy for me. I might feel like Sasquatch from this moment forward. It's en route and I'm hoping they'll fit well. Here's to hopin'.

Cute shoes. Runs small. Depending on the brand of show I wear a 10 or 11. I ordered an 11 and they fit like a size 9.

Simple, comfy, and a nice color. I definitely agree with prior reviews regarding these running small - I'm normally a 9 1/2, but bought a 10 in this and it's snug! I think they're going to break in really nicely. They do look a little slipperlike, which I think will be nice for everyday use but maybe not as good for work as I was hoping. But a cute, comfy shoe. I had also ordered them in the silver nappa, but that material just seemed a lot less stretchy, so the tightness was really uncomfortable, particularly around the vamp.

Very cute flat but it fit too tight. I decided to purchase a Frye leather flat in burnished red that I think it will turn out to be a better investment.

These are cute, but too uncomfortable for me. They are too wide at the heel and there is no arch support at all. They are cute shoes, though. I think I need more comfort and less cute now, but I like a little cute still!

I bought these in August 2013, wear them a couple times a week, and they still look great. They are super comfortable and they fit perfectly. I bought the black suede in my actual size. They were a little tight when I first got them, but after a few days, they molded to my feet. They are great for walking around all day in the city. I've spilled things on them and gotten them wet, but they wipe clean and look new again. I plan to purchase a pair of the chocolate suede next.

I ordered an 8 because the reviews seemed to vary on the size issue. It was FAR too small. I can't help but wonder if an 8.5 would even be big enough, the 8 was so small. I also didn't find the shape that flattering. Just looked like I slipped my foot into a generic black kids drawing of a black woman's shoe. Which is not what I am looking for at that price.

THEY ARE SO AUDREY HEPBURN! THE ALL LEATHER SHOES ARE VERY COMFORTABLE. THINK SLIPPERS. THEY GO WITH EVERYTHING! YOU MUST ORDER A HALF SIZE BIGGER IN THIS STYLE. I NOW HAVE SEVERAL STYLES OF THE FRENCH SOLE CREATIONS AND LOVE THEM ALL!

I am so glad that I read everyone else's reviews, or I might have made a mistake in the sizing. I wear a 9 or a 9 and 1/2, depending on the shoe. Based on everything I read, I ordered a 9, and when I got it I almost immediately packed it up to send it back because the shoes were too tight! But I decided to do as others suggested, and I wore them for an hour (or so) at a time on the carpet, and they do loosen up. I've been wearing them for awhile now, and they fit perfectly. I'm so glad I didn't order a larger size, they would have been too loose.

I was so excited about these, since every girl needs a go to black flat. I've been a dancer for over 20 years and am more than used to ballet flats, and the way they break in. However, these are less than impressive. I walked in them for 5 days trying to get them stretched, sadly they just wouldn't fit my feet. They are too tight across the toes and if I had ordered up a size they would have been too long. I'm an 8.5 and ordered my euro size 39. For 125$ it's just not going to work. If you have very narrow feet and aren't a half size, they will probably work.

Love this brand, love these shoes. Important thing to remember is that they stretch to fit your foot, so starting off snug is not only okay, it is how it is supposed to work. This particular pair is so cute I can hardly stand it. I bought them for weekend wear, but they'll see some office time as well.

Lovely shoes! very pretty color exactly as pictured. In light of others reviews I did buy a half size up and thank goodness! Right out the box they were very tight and actually squeezed my foot, but after a couple hours wearing them in the house they felt better. The first day I wore them they continued to stretch and now I must say they are exceedingly comfortable.

This is a beautiful shoe. However, it is definitely meant for a more narrow foot. I purchased a 7.5 like a normally do for shoes that I wear without socks. They were way too tight, so I returned them for a size 8. I decided to keep the 8's but they have taken some determination to break in. I do not technically have wide width feet, but maybe they are on the wide side of normal. I will not be purchasing these again, even though I love the classic look and excellent quality.

It's a cute shoe, comfortable too, but the color (red) seemed dull and in suede will likely dull even more. Also, absolutely no support. The Camper (Right Nina, with wide strap) is a nicer red, even more comfortable, and better support.

I ordered three sizes of this shoe in order to get the size right. I usually wear 8-1/2 or 9 in other styles. The size 9-1/2 was the perfect fit out of the box, but would have stretched too large. So, I went with the 9, although it felt much too tight. I was quite worried that it would not stretch enough to be comfortable. They hurt a lot across the top of the foot, especially cutting into the tendon going to the big toe. So I hurried the process along by rubbing and stretching that area by hand. Just two days later, wearing them around the house, and they are fine. (Now I'm worried they may stretch too much, especially in the heel.) I usually wear minimalist shoe wear, so lack of arch support, heel rise, and cushioning is exactly what I want. There isn't much room in the toe box as per 'minimalist' shoe styles, but I hope that the thin leather (and stretching with wear) would allow my toes to have some space. I want a pair of shoes that is more feminine in styling than the usual minimalist styles, so I know there are trade offs. I'm happy with the result. I find them very comfortable and they look great. I'm planning on wearing these on a several-week-long tourism trip (lots of walking) this summer.

I purchased the patent leather in size 11. I'm technically a 10.5, but can wear 10s in larger fitting brands such as Miz Mooz. I read the reviews and just didn't believe I could fit a 10 in this brand, despite the recommendations. The 11s fit snug out of the box and my toes were touching the toe box, but they formed quickly to my foot and now feel like slippers. I can see the outlines of the tips of my toes where they stretched the leather and know that the 10 would have been much too small. I was caught in an unpredicted rain storm while wearing them and they stretched even further, but in width, not length. I have a somewhat narrow foot and they are now a bit sloppy in fit. I would recommend buying your true size, not buying small -- but these are probably best for normal to wide feet. I'm still wearing them though, and love their style.

I just finished treating these black kidskin flats to a mink oil massage to provide them a little extra resilience. I want these to last a long time. My left foot must be slightly bigger than my right because that shoe is a little tight. But the right foot felt like a dream immediately so it's totally worth a little therapy on the tight shoe. Fitted to my foot, simple and stylish - classic, supple! and worth every penny, buddies. As soon as I can I'll buy the leopard print, or maybe the red. I'm typically a 7.5 and bought an 8. Get them, girls!

These are the only ballet flats that I can wear; I really love the suede French Sole Sloops. I have princess feet: they are so finicky about shoes and comfort that I can only buy the most comfortable shoes. Most ballet flats do not work for me because the stiff leather and close fit mean that my feet will inevitably suffer. I can deal with no arch support, but chafing and compression means that I am limping after a few blocks. And I am a city dweller who walks a lot, so the ability to walk up to a mile at a time is important. The suede Sloops are fabulous. My feet are a 6 but the 6½ fits perfectly. They do not conform to my feet, because again, I cannot deal with tight shoes. I just wear them a little bit loose and walking in them is almost like walking in house slippers. I have a dusky olive pair and a black suede pair. These shoes go with pretty much everything: dresses, skirts, skinny jeans, wide legged trousers. I really adore the look of them too - they are simple and sophisticated, not fussy: Audrey Hepburn would not look amiss in these shoes.

I like this shoe style very much, and am glad I bought it, but this review comes with some caveats. Actually, I ordered three pairs of this style at the same time (black, brown and leopard). I ordered all three in a full size larger than normal based on other reviews. All but the leopard style were very tight. The leopard ones were snug but I thought they might be okay. I recall another reviewer said they looked like bedroom slippers. She was right. So back they went. The fit of the remaining two were about the same. Others have said that they stretch after a few wearings, but I was still somewhat skeptical. I decided that I would get more wear out of the black shoe, but wasn't sure I wanted to keep two pairs of tight shoes on the chance that they might not loosen up enough. So back went the brown pair. I have now worn the black pair about a dozen times. I'm on my feet all day, working at a hospital, sometimes for twelve hours. The shoes have loosened so that they're much more comfortable but are still tight along the top edge. It feels like there is a rubber band across the top of my foot. I don't notice it all the time and imagine it will stretch more but this shoe takes patience! The sole of the shoe is much more pliable than most. Definitely like a ballet slipper or a bedroom slipper. You will feel the floor with every step. With all those issues, I still like the style quite a bit and am glad that I added it to my shoe collection.

Convenient buy! I was leaving on trip, last minute needed a pair of easy shoes for airport and comfort and style...Zapppos.com allowed me to choose, purchase and receive shoes before leaving on trip from my computer. Thank you. I love shoes!

These flats are perfect. They can be dressed with jeans, skirts, or dresses. I'm really impressed with the comfort. Within the first 10 minutes of wearing these shoes they were molding to my feet and fit like a glove. Buy these no doubt!

This is the follow up to my previous review. I went up one euro size and then up a second. In American terms, I went from 9.5 to 10.5 AND regretfully I must tell you that these shoes, beautiful though their design may be, are just not working for my feet. From the tip of my big toe to the tip of my baby toe it's about a 60 degree angle, and something about that with this very squared off style is just not compatible. I am very very sad again because I wanted to love these shoes and get a collection of them, but it's not going to happen.

These shoes are cute but really small. I wear a 9 in my other French Soles, but these are so small that I thought maybe they were size 6! I couldn't even get my foot in it. Very flimsy and soft also.

These are probably the most uncomfortable shoes I've bought in a long time. I normally wear an 8 and ordered an 8, 8.5 and 9. Length wise, the 9 fit best but were too wide. The eight felt like a 6 so I decided to try the 8.5. I wore these in the house with socks on for two days before I was brave enough to wear them out. They've definitely stretched but are still a little snug on the length. I'm hoping over time, they'll continue to stretch. They are really cute...but not sure they're worth my feet killing me until the do finally stretch.