Customer Reviews French Sole Sloop

This is a nice little ballet flat. Very comfy even though the arch support is minimal. The shoe is not for hiking! I love the red a lot and I also got the black. Nice with skirts or pants.

I was ready to buy these a half-size larger than my normal shoe size. Then I read the top review from the dancer that explained how they fit and break in. I ordered them in my normal size and am very happy I did. They fit like a glove. They were a bit tight for the first three days; mostly at the toe. They have broken in and stretched exactly where my feet needed and now fit PERFECTLY. Extremely comfortable. Very packable. High quality leather. I will be buying more of these in other colors. My thanks to that reviewer - 'Anonymous customer from Kalamazoo Michigan Aug 24 2011' for advising on the fit.

Love these! I thought I hadn't listened to the reviews when I put these on for the first time. I looked at the box and realized that I did. They felt really tight and I had actually ordered a half size up. So, I gave them some time and they are the right size. They fit like a glove and I think they are really cool! Just make sure you don't order your normal size.

These shoes looked very comfortable and well made, but sadly they are going back. The sizing was extremely small. I wear either an 8 or 8.5 and ordered an 8 since some of the reviews indicated they stretched. Well, I could hardly get the ball of my foot into them. Too bad.

I would not recommend these flats. I have only been wearing them for one month and already the lining in one of them is coming up (this is from normal use, just walking around the city, I have not abused these shoes). And honestly, even if they weren't falling apart, they're just not worth the money. I first ordered my normal size because I have a narrow foot, but it was WAY too tight. I then ordered a half size up, which fit at first, but has now stretched out way too much. Maybe I should have tried to break in the smaller size, but it was honestly so tight that I couldn't even walk in it without serious rubbing. Now that it's broken in, it's just kind of floppy and blah. It's not uncomfortable, but it doesn't feel much more comfortable than any other flat to me. If this were a $40 shoe, maybe it would be worth it, but not for $100 (and I am not cheap about my shoes, I have no qualms about spending $100 for a pair of flats, but they should be worth it).

Read the reviews and ordered a half size up. That was the way to go. The shoes are so comfortable and cute. I will be ordered more shoes from this company.

Great shoe, great fit. The color is more bronze/gold than brown, though. My mistake. I thought it would be more of a brown with a metallic hint. I'm ordering the dark brown suede instead. I'm a true 9.5 and have to order size 10 in French Sole.

My feet are somewhat wide and my shoe size varies wildly between a 7.5 and a 9 with respect to brand. So for size reference, the most comfortable fitting shoes I've ever owned are the (now-discontinued) Crocs "Malindi" in an 8W and the Onitsuka Tiger tennis shoe in a men's 7/women's 8.5, and one of the worst-fitting shoes I've worn was the Frye "Agnes" in 8.5 (because it was way too tight in the toebox, way too narrow through the entire footbed, and it made my feet look absurdly long even though the length wasn't too large). I ordered the Black Nappa in an 8.5. Here are my impressions of the French Sole "Sloop": Look: These shoes are just as cute in person. They don't look very shiny, and the leather texture is a bit more obvious than it is in the picture. I thought that the tags on the back of the shoe would bother me, but they really weren't too bad. I've tried on a LOT of black ballet flats in my quest for the perfect flat, and this is probably my favorite of them all, looks-wise. Fit: I was pleasantly surprised that the toe box did not pinch or feel too small. This means that if your foot runs narrow, this shoe may be too roomy. The cut of the foot opening around the toe looks feminine without showing any toe cleavage, which I am very pleased with. The only bad thing was that they were WAY too short! I almost felt like I was putting on a child's shoe. I checked the bottom to make sure they weren't actually a 6 or a 7... but sure enough, they really were an 8.5. I won't dock a star because I missed the warning in the product description that "French Sole recommends ordering a half size up from your regular size". They seriously weren't kidding! I definitely want to try a larger size, but I'm torn about whether I should go up to a 9 or a 9.5. Feel: The material on the inside is soft, and the completely flat footbed had just a tiny little bit of cushion. While it feels nice, I have a feeling that the materials would be extremely likely to pick up foot odor. You'll definitely want to be proactive about deodorizing them.

Very tight fit (just like a ballet slipper), and not like my previous purchases from this brand. If you like a true ballet flat, this is for you! (The fit isn't for me, or my toes.) Gorgeous shoe, though.

Lovely elegant shoe. This color ended up more narrow than another in the same size and had to return it. The navy is a rich blue (not midnight and not bright blue). Regardless it runs a half size too small.

Beautiful shoe, quite flat. Elegant on the foot. Definitely order one size larger (half size). I ordered it in Navy and the Navy's toe was too narrow for my bunion (not large bunion), whereas the black was fine.

I had been looking for an orange flat. This shoe will work for my needs. I have walked quite a bit in them with no complaints. If you need support, this is not the shoe for you. I won't be wearing them in inclement weather, as I'm not sure they would hold up. I ordered 2 pairs and kept the larger size.

These shoes are so cute! I love the look of them and the feel. But, after two pairs of different sizes ordered, I'm returning the final pair and will not be reordering. Both sizes I ordered were too tight and very uncomfortable. I know other reviews said they stretch out, but I'm of the opinion that in spending this much money on a pair of flats, they should come close to fitting. I'm trying Tieks next.

Lovely shoes. The 12 was snug on my size 11 foot, which didn't surprise me given that so many people say the shoe runs small. It might have stretched as several reviewers suggest, but I didn't want to take the risk. The Hush Puppies Chaste Ballet Flat is just as cute and the 11w fits perfectly. Plus they are cheaper and don't gap at the sides.

I absolutely love the shoes. I bought them in the Bronze Metallic and they're gorgeous. I normally wear a size 9 or 9.5 and decided to go with the larger size (9.5) after reading reviews. I'm glad I did. They do stretch quickly, but I have a wide foot, and I think the smaller size would have been too tight across the bridge of my foot. I probably wouldn't have given it the proper time to break in before giving up.

These are fast becoming favorites. The soles are thin, but they're still comfortable for all day wear - and they're just so adorable. The fit is snug, and since one of my feet is slightly larger than the other there is a little rubbing, but these are the kind of shoes that will stretch with frequent wear, so the sizing is right.

I wanted to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these leopard print ballet flats. They were so comfy and adorable. However, when I would take a step, the shoe would suck in on my toes. It was weird and looked weird. Had the shoes been half the price, I could have lived with it. BTW, I ordered a half size larger and they were the right fit.

Unfortunately this shoe didn't fit. It was way too small and narrow. I felt that it wasn't worth the listed price.

Like reviews I read before my purchase, this is a very comfortable flat! It does take a few days of continuous wear to break in, but it's not so painful that you can't handle it. Once broken in, they are great! The patent leather looks 'wrinkled', not 'smooth', but it's something I quickly got used to.

Shoe was too small. But it also had a strangle rumpled/crinkled texture that is not at all clear in the image and which I did not like.

These are pretty shoes, based on other reviews I bought a 7.5 (I usually wear an 8) and they are very snug. I have only been able to wear them a couple times because they are so tight. I am hoping they stretch a bit so I can enjoy them. Not crazy about the high price tag, I don't really think they are worth the price.

I'm reviewing the Sloop in bronze metallic suede. I bought these a year ago and wore them out. Just ordered a new pair. It appears they are running smaller than before in this specific color at least (I have other Sloop colors from over the last three years, all until now were true to size for me). I compared the sole of my old to the new and confirmed it. I had to reorder a 1/2 size bigger and it was perfect. The color is very neutral and a little darker than the photo. Wonderful shoes!

After reading the reviews for this shoe, I decided to order my normal size (8.5) in Chocolate Suede, though depending on the brand my size can range between 8.5 and 9. I was very worried for the first two weeks that I wore these shoes because they were pretty snug and borderline uncomfortable. However, after wearing them for about 10 full days at work they did start to stretch out and mold to my feet. I have now been wearing them 3-4 times a week for several months and they fit like a glove. They can become uncomfortable if you are doing a lot of walking as there is no arch support, but for my day to day work and for running errands they are great. I was thrilled to finally find a plain, brown flat after searching for months, and this is exactly what I was looking for. I do still think the price is a bit high, but I think I will get at least two summers of wear out my current pair and after that I will be ordering them again. If the shoes were half the price they are now I would order in multiple colors. Personally I would not order a half size up, because I think mine would have stretched out too much if they were a slightly larger size. Overall recommended!

These shoes are amazing, completely worth every penny! They look adorable; you can dress them up or wear them with jeans. For the past fifteen years, I have been wearing motorcycle boots and Doc Martens. At 30, I thought it was time to buy a more professional-looking shoe, and I am surprised to find that I'm wearing them all the time! I haven't worn my boots once since these arrived! They have no support, but a super-flexible sole, so it feels like walking barefoot. I can see myself buying these again in many different colors!

I have been eyeing these pretty little flats for quite some time and decided this birthday was the time to pick them up. They are better than I could've expected. I sized up a half size and they fit so well! And no toe cleavage. So many flats these days have such shallow toes...these are just classically beautiful. I was riding an escalator and overheard the ladies behind me saying to each other, "Those are what I've been looking for!" Well, of course they are! They are the best Little Black Flat I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot of LBFs). Oftentimes I have to slip a band aid on during the wear-in period for a new pair of LBFs...not these! I was on my feet for five or six hours and didn't have a moment of discomfort. Love these shoes!