BEST Ballet Flats for wide feet?
- Thread starter billbill
- Start date
TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others
Sorry I'm late responding to this! I bought TTS, I'm usually a 37.5 and I went with that. I could have almost sized down to a 37, but needed the extra space for some insoles. But I can wear them just fine without, too. I bought the capped toe style--mine are grey with black toe and edging.
So bummed. I got my flats and they were too small. I'm usually a 7.5 and ordered up to an 8 and they were still too small. I guess I would need an 8.5!
Ugh I just can't find any flats that are comfy and don't pinch!
Ugh I just can't find any flats that are comfy and don't pinch!
I have a few pairs. I thought they were comfy when I first got them, I mostly wore them to work and I don't have to walk around a lot. But once I wore them when I had to walked for hours and OMG my feet were killing me! I don't even know how to describe it but because they have the rubber sole on the toe and heal it created a odd pressure point where the middle of my foot didn't feel supported and it was really uncomfortable.
My feet are a little wide from years of wearing sandals and flip flops. I have returned many pairs of ballet flats. I put them on, sit down, if they are hurting in 30 minutes they go back. I hate ones that show too much toe crack and I also have no patience for breaking in shoes that hurt for a month.
I guess a lot depends on what you want? More structured and dressy, or casual.
Some that I have tried did not like and/or will not repurchase:
Repetto- cute, too structured, too expensive(might as well go for Lanvin) and they hurt. Not for wide feet and go up at least one size. Also pinched my toes. This was the style I tried:
http://www.dianiboutique.com/Cognac-Leather-Flat_MPD3812:cPath-36.html?source=shopstyle
Lanvin- Love them, too darn expensive for a sole lasts about a month down here. I had to ship them to Miami to have them resoled. They aren't "that" special. Had to go up a full size and it took at least a month to break them in and not get blisters. One pair, my last pair most likely.
French Sole Sloop- Ugh, did not like the way these looked on my feet. Cut too high, hurt joint down from my big toe. Go up a full size and expect them to hurt if you have wide feet.
Tory Birch- Cute but NO! OUCH! Not for wide feet, end of story unless they begin to make them in W. I think their M is like a N in any other shoe.
The keepers:
Me Too Legend, Lolli, Luxor, and Lawton. The Lawton's are really cute on but not as comfortable as the others. The Luxor hard to find anymore. Legend is my favorite and they are so comfortable. They look good on your feet, don't make them look wide, don't show a lot of toe cleavage and come in lots of colors. They run pretty true to size but you can go up 1/2 size, not a full size. If you go up a full size, once they are broken in they will slip on the heel. Just wear some heavy socks around the house for a day or 2 and they are broken in. Bonus is the price is great, you can get them in every color.
Corso Coma Festive- I love these, they are comfortable, cute and come in lots of colors, plus the price is great. Downside, the sole is thin rubber and it will wear out fairly fast on pavement.......they are really a glorified house slipper but I love them. The rubber sole is thin, very thin. Also there is a rim of material that lines the shoe so make sure that is even and out of the shoe. If you don't and it's bunched up under the leather rim it will hurt The inside of the shoe doesn't thrill me and I wish they would change it. It's some sort of fabric lining, maybe nylon? and it can get hot in the summer. Go up a full size. They take a little breaking in because they come rolled up, and the elastic is a little tight at first..... maybe a day or 2 with heavy socks around the house.
Cole Hann Air Bacara- Incredible, my favorite! No toe cleavage, very flattering, don't make your feet look wide and they have great soles that last forever. I love the Pumice color because I wear a lot of beige and khaki I also like the cute little tassels things on the back. They run fairly true to size AND they come in Wide. If you get the wide, don't go up at all, get your regular size.
PS I also have a pair of Cole Haan Air Brandon and they are not nearly as comfortable and don't look as nice on my feet. They also do not come on W, at least I was never able to find them. go up a 1/2 size in these.
The most comfortable "ballet slipper" on the face of this earth is:
http://www.totes-isotoner.com/category/isotoner/women/slippers/ballerinas.do?nType=2
too bad they are not shoes, but they sure are cute and comfortable and I did wear my black ones when I went to Walgreens one night at 2AM (keep in mind, I live in a small town and I was the only one at the store. In the daytime, not a chance).
I guess a lot depends on what you want? More structured and dressy, or casual.
Some that I have tried did not like and/or will not repurchase:
Repetto- cute, too structured, too expensive(might as well go for Lanvin) and they hurt. Not for wide feet and go up at least one size. Also pinched my toes. This was the style I tried:
http://www.dianiboutique.com/Cognac-Leather-Flat_MPD3812:cPath-36.html?source=shopstyle
Lanvin- Love them, too darn expensive for a sole lasts about a month down here. I had to ship them to Miami to have them resoled. They aren't "that" special. Had to go up a full size and it took at least a month to break them in and not get blisters. One pair, my last pair most likely.
French Sole Sloop- Ugh, did not like the way these looked on my feet. Cut too high, hurt joint down from my big toe. Go up a full size and expect them to hurt if you have wide feet.
Tory Birch- Cute but NO! OUCH! Not for wide feet, end of story unless they begin to make them in W. I think their M is like a N in any other shoe.
The keepers:
Me Too Legend, Lolli, Luxor, and Lawton. The Lawton's are really cute on but not as comfortable as the others. The Luxor hard to find anymore. Legend is my favorite and they are so comfortable. They look good on your feet, don't make them look wide, don't show a lot of toe cleavage and come in lots of colors. They run pretty true to size but you can go up 1/2 size, not a full size. If you go up a full size, once they are broken in they will slip on the heel. Just wear some heavy socks around the house for a day or 2 and they are broken in. Bonus is the price is great, you can get them in every color.
Corso Coma Festive- I love these, they are comfortable, cute and come in lots of colors, plus the price is great. Downside, the sole is thin rubber and it will wear out fairly fast on pavement.......they are really a glorified house slipper but I love them. The rubber sole is thin, very thin. Also there is a rim of material that lines the shoe so make sure that is even and out of the shoe. If you don't and it's bunched up under the leather rim it will hurt The inside of the shoe doesn't thrill me and I wish they would change it. It's some sort of fabric lining, maybe nylon? and it can get hot in the summer. Go up a full size. They take a little breaking in because they come rolled up, and the elastic is a little tight at first..... maybe a day or 2 with heavy socks around the house.
Cole Hann Air Bacara- Incredible, my favorite! No toe cleavage, very flattering, don't make your feet look wide and they have great soles that last forever. I love the Pumice color because I wear a lot of beige and khaki I also like the cute little tassels things on the back. They run fairly true to size AND they come in Wide. If you get the wide, don't go up at all, get your regular size.
PS I also have a pair of Cole Haan Air Brandon and they are not nearly as comfortable and don't look as nice on my feet. They also do not come on W, at least I was never able to find them. go up a 1/2 size in these.
The most comfortable "ballet slipper" on the face of this earth is:
http://www.totes-isotoner.com/category/isotoner/women/slippers/ballerinas.do?nType=2
too bad they are not shoes, but they sure are cute and comfortable and I did wear my black ones when I went to Walgreens one night at 2AM (keep in mind, I live in a small town and I was the only one at the store. In the daytime, not a chance).
So I got the air bacara flats - I usually wear a 7.5 and I purchased an 8 - they were still way too small. I'm wondering if I should try an 8.5 or a 9?!
I too have a rather wide foot up across the top of my foot and these are my recommendations, based on the trials and errors of my own collection:
TODS generally make a generous, well fitting shoe (both driving shoes and ballerina flats). I love them to death!
French Sole flats are amazingly comfortable once broken in but the they come up very small; I normally have to go up 2 sizes, 3 for certain styles. They also do lack structure and support so these may not be ideal for anyone with lower back problems
Miu Miu and Prada again do beautiful, very well sized shoes which never seem to painfully cut across the top of the foot and require virtually no "break-in" time. I love these!
Mulberry do a lovely Bayswater flat to compliment the bag. They come up a bit small (generally next size up) and are a bit stiff to start with but after a couple of wears they make delightful summer shoes.
TODS generally make a generous, well fitting shoe (both driving shoes and ballerina flats). I love them to death!
French Sole flats are amazingly comfortable once broken in but the they come up very small; I normally have to go up 2 sizes, 3 for certain styles. They also do lack structure and support so these may not be ideal for anyone with lower back problems
Miu Miu and Prada again do beautiful, very well sized shoes which never seem to painfully cut across the top of the foot and require virtually no "break-in" time. I love these!
Mulberry do a lovely Bayswater flat to compliment the bag. They come up a bit small (generally next size up) and are a bit stiff to start with but after a couple of wears they make delightful summer shoes.