Hi! I'm not an expert with shoes, just a lot of trial I suppose!
For these slingbacks, in the absence of your usual 36.5, I would get the 37. Why?
Several reasons:
- These are open back shoes, so basically, they are mules with a strap. The worst thing for sandals/mules is to have your heel hang over! It's a terrible look, super NOT elegant, so you definitely do not want slingbacks that are too short where you heel hangs off the edge. Since these are open heel, the foot sometimes wants to slide back a bit as there is no back to keep it in. For me, with sandals, I actually prefer a little bit of space as I think it's a bit more of a slimming look.
- The slingback toe is an elongated almond toe, so you definitely do not want to force having to squeeze your toes into the slim almond toe box.
- The material is fabric vs leather. I have both leather and fabric Chanel shoes, and the fabrics do not have much give due to the nature of the fabric weave. It's not as forgiving as leather that by nature is slightly gives a bit naturally.
Of the two choices, I would get the 37.
However, what would I really do? I like to have peace of mind and always try on two sizes whenever I buy a new style.
Hence, I would buy both the 36 and 37 to try on in the comfort of your own home. You can then return the one you don't want.
If you prefer not to order both, I truly doubt the 36 will fit you. Your heel will most likely hang over, but you never know.
The most important aspect to look for in an open heel shoe like the slingback is your heel. Don't let your heel hang over. If the 37's strap is a bit loose, that's not a biggy. Any cobbler can shorten the elastic strap and restitch it. It's a simple adjustment, and I have done it before.
Hope this helps, and congratulations on your soon to be new shoes!
UPDATE: Also, when you try on the 36, do not push your foot in to the toebox to squeeze in as that is not how it will be naturally when you walk. It's an open heel, so the foot will want to go back out a bit; hence the heel will need a bit more space. Think if you were flopping around in a mule; the foot is never all way up in the top of toe box. What I like to do when try on slingbacks and open heel shoes is pretend to stand with my feet wide and flat (e.g. like duck feet). This will force your foot to be the "largest" and cover as much of the sole as possible. Then look in a full length mirror and see where your heel is relative to the shoe to make sure your heel is not hanging over.
