I have absolutely had enough of badly fitting pumps

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

M&S
Aldo
French Sole
Clarks
Primark

I’m looking at you

Please tell me where you got your best ever ballet flats from, how much you paid and what they looked like

I am absolutely done with having pumps that fit well in the shop consequently shredding and disabling my feet the moment I do more than a 10 minute saunter in them.

My best ever pair were from Monsoon and I loved them. That was about 8 years ago! Then I had a pair from Assesorize and they were great too (I know same company).

@BusterGonad

My feet aren’t unfeasibly large but somehow they get rubbed to death at the back or up the sides of my little toes....were your Monsoon ones leather and did you take your “usual” size?

Have you ever had any good ones Paul. (Love your name by the way!)

Reason I ask is that I haven’t. Expensive or cheap always end the same way for me- shredded, painful feet. I just don’t think I’m compatible with them!

All the Busters!

One pair only...leather and from Dune c. 2012

They later for ages but had to kill them due to them ponging.

Tried on several pairs in Dune since and they’ve never felt “right” enough to buy

I bought a lovely leather Dune pair from Selfridges. Cost me £50 so not cheap but they're on their third summer, have barely any wear on the sole, look almost like new and don't hurt my feet. I have quite wide feet plus I'm pregnant this year too, so I've been quite hard on my shoes!

I was going to say FitFlop - I've got some black suede ones of theirs with a ruffle trim and they are super comfortable - but it doesn't look as if they've got many ballerina styles at the moment and the ones they have are not quite as nice. Might be worth keeping tabs on their site though and seeing if they get any more in for autumn - and sometimes in actual shops they have styles that aren't available online. Although my feet are quite narrow, ballet pumps almost always rub me in a couple of places and they're the only ones that never do!

Err, I got mine from m and s. Also have some nice ones from next.

Definitely think you need to wear them around the house with some socks on before wearing them out with bare feet to avoid rubbing. I mostly wear mine with tights and dresses anyway.

A pair from Banana republic about five years ago. I don’t wear them now- too uncomfortable, I wear drivers instead.

I buy my flats from Coach and Micheal Kors now- they both have shoes that have a lovely padded sole. Coach in particular have given me the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn (including heels) Good value in the sale.

I always buy leather, I'm a shoe snob and can't stand fake leather shoes. A false economy imo. They were tan leather with a gold bow. I loved them!

Yep, usual size!

I have very narrow feet, but ballet flats always catch me on one little toe, or the backs of my heels.

Best pair I ever had were from Brantano and were Rocket Dog I think. They weren't the daintiest, but did the job.

Don't know your size but I get all my pumps from Debenhams kids section.

I used to love ballet flats but really went off them a few years ago. The ones I liked best were from New Look and Topshop.

Next Signature leather ballerinas. They just died after a couple of years.

They had more in this year when I was looking, but not in the right colour for me. They were about £45.

Kickers and Next (signature comfort plus)

Try Geox. THey have great pumps. Pricy but great.

Have you tried moshulu? Or if you get on with Birkenstocks sandals, try their closed shoes as well. I really struggle with footwear but both of these brands are good for me.

Hobbs. But I go up a size.

I’m just a bog standard size 6 with “normal” width feet.

I’m going to check out the suggestions here, especially the Next leather ballerinas as I have a good history with Next shoes and I think £45 is the absolute maximum I could afford to lose if they ended up being shit. Leather appears to be essential to pumps having a decent life span.

I know there are greater problems in the world but I’m actually sitting here trying to think how I’ll manage to actually do the walk from work - station - home

My most comfortable ballet flats are the charming range from
Russell and Bromley. Pricey but worth it

I’m just a bog standard size 6 with “normal” width feet.

Are you absolutely sure? Because as an adult you can go up a shoe size caused by weight gain or pregnancy. I had the same issues (rubbing at my toe and back) and when I went up a size it was as if all my problems had gone.

I just get mine from asda for £6, usually last a summer+. I sometimes splash out on a fancy insole! I'm no Carrie Bradshaw that's for sure.

Pumps, by their very design, fit badly. They cover so little of the foot that it's a very fortunate combination of foot and shoe that doesn't experience some rubbing, as there is very little holding them in place.

I should get the foot gauge out again @Gottokondo

I did measure myself after DD (2016) and I was down half a size but that was in Clarks.

Measured again whilst preggers with DS last year and I was a 6.

I don't have wide feet but have found the best ballet flats for me have been new look wide fit (new look normal shoes are quite narrow). They don't pinch or rub.