The Ballet Flats That Fit Everyone

Published on 10/9/2019 at 11:20 AM

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I have considered ballet flats a part of my daily (and nightly) uniform since I was about 4 years old. The only problem? They never really fit. It made no difference at all whether my feet were practically skin and bones in the dead of February chills or swollen after a long day of walking up and down the island of Manhattan in mid-August. My heels were always too narrow to keep ballet flats of any kind from sliding on and off my heel. While that didn't ever stop me from wearing what I consider to be one of the chicest additions to a woman's wardrobe since, practically, ever, I was a little frustrated that I never looked quite as elegant as Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly. That is, until I met Margaux.

Margaux was started in 2015 by Harvard grads Alexa Buckley and Sarah Pierson, on the hunt to bring a selection of shoes that actually fit to all the women who desired to wear them. The brand cites that "recent studies have shown as many as 88 percent of women are wearing the wrong shoe size, whether in length or in width," adding, "We're committed to offering an extended size range, multiple widths, and made-to-measure sizing so that every woman can find her perfect fit, regardless of size." In fact, the shoes have such a great array of color, style, and width options that a shopper likely won't walk out of their gorgeous brick-and-mortar store with anything but dreams of their future outfits. When stepping into the oasis that the brand has created in their West Village shopping space, one can view every single style and color option available while simultaneously trying on others for fit, to ensure your personalized pair will be perfect. They then arrive at your doorstep just a few days later. Don't live near a store? The brand even offers a "Fitting Kit" that contains everything from their classic suede color swatches to a fitting tool, tape measure, and more.

I have to admit, walking into the store for the first time, I was a little skeptical. I've been trying to size myself into ballet flats for more than 30 years, and to no avail. I've switched brands, gone both cheap as well as splurge-worthy, tried shoes that were sorely undersized in the hopes that they would just stay on my feet, however much they hugged my toes closer than I would have liked. Nothing worked. Sitting on their gorgeous velvet couch at Margaux, in a room filled with the best coffee table books, fresh flowers, and tabletop accessories I tend to fill my own home with, I felt a little like Cinderella and the glass slipper. After slipping into one pair that was a little too big, and then another that was the size below, the third narrower option felt like they had been made just for me. They were beyond comfortable (thanks to their killer padded insole), didn't pinch anywhere, and miraculously didn't allow my heel any allowance when it came to slippage.

While I am now a proud Demi girl, through and through, it was admittedly difficult to choose a pair from their selection of pointed-toe flats, block heel city sandals, slide sandals, and the like. Below, find some of my current favorites, including their newest collaboration with Gal Meets Glam.