Ballet pump sizing

[rlyons]

I have been reading a super interesting thread on here about ballet slippers and really want to try the Bloch pro arch...they are canvas, I think. They sounds perfect and very flattering to the foot. I can't make head nor tail of the sizing though...The discount dance site is not clear. If I take an 8 and a half street shoe size, what size shoe need I order?

Also...can anyone recommend a nice split sole LEATHER shoe and what are the benefits of canvas compared to leather?

Thanks!

[Jutty1224]

I'm a guy and I've had a couple pair of bloch ballet slippers. The first pair I bought when I was at dance camp in richmond and they started falling apart on me within two days of wearing them. the pleated parted was pulling away from the sole pad on the ball of the foot. Then I bought another pair at the Bloch store on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. They were better made and lasted longer. They sized me and my size was two sizes smaller than what my normal street shoe size is. I normally wear Sansha and those are 4 to 5 sizes bigger than my street shoe size.

[katielovesballet]

I don't know if it depends on the different kinds of Bloch shoe, but my street shoe is 7.5 and my Bloch slippers (the basic leather full-sole kind) are size 4.5. So maybe you'd be 5.5 or 6?

[Ballet Bunnie]

I love Bloch Pump. Whatever they put in the heel made the shoe fit my feet really well!!!!!! The only down side to it is that it is not lasting me nearly as long compared to Grishkos though.... I am in 6.5 for street shoe, and I wear 3.5D in Bloch Pump.

Benefit of canvas: cheaper; you can put it in the wash machine and wash it; less sticky compared to leather shoes.

I wore Bloch Prolite 2 in leather before. It's a good basic split sole ballet slipper. Nothing fancy about it, but it does the job! It's color is somewhat easy to come off with friction though.

[MJ]

Bloch store in NYC has closed

 

It appears all the ballet shoe makers have their own sizing. Some use similar sizing for mens and womens and others differentiate.

[Claude_Catastrophique]

I have the Pro Arch since a couple of years and I really like them! I have a streetshoe size 3 (that would be in the UK) and I wear them in a 2,5 so I think they come along bigger than streetshoes!

 

My Pro Arches are leather and I like them because they have an elastic instead of the elastic-ribbon around (so no need to knot them, and there's no risk that the ribbon disappears).

[lampwick]

I am a street shoe 8-81/2 (USA). I take a 5.5 in Bloch slippers. You'd probably be a 6. I think they are sized 2 1/2 down from street shoe. I wear canvas slippers because they are easy to wash and don't "stick" to Marley floors. All the studios I dance in have Marley.

[rlyons]

Thanks so much! It's still pretty confusing...I am ordering from Discount Dance right now and they also want to know width!? They have B, C and D....don't know which to pick...I guess my foot is average width.

Since I am a shoe street size 8.5 in a fitted shoe or sandal and a 9 in a boot (which needs a thicker sock), I think I will order the pro arche in 6.5. Does that sound like it makes sense? And in a C?

[lampwick]

It says 2-3 sizes smaller on the website. I think you may be a 6 in C width. But I guess it depends on how picky you are about the fit of slippers. You can always return them if they don't fit well:) Discount Dance usually ships fast:)

[rlyons]

Thanks Lampwick! I would ideally like them to fit well. This is my first time ordering online so I am nervous...but, true...I can return them if needbe.

So a 6 rather than a 6.5, you think...I will try that...

Cheers!

[skaballet]

Even though it's a tad more expensive I'd recommend ordering your shoes from a brick and mortor store the first time. They will fit you appropriately. Then after you know what size you are you can save some money and order online next time. That way you don't waste time and money with potential returns.....

[rlyons]

Thanks Skaballet...I already have a pair that I bought at a store but the size # wore off!! LOL And I don't remember what size they were! I am such an idiot!!

[missvjc420]

I'm an 8.5 wide in street shoes, and consistently wear a 5.5 D in Bloch shoes, whether canvas or leather. As for what type to wear, my rule of thumb is canvas for marley flooring, leather for wood.

[Je Suis Aimee]

I have a pair of Bloch split soles (and full sole, at first), they were the kind that were leather but the arch was canvas. I just use them at home now as my studio has marley floors, but I loathe them. The sides come up really high and just look ugly imo. Plus the toes always get baggy and I hate that.

 

I have the Grishko performance series canvas split soles. They are AWESOME. They are very flattering, and do not get baggy at all. I've had them for more than a year now and they are still in great shape. Consider giving those a try at some point!

[ce]

You can always order a couple of different sizes and return the ones that don't fit. Someone's comment above reminded me that I have a list of ballet shoes sizes in the back of my address book (a paper and pencil one that I've had forever). Whenever I make a purchase I note the size in the book. I've never had a pair of shoes retain the size info well enough to read when ordering new. It used to be very frustrating trying to remember what size I wore - now I just look at my notes. (I suppose nowadays you can look at old order info online)