These really are long sandals! My shoe size is all over the map from brand to brand, so I ordered an 8½ and a 9 in Purple/multi (royal purple straps across the top; light tan buckle and ankle strap; emerald green heel; gold foot; and tan
sole/heel). The 9 is definitely too big. The 8½ fits very well, except for the
sole, which sticks out nearly 5/8" beyond my big toe. I can imagine myself tripping over it, but the biggest negative is that the tip would be so vulnerable to wear and tear and that it would be so exposed and obvious enough to ruin the sandal's look. In fact, I could already see a 3/8" ding in the gold leather on the right toe. I have never noticed any wear at all on a pair of
shoes from Zappos, but I can see how the plastic foot that comes inside the sandal could have nicked the leather as a previous customer removed and/or replaced it. I decided to order a third pair in a size 8. The
sole seems more proportional, and my only hesitation about keeping this pair is that the straps that cross my foot from side to side look and feel not just snug but tight. I think the 8 is really too small for me, and I would wear an 8½ comfortably if the
sole were not so long! Is this a design quirk that just happens to suit customers with longer feet, or is it a flaw? I do not have particularly wide or short feet, and I love their styles enough that I have overlooked the lengthy toe on their
shoes in the past. However, I have also noticed that their sandals show significant wear on the toes in a short amount of time. I wish they would rethink the design and the construction of their footbed. The gold leather used on the footbed here is the same as on previous styles that I have worn. It is delicate and far thinner and softer than any other material on the shoe and when it wears through or tears away, it reveals the top of the
sole, which is covered in an off-white sueded material. Ultimately, I think I will
keep the size 8 because I expect the leather straps to stretch and I know my toes will hide whatever damage becomes visible when my foot is in the sandal, but these fit and construction issues will
keep me from ordering the same sandal in more than one (or more than two!) of those beautiful colors.