Small Shoes – Pretty Small Shoes

October 20, 2010

Many petite women also need petite shoes. I’m lucky enough to be a size US5, but I see a lot of comments and read a lot of emails from women who are anywhere from a women’s size 2 to 4.5 shoe, and have a horrible time finding stylish, chic shoes in their size. I’ve shared a few other companies that make small shoes, so be sure to check those out too if you’re a small shoe size.

Now, let’s talk about Pretty Small Shoes. This company makes shoes only in women’s sizes 2 – 5, and is one of only three companies I’ve found that even make shoes this small.

Pretty Small Shoes offered to let me pick out a pair of shoes to review, so I chose the Killer Heels in “toner beige patent leather”. I’m still in the market for a good pair of nude colored heels, so I thought that color might work out for that purpose. I got a size 35 with a 9cm heel and 1cm platform, but would have gotten the 8cm with no platform if that option was available at the time. I’m not really a platform fan, but I thought I’d give them a try.

It took a few weeks to get the shoes made and shipped (each shoe order is made to order), and they ship from the UK, so tack on additional time for international shipping.

The shoes arrived in a clear plastic shoe box (not pictured), with a pretty pink dust bag (I love dust bags!). The color is a pinky beige, and a quick look over of the shoe quality is pretty impressive.

Pretty Small Shoes Killer Heels

First impression: I excitedly pulled these babies out of the box and gave them a good look over. The patent leather is shiny, but not cheap looking, which I was happy about. The stitching is all smooth and straight, and the seams are all nice and clean looking. The sole feels rubbery, which is nice for slick floors, and the bottom of the shoe is stamped “Made in Korea”. These are a handsome looking shoe, and from first impression, appear to be worth the price point.

I would like to see a rubber heel tip, as these have plastic ones, which I’m sure some of you are aware can be horribly loud to walk on certain surfaces.

I was a little surprised to see the seam on the toe, since the photos on the product page didn’t show that detail very well. I was apprehensive of this (I’m a very classic gal, and that seam does not say “classic”), but they do look a lot like these Christian Louboutins, so I guess I need to get over it and join in on the trend. =P

So, after my inspection, I excitedly tried them on…

Oh no! They’re too wide! Darn my skimpy feet!

I’m going to have to send these back. =(

This also means I can’t give a good gauge on comfort and fit, because my feet are just too narrow for these. However, Jen at From Head to Toe is a small shoe size as well (32!) and has Pretty Small Shoes and loves them.

What I liked best about Pretty Small Shoes are the available styles. Their website has the largest selection of small shoes, and best styles I’ve ever seen. A few of my favorites:

Lu Lu Classic Pump – this is the shoe I should have picked instead of the Killer Heels!

Can’t get your hands on this lace petite-friendly skirt? How about the awesome lace Waltz heel?

Pretty Small Shoes run between $150 – $200, and ships worldwide for one flat rate of £12.50 (~$20) after the £UK/$US conversion rate, but for a pair of stylish small shoes, it’s totally worth it.

❖ UPDATE ❖

A very clever reader (thanks hugstiem!) pointed out that I ordered the wrong size!

I will be returning these shoes, and hopefully Pretty Small Shoes will be kind enough to let me try a size 34 (I measured, and my foot is 22 cm) instead. Shame on me for not reading the “directions”…LOL.

More companies that make small shoes:
Shoes of Prey
Cinderella of Boston

Tagged as: Pretty Small Shoes

Curvy Petite

wow! the color is so pretty!! I have narrow feet too and so I find it very difficult to wear pumps! Please come visit my website!=)
Jane Ko

Love them!
Callandra

Well that's too bad about the fit, but these shoes are really cute and the companys offerings seem to be both classic and chic (both a must for me for shoes at that price point).
hugstiem

Actually their sizes seem to run quite large. I just looked at the measurements on the site. A size 32 is actually 21 cm. I usually wear 4-5 and I think I would need to order a 32 or 33 from them. This is consistent with Jen's postings (wearing size 32 in PSS but size 4 in many other brands).

Just curious, did you measure your feet before asking for the size 35? From the pic it looks like they are too long too, not just too wide, judging by the space at the heel and toe cleavage.
curls-and-pearls

I was thrown off with the seam too, but if you say they're trendy then they must be!! Wow, too bad about the fit, everything about you is so tiny!

Great review! I guess I'm lucky in that sense to have abnormally large feet for my size LOL!
hugstiem

Just did a size comparison with Naturalizer, a brand I wear a size 4.5 or 5 in (they have a good size chart on their site):

PSS size 32.0 (21.0 cm = 8.23 in) –> Naturalizer size 3.5-4
PSS size 33.0 (21.5 cm = 8.46 in) –> Naturalizer size 4.5
PSS size 34.0 (22.0 cm = 8.66 in) –> Naturalizer size 5
PSS size 34.5 (22.5 cm = 8.86 in) –> Naturalizer size 5.5
PSS size 35.0 (23.0 cm = 9.06 in) –> Naturalizer size 6

So the 35 you ordered would be like a Naturalizer size 6.
AubreyOhDang!

You know how everybody has their specific items they splurge on…some: jeans, others: handbags or shoes or cosmetics. For me, I'm just not sure if I can spend that much on shoes. I also have extremely small feet like Jen from Frmheadtotoe (UK32 or US3.5) so mb I will splurge on a Pretty Small shoe one day.

However, I did notice that their shoes tend to be very high for someone who might be on the smaller end of the spectrum. Not sure how those proportions would work out in trying to balance oneself.
annierama

I know this problem really well!
I like your blog!
Anonymous

They are cute shoes, sorry they didn't fit. I wear a size 5 and a 5 and a half size does the same thing to my foot. They must get wider as the shoe size goes up. Love your blog and thanks for sharing all your neat stuff!
Bonnie
Anonymous

Actually, I was thinking the same as hugstiem. Did you measure your feet according to the website instructions? I am normally a US 5, too, but when I measured my feet, following the instructions on Pretty Small Shoe's website, I came up with size 34 (=US 4). In Japan, where shoe sizes are in cm, I wear size 22, which corresponds to a US 5 in Naturalizer and EU 34 at Pretty Small Shoes.
Em

that's a really good price for custom-made shoes. now i kinda wish i had smaller feet so i can indulge in these (i'm a size 5.5-6)! what a shame they're too wide for you. do they have specialty widths?
20 York Street

Though petite in other areas, I got size 6 for feet so it's not too bad. My Mom is 5 so it's hard for me to shop for her. Thanks for this hun!

p.s. The article I wrote (with your photos) will be out soon!

besos,

Win a Yola Couture Designer Dress at:

20 YORK STREET
Miss. Studios

I'm size 7.5-8. This company is doing an awesome job in filling a niche market! I understand finding shoes under size 5 can be a challenge.
Naomi Eve

This is perfect timing for me – I've been doing a lot of comparison shopping for small shoes online. I considered pretty-small-shoes.com but ended up being more interested in the style of the shoes at http://www.thelittleshoeshop.co.uk where I've nearly bought 2 pairs of shoes. The prices aren't stopping me from buying them (I just bought a pair of boots here in Melbourne Australia for $AU250 on sale, so I'm well aware of the premium we small women have to pay to look good!), but I am so so hesitant about purchasing a size-dependent item for significant shipping costs, and then finding out I'm a 33.5, not a 33 (as happened with these boots). While I continue to prevaricate, it's good to learn more about what's on offer out there, so thanks for the post.

Incidentally, I suggest Australians check out a site I just found based in New Zealand, where our dollar gives us really good prices (even though basically the price range is the same): http://www.feetpetite.co.nz/ The range is imported from some brand names people may recognise (I noticed Dansi), and they provide really detailed sizing information for each pair of shoes, across the range of sizes.

I also bought 8 pairs at Cinderella of Boston when I was visiting the US in August, and I was lucky to pick up 6 summer pairs on sale for $20-$40US each! They feel a little bit tight, particularly around the toes, even though I did try them on. Shoe buying is so stressful!
Angie

the colour is gorgeous but too bad they run big :/ i really love the lace pair too
Alterations Needed

hugstiem – I think you figured it out! I was so sure I was a size 35 (because all my other European sized shoes are 35), that I went and ordered without even measuring. I just measured my foot and I'm 22cm, so that would be a size 34. Ugh. I wonder if a one full size smaller would come in narrow enough?
Alterations Needed

AubreyOhDang – They have several heel height options for each shoe. The product photos are all really high heels, but if you go to the product page, you can choose lower heel heights. I went for around a 3.5 inch, which is perfect for me.
Really Petite

Great review! They contacted me too and will be doing a review in the near future! I am not loving that seam for some reason…but the color you chose was so pretty!
Cee

I'm still searching for the perfect nude pumps and also was just admiring the CL Rolandos the other day, so your review couldn't have been more perfect =)

I'm glad I read hugstiem's comments about sizing because I might just fit the bill (US size 6). Thanks for the pics and review!
PetiteXXS

I was a little iffy about the seam, but I guess it didn't matter because it the shoes didn't end up fitting you. I guess I should consider myself "lucky" to have big feet, but I'm glad there's resources for those who have smaller feet… not sure what I'd do if I didn't fit into a size 5 or bigger! The lace pumps are super cute btw!
TinyInTexas

Those lace shoes are gorgeous!! My feet are 6.5 so I don't have that much difficulty finding shoes but I'd love to own some like that.
PetiteLittleGirl

Those shoes are gorgeous-looking. I can definitely tell the quality is great. Too bad they didn't fit you. I am lucky to have an average size feet. I never had any problems finding shoes. Do they let you exchange for different sizes?
Alterations Needed

Cee – Yup, you should fit their size 35!

PetiteLittleGirl – I'm waiting to hear back from PSS. I hope they let me exchange them! I want a pair of Pretty Small Shoes! =)

PetiteXXS & TinyinTexas – I know! Aren't those lace shoes amazing? So much fun!
Canadianpetite

Too bad those shoes didn't fit you — I love the colour but I love that Lu Lu Classic better. They look like they would fit a size 6.

Are they custom-made or the company fills orders as they come in?
Jenny

Love your blog! It is so helpful for a petite person like me.
I have small feet and I work for Pretty-Small-Shoes.com

Measuring your feet as per our size-guide is helpful as many shoe stores all over the world can differ a little bit. Sorry to hear these shoes did not fit well. We are more than happy to exchange shoes for different sizes and styles should it not suit.

I am not very tall as you can imagine, so the height in shoes I love, but if you want smaller heels we have soooo many options for smaller heel heights. Don't be discouraged by our main picture showing very high heels, you will find when you select the shoe many of our styles provide heel height options. We have recently added in the 8cm heel in Killer Heels, you will find it there now. :-)

Also, my sister-in-law has much bigger feet and we made her pretty BIG shoes as we can hand-make these especially for her.

If anyone has any questions or more enquiries just email us, yeah? hehe. :-)

orders@pretty-small-shoes.com

Love your blog Alterations Needed! My daily must-read x
MizzJ

This sounds like such a cool and much-needed service! I find it highly amusing that my size 5 feet are considered the "larger" end of their range!

Thanks for visiting my blog :)
Anonymous

I only fit sizes 13 and 1… do you know if any of those three stores can have alterations done to make the shoes smaller???
Janice Liao Shiao

THANK YOU!
I can't believe I just found your site. I'm a size 3 US in women's shoes. I've been ordering from Cinderella of Boston for years, and am soo soo so happy to find the other sites.
Anonymous

I bought 2 pairs of shoes from pretty small shoes (tango and contour in black patent). I was super excited when they finally arrived (it took nearly 7 weeks)but sadly disappointed when they were too small and didn't fit. I was vacationing in England so I took the shoes with me. The staff were really nice and let me check out their warehouse, although it's not open to the public. I found the style and shapes that fit me best. I exchanged the Contour for another pair and waiting for the Tango. (I reordered them). From Canada, it's pretty pricy with shipping, duty, cost of shoes but we'll see if it's work the $.
Anonymous

I just came across this post The Yellow Rose Consignment Store in Englewood, CO 3431 S.Broadway has taken in a lot of over 15o pairs of shoes. They are all 5 and 5 1/2 Most either never worn or lightly worn. They were owned by a doctor. Very Expensive Italian made shoes most retail between $250 and $400. We need to sell them and most are priced under $10 each. Would be a great find if any of you are in the Denver area. All of us at the store wish we had small enough fit to wear them. I can't remember all the names but there is one I remember Stuart Weitzman. I will get the other main name and post it later. Email me if you like and I will get more of the brand names or just come down to the store. email me if you like agiberson@gmail.com
Janice Liao Shiao

THANK YOU!
I can't believe I just found your site. I'm a size 3 US in women's shoes. I've been ordering from Cinderella of Boston for years, and am soo soo so happy to find the other sites.
PetiteXXS

I was a little iffy about the seam, but I guess it didn't matter because it the shoes didn't end up fitting you. I guess I should consider myself "lucky" to have big feet, but I'm glad there's resources for those who have smaller feet… not sure what I'd do if I didn't fit into a size 5 or bigger! The lace pumps are super cute btw!
Anonymous

I just came across this post The Yellow Rose Consignment Store in Englewood, CO 3431 S.Broadway has taken in a lot of over 15o pairs of shoes. They are all 5 and 5 1/2 Most either never worn or lightly worn. They were owned by a doctor. Very Expensive Italian made shoes most retail between $250 and $400. We need to sell them and most are priced under $10 each. Would be a great find if any of you are in the Denver area. All of us at the store wish we had small enough fit to wear them. I can't remember all the names but there is one I remember Stuart Weitzman. I will get the other main name and post it later. Email me if you like and I will get more of the brand names or just come down to the store. email me if you like agiberson@gmail.com
Salaya

Love this blog.
@MizzJ, I so agree with you about the needed service.
I love shopping at pretty small shoes because the size 32 fit me perfectly, but the shoes are so pricey and it takes forever to arrive. After reading this blog though, I feel so much better knowing that I am not alone.
Emely108

Hi – Has anyone else purchased Pretty Small Shoes’ “Bitter Sweet”? My feet are 20 cm, meaning I’m usually a size 31.5/32. I purchased Bitter Sweet, but they arrived two sizes too big. :( Even more annoying was the sizing on the shoe said ’4′, but they crossed it out and put ’2′. They were really a size 4, so I was bitterly disappointed. has anyone else purchased Bitter sweet so I can grab another opinion? Thanks! I always buy from Cinderella of Boston and Shoes of Prey – an awesome shoe shop where you can DESIGN YOUR OWN SHOES! They also have a never-ending return policy, so if you’re not happy, you can return your shoes. Best customer service I’ve ever received, too.
Annemurray99

Love the post ! I just discovered this site last year and was so excited (since the styles are more trendy than Cinderella of boston). I am doing some research in this area, if you have a few minutes and can fill out my anonymous survey it would be greatly appreciated !
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dENPYTExc0l1TmRkYmYyUGo3NXBnY1E6MQ#gid=0