Kensington Women's 18th Century Leather Shoes (Walnut)

I really loved these shoes and they are some of the most comfortable 18th-century-style shoes I've worn. However, the soles fell off in the toes on both shoes pretty quickly. I've tried repairing them so many times to no avail, so I've had to throw them away.

I needed a versatile pair of late 18th century shoes that I can dress either up or down depending on my outfit, and these fit the bill! I wear an 11-11.5 wide shoe, and bought these in a 12. The B width is not too restrictive on my wide feet, and these should fit perfectly after a few spritzes of shoe stretching spray. But even without that, they are comfortable! The point of the toe is attractive, but not so extreme that it smooshes my toes. The heel adds some elegance for dressing more formally, but isn't so high that it's uncomfortable or impractical for walking or more "middling class" wear.

This is a purchase I waffled on for literal years and I don't regret it for a moment. They're excellent quality and fit exactly as expected in my usual size. A little loose at first in the modern hose I first had on to test them, but that translated to perfect with proper stockings.

Putting on the buckles was wild for me. For all of us struggle bus alumni, being told to poke holes in $200 shoes is uh, terrifying! But now that they're attached, they're absolutely beautiful and I love them. I can't wait to wear these further than my mail room and back.

I did opt for rubber sole pads for additional grip (I'm prone to falling), but they feel sturdy and safe even with the small heel. I always need extra arch support, but otherwise these are quite comfy and I like them!

I bought a pair of Kensington a couple of years ago because traditional Bunad shoes are hard to come by if not impossible to find in the USA. Other than the heel not being the traditional block heel of Norwegian Bunad shoes, because Kensington is an 18th century remake, they fit the bill. They are comfortable and great for dancing in. Colleagues of mine were concerned that without the bulk of the block heel I would not be able to properly do some traditional steps for Springars and so on. I personally have not had a problem with the heel or see it as a problem for dancing since it is placed at the correct balance point, I have had my colleagues from Norway say they like the shoe's aesthetic and even asked where they could get a pair for themselves.

Finally put the buckles on and wore them, and they were completely comfortable all day! I need to tighten the buckle on the right foot but otherwise it was perfect. The heel is the perfect height for me and there was no rubbing or anything to make my feet hurt! I’m usually a size 9.5 in American Duchess but sometimes a 10, which is the case with these. I think a 9.5 would be too tight.