Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Charlie Stone. I received product in exchange or my honest review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, for which I make a commission if you click and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
Now that spring is finally here, picnics, trips to the vineyard and more outdoor events are filling my agenda. On days that require more walking—especially on grass or uneven pavement—I replace my beloved high heels with a pretty pair of vintage-style flats. While many brands make retro shoes, there’s one in particular that focuses on making cute flats with straps: Charlie Stone Shoes.
I have the Charlie Stone ‘Roma’ flats in the color Espresso, a beautiful deep brown with a crocodile pattern. These shoes have a t-strap that mimics the styles of vintage shoes I love, but are much more durable and readily available in my size than true vintage shoes.
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In addition to vintage-style flats, Charlie Stone Shoes also makes beautiful heels and sandals. Whether you’re looking for cute flats for work or comfortable dressy flats for a special occasion, Charlie Stone has a ton of unique shoes in different colors to choose from.
Read on for my full review and use code DAHLIA for 10% off your purchase at charliestoneshoes.com.
These flats are a lovely vintage-style shoe to wear with transitional outfits during fall and spring. I can also picture myself wearing them with matching brown tights during winter. In the photo above I’m wearing the flats with a vintage blouse, a Vivien of Holloway Pencil Skirt and a vintage handbag.
Charlie Stone vintage-style flats review
The first thing to know about these vintage reproduction shoes is that they’re a little different from most women’s flats. Charlie Stone flats feature a “quick release buckle.” If you’ve ever worn ballroom dance heels, you’ll immediately recognize the style of buckle.
Rather than having to slide the strap into the buckle and catch one of the holes every time you put the shoes on, you simply push the strap downward on the open end of a latch attached to the side of the shoe. Don’t worry, even though this buckle is a “quick release” it doesn’t fall out of the latch while you’re walking. To see this in action, Charlie Stone has a quick release buckle video tutorial on their website.
Do Charlie Stone Shoes run small?
Charlie Stone Shoes come in different size grades, which is helpful for deciding which style is right for you. You’ll find the size grade at the top of the description for each style. Size grade 1 means the style runs true and size grade 2 means the style runs large.
The Roma flats have a size grade 2. This means they should run large. However, I don’t find that to be the case with the pair I ordered. I typically wear a U.S. women’s size 8 and ordered a size 38. The size 38 fits me just right with no extra room. They are slightly pointed and I think I could have sized up to a 39 for extra room in the toe box; however, there’s a chance they would be too long.
According to the product description, the Roma flats are best suited for regular to wide feet. I wear shoes with a regular width and found the Roma flats to fit just right. And since the sides are open, the style can accommodate wider feet.
Thankfully, Charlie Stone offers exchanges free of charge (minus postage costs) if the size you order isn’t quite right. You can visit the size guide for more help selecting your size, or reach out to their excellent customer service.
Are Charlie Stone shoes comfortable?
To put my Charlie Stone shoes to the test, I wore my flats on a trip to the thrift store, a five minute walk to the grocery store nearby and while grocery shopping. My feet are happy to report that I returned home without any blisters.
These vintage-style shoes also have a secret; there’s a hidden wedge that provides 20mm internal heel elevation for better arch support. One of my main complaints about most ballet flats is that there’s no arch support, meaning my feet often hurt more after a day in flats than heels! This mini wedge helps solve that problem.
Additionally, the inside of the heel is lined in a soft suede-like material, which helps prevent painful rubbing against your skin. And since the ankle straps are positioned lower on the shoe, they’re more comfortable than most ankle-strap flats that can dig into ankles.
I typically don’t wear pointed shoes so the toe box on these is more noticeable to me, but not so much that I can’t wear them. Charlie Stone also mentions that the shoes may stretch and soften with wear over time.
If you’re interested in trying them yourself, use code DAHLIA for 10% your purchase at charliestonshoes.com.
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