This post is going to serve two purposes – one, to show you the shoes I wear the most and the ones that you’ll get the most bang for your buck. And two, to show you where to buy shoes that come in a size five and sometimes under a size five.
Staple Spring Shoes
I’m personally a size 5/4.5 depending on the shoe. Small shoes aren’t impossible to find, they just aren’t always the easiest to find – they’re also not always the cheapest, especially if you wear under a size 5. So, I want you to be able to get a lot of wear out of those shoes! When it comes to buying shoes, I love to opt for neutral nude tones that are close to my skin color. One, because they’re really versatile and can go with everything, but also because it elongates my legs and I feel is the most flattering on me. I tend to shy away from chunky shoes and prefer streamlined and slim styles.
Where To Find Small Shoes
Over the years I’ve come to rely on a few tried and true places to find small shoes.
Nordstrom is often the first place I’ll start if I’m looking for a particular pair of shoes. You can filter to only the small sizes, whether that’s a size five or under a size five and you’ll get plenty of options in different price ranges.
Steve Madden starts at a size five but they can run small. Sizing is not consistent with their shoes which can be a little frustrating. Depending on the style you may need to size up or size down. Despite the fact that they start at size 5, there are often styles that run small and fit like a 4.5.
Sam Edelman also carries shoes starting at a size 4. The selection is limited in the 4’s, but get’s a little bigger with the 4.5’s. I like to buy heels from Sam Edelman, the 4.5 is always a comfortable fit for me.
Target carries size 5 but only online, and I’m convinced they don’t carry as many in the small sizes. You can often snag the size five in popular styles if you spot it when it first comes out, but after that, you tend to be out of luck. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve checked if these sandals have come back in stock in a size five, so far it’s not happening.
6 Spring Shoe Staples
When it comes to what I consider to be my spring shoe staples – a style for every occasion, I landed on six different styles.
Flat Sandals
Every spring and summer I love to have at least one pair of easy-to-slip-on neutral sandals. The kind you can wear casually with shorts, dresses, and jeans. I’ve had my Tory Burch Miller sandals for a few years, but they are pricey. They come in a wide range of sizes, starting with a size 4. I wear them in a size 5.5 because they run small. This year I picked up a pair of neutral slide-on sandals from Target that are more affordable. I’ll link a few other options that work well for small feet in different price ranges.
Shop Flat Sandals
Dress Petite XXS | Tory Burch Sandal Size Up 1/2 Size | Target Sandals TTS | Option | Option | Option| Earrings
Heeled Sandals
I also like to have one pair of heeled sandals that are simple, neutral, and can be worn to dress up an outfit. I love to wear dresses to work in the spring and summer so having a neutral heel like this is perfect for that! If your lifestyle doesn’t require a lot of dressing up, I totally think you can skip this kind of shoe. I personally like simple two-strap styles and have been wearing a clear strap pair lately. My favorite style from last year was from Steve Madden and the clear strap pair I’m wearing here is also from Steven madden. My pair is true to size, I wear them in a size five. A big trend this year is braided strap sandals but I’ve yet to find a single pair that comes in my size.
Shop Heeled Sandals
Dress Petite XXS | Shoes TTS | Option | Option
Wedge Sandals
Wedges are a little less dressy and can be worn with dresses, jeans and shorts! I personally find wedges to be really comfortable and wear them often in the warmer months. When I’m looking for a wedge I try to find ones that, again, are close to my skin tone or a nice neutral color. I found this pair at Nordstrom recently, they’re a nice price point and come in other colors!
Shop Wedge Sandals
Dress 1 Petite XXS | Dress 2 Petite XXS | Shoes TTS | Wedge Shoe Option
Jeweled Sandals
I went back and forth on whether or not these style of sandals should just be with flat sandals. I chose to separate them, but it’s really up to you if you feel like one would suit your lifestyle more than the other. I love a pair of jeweled or studded flat sandals to dress up an outfit while still being comfortable. This pair overall was my most worn pair last year and goes with just about everything (aside from professional work attire). You can see them styled multiple ways in this post. I have a tan pair and a clear pair and prefer the clear pair. I ordered a similar style recently that has a little more bling and is slip-on. I loved them but had to exchange them for a size up.
Shop Jeweled Sandals
Tank Top Petite XS | Skirt Regular XXS (runs small) | Shoes TTS | Shoe Option Size Up 1/2 Size
Sneakers
I wear white sneakers quite a bit in the spring and summer also. I have a pair of Old Skool Vans that I like, but really any basic white sneaker will do! I’m wearing the Vans in a women’s size, but they also come in kid’s sizes and they are identical – so that’s a great option if you need a smaller size.
Shop White Sneakers
Tank Top Petite XS | Skirt Regular XXS (runs small)| Jacket Petite XS | Shoes TTS | Shoe Option
Neutral Flats
If I’m wearing pants to work, I’m more than likely going to wear a neutral flat. I love heels, but I really wear them less often. I like to mix in fun prints like leopard and also have some colored flats in pink and red for variety, but if you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck, a neutral flat is where it’s at. I love this pair and lately have been loving these tan mules. They run small, I recommend sizing up 1/2 size.
Shop Neutral Flats
Top XS | Jeans Petite 24 | Shoes Size Up 1/2 Size | Shoe Option
Of course, I shop around and you can tell from my posts I love shoes and will mix in other pairs for variety. But, I also shop and style clothes for a living so my shoe collection is larger than it would be if this wasn’t (my very fun) job. I hope this post helps you find some staple shoes that not only fit but will last in your closet through many seasons to come.
You can catch this style session on Instagram and Pinterest.
-Brooke
