I ordered a 6 1/2 which is my regular shoe size and the fit is perfect. My foot is a little on the wide side, and there is no binding or rubbing anywhere and I love that it has a little height with the 2" flared heel, but is still comfortable. My toes go right to the edge but there are no toes hanging out. There was no need to create a hole in the strap like other reviews mention, the 1st hole was the perfect one. That fast release buckle is genius. Once you decide what hole is right for you, the buckle slides in and out, as is, with no unfastening. In a wrap-around motif, the strap sleekly travels over the foot, then under the shoe, and finishes off wrapping around the heel. It's left long so it will do this, cutting it shorter would just make it stick straight out in my opinion. I think it's a clever and stylish design and that altering it would take away from the overall look. Although the sole does have some padding, I have added a "foot petal" to the ball of the foot for a little additional cushioning. I'm just so delighted that I was able to find the perfect shoe with the perfect fit online on the first try!

08/25/12: Update: Now that I have been dancing in the shoes for a while, I can add that they have required no breaking in at all and have been very comfortable from the start, even after 3 hours of dancing. Also, in looking at some Youtube video clips of swing dance, I see some women wearing a similar shoe with a strap that wraps around the heel, confirming that this is a popular dance shoe design.