These shoes run a half-size small. I read this on another site and decided to try these out at a store. I usually wear an 8. I could put an 8 on, but they felt tight. I purchased an 8.5 and they fit well. I did happen to notice by chance that when I step on my tip-toes, the upper part of the shoe bends and the plastic stones hit each other and make a little noise. It kind of makes me worry about the integrity of the beading, but they seem pretty sturdy. These shoes definitely dress up my black musician outfit!!!!