Color is more of a purple than deep maroon/cranberry color like the picture, but really pretty! I wear a size 5.5 Womens for regular shoes, and I ordered a 5.5 in these water shoes.  They fit perfectly- I would not change the size unless you are thinking of wearing socks with them (I'd assume you wouldn't, but you never know).  The shoes are well built and very comfy- the only thing I could see as a problem would be the shoes offer little support for those who have high arches in their feet, also if you have wide feet they might not fit as comfortably.  The shoes are really sturdy and lightweight.  They work well in the water and on land.