These are one of the cutest shoes I own, but the sides of them are in fact very hard and rub against my skin. Not only they are very hard but also higher than other shoes.
At this point, for me, it would be impossible to wear them without socks. So, I'm trying to break them in by wearing them with thick socks. Hopefully they'll be more flexible by summer time so the sides won't rub.
Also, I wear a solid 7 in 95% of my shoes. I followed the advice of other reviewers and ordered a 6.5, and it fits well. Definitely order a 1/2 size smaller.