Ally Shoes Review – The Most Comfortable Pump

A lot of us are in search of pumps again! I know some of you are, excuse the pun, pumped to dress up again, while others were enjoying their slippers just fine. Either way, you’ll appreciate an über comfortable pump. If you are a follower of V-Style, you may feel like you have read this post before. Well, that’s because you have! I created this post two years ago when I got my first Ally Shoes classic pump, pictured below. I am slowly going through all their shoe styles, and updating my Ally Shoes review as I go.

Ally Shoes Review In Brief

Since I already spoiled it, yes, Ally Shoes has my full approval. But let’s talk details. Sold online or via their NYC showroom if you happen to live in New York, Ally shoes are scientifically engineered to alleviate pain. The company worked with a podiatric surgeon to create a flexible structure that secures your foot, but still has the ideal elongating pump shape, regardless of which heel style you choose. From the outside, you can’t tell all the work that went into the shoe — it just looks like a perfectly shaped pointed-toe pump. But inside, it’s an attractive series of padding and comfort, the likes of which I haven’t really seen before. When I wear any of the Ally Shoes pumps, my feet feel hugged in the best way. I also adore the non-slip bottom they have on all the shoes.

Ally Shoes Review: The Most Comfortable Block Heels

My newest Ally Shoes addition is their lower block heel. Honey, I am home. Nothing makes me feel more secure than “comfort block heels.” I traditionally walk at a fiery pace that is simply dangerous with a narrow heel. Plus, chunky comfortable heels are necessary in places like New York or London. Pictured above, you can see me in the Ally Shoes lower block heel in the PERFECT color tan — swoon! I will be putting this on so many clients!

As for sizing, I have different notes for each style of Ally Shoes. This lower block heel runs long, or maybe I should say it runs narrow. I ended up with a size 37.5, which is supposed to be comparable to a size US 7-7.5. The length is perfect, but it is quite tight in the toe box. I prefer a secure fit though and the leather is already stretching to my foot with only two wears. I also have a shoe stretcher at home I will be using shortly.

Sizing: Runs long. Get a half-size down and get your toe box stretched if needed. If you are even a little wide in the toe area, go for the wide width.

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Ally Shoes Review: Most Comfortable Patent Leather Pump

I am rarely a fan of patent leather pumps — they often feel dated and can be difficult to style, but I adore the Ally Shoes patent leather pumps. Their shape and color palette are so FRESH, and of course, they are insanely comfortable. Plus they run true to size, so the size 38.5 (US 8) works perfectly for me. You can see me jogging on a wooden bridge in them here on Instagram (jogging! in pumps! I think that says it all regarding the comfort of these babies).

I spoke to the founder of Ally Shoes, Samantha Dong, about the true-to-size fit in the patent leather pumps, and she said: “We do find the patent leather tends to be more snug compared to the leather or suede, because they are calfskin rather than lambskin. We tested lambskin patent leather, but they wrinkle easily and it’s not as flattering as the calfskin. We’ve been looking for a softer calfskin patent leather alternative.” So, if they change the material, I am sure the fit will change.

Sizing: True to size.

Ally Shoes Review: The Most Comfortable Pump

During this shoot, I kept raving about the pump’s comfort and my assistant said, “I’ve never heard anyone talk about a pump like that.” Indeed! I dare say, Ally Shoes has created the perfect classic pump. They are truly beautiful and luxurious heels that feel emphatically fantastic. They are the most comfortable pump I have ever worn, and I have high standards for heels. I stopped wearing heels higher than two inches about seven years, so I am shocked these pumps are three inches. Holy comfort, Batman.

Sizing: Runs slightly large. I have the Ally Shoes classic pump in a size 38.5, aka size US 8 (I am a true US 8). My heel comes out a bit in this size, but they fit perfectly everywhere else, so I just put in my favorite nude heel inserts to hold my foot in — it works perfectly. I have had many of my clients do this as well.

Ally Shoes Sizing In Summary

The number one reason I became obsessed with Ally Shoes is because their gorgeous shoes come in four widths: Narrow (A), Medium (B), Wide (C), and Extra Wide (D). As a personal stylist, this has been a lifesaver when dressing my narrow and wide shoe clients! Genuinely chic shoes that actually come in a double wide?! Be still my stylist heart.

The sizing can be tricky though and I really want you to get this right so I highly recommend starting with their free try-on option. This is currently only available for the classic pump though. You fill out a questionnaire with your size and color preferences, and an Ally Shoes fit stylist will curate a box of 1-2 pairs. You can then keep the ones that work for you and return the others. You have 7 days to make your decision before you get charged. Learn more about this option here.

For the other shoes that don’t have the free try-on option, they do charge a return handling fee of $12.99, though it’s waived for exchanges. If you happen to be in NYC you can schedule a fit in their showroom. You can also schedule a virtual Zoom fitting with a fit specialist (I haven’t tried this so not sure how useful it is). For all the shoes, except the patent leather pumps, I recommend getting two sizes: your usual size and a 1/2 size down. As I’ve discovered so far, the fit does vary slightly depending on the style of the shoe:

• Ally Shoes Classic Pump (Runs slightly long): The size 8 (which is always my true shoe size) has my heel coming out a bit, but fits perfectly everywhere else. So I just put in my favorite nude heel inserts to hold my foot in — it works perfectly.
• Ally Shoes Patent Leather Pumps (True to size): They actually run true to size, so the size 8 works perfectly. Order away without issue!
• Ally Shoes Lower Block Heel (Runs extra long): I ended up with a size 37.5, which is supposed to be comparable to a size US 7-7.5. The length is perfect, but it is quite tight in the toe box. I prefer a secure fit though and the leather is already stretching to my foot with only two wears. I also have a shoe stretcher at home I will be using shortly. I adore the Ally block heel, so I will be ordering them again, but I want to try the 37.5 wide. I have never worn a wide shoe before, but I am curious if this is better suited. If your foot runs wide whatsoever, order a wide in Ally Shoes for sure.

Ally Shoes: Beyond The Comfort

Let’s sum this up! Beyond providing us with the most comfortable pump, here are the other reason Ally Shoes has my full approval…

1. You can try the classic pumps for free!
2. Free shipping + exchanges, but don’t miss that 14-day return policy! Also, if you return an item — rather than exchange it — there is a $12.99 handling fee.
3. Just to reiterate, they have four widths: Narrow (A), Medium (B), Wide (C), and Extra Wide (D).
4. They have hard-to-find colors like navy, tan, and nude in leather. (It’s so hard to find navy pumps that aren’t suede!)
5. They are giving my clients $40 off their first pair of heels with code VSTYLE40 
6. They are giving my clients 10% off their first pair of flats with code VSTYLE10 (I haven’t tried their flats yet)
7. Their beige pump matches the Calpak mauve backpack practically perfectly! (You can get it at calpak.com)

Tip: Don’t forget to peel the long “protectant” sticker off the sole before wearing them! It’s not a big deal if you don’t. It’s just harder to take off this very large sticker if you walk in them first like I did. I’ve done this twice now!

This post is sponsored by Ally Shoes.