For those of you not in the know, the amazing Lindybop have just started selling a range of SHOES!!!!

I know! Amazing right?

Well of course I had to have a quick perusal at the choices on offer, and I have to say I am pretty impressed. A lovely range of vintage style shoes. Everything from Ballet, Brogues, Mules, Slingbacks, Tap style and Court shoes. In a wide range of colours and heel sizes.

As it happened, I was looking for a decent pair of red shoes to wear with my new Malibu Tiki Dress from Pin Up Girl Clothing. This is in preparation for Twinwood in August. I have the outfit, the hair flowers on order, the handbag. But I was struggling for the shoes.

I knew I needed something with a relatively sensible heel, that looked vintage, yet would be able to cope with the uneven ground at the event. Then I saw the email advertising the new range and saw the perfect pair.

The Gene round toe tap shoe absolutely fitted the bill. A sensible 3″ block heel, with an t-bar metallic strap, it seemed like all my prayers had been answered. Even better, £28-00 is an fantastic bargain, in my opinion.

As these were a totally new line, I imagined like a lot of Lindybop new lines, they sell out really quickly so I immediately ordered a size 5 and waited for them to arrive.

Less than 4 days later they landed on my door step. I eagerly ripped into them and hoped they would fit. Now I have relatively smallish feet, usually a size 4, but they are a bit wider than normal. Not so that I normally need extra wide shoes, but I tend to size up to a 5 and use heel grips if needed. I just usually find the fit is a bit better.

The packaging was fabulously vintage. The Lindybop brand all over the box with black and beige stripes. Surely if the outside looked this good, the inside could only be amazing.

Opening the box, I was hit with a very strong synthetic chemical smell. Now bearing  in mind that they are a 100% PU in composition, I had expected a bit of a smell. However this was quite pungent. I do have to note however, this only lasted around 5 minutes before dissipating, and I put it down to being shut up inside the box.

Unpacking the tissues, I was pleasantly surprised to see each shoe inside it’s own little white “mesh” bag. Opening the bags up, each shoe had it’s own stretcher, tissue padding and also tissue paper wrapped around the little gold pin buckle. I was extremely impressed with the way they had been packed.

Trying the shoes on, I was happy to find that they were an absolutely perfect fit width wise. My left foot is slightly smaller than my right so it is common for me to use a heel grip. However, once buckled up I didn’t seem to need one of those either.

The T-Bar strap is a lovely shiny metallic colour. It really made the shoe stand out a little more and gave it a bit of glamour. It also was really supportive and gave a great fit.

The only downside to the strap (and this is a personal issue) is that being plus sized, I have quite chunky ankles. Whilst I could do the strap up, I had to have it on the final hole and it was a bit snug. I am optimistic it will stretch a little. Alternatively I will get a few more holes punched into it to give a little more space.

The 3″ block heel is very supportive and solid. I struggle to wear a lot of high heels, and end up in agony after about 20 minutes. I know block heels are a better match for me, so I was hoping these would be perfect. Upon the first test in my house and stomping up and down my living room, they seemed pretty good!

I first tested the shoes out on a meal out with my lovely friend Helen. They matched my nautical outfit perfectly and I thought it would be a perfect time to try them out.

We were going out for dinner at a local establishment and I knew there would be a little bit of walking involved, so this seemed like a good idea. Driving to the restaurant was fine, the shoes felt great and not tight at all. There was good flexibility and comfort. As previously mentioned, I do have wider than standard feet, but these were a perfect fit. They neither gaped or squeezed my foot – for reference my foot is 9.5 inches/24cm at its widest point.

We parked the car and there was a little way to walk to the restaurant and my shoes felt stable and supportive. The heel was really comfortable to walk upon and wasn’t too high.

I spent the whole night in the shoes and they were really impressive. By the time I got home, I was as comfortable as when I had first gone out. I know I hadn’t walked a marathon in them, but then given the style of shoe, I am not likely to be doing that anyway.

I am happy to report that there were no blisters or abrasions and the shoes looked as perfect as when they came out of the box. I can honestly recommend these shoes for both the fantastic price, and the comfort and style that they offer.

I am looking at getting the black version next month, as lets face it…. a girl can never have enough shoes!!!