Capezio Website Still Down... AND Sizing Advice

The official site for Capezio is still down. It's been down for a couple months now. This means that you still can't order directly from their site! Here are the best sites I found for purchasing Capezio brands at a lower cost AND are actually available for purchase:

Amazon's Capezio Dance Store
Discount Dance Supplies

I have ordered from both of these stores and they both deliver on time and accurately. Though I have not purchased from them, there's also:

Zappos
Capezio Dancewear (I have no idea what the difference is between this link and the Capeziodance.com link)
6 PM

BUT.

And here's a huge BUT. Capezio's shoe sizes are wacked up. They say to order your street shoe size, but really, you should order half a size to a full size larger. Materials in the shoe also should be taken into consideration. I find leather stretches more and molds better to your foot than canvas. I recommend a half shoe size larger if you're buying leather, and an entire shoe size larger if they are canvas. Ultimately, you should get your feet fitted for new shoes, but if you're desperate (trust me, I know the feeling) then I recommend you start there.

Also, do not sew the elastic on or cut it in anyway. The shoe should fit like a sock. No toes should be curled in the front of the foot. The heel should be comfortably in the back. You can tighten the elastic a little, but it shouldn't need too much coaxing. If you alter the shoe, you cannot return it to try a different size, so don't think that fixing the elastic and such will correct any errors. If you still are unsure if the shoes are not the correct size, try going into relevé and try a couple sauté. If your feet feel tired or ache, they are probably too tight. If your shoes feel as if they are going to come off, they are loose. Just take good judgment when choosing a shoe and listen to your feet.

Capezio tights, on the other hand, are pretty much spot on. Since they are tights, there's always room for stretching and such, so it's not as big of a disaster as when you buy the wrong size of shoes. I bought the transition tights from Capezio in a size S/M. This size is perfect for me. The sizing chart on the back is accurate in my opinion so make sure to check it before you buy.

Picture of the back. I find this accurate sizing.

Though I have not tried Capezio's dancewear, Discount Dance is running a special on selected leotards. If they are unavailable on their website, check the Amazon link. This is also supported by Discount Dance and I sometimes find they have different items available.

Mr. Ollivander's -- The Ballet Shoe Version

BUYING BALLET SHOES IS A NIGHTMARE. Even though I'm in the Chicagoland area, I cannot find any place to fit me for shoes. When I was little, there was a store I went to to get my shoes fitted, but when I went there, it was gone--some knickknack store was in its place. The only brand I know is Capezio's since my dance team shoes were from that brand. So I checked their site, and.....their site's down. More specifically, their shopping cart is down and it's been down for quite some time.

I need new shoes because, guess what, I signed up for adult classes at my local park district! There are only three classes, but it is by far the cheapest price for classes (about $15/class) and it's the only thing my college-bound ass can afford. This means I'll have to get a job to pay for these. Wish me luck finding one.

Anyway, back to the shoe problem. I order some Capezio canvas shoes off Amazon for about $15. That didn't sound too bad. I ordered them as the description said, by my street shoe size. So I order 7M and wait as patiently as possible for my shoes to arrive. At last, they come. I try them on and...they're tight. Way, way too tight. I frowned a little but decided there must be a way to break them in. After all, this is my size...right?

My canvas shoes. Look at that lipgloss stain on the elastic!

  I sew on the elastic straps to see if that helps (it doesn't). In the process, I get lipgloss on it and therefore can't return the product. I tried stretching the shoes with ice. No avail. I cannot even spread my toes in these puppies.

That little bump in the middle is my toe bending. Waaaay too tight.

 
So, finally defeated, I decided to buy another shoe a whole size up after reading a dozen reviews and rediscovering this video: Ballet Shoes: How to Find the Perfect Ballet Shoe for Your Feet .

The next shoes I bought were twenty-dollar, leather shoes. I bought a size 8 this time in hopes that my toes wouldn't curl up at the tip. I put them on and...they're a bit too big. UGH.

Leather shoes

 
They bunched around the side and there was a little space by my heel. It didn't fit me like a glove like the video said it should be. This would be so much easier if I had a dance store or some place to go! I tried tightening the drawstrings, and though it caused the leather to bunch a bit at the sides, they fit me much better. Now they feel pretty snug.

Already I like the leather much better than the canvas. Since my first class was coming up, I didn't have time to trade in for a half-size lower to see if they were better, so I must use these. I figure I can ask my teacher if they are too loose for dancing.