The Aris Allen Closed-Back Wedge women's swing dance shoes feature classic vintage styling: tasselled laces, French binding, wedged heel and brogueing. These shoes are  a replica of a classic forties wedge shoe.

These shoes are now only available in all black. They are 100% handmade with soft Nubuck leather which is similar to Suede, but is both stronger and longer lasting.

Aris Allen Women's Rugcutters are 100% handmade. The cutting of the leather is done by hand - the glue is put on with a brush, not a machine, the sewing, while done with a sewing machine, is done one at a time. This means that the shoe on your foot is the product of a craftsman who sees the shoe from start to finish.  

The footbed of the shoe is cushioned to provide the comfort you need from a swing shoe that's going to be on the dance floor all night!

Made from flexible hard leather, the Aris Allen Raw Sole has an unfinished surface on both sole & heel just like 40's dance shoes. The finish feels like velvet and acts a lot like Chrome Leather (suede) - it allows you to spin and slide, but still control the floor. It is made from flexible hard leather that gets "faster" over time by repeatedly absorbing the natural humidity in the air (especially at a dance) and drying. Flexible Raw Leather Soles are great for Swing, Balboa, Blues, and Ballroom dancing.

The Raw Leather Sole is flexible to help you feel the floor, the "fastness" of the sole forces you to "find your center" immediately. It is worn by many of the worlds best swing dancers.

The heel on the wedge is 2 1/4" and the platform is 1/2" (making the heel feel like it's only 1 3/4").

Aris Allen is a US brand and so all shoes are supplied with a US “Aris Allen” sizes. Particularly for ladies shoes, Aris Allen sizes are not consistent across all styles. If you have purchased a pair of Aris Allens in a certain style previously, it is not a guarantee that the same size will fit in a different style.

On this style, we reduce the Aris Allen size by 3 to find the UK size. So for example the Aris Allen size 8 equals a UK size 5.This conversion works for most people. For those between sizes, we have found that it is better to go for the smaller size, so if you are between UK5 and UK5.5, you are more likely to fit the UK5. Because the Closed-Back Wedges have a closed heel and tie across the middle, they will stay snuggly on your feet while dancing.

As a UK based retailer we have listed UK sizes first, these are converted with our best knowledge and experience of these shoes, other commonly used sizing systems are also shown. All translations are for guidance and cannot be treated as a guarantee of good fit. A returns policy is in place should replacements be required.

This chart is provided as a guide only. As a UK based website, we have listed UK sizes first, we have made translations in good faith using our experience sizing dancers' footwear since 2004.

As everybody's feet are different we cannot guarantee that the information provided will work every time. With so many different measurement systems and variations between manufacturers, finding the correct size can get complicated.

We have supplied the internal dimensions for Bleyer shoes. This is not a perfect system but a simple check is to measure your own feet, in mm and compare with the table below. Having wide, narrow or otherwise unusual feet might affect the size you wear.

Standard Items:

Exchanges will be accepted on the condition that items have only been worn to test for good fit and they are in a perfect condition. Shoes should only be tried on a clean carpeted surface for long enough to determine whether they are a good fit. All returns must be in an identical condition to which they were supplied by us and a completed returns document enclosed. 

All returns must be sent back to us within 10 days of receipt. We do not pay for return post and cannot be held responsible for any goods that may be mislaid during return. There will be no additional postage charge for sending out a replacement.

Customizations:

Wherever any customizations are offered, these items are classes as a “special order”. These shoes are produced on the strength of that order and based on the exact specification supplied at the time the order is placed. Special Order items cannot be returned, so it is essential that you are satisfied that all details such as size, colour, finish and sole selection have been agreed prior to order. Special Orders are normally subject to an additional charge and a delay of up 2-8 weeks.