Since returning the beige Salvatore Ferragamo Vara pumps last year, I have been casually tracking the price of a few other colors in the same style. I took advantage of a Bloomingdales’ sale last month and ordered three pairs to compare. Black was initially my first choice. However, after trying on both the nappa and patent versions, I felt the color and style combined to make it a matronly-looking shoe.
STYLE
The 1.5-inch heel is great for women who commute or spend a lot of time on their feet. I also ordered the Varina flat and found the Vara to be the more comfortable option, as I have moderate arches that require sufficient support, which the Varina didn’t offer.
FIT
As for sizing, I find that the Vara runs slightly large (not enough to go down a size) in medium-width (I have not tried the narrow or wide versions). I normally wear sizes 6.5 or 7 in pumps and I will be needing inserts to make the size 7 fit.
The Varina, on the other hand, fits more true-to-size. The size 7 fits me perfectly length-wise but I suspect the width may be too narrow for my slightly wide feet but without wearing them for an extended period of time I can’t confirm that suspicion.
The nappa and patent versions fit similarly, which I thought was interesting. You do not have to size up or down between the different finishes.
I ended up keeping the shoes in “bisque” which has pink undertones, compared to the beige, which had yellow undertones. The bisque has a touch of brown in its makeup and is not as pale pink as the stock photos would suggest (except under strong light). I was going to exchange the bisque for red or Robin egg blue but ultimately decided that those colors are too fun for such a functional shoe.
You can buy the Salvatore Vara Low Pumps at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, eBay, Etsy, Farfetch, Neiman Marcus, Net-a-Porter, Saks, Shopbop, Walmart, and Zappos.
♥ ♥ ♥
For those interested in the Salvatore Ferragamo Varina Flats, you can find a review of the shoe here.
