These are a handmade reproduction of a 1937 pair of Swing Era captoe dress shoes. Features the Aris Allen Raw Sole: a flexible leather sole and heel with a rubber layer in the middle of the heel for extra shock absorption. The footbed is lined with foam so it's much more comfortable and supportive than most ordinary dance shoes. Designed for the intermediate / advanced dancer - Also great as a second pair for beginners since the “fastness” of the sole forces you to “find your center” immediately. Aris Allen is known for making vintage style swing dance shoes and reproduction models that are more authentic equipment for dancing swing than ordinary ballroom shoes are. Their philosophy being that your dancing will look more authentic if you wear the same style of shoes the inventors of the dance were wearing. Heel height is approximately 1". Please check the sizing recommendations before placing your order. Item #: 445-WH SPECS: These are great dance shoes because of the slideable sole and heel, and the comfort you need in a shoe that's going to be on the hardwood all night. SIZING TIPS: (Our returns show we are right about 90% of the time) We find that these run true to size. So order your usual men's dress shoe size. About “Blucher” construction: The style of captoe chosen for this shoe is a Blucher, meaning that unlike most dress shoes they are constructed to open and close across the foot with laces (rather than being stitched down at the base of the laces) to allow you to adjust the fit to your liking. This means they easily fit a variety of widths, from slightly narrow to average to slightly wide. If you need much wider, see our EEE width Captoes. ABOUT THE ARIS ALLEN RAW SOLE: The Aris Allen Raw Sole 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. The bottom of the sole and heel is made from sanded hard leather and after a few hours of wear they become “raw” on the bottom and perform a lot like Chrome Leather (suede) which allows you to spin and slide, and still control the floor. If you find the sole has picked up dirt from the floor and is slowing down, just shuffle your feet on the sidewalk once or twice to refresh it. The raw leather surface is designed for the intermediate / advanced dancer - but they're also great as a second pair for beginners... the “fastness” of the sole forces you to “find your center” immediately. ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE SHOES: They are absolutely 100% handmade. The cutting of the leather is done by hand - not stamped out, the glue is put on with a brush, not a machine, and the sewing, while done with a sewing machine, is done one at a time. You can even see the occasional pencil mark! This means that the shoe on your foot is the product of a craftsman who sees the shoe from start to finish. This also explains why you will find the occasional imperfection. They are made one at a time.