Emma Regency Leather Boots - Navy

The quality is excellent and the shoes beautiful. They did arrive with a minor ding/peel in the leather so I have not worn them and cannot speak into comfort. American Duchess is taking a long time to respond so that is a bit frustrating since I would love to be able to wear them.

flat, lightweight, with leather soles. These offer ankle support but no arch support. Soft, quality leather. Just what I wanted for dancing.

Very comfortable. Need a shoehorn to put them on but that is normal for me.

I've been eyeing American Duchess shoes when I saw them online for a while, but as someone who never wears heels and usually lives in fairly plain-looking minimalist/barefoot shoes, I just couldn't justify that I'd regularly use most of them enough to purchase: Enter these adorable, understated, almost completely flat-soled boots! They're the first shoes I've tried from American Duchess, and I'm in love. I've been wearing them to the office, and they're comfy and beautiful throughout the commute and all day at my desk job.

They required basically zero break-in period. I wore them for a couple of hours at home to make sure I was happy with the fit, and then for a full work day on their first outing, and I never had to pull out my backup flats. At first I thought they rubbed a little at the heels, but a quick adjustment of the lacing tension fixed that easily, and the laces hold really nicely as-adjusted without the tension redistributing to other areas along the boot (e.g., snugged up at the base of the ankle without ending up really constricting at the top). They were warm enough on my commute even when it was below freezing without feeling too hot in my office, which runs warm.

They also have enough flexibility and groundfeel (and flat insoles) to not feel overly constricting when switching from my usual minimalist flats. In an ideal world I'd wish for a *little* more toe-wiggling space, especially towards the end of the day, but they're overall very comfortable and not forcing my foot into any shape it doesn't want to be.

I've never had leather-soled shoes before, so I'll have to see how quickly they succumb to the asphalt and sidewalks and how feasible it is to get sole repair/replacement in my area when that becomes necessary. Fingers crossed!

These boots are so comfortable and fit perfectly. I've been wanting to get them for a while and am so excited they're finally mine! I always get compliments on my American Duchess shoes, and these are no exception. I've only had them a couple of weeks and have already gotten so many nice comments. I'll never stop buying AD shoes!

Another beautiful shoe from American Duchess. We will be using these onstage in a Regency set holiday production. Our actors always love AD shoes because they are comfortable and durable.

I feel like I'm stepping back in time when I wear these boots. The leather is soft, beautiful, and oh-so comfortable.

The Emma Boots are made for walking, as Nancy Sinatra would say, but they're also better for vintage dance class than any jazz flats I've ever owned! They're both elegant and comfortable and with those smooth leather soles, they simply glide across the floor. And they're perfect with Regency costume! This must be what Lord Osborne from Jane Austen's "The Watsons" meant when he talking about how becoming a lady's half boot can be!

I wear wide size shoes but I really wanted these. So I went up one full size, hoping that they would fit. When they arrived, I tried them on. Perfection, and so comfortable! I look forward to wearing these with garb, or just as daily shoes.

I bought these boots to wear with everyday vintage dresses walking around the city. They are so comfy while still looking classy and cute. Needed zero time to break in the soft leather. Highly recommend!

I've had my black Emma boots for a while now, they are so cute! Love how they remind me of the yellow boots worn in Emma 2020. These boots have ventured into sand and mud, while keeping my feet clean and dry! I didn't have any issues with the soles, which are easy to clean after the mud because there are no grooves on the bottom like normal soles. I normally wear a wide size, but my Emma boots have stretched with wear and fit great. I did order half a size up as American Duchess recommends. I like how versatile these booties are for historybounding, and how flattering they are to the leg. :) I hope to buy Emma boots in other colorways soon!!

Super cute! My right toe box is a little wide, so these will definitely need to do some stretching. However given that they are all leather, I’m not too concerned. They are a very dark navy, but that’s what I wanted. I will not be wearing these to any Federalist events, but I do think they will rock a pair of blue floral jeggings with an oversized lace blouse with shoulder pads. (I’m sure there is a space for a Flock of Seagulls era in that list. :D ) Seriously though, they are going to be very multi-functional and if I could afford to get them in every color, I absolutely would.

One note- I dropped a few dollars on a pair of plastic CSI-style overshoes so as not to damage the soles while I tested them out. Possibly an option to include with the shoes to help eliminate concerns about shoes coming back with sole damage? It was a huge pack, so I guess I’ll save the rest for my next homi…I mean, trying on my next pair of Duchess shoes.

I purchased the navy boots in size 6, which is my usual street shoe size, but unfortunately they were way too big. The exchange was so easy! I was worried that the 5 would be too small, but it was perfect. Such a beautiful little pair of boots, and comfortable right out of the box. Can be worn with everything from jeans to dresses. I already have my eye on the Renoirs...

I came across these boots searching for vintage dance shoes. I had such a hard time deciding between the oxblood and the navy. (The other review is right: it is navy as in the video, not the lighter blue in the first picture.)

The first thing I noticed on opening the box was the note about the return policy. If there are no signs of wear and one tries them on while standing on a clean carpet or towel, they can be returned for free, which is amazing. At first I was slightly unsure about the fitting because I wasn't expecting so much room in the toe, especially for a dancing shoe, and wasn't sure whether the leather sole would be too slippery. The next day I called to ask some questions about the fit, their shoes in general, what dancers have found helpful, and more. They took the time to talk me through how the fit on these shoes supposed to feel and what my options were (including returning them, having a cobbler resole them, etc.).

I tried them on again on a carpet I could walk around on, and decided they would work well, if not for contra dance, then at least as elegant street boots. I wore them to a dance and the soles ended up being perfect!! They feel so comfortable and elegant. I'm happy they worked out, but it gave so much peace of mind to know that if they hadn't, I had the option of returning at no cost to me. The quality and the fit are amazing. (I sized on the smaller end: size 9 boots; my other shoes tend to be European size 40, women's 9.5, or men's 8.)

The black shoes have a beautiful luster to them and a nice texture feel. I love the textile lining, and they’re elegant and delicate while also having strong clean lines. Am be worn all kinds of ways, and I’m excited to start wearing them this fall.

Another reviewer mentioned plastic, and there was a response about eyelets. The eyelets (holes) are absolutely trimmed in thread and very robust. However it does look like the laces themselves have plastic AGLETS on them (the hard bit that goes on the ends). It is less bulky than the metal aglets on my other laces and makes it much easier to lace so I don’t mind them, but wanted to throw my observations out there for anyone who is wondering.

I’m seriously thinking of getting these in red as well….

I was a little surprised when I preordered these that the color was listed as "navy," because the photos showed a beautiful, medium shade of blue. When they arrived, I was pretty disappointed to see that they are, in fact, a very dark navy, very different from the photos. Also, they have plastic aglets, which was a little surprising for a historic shoe. Otherwise, they are very pretty! I just wish they came in a medium blue like they have in previous iterations.

I got my pre-order in today, and I was able to wear my new Emma’s all day. Very comfortable to wear, and the leather feels nice and soft which gives them an extra luxurious feel. Like with all my American Duchess shoes, these didn’t need any time breaking in as they already feel like they’ve been worn by me before (one of the best things about AD shoes besides quality and beauty). Totally happy I got the Emma’s!