What Is Sizing Like at Public Desire?

Public Desire shoes run largely true to size, so in most styles you can confidently order your normal size – but there are three catches worth knowing before you check out: the brand only does full sizes (no half sizes), the fit tends to be on the narrow, snug side, and strappy or pointed styles can feel tighter than the number suggests. Get those three things straight and you’ll dodge the returns faff that catches so many first-time buyers.

I’ve styled enough shoots and dressed enough real bodies to know that “true to size” is never the whole story with a fast-fashion footwear label. So here’s the honest, lived-in breakdown.

So – does Public Desire run small?

Mostly, no. The brand sticks to standard UK sizing, and the majority of customers report their usual size fits well. The nuance is in the cut rather than the number:

Heels and court shoes – generally true to size. Order your normal size.
Boots – snug but comfortable, and the long boots are brilliant at actually staying up rather than sagging round the ankle. Worth the snug feel.
Strappy sandals and platforms – the most common culprit for “a bit tight.” Straps sit firm, so if you’re between sizes, size up here.
Trainers – reliably true to size, no surprises.

The half-size problem (read this first)

This is the single biggest reason people return. Public Desire doesn’t make half sizes. If you’re a 5.5 or a 7.5, you’re forced to round – and my firm advice as a stylist is to size up, not down. A shoe that’s a touch roomy can be rescued with an insole or a heel grip; a shoe that’s a hair too small is simply unwearable by 6pm. I learned that the hard way (more on my own face-plant below).

Wide feet? Proceed with care

I’ll be straight with you because nobody else seems to be: Public Desire is cut for a medium-to-narrow foot. If you have a wider foot, the strappy heels and pointed styles can pinch across the widest part, and going up a full size often just makes the heel slip without solving the width. For wide feet I’d steer you towards their round-toe boots and chunky trainers rather than a delicate barely-there sandal.

A couple of my own wins and fails

Honesty corner. I once ordered a pair of their glossy platform sandals in my usual 6 for a summer wedding, ignored my own advice, and spent the entire reception doing that discreet shuffle-and-wince walk because the toe strap had me in a vice. Should have gone to a 7. Lesson well and truly learned.

The redemption arc: a pair of their knee-high stretch boots in black. Snug going on, true to size, and they stayed put through an entire day of back-to-back shoots without a single heel-slip. For the money, genuinely one of the best fast-fashion boot buys I’ve made. So it really does come down to style by style – don’t write the whole brand off on one bad sandal.

My styling tips for nailing the fit

Measure your foot in centimetres in the evening (feet swell through the day) and match to their chart rather than guessing.
Between sizes? Always round up.
Buying strappy or pointed? Add a half-size mentally and size up.
Pop in a thin gel insole for any pair that feels roomy – instant custom fit.
Check the individual product reviews on-site; fit genuinely varies by style.

Where else to shop trend-led footwear

If Public Desire’s narrow cut or full-size-only policy doesn’t work for your feet, here’s where I’d send you instead, tiered by budget.

High street

ASOS – the smart pick for tricky feet: huge own-brand range and proper half sizes and wide-fit options.
New Look – closest in price and trend to Public Desire, with a genuine wide-fit edit.
River Island – statement heels and boots with a slightly more generous toe box.
Topshop – back and brilliant for directional boots that copy the catwalk fast.
Next – the reliable one: consistent sizing, comfort linings, regular and wide fits.
M&S – underrated for footwear, with Insolia-cushioned heels and a strong wide-fit range for all-day wear.
Superdry – your go-to for casual trainers and chunky boots that run true and roomy.

Premium

Reiss does beautifully made leather boots and heels that justify the step up, while Whistles is my pick for understated, well-cut sandals and mules that last seasons rather than weeks.

Luxury / designer

For the splurge that nails the exact silhouettes the high street borrows, Aquazzura owns the elevated strappy sandal, and Jimmy Choo remains the gold standard for an occasion heel you’ll re-wear for a decade.

Two left-field independents worth knowing

Air & Grace – a British label that engineers genuine cushioning into elegant heels, so you get the look without the limp.
ATP Atelier – a Swedish independent making gorgeous, minimalist Italian-made leather sandals and boots that feel far more expensive than they are.

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