I ordered these Veja V-10 sneakers from Madewell, and unfortunately they didn't work for me (the Find isn't working, either--maybe a sign?). No photos, but I wanted to share with you why I'm reluctantly returning them.

1) I think I'm between sizes. They come in whole sizes. I ordered the 38, which feels a little too roomy in the toe area, and hard to get tightened around the ankle to keep them from slipping up and down. So I went to the store to return them and was able to try the same style in a different color, in 37. Those felt too short--my big toe touched the top of the toe box--but a better fit otherwise. If a shoe comes in a European 37.5, that's almost a sure bet for me, so the fit with these sneakers doesn't surprise me.

2) They are quite stiff. And the sales associate was wearing a pair, which she said she has had for a few years, and said it took her a while to break them in. She added that even now they are still pretty stiff. I did bring the shoes back home to try with my Superfeet 3/4 insoles and to wear around the house for a while. They worked better with the insoles for me, but I decided that the stiffness of them is just not what I'm after in a sneaker.

3) The tongue is really long and unlined. It does give, and I would hope it would soften with time, but it kind of cut into the front of my ankle. I figured if I kept the shoes, I might trim the tongue.

4) They really have no arch support. And while they have a nice thick insole and outsole combination, I wouldn't call it cushy.

Because I think they are so cute, I was willing to put up with a little less comfort than I might usually demand from a sneaker, but I knew I wouldn't reach for them. I do think they are comparable to similar looking sneakers I have tried on before, so I can see how they could work for a lot of people. They do have some great reviews, on a variety of retail sites.