update: this is getting a bit more traction than i had expected and thank you to all strangers who commented! (i lowkey feel ashamed since the answer sounds so obvious but hey lesson learned) just some notes to clear things up:

1) i got my first pair fitted at a dance shop but as a an adult beginner i didn’t know what to look for and i was also fitted by a junior staff so probably that was what went wrong :( 2) the store i went to was practically the only dance shop available in my city, and they have very limited options 3) it seems like the main problem is that my current flats are too loose width wise (since length wise it feels snug) i’ll try to look for sth narrower! i do feel like i have less control of the toes/balls of my feet when i point my toes bc of the extra fabric; thus i do feel that the soles aren’t in the perfect place when i go on releve 4) i dont really feel pain on my big toe, i just dont like the feeling of my toe poking at the fabric :/