I bought these shoes in store and bought a 6.5, which was REALLY snug. I am usually a size 7, but the salesman misinformed me (he said that they run large, which is only true for MALE sizes). I tried breaking them in for 1-2 weeks, and they HURT LIKE HELL. It hurts to break them at the RIGHT size, so imagine doing it at a half size too small.
The good thing about these shoes is that they are LEATHER, which means they are very capable of stretching to accommodate your feet.
I found a trick online where you put a water-filled ziplock bag inside and stick them in the freezer for 24 hours.
After I did this, these boots became the perfect size and are so comfortable.
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And I do mean OUUUUUUUUUUCH! When I found these boots in red oak and in my size, I was absolutely ecstatic! I love this style of shoe, but too often, they come in men's sizing; too big for my size 7 women's feet! I have to go on record that I did not purchase these from Amazon, but from another site because I had coupon. I am very happy that I was able to use that coupon and also found out recently, that the same company emailed me another coupon code for future purchase. These discounts help ease some of my frustration with this shoe.
Yes, it is sexy and stylish the color is just hot but my goodness are they a tight and uncomfortable fit. Now, this might not have been the case had I ordered them a half size larger than what I usually wear. Ordering shoes on line is tricky; you have to go by other's assessment about the accuracy of fit. This is what I did, after having read that these are true to size.
I knew I was in trouble when I first tried to get one shoe on and had trouble fitting my foot past the tongue area. I thought about sending them back, but this type of material scuffs a bit easily which gives them a rustic look that some think are part of the charm but probably makes them difficult to return. And in my struggling to get the one shoe on, I scuffed the shoe a bit. So, it was time to find ways to make this work; simply wear thinner socks.
A few days later I wore them for the first time with a pair of thin dress socks. Walking to my car, while the stiffness of the tongue tortured my feet from on top, the sheer lack of cushioning assaulted them from the bottom. "They just need breaking in; they will stretch," is what I told myself as I tried to walk without limping. I went through my entire work-day in sheer pain! Ten hours after I had gotten home and taken these shoes off, my feet were still screaming, and I could not imagine putting these things on again anytime soon!
Here I was stuck with a hundred dollar pair of shoes that I was afraid to put my feet into. But given that they did cost this much, of course, I am going to try to find a way to make these bad girls work for me.
Before I started typing this, I tried to put these on while wearing a pair of sweat socks; no go! It was like one of Cinderella's step sister's trying to force her hoof into the glass slipper! Currently, I am wearing them with a pair of socks that are slightly thicker than dress socks, and my feet feel like they are in some sort of choke hold, but at least in walking in them for all of 3 or 4 minutes, the soles of my feet do not feel so assaulted, but like I said, it's only been 3 or 4 minutes. I will just have to do this around my apartment for a while until they stretch out a bit. There is no way I can wear these with thin socks, as the makes me feel like I am walking on wooden planks!
I write all of this to let others know:
1. You need at least half a size larger if you plan to wear anything other than very thin dress socks
2. If you DO wear very thin sweat socks, well, you are in for some serious hurt!
3. For the right price, I would definitely buy these again (half a size larger), but only because I do think they are sexy but I am very much hoping that the one's I already have will stretch out and I can eventually wear even a thinner type of sweat sock with them without so much discomfort and finally start to enjoy my purchase.
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I have always considered Clark's to be among the best as far as comfort. Upon receiving these Desert boots, I was greatly disappointed. There was not the usual cushiony softness or the arch support. I teach and am on my feet all day. I would not have been able to wear these all day. there is NO support at all, whatsoever!
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so ever since i purchased a pair for my fiancé a year ago, i have always admired how great they look and pondered the idea of wearing a pair myself. i didnt take the chance since they are more masculine than your typical riding boot, or what have you. here we are, a year later, and now a proud owner of clarks desert boot. sure, they are masculine, but i think with the right outfit, you can make it 'work.' a little note, i was quite skeptical about the sizing based on the reviews. it seemed like half the reviews said they ran small, and the other half said they ran large. hopefully, i can convince some of you that, in fact, these boots run large. i am a 7.5-8, and had to get the 7. this is quite a rare occurrence where i have to get a size 7. even the 7 seems slightly large, but i will make due. i definitely agree with the other reviewers that the larger size you go, the more unflattering this shoe can be. i also suggest to the potentialdesertbootpurchasers to look at more recent reviews and base your size choice on that. it's rather difficult to look at reviews that were from 2 years ago and base a purchase on that review; as so many things may have changed with the boot; sizing, color, etc. the shoe itself is comfortable, and the grey distressed color looks pretty true to the photo & looks great! very excited to wear my boots year round!
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STYLE:
This boot is streamlined, classic, minimalistic--everything you would want style-wise out of an everyday boot. It can be dressed up under slacks or with tights and a dress, or dressed down with cuffed skinnies. Looks great with almost anything. It comes in a variety of colors and materials (suede, distressed suede, leather) to suit almost everyone's personal style.
COMFORT:
These boots have little to no arch support, so are great gals with flat feet. If you have any hint of an arch, I'd recommend getting an insole. I have a fairly high arch and the Dr. Scholls Hidden Arch Supports (Pack of 3) work great! Keep in mind that the different materials have varying levels of initial comfort (upon first wear) and breaking in times. The suedes are definitely more comfortable than the leathers, and have a significantly shorter break-in period. If you're new to wearing boots at all, stick to the suedes first, then work your way up. :)
LONGEVITY:
If taken care of, these boots will last forever! If you're buying leather, be sure to clean & condition them regularly (unless you're a fan of the grungy, scuffed-up look). If you're buying suede, be sure to coat them with a suede protector (the Clarks brand protector does NOT change the suede's color, unlike the Kiwi brand one).
All in all, these are fabulous boots that are well worth the investment!
