I have one pair of Frye boots, and I love them  though I definitely agree that they do tend to run a little small for boots. This pair is an almost suede feel to it, with dual zippers. I actually got these a size and a half too big (I would only recommend sizing up one size) knowing that I do love thick socks in the winter. And while they were definitely big enough for my thick socks, at that point they were a bit too long in the toe. I asked my husband, mother and friends to confirm if it looked like I was wearing Bozos shoes, and no one said it was noticeable. The rubber sole is attractive enough that you can wear them in from the snow, and still around the office. By the end of the season, they definitely held up well, but the wear on the toe (where my actual toes were note), was definitely a little more noticeable than I think it would have been had they fit properly. So for my next pair, I definitely won't go up a full size and a half  and I would recommend maybe starting with a half-size bigger than your normal shoe and trying from there!