First - these boots are from the Artisan collection, which was not clear from the description.  Therefore, they run smaller and narrower than the regular Clarks / bendables.  The leather is nice.  The stitching down the side is actually an elastic lace running through alternating loops - which theoretically should make these have some "give" in the calf.  They really don't have much, sadly.  The heel is stable but lightweight - these boots don't weigh a ton, which is nice.  The soles have decent traction for normal around-town wear - probably not good for snow & ice, but for pavement/marble floors/tile/slightly wet sidewalks, they're fine.

In the "normal" Clarks, I generally wear a 9.5 C/D.  I ordered these in a 10 C/D because the 9.5 was out of stock.  Really sort of wish I'd gone for the 11.  These fit, but they're narrower than I would like, and the length is almost too short.  Also, the calf is not as wide as the Wyld Polka boots I bought last winter...my calves are about 17.5, and this doesn't quite zip the last inch or so, even after wearing them frequently.  Additionally, these are not nearly as padded as other Clarks shoes I own.  They're ok for schlepping around the office, but walking the three blocks to the parking garage or wearing these to go to the store after work verges on painful.

Pluses:  The heels are not as high as they look in the picture.  They're a really good height - they give enough lift to make you feel sassy without making your feet suffer so much.  The leather is shiny but not tacky looking, and hasn't scuffed much.  The detailing is nice.  The zipper seems sturdy, they're fully lined, and they seem to keep their shape - that is, they don't bag around the ankles.  (My ankles measure around 9.25").

If the calf was an inch or so wider, and there was just a touch more padding, they would be the perfect boots.  Soooo close.