I've been searching for ages for black boots with the right rugged look, and finally found them in these boots.  I'm a true 8, and have noticed with other Doc Martens shoes that I can get away with a medium to heavier sock with the uk6 size.  I found the same thing with these boots in the uk6, so I guess I would agree that they run a little bigger than true sizes. I plan on wearing them mostly with jeans, so it works perfectly for me.  I love the way these feel to wear and definitely walk with more attitude in them. The upper is soft leather and pretty flexible- they don't stand up on their own. They have some nice weight to them, though, as they have that heavier DM sole I like so much.  Putting them on with non-skinny jeans, like boot cuts, can be a juggling act as the middle section is separated from the sides- but well worth the effort.  You can't see the section separation when they're all zipped up.  I haven't tried them with tights yet and might have to add a buckle hole or two for that since my calves are on the thin side. These are comfortable right out of the box and still feel great after wearing them all day.