Fell in love with these boots when I tried them on! They are so much better in person than what the pictures show. BUT the opening around the calves seems just a tad big...I run a lot and used to weight lift, so my calves are somewhat athletic looking (according to some people), not big but not all that skinny either, so I was surprised by how loose the opening was. Perhaps that's the style of these boots? I originally bought a size 7 (I'm usually a 7 for a comfortable fit, sometimes a 6.5 for a tighter fit) and my feet fit pretty well, just slightly loose. With thick socks they were pretty snug but not tight at all. I've ordered a 6.5 just to see if they might fit me a little better, especially the calves. I'm not sure if the opening changes at all with different sizes. If not, then I'll just keep whichever one fits my feet better because these boots are very nice and comfy. The color is divine, a rich grayish chocolaty brown. And the buckle adds just enough edge to complete the look. I also had not problems slipping my feet in without opening the zipper.