I bought these for work. They aren't required, but slip resistance is required, and I've dropped enough things on my feet to pay for the steel toe. My husband used the same ones for a few months, and I rediscovered them recently and wanted my own. His didn't last long, but he puts 50+ hours a week on them for work, plus spilling blood, water, and chemicals on them daily without even trying to protect them. No wonder they don't last him long, even his Chippewas only last him 6 months at a time.
They run slightly larger than other brands, but probably not enough to order a size down. They are small enough that wearing them with medium thick socks is fine. They were a little sore at first, from the bend of the leather right behind the steel toe. I thought it was the steel at first, till I noticed that that's where the shoe naturally bends as you walk. After one 9 hour shift in them, the leather there stretched or something, and it no longer hurts. Just give it time. Other than that, they are supportive but not painfully so, as other work shoes I have tried have been, and honestly, I think they look pretty badass on a lady, too.