I read the reviews before purchasing these boots, taking into consideration the issues that other reviewers had. I ordered a full size down from my normal 9. Normally in Emu boots, I am a size bigger so I was a little apprehensive about ordering the 8. I took them out of the box and noticed that they felt a little cheap. Not that big a deal considering they are winter boots and will get yucky. They fit perfect. The buttons and button loops felt equally cheap as I closed them and can see where those might be an issue if I decide to keep these. I put them both on and walked around for a short time. There is very little arch support and oddly enough the heel seems to be the lowest point in the boot. I like that the shaft of the boot is tighter than my other boots and seems like they would keep their shape better over time. But the lining isn't as soft as I thought and it looks slightly tacky. All in all these are really cute but I'm not sure whether they are worth keeping.