Customer Reviews Bed Stu Manchester II

I am a hard core Frye girl, but fell in love with these boots the moment I saw them on the Free People and Sundance catalog websites. I am 5'10" and have very long legs, but these boots come up to my knees and look adorable with leggings, jeggings, dresses and skirts. So I checked Zappos because I was looking for a dark brown or black pair. I ended up with the tan lux but went to our local boot shop and purchased black heel dressing to apply to entire boot and they look absolutely awesome! I get ton of compliments every time that I wear them. The lace-up back allows you to enter easily and the half zip lets fix your socks or pull your leggings or jeans down once you put them on. I have small calfs so I love the lace adjustments. They do run one size larger. I wear an 11 but got the 10 and they fix beautifully with plenty of room for socks. I love Zappos' customer service.

Who would have thought that a boot could represent the renewal of a healthy body image? We all think what we want is simple, and in this case it was knee-high brown distressed boots that don't slouch. I have a pair of Frye Melissa button boots (with a 15"shaft circumference) that fit perfectly around the calf, but I don't like the way they tend to sag around the ankles, plus I was looking for something less polished looking but without looking like a motorcycle boot. I fell in love with the look of the Frye Shirley Artisan tall boots, but the specs read that the calf circumference is 14". I measured mine (never having given them much thought before), and they are 15". So then I researched boot stretching, and the consensus was that 1/2"is the maximum stretch by a professional without damaging the leather. I don't want to hate wearing beautiful expensive boots because they cut off my circulation and exacerbate my budding varicose vein. So I let go of the dream and stumbled across the Bed Stu Manchester II. Love the distressed look and the way they stay straight on the leg while being worn. I am not a criss-cross-lace-up-the-back type person, so that feature was almost a deal-breaker for me when looking at them online. However, I decided that the overall styling doesn't scream sexy pirate like what I usually associate with the criss cross lace up detail. I'm glad I was able to overlook that, as that feature is what allows the boot to accommodate different calf sizes and to be fitted enough to stand straight without slouching. (And I guess the fact that I can leave my cleavage covered while wearing them helps, too.) The color black is not truly black -- I was looking for a dark brown and I would say the black qualifies as dark brown. I ordered a half-size down as recommended in other reviews and they fit well in length. The footbed on my slightly wider foot was a little narrow at first but has accommodated the width of my foot well after a few wearings. I guess I'm mildly neurotic about body image (as most American women are, right?) so in the span of a week, my thought process plummeted and rose as follows: I want some cute boots to wear with leggings and skinny jeans. Wow, I didn't know I was fat; I guess I 'm fat. Or maybe just too old to attempt to look stylish (43). Oh these boots fit well and are really cute -- that's just the look I was going for. Hey -- I do still look pretty decent! One other item to note that I didn't see in product description. The tag with the boots reads, although we do use a sealing agent in our process, the finish will continue to distress with use and as a result the finish may rub off. The distressing may be exacerbated under hot, moist conditions. We recommend that you exercise caution in the early days of use and avoid direct contact with fabrics or other surfaces." I have not had any problems with this and have not seen it addressed in other reviews, but it's worth noting. I love these boots. Oh and did I mention that they are a lot less than the Frye boots I started out with but are great quality?

These are stunning boots! It sounds weird but I loved them from the moment I opened up the box...I have a lot of quality boots in this price range and these are the first that had the intoxicating smell of real full grain leather. The leather is buttery soft and supple. They truly look like they were hand crafted by an artisan. I purchased the tan color and they are a perfect compliment to any everyday wardrobe. The lacing in the back allows you to wear them as a taught tall boot or a slouch boot. I am 6' tall and love the full shaft height - they hit about an inch below my knee. AND, on top of the extreme beauty, they are completely comfortable. My only dilemma now is to decide whether or not I want to splurge and buy them in another color!

Arrggghhhh! They were a half size, perhaps a full size too big. That wouldn't be a problem if the socks could fix it, but they look like clown shoes on me. Otherwise, they are gorgeous, so size down! I usually wear 8.5, I ordered 8.5 in the tan color. Also I'm 5'6", 115 lbs and these came up to right under my knee. They were very comfortable, too! Will have to try and find the perfect fit. :)

You have no idea how much I wanted to keep these boots; they have that worn, hand-crafted feel to them... soft, supple but very high-quality leather. I have long legs and these are some of the only non-over-the-knee boots I've tried on that actually come up to right below my knee. I also ordered a 1/2 size down, which was perfect. Also agree with someone else who suggested the black is really more of a dark brown. My issue was the sort of bump or bulge right below where the lacing ends in the back. I do have pretty skinny calves and they did not even begin to fill out the calf area of the boot, so from the side, that bulge was still there and it just didn't look right to be. If you had fuller-calved and could fill that part out, I think these boots would look incredible on. Alas.

I read the reviews before ordering, and everyone suggested that these boots run too big. I normally wear a 9, so I ordered an 8.5. It was much too small! When I processed the exchange (which was fast and fantastic, BTW) they only had a 9.5; I was glad though because it JUST fits. So it may be true for others, but for me this boot runs half size too small. (I'm always right on the nose for 9). The calves in these boots are super slim, it is a bit of a struggle to get the jeans to stay down at the ankle when putting them on. I have pretty slim calves; I would say that if you are a bit thicker in the calves, def go for wide.

I love these boots! They've been sitting on my coffee table for weeks because I didn't want to return them. But I am because my legs are not the right proportion for the design. The little length I have in my legs is in my thighs and the style of the boot overwhelmed my calf. If you are long-legged...BUY THESE BOOTS! So that I might live vicariously through you.

I absolutely love these boots. They work with almost everything that I own. What is so great is that you can scrunch them or pull them up high and I love the tie detail in the back, I have gotten loads of compliments. Plus they are very comfortable, I have not felt any pinching anywhere. This is the kind of boot that can last for years and look better with age. I definitely recommend buying these boots!

Oh my goodness!!! As soon as I opened the shipping box and the wonderful aroma of good leather filled my car...I knew I was gonna love these boots! (and that's an understatement!) Thanks to the reviews before I ordered... :-) I ordered a size down and they fit PERFECT!!! (normally an 8.5 US...ordered an 8) I have long, slender legs and this ultra soft, buttery leather goes right up to my knees and the lace back allows me to pull them snug without bunching for a FABULOUSLY FLATTERING look that I have been longing for in boots FOREVER! I'm 52 and live in St. Croix...it's never below 80 degrees here...only at night...so wearing boots (as I normally do my cowboy boots) is NOT a fashion faux pas as many think. Shorts...mini skirts...any denim...florals...ruffles...lace...rompers...dusters...maxi and mini dresses...any fabric works...and that's what I wear...and these boots are going to be a staple in my outings on island! Boots aren't just for winter y'all when you dress kinda "country"! (and the bugs can't bite my legs...BONUS!) So I believe these super comfy...high quality kickers are going to be my "go-tooz" dressed up or down any time of year! *I now need to order more in different colors and styles...I've found my maker! LOVE THEM! Woo hoo! :-)

I ordered these in the camel color, and the black. I ordered the camel in my normal size 91/2 and they are just too narrow! I LOVE them so much, but are going back. I will wait until the 10s come back in.. hopefully soon. I ordered the Black in a 10 and they fit great! If you have a medium foot, go a half size larger!

Purchased in the tan rustic and it is a beautiful neutral on the warm side in color. I typically wear a size 10 or european 40 and got these in a 10. The leather is so soft. The fit is great for me but they might fit just a bit narrow for others. The lacing at the back gives them a bit of adjustment for those on the edges of average but the best part is that at 5'8" boots don't usually reach just under my knee but these have a long shaft and do! I love these boots. Everything about them.

Most of the reviews said these run big so I ordered an 8.5 (I wear a 9). They were definitely too small. So I am exchanging for a 9. Other than that, the style is so cute! And they are one of the only boots I've ever found to fit my small calves.

Beautiful boots!!!! I'm 5'3" and unfortunately the shaft is too tall. So I will have to return these. I do think I will try the manchester which reportedly has a 17 1/4 " shaft versus the 18" shaft. I will also get the black lux, this color and was more brown black, and although I prefer this color I need black for particular work outfits which need a little more office appropriate wear, this teach/ worn look is borderline for my work setting.

gorgeous boot! i sized down a half size and it was way too tight. Exchanging for the next size up.

These boots are fabulous! I ordered my normal size 71/2 and they fit me perfectly. The color is a distressed black with brown undertones and is very pretty. They are comfortable enough for all day wear at work too. I highly recommend!

I just received this boot I just love,love love these boots.when I first put them on they were a little tight,I walked around inside the house and I was able to stretch them by stuffing them .i wore the boot three days later and they were a perfect fit. I would not advice ordering a size up, because they will stretch.oh, I order a size 10 m. Ready to order another pair. They feel good on.

Absolutely love these boots, great quality! They easily fit around the calves, but are a bit roomy in the toe area. They are beautifully made and are durable, definitely worth the investment!

These boots are 5-star looks but 3 stars for fit & comfort. At this price point I would expect all 5-star ... BUT these days its nearly impossible to find a "comfort" boot with narrow calves. The comfort brands like Birkenstock and Born etc. assume that everyone who wants a comfort shoe has enormous fat legs. The trend toward elastic gores in knee-high boots ruins the style of what should be a leather boot. That leaves Bedstu and the more expensive brands if you have skinny calves and don't want to look like you're standing in buckets. The Bedstu boots are beautiful and stylish. I tried them with literally everything in my closet before making the decision to keep them. They go great with skinny jeans tucken-in. They're nice with skirts. The rustic tan color went with every color except not at its best with black or grey and "fights" with some beiges. Otherwise it pairs well with denim and all earthy colors. BUT Bedstu has wide heels and narrow toes. My heels slosh around. I wouldn't even have been able to wear these except that the zipper made it possible for me to finagle-in a shoe stretcher and I stretched the width of the toe for a week. This model also has a leather flap behind the laces for people with wider legs. Since I have narrow calves and wear the laces tied as tight as they go, I took a seam ripper and removed that extra flap. The boot seem almost "too high" so I turn-down the top and it looks even cuter than the picture. The boots are actually versatile as you can turn-down to tops to get several different hieghts. For example full height looks good with pants, but I turn them down for skirts. They are slightly slouchy and relaxed more that the picture shows - but I like this with the distressed tan look. The cork foot bed is fairy comfortabe. If only Bedstu would make narrower heels and wider toe, their boots would be 5-star all around! I also hope this brand makes more size 11. To know your size in Bestu use EURO size. Bedstu USA size 11 = Euro size 41.

I LOVE THE STYLE OF THIS BOOT!!!!!! ITS GORGEOUS!!!! But so darn small. I do not have a wide foot, or a wide calf or a wide anything. I could hardly get my foot into the dang thing. And it pinched my calf over a legging. I wondered if they would stretch over time, but it's too big of a price tag to "hope" that they stretch that much. If they made a wide anything... I'd buy in a hot second!!

I do not have very wide feet and these are very narrow in the foot. I wish they fit, as the look is very cute.

THIS IS A REALLY PRETTY BOOT! I NEED wide calf soooooooooooooooo bad. The shape, color and fell is amazing, but I cannot fit it around my calf.

Love that’s boots .. gorgeous leather distressing. A little tight in foot box but overall great

Love, love, love - can't say enough about these. I bought the Stu Manchester too in black & I think these are more comfortable. The color is stunning, the pictures do it no justice & I love how they hit right below the knee. I was looking for a boot that would hit there & have struggled to find one that wasn't 1" lower or over the knee and these are absolutely perfect!

I LOVE these boots. Finally a boot for ladies with skinny calves! Most boots make me look like a pirate. These are perfect. I will be ordering other colors soon. They are soft, well made and look great on. def worth the price if you're tired of boots with giant calf circumferences.

Unbelievably stylish. These come in a rustic tan and a rustic tan white. The white has almost a white wash over it that doesn't really appeal to me. Tried 3 different pairs of these boots in this color and the taupe until I found the perfect pair. They are all a bit different/unique. This is my first pair of this brand and I will purchase more!