Please impart your Doc Martens wisdom

[ElevenOhFive]

I am planning to buy a pair of 8-hole DM boots but am unsure about the sizing.

I am generally a size 8, and occasionally a size 7 in some sandals and pumps. Feet are long but narrow. I had previously ordered and then returned a size 8 pair of DMs from ASOS - they felt a bit big especially around the ankle and as if I was stepping out of them.

Do I size down to a 7? How long do they take to become comfortable? I know there will be a breaking in period involving chunky socks and hairdryer wizardry, but don’t want to make the mistake of buying too small and never being happy with them. These are a present from my very soon-to-be-40 year old self to my teenage self, who always wanted cherry red DMs but could never afford them back in the early 1990s, when all the cool girls at school were wearing them with paisley skirts and dying their hair with mahogany Shaders.

Share your Docs experiences here, please and thank you.

It depends on the style. I have Pascals and sized down but wear normal size for Emmelines. I wanted Flora chelsea boots but neither size fitted properly. The smaller size fitted in the shop but I couldn't wear them and my feet slopped around in the normal size.

I wouldn't use a hairdryer to soften them.

Pascals are softer leather and do not have the trim at the top - I never need to break them in. I take my normal size. A good option for a first pair :)

I ordered a pair of oxblood DMs earlier today.

The quality has gone massively downhill on their standard range, my DDs pair spilt within a few months and if you google you will find that is normal now.

I've gone for the Made in England range because they are meant to be better quality but they are very pricey. They don't have cherry red but oxblood is very similar.

I would go down a size, they take probably a couple of weeks to break in. Make sure you treat the leather to make it softer.

Find a real shop to try on for sizing (Schuu usually stock them) and then order online

Order both sizes and compare the fit. Return the ones that don't fit.

I recently bought some silver docs and had to go a half size up to an eight. I was able to try them on in the shop tho' first. Also, yes, they were a nostalgic present from my 90s self to my age nearly 50 self😆. Definitely 2 pairs of socks at all times for max comfort.

The patent ones do not really break in.

Size down as they do stretch quite a bit. Unless you have wide feet and then I'd stick to your usual size.

Don't buy online direct from Doc Martens as the customer service is appalling and the returns process takes forever. If ordering online go through Office or Schuh

I have narrow feet, they will always feel slightly loose around the ankle. I wear thick walking socks and they are fine. I personally wouldn't size down, I like my boots roomy.

I have so many pairs of DM's and wear nothing else through autumn and winter.

I've just bought my very first pair - the winter ones with a furry cuff.

My normal size fits well, and they were comfy from the first wearing

I recently bought the ox blood pascals. They're true to size, if slightly on the small side and I've had to stretch them (I've narrow feet so didn't expect this) They took a couple of weeks to properly break in but now they're great and don't give me blisters. Might buy them in navy next

I've bought some for my dd for Christmas. She tried some on in a DM shop, and was between two sizes. The assistant advised getting the smaller size as they stretch quite a bit, apparently.

Can you go into the shop to try them on? It's best to get the length correct and then be patient while you break in the width.
But as a PP said the patent ones don't break in as the patent layer doesn't have the stretch of the plain leather.