I have wanted a pair of Fairysteps for 12 years and finally treated myself, so my new Holly's are a bit of a dream come true. I am absolutely over the moon with them. They are so well made and you can really tell they're great quality. They are extremely comfy and just look so gorgeous. As for the sizing, I did size down as recommended (ususally a size 8, ordered 7) and found the shoes were a tiny bit loose still when worn barefoot (I think it's because I have skinny, narrow feet), however this allows me to wear a chunky pair of socks inside them and with a memory foam insole they are a nice and snug fit for wearing them with bare feet, too - win / win all year round! I will treasure these for a long time - thank you so much to Ren and her helping elves!