Firstly, I am a huge fan of the design, craftsmanship, and style found at Taft. I have been a long-time admirer and recently purchased my first pair after moving to NYC. I bought the Jack Boot in Florence last month while visiting the SoHo location. These boots were purchased for the express intent of garnering attention while attending a company event, and boy did they deliver! Everywhere I trekked, I was stopped and asked about my boots... mission accomplished!

Now you might be wondering if they were so successful at their job, why would I only be offering four stars. I have worn these boots a total of three times since they were purchased; during their first four hours of wear (ware seems applicable, too), I noticed a small spot where the delightful brown color on the front tip of the boot mysteriously vanished. I was left with the natural (unfinished) leather peeking through. I thought this was odd, but perhaps a fluke, and shrugged it off. By the end of the day, another spot appeared. By the third use, I had a larger, longer, colorless spot (all one the left boot.) I have since done my best to cover the spot, although it leaves a lot to be desired (see picture.)

Additionally, upon further inspection, I have noticed that the burnishing in the rear of the boots differs between the left and right. While I would expect there to be some slight variations as these boots are handmade and hand painted/finished; it feels like the left and right were made by two…