Angie: Can any age wear these boots with jeans tucked in?

Where do you find boots in bigger sizes that are smaller in the calf? I have a friend who wears a size 9.5 boot, but her calf is very slender. She has searched everywhere and never found a boot that makes a smaller calf size. What could you tell her?

Angie, do you have any recommendations for chic leather boots made for those of us who have large, athletic calves? The girth of my calves run about 16″, which is much larger than the norm, I suspect, and I always have trouble finding cute boots that won’t cut off my circulation, nevermind ones that will fit over jeans. I’ve been doing some running which has cut down on some of the excess fat, but I still have muscular legs from all the years I played soccer. I know that it’s possible to get non-zippered boots stretched out, but that will often only give you only so much extra room. Do you have any recommendations for stores/websites/brands?

I find this so difficult – I was just in NYC and tried on dozens of pairs of boots, but nothing in the $200-$300 price range fit my calf. I have size 10 feet and VERY narrow calves. I tried several Franco Sarto pairs and countless others, but with no luck. I would love to have a sleek pair of boots to wear with skirts and would wear them all the time. I’ve had several sales people tell me that looser pairs (like the photos on the left) look fine, but I agree Angie, they just look sloppy and that ruins the look.

It is very difficult to find proper fitting boots for women with very small calves ( mine have 12.5″ circumference). Finding a pair to go over jeans is not extremely difficult, but finding a pair for skirts is a nightmare. I have two pairs that “almost’ fit right ( there is 1/4-1/2 ” of space), and I try to make them work by wearing thicker knee high socks underneath. Next winter I am determined to find a good pair.

Jennell, wearing boots over jeans is a very Euro look that’s also popular here and colder parts of Asia. I don’t know your age, but if my late mother was alive, she’d be sporting the look (she’d be 67 today). I just put this look together for a 64 year old client last Thursday. She looks fab.

Nic, Ellen and Tanya, finding boots that fit narrow calves is totally achievable with patience and persistence. I have chicken legs and lots of pairs of boots! You need to search on-line by calf circumference and start off with the pull-on kind. European brands and expensive brands like Stuart Weitzman and Donald Pliner unfortunately are the blokes that make boots for narrower calves. Also, duoboots.com makes boots according to calf measurement so check out the site. The size should be no problem. Boots are in investment. I have 4-year old boots that are still going strong. They are worth spending money on.

Also, if you’re willing to pay the price, boots can be altered at the calf by a competent cobbler (Nordstrom will do it for you). I’ve inquired about this with clients and it costs about $100. Sometimes, that’s cheaper than a new pair of boots.

I was aiming for the same budget. After trying several pair through Zappos and Nordstrom.com, I decided that microfiber boots fit best on thin calves. In fact I tried two pair (from Stuart W and La Canadienne) that were too narrow and bunched around my narrow ankles. I ended up with a pair by Sudini that are leather with microfiber shafts. (Along the way I fell in love with some Marvin K Aquitalia suede boots – $550. Sigh … another day!)

I just ordered from duoboots. Unfortunately, I had to send them back because the pair of boots I chose runs big in the foot. But the 34cm circumference was very snug on my calf. Once they stretched a little I think they would have been perfect. They are supposedly giving me free outgoing shipping on the correct size so we shall see. Their prices are very reasonable. Even though you have to deal with the expense and hassle of overseas shipping, they do discount the VAT.

Lynda: I have the same problem! My calves are terribly large thanks to my constant diet of running and cycling uphill (and genetics, I’m sure). I’ve yet to find a good solution, though I recall there being a UK brand which sells boots for women with larger calves. (I think that it was recommended on here?)

The boots over (skinny) jeans or leggings getting hot here again — despite it being so hot! The temperature was almost to 30C today, and yet I spied a well-heeled OL in Central in a gorgeous getup of a black shirt and grey skinny jeans tucked into her black knee-high boots. I’m guessing her office is chillier than mine.

This is timely as I’d thought I’d duplicate in brown the Aerosole boots I bought recently. Now I will probably pass. My calves measure 12 inches. The Aerosoles are the slimmest I’ve found at 13 inches. They do work with jeans tucked in.
I’d like a sleeker look than the slouchy boot or those with straps and laces, but maybe it’s not out there. I also can’t wear much of a heel.
Should an over-60 wear the slouchy boot or Doc Marten? Living in conservative middle USA, the urban edgy look is really only done by the teens/early 20s.

Angie, I caught your comment after I posted. I’ll look on-line. The other question about older women and slouchy or Doc Martin type boots …Do you ever pop old ladies into those? )

Does anyone else have an issue with boots fitting in the calf but being too big and slouching horribly around the ankles? Is there a solution to this fit problem? I really want a pair of sleek, leather boots (have for years, actually) but I have never found a pair that fit properly.

I believed this on instinct, but am fascinated to hear it declared as an Angie Rule! Intimidated, too, as I believe my brown boots break the rule …

Therese, the boots over skinnies look was around when I was there last week too. The air-conditioning is freezing in HK.

I’m going to be a little hard (sad face and I apologize). If you haven’t found boots to fit your calves yet, you’re not looking hard enough! Other foot issues like arch support, arch height, heel height, comfort levels and your budget are more challenging issues, but the calf problem is one we can solve. Google your calf needs and a whole slew of sites pop up. I have another client with an 18 inch calf that bought from duoboots and she was thrilled. I hope you get sorted, Patience.

Joy, my 64 year-old client has impeccably classy, grey slouchy boots that she’s tucking into skinny jeans. I hope that helps.

Emily Kate, there are lots of boots this season designed to look precisely how you’ve described (it’s another ‘80’s revival). Perhaps those are the styles you’ve been trying on?

Sorry, Sal.

Angie –
I don’t think I have… one example is this pair
http://www.feetfirstshoes.com/.....15-flosade
they wrinkle a bit at the ankle in the photo but do not look like they should slouch. When I tried them on, though, they looked like they were supposed to be that 80s-revival style. I’ve had the same issue with many other pairs.

For those with skinny calves, here are a few brand recommendations:
- Stuart Weitzman (if you can and are willing to afford them; they are very expensive)
- Gentle Souls (a Kenneth Cole brand), which I bought recently; they are pull-ons and quite slim. My calves are not skinny, but they are on the slender side, and I wear size 9, so I also have to look a little harder for boots.
- Donald Pliner: I tried one pair that also was very snug
- Nine West also sometimes has slim pull-on styles that are very snug, though I haven’t tried any this season

I often find it very hard to find boots that are comfortable and those that fit snugly around my calves. It took a few months and lots of patience to find my current pair for a great price at Payless. Thanks for the tips!

Finally someone answered my question about altering the calf on boots. Thanks Angie! Best list ever on this topic antje, I’ve been looking for info on this for ages.

I think it is very hard for shoemakers to market multiple size calves. You have such a range of body types.

I imagine it must take a lot of looking around.

I have riding boots, so these do come in custom calf sizes, but they are one design only: low heeled, plain in front.

The black boots on the left look exactly like a pair I had when I was living in the UK in 1979/80. There was no zipper and the fit was close – and I was a UK size 4(!) back then.
Personally, zippers are a sign of shoddy shoe making. But they are more common now in riding boots, especially as the higher cut boots are much more in style.

Now I have a pair of New Old Stock “Colt” riding boots in cognac, only wear them under jeans. Tucked in/capants/capris over boots is far toooooo 70’s for me to even pull off w/o looking like ‘original owner’, which would scare people.

I am guessing it must be hard for women to buy boots. If you wear a size nine and have a 14 inch calf versus the same shoe size with a 19 in calf, you really have to hunt around.

Very interesting. I remember when boots had those little gussets and cut outs with elastic, too.

It’s hard enough to buy riding boots. Must be very tough to find fashion boots that hit all the marks of fit, calf width, color, style, workmanship, etc.

Although, here is a funny observation about the too wide boots on the left.

It must be in the eye of the beholder.

When I recall shoujo manga (google it) you will see the razer thing girls in boots with the boot top away from their leg. Like the image here.

Interesting.

Johanna, I LOVE the style in anime and manga too, but you should keep in mind that they are not shaped exactly like real people. The clothes they wear don’t even have to follow the laws of physics after all. The animator can draw it to look great from every angle and hang perfectly even if it wouldn’t in real life. Also animated women and dolls tend to have body shapes that are literally impossible even for catwalk models. Remember the short-lived trend of wearing super loose bottom-heavy legwarmers to imitate the shape of boots and leggings in anime? That never should’ve been allowed outside of cosplay conventions.

finally! those gals with wide calves seem to get all the press but us skinny calved women need help too
I finally found a pair this weekend after a 2 year search. I like them a lot however i had to settle for a man-made pull up fabric as i couldn’t find leather ones that were narrow enough. My next step was duoboot.

i tried to buy boots at Nordstrom (in Bellevue) and was told they don’t make the alterations there but they have some shoemakers they recommend.
Angie, thanks for your help on this

Very informative post, Angie! Thanks to YLF, I found my pair for tucking. I think I need a tighter fitting one to wear with skirts. That’s a task I will leave for next year.

Mochaccino ,
hehehe, yes. I know, I just thought it was a funny memory-jogger when I looked at that photo.
;D

My fit problems with knee high boots have generally been because the shoe part of the boot isn’t comfortable on my feet. Haven’t had much chance to think about calf fit problems because if I even suspect that the boots will give my feet blisters, chafing, or pinched toes then they go right back on the shelf. I did try some pairs of pull-ons that were comfortable on my feet but they looked baggy around the ankles and the shafts of the boot started riding down my legs after I took a few steps in them. So I guess I have smaller than average calves, and it does not help that I wear size 11 shoes.

Angie, What constitues as ‘too tight’ on the calf? For example, I have a pair of J crew boots from last year – I was on the fence between their regular size and their extended calf size. THe regular calf does fit (my calves are about 15 inches and a half or so give or take) – but it is snug. It does not have a ‘muffinish’ appearance – it fits just right with no extra room. Is that okay or do you think that is too tight?

What about buckling around the ankle? I find that all my boots tend to do this eventually.

Thank you,
Grace

Thanks for posting an example, Emily Kate. Hmmm. Those boots are definitely not supposed to be slouchy. Have you tried on sleek pull -on boots?

I can find comfortable, low heeled boots off the rack with 12 inch calf widths if that helps? Unfortunately, you’ll pay a pretty penny for them though. Let me know if you’re interested.

I too have skinny calves, and have just recently found a pair of boots that only have a tiny gap. (They’re Arturo Chiang, and by far the most expensive pair of shoes I have ever bought despite being on heavy clearance for $85.) My biggest problem though is that since I’m 5′10″, boots are never tall enough. It is always clear, even with my Arturo Chiangs, that they are made for someone of average height. Angie, do you know of anyone who makes knee-high boots that are actually knee-high on tall women? Preferably not for a fortune, either. It hurt like crazy to cough up the $85 to buy those boots. I’d rather not have to do it again, and I certainly can’t afford anything higher than that.

Um, how does one compensate for the fact that leather stretches eventually? Because my boots used to fit very nicely according to your standards, but now, a year and a half and one resoling later (Michigan winters for the win), they’ve loosened up and almost gone slightly slouchy. Is there a fix for this?

Mai, I have not known boots to stretch in this way. That’s a shame. Perhaps you can take them to cobbler?

Bethany, you’re looking for a 16-inch shaft which is not that difficult to find. Keep your eye out at sale time, and try sites like smartbargains.com and 6pm.com. They’ll have boots at your price point.

Grace, your snug boot fit sounds fine. As for buckling at the ankle, I think that’s fine too. However, boots shouldn’t buckle because they’re too tight at the calf (causing them to slip off the calf thereby creating excess bulge at the ankle). Hope that makes sense.

Hi, this is a really interesting topic! I have been searching for boots that lace up at the front for aaages – but simply cannot find any in any high street or online store in the UK or US which sell them, just like that. Ideally I would like them flat, or with a very small heel, as I’m quite tall.

It’s not just a case of liking the lacing effect, it’s more in order to get the correct fit at the calf, no matter what I’m wearing.

Oh, I realise I forgot to mention the problem: I don’t want boots with a zip! At all. I don’t care about ease of wear, particularly, I’d prefer that they fit correctly. Does anybody have any idea where these can be found, at all? My parents are in the US now, so could in theory go and pick up a pair, if they were at all available!

Crazy boot issues..

I find the whole boot calf sizing thing VERY frustrating. First of all, I have one calf bigger than the other. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. I found it very difficult to find boots that would zip up over my calfs. I don’t think I have particularly fat calves either. If I did, then jeans wouldn’t fit my calf well. Something is wrong with the design of boots when women with thin calves complain of boots being too big, and women with normal calfs complain of boots being to tight. I tried one some boots that had an elastic panel all the way down the shaft of the boot. They fit very well in both legs. I didn’t get them because they were suede.

What height should shorter people wear? I am 5′3″, and want to wear my boots tucked into my skinny jeans. Should I be wearing mid-calf slouchy boots, or should I be wearing boots to my knees? What will make me look taller and slimmer?

Personally, I just found a pair of boots that look really good, even though they
gape at the top a little, because I am tall with a narrow calf. I did not notice
them attracting from the looks of my outfit and I felt very sexy. So I think it is
all about how you feel in something, not what someone else thinks.

I’m glad you found a pair of boots that worked Sherri. Certain boot styles look fab when they gape at the calf, whereas others don’t. It goes without saying that HOW something makes you feel is all important. Unfortunately, there are instances in which we feel great or “sexy” in an article of clothing or pair of shoes but they are clearly ill-fitting or unflattering. This was the motivation behind this blog post. Enjoy your new boots. I bet they look great!

I just brought a pair of mid calf cowboy style boots. They are a bit loose at the ankle (the guy in the shop said this was normal with cowboy type boots) but I’m not sure, will it mean by feet will rub more when I walk? – as my feet come up a bit. They fit everywhere else.

DO SHOE REPAIR STORES ADJUST BOOTS TO FIT CALVES.

Aldo.com has several pairs of boots that will fit slender calves. I just bought a pair of wedges named “Evelynn” that fit very snuggly on my 13″ calves.

Yes, some shoe repair stores will adjust boots to fit calves but only do this, if you trust the shoemaker or shoe repair man and the shop guarantees the fit.

In Toronto, if you are looking for boot calf alterations, Shoe Therapy (https://www.shoetherapy.ca/Boot_Calf_Fitting.html) can help narrow or widen the boot calf to fit. A perfect fit is guaranteed and they can alter up to 3-4 inches in width either through widening or narrowing. Cost is from $50 CDN and up. They make it look like the alterations are just part of the original boot design.

ugh i thought i found the perfect boots, from a store called soft moc. and they are soo nice but they arent completely fitted when i wear them with jeans there is a little bit of space and i love em but that “space” is really bothering me. i think i have to return them they were a bit pricey and it seems if ijus keep looking i cud find the right ones without having to alter them. but oh i just hate searching its so hard, i dont kno what stores to check anymore! , i want a good winter boot that looks good and can be worn in snow and wont get damaged.

http://www.softmoc.com/ca/syst.....ORIA%20BLK

if u can see that pic the top isnt straight, so it supposed to be like that?

Well, my issue with boots today is that when you order them in a wide width, they make them wider EVERYWHERE! Haven’t they ever heard of a person with wide feet but slender calves? Clearly the shoe width and the calf width should be kept separate from each other….I guess maybe there’s a limit to how many variations they can manufacture, sigh.

This is a terrible problem for me. I am 5′3″ tall and wear a size 9.5 to 10. There is no such thing as a perfect fit in the calf area for me. Believe me, I have tried and tried and have to settle for pretty good. I’ve had a pair of Coach boots in my closet for two years – the calves were ridiculously large. On Sunday night, I finally took my sewing machine to them (I have a leather machine) and took them in as much as I could – only 1/2″ but it makes a huge difference visually. I figured at this point they were $500 wasted anyway so I had nothing to lose. The problem is that most boots cannot be taken in because of the seam-in construction. My Coach boots had one seam sewn out so I was able to just deepen it a little without skewing the center back seam too much.