Ask Angie: Blondo Riding Boot Fit

I recently purchased Blondo riding boots and am not completely sold on the fit. They seem to have a bit of a gap at the top if my pants are completely tucked in with no bunching, but in reality the pants will ride up and bunch as I move around. I have skinny calves and ankles and I am also wondering if the ankle bunching looks OK. The leather quilted shaft seems stretchy, and I hope it won't stretch out and stay that way. What do you think? Also, in one of the pics you can see the boot is starting to slouch a bit...one shaft looks shorter than the other but it's not really.

Am I being really picky? They are very comfortable and I like the fact that the sole is grippy and the boot waterproof...they will be practical in my climate.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/blondo-boot/3485379

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11 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

They look great. Good fit.

Suz

Veteran

I think they look terrific on you! These have been very popular boots on the forum.

catgirl

I am with you - I don't like that angle sag and straight shaft. No one else may notice but if it bothers you then you will always notice. Too bad!

Aquamarine

Thanks for your opinions, ladies. I always overthink *everything* (ppp?) so it's always a dilemma when something isn't perfect to my eye.

Anonymous

I think they look good also!

Gigi

I too get really picky about boot fit, I think because it's such an expensive purchase compared to other stuff. You might want to call the Nordie's sales staff and ask them whether the leather shaft will stretch out and stay that way, as you mentioned you were worried about it. Sometimes a quick call to an SA lets you know if you're on the right track or if you're worried about nothing. Of course, since it's Nordie's, they'll probably say, "If it stretches out and you hate it, bring it back for a refund." :^)

If you decide to call Nordie's, you could ask the SA if they have a boot that would be less slouchy in the ankle--maybe there is something more structured. Personally, I wouldn't want them to slouch any more than they are now. I don't think there's too much gap at the top.

On the ankle slouch, can you wear the boots with thicker socks that you could scrunch down there so that they take up the extra room?

Thanks Gigi for your thoughts. I have no ankles so short of a cuff down there I always have fit issues. I should be stalking expensive brands made for narrow calves but by the time they drop to a level that's good for my budget, it's 90 and humid and I am immersed in the hunt for sandals that won't fall off my skinny feet

I haven't tried to return footwear that's been worn to Nordstrom, but I suppose that's a possibility if I am really unhappy. And these got great reviews, so I am hopeful.

Sveta

I don't see any significant gap on top but ankle bunching bug me - especially in ##3 and 4. I also tried these boots and did not get them because of the ankle fit - and my ankles are the opposite of skinnies.
On the other hand Blondo boots are very comfortable, waterproof and slip-resistant. I got another pair in the end which I like much better so you may try other styles to compare but the brand is really good for stylish winter boots.

They are going back. I have worn them around the house for a bit and I cannot stand the ankle pooling. Also, I think I want a shaft that is 1 inch lower. The boots I am trying to replace are a bit shorter and proportionally that works better to my eye. Finally, I think I want a sleeker look to the boot. The top band cuts my already short leg in half to my eye. I like the ones you linked to, Sveta, but they are probably too wide.

Thanks for the help everyone. It has been helpful in refining what I am looking for and what kind of fit to strive for.

They are wider on the top for sure but try other Blondo types - some of them can be narrower.
I get what you mean about not be able to stand ankle pooling - I felt exactly the same way. I am sure your boots are out there for you. Have you tried La Canadienne? They are narrower I think.

If you're after a sleeker fit, I highly reccomend these for your narrow ankles and calves:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/aq.....tiveSearch

I know they are unfortunately very pricey.

Diana

You might want to try these blondos instead. I tried them on last week and have ordered them. I also have lots of problems with ankle bagging (I have very narrow ankles and shallow insteps); these are a bit big in the ankle but something about the material (softer pebbled leather in the shaft) means the extra material gets distributed better around my ankle rather than forming a big pouch like most boots do. They also have no ankle strap so it looks a bit sleeker.

http://www.blondo.ca/en/produc.....er/vitalia

ETA: just realized you have narrow calves too though, so maybe they won't work for you after all. I have 15" calves and 7.5" ankles.

Sveta and Angie, thank you for the suggestions. I am afraid I will have to head in a pricey direction to get the perfect boot, unless I get lucky stalking.

Diana, my calves measure 13.5 at their widest so those Blondos probably won't work.

Thistle

Sounds like you are all set. Riding boots are one of the toughest clothing purchases, so please don't be discouraged.

Speaking as another gal who is really hard to fit, I do think it would be helpful to give yourself permission to spend more money on the perfect pair of boots. I recently bought the Aquatalia Rhumba boots, and I am amazed at the quality and the comfort. They are by far my favorite boot. I did get them for 30% off on a sale, which helped some, but they were still really pricey. Aquatalia is a very good brand, and people say the boots last for a very long time.

I would at least try some of the more expensive boots on and see what you think. I find that in my case, if I don't get the perfect thing, I may buy three mediocre versions, which actually costs more money than if I had bought the expensive one up front. It helped me to realize that the Rhumbas were really only twice as expensive as any decent-quality boot I had seen--which meant that I would just have to buy one less pair of boots to make up for the extra cost of the Rhumba. That's not so bad. And if you have a pair of boots that make you feel fab and are comfy, you'll reach for them again and again, so you won't WANT a lot of other boots.

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