Ask Angie: Docs

Christie

I'm thinking of getting some Dr. Marten boots as my stylish winter boot, and wonder which to buy. I am 5'4" and think that the 20-eyelets http://www.zappos.com/dr-marte.....ack-smooth (15 inch shaft) will be too tall. Do you agree? And just how is the shaft measured ... from floor to top of the boot, or from top of the foot to top of the boot?

I did see these:
13" shaft http://www.zappos.com/dr-marte.....?zlfid=111

14-1/4" shaft http://www.zappos.com/dr-martens-9663-black-smooth

What is your opinion? Thanks!

16 years ago

Dressing

9 replies

Latest reply was from Christie

kellygirl

Veteran

Cricket, check the comments on Laura65's Autumn MOTG frock post. I recall Angie saying that she hasn't seen them work on anyone under 5'5". I'm sure Angie will chime in when she gets back.

16 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Hi Cricket! I am 5'3" and have a 29" inseam. I ordered the 20 eyelet Doc Martens earlier this year (the black smooth with the zipper you have posted above) and they are definitely too tall. However, I really wanted the Docs to be knee high boots and I wanted the zipper because lacing up the boots is time consuming. So I took them to my cobbler and he said he could shorten the shaft height for me for $40. I will lose the pull tab, and the little "Doc Marten" seal, but I'm fine with that since I didn't really like the pull tab to begin with and the "black smooth" color is very dark black, so the seal wasn't noticeable anyway. I dropped them off yesterday and will pick them up Tuesday or Wednesday. I will post on the forum when I get them back to let everyone know how it goes.

Also, the shaft height is usually measured from the bottom of the sole on the instep to the top of the boot. I've found that shaft height and circumference tend to vary by size on most boots (sometimes by 2 or 3 inches), so the Zappos listing is more like an estimate.

16 years ago

Christie

Active Member

Thanks, ladies! So it does sound like the first pair I linked to will be too tall.

I will look for the thread you've suggested, kellygirl. Ana, do you have to take off much? Your custom boots will be so nice!

Other than the height and the zipper, are all Docs the same? I was looking at the toe-box and heel, etc, and these all appear to be the same classic style --- at least to my eye, but I could be wrong!

Angie, what do you suggest and if I link to Zappos from your website, will you get the commission for the Docs? I don't see that you have them in your store yet! And I really would want you to get the commission, since I would never have thought of Docs otherwise.

16 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Hi Cricket. I ended up taking off about 2" (below the second eyelet). I can't remember, but I think the shaft height on mine was a bit higher than 15". Plus, there was a big gap at the top of the boots where they weren't contoured to my leg, so I'm just cutting all that part off. When I get them back, if all goes according to plan (knock on wood), they will come to the point on my leg where my calf muscle starts to curve back into my knee (if that makes sense), about 2-3 inches below my kneecap, so there should be no more gapping.

16 years ago

Christie

Active Member

Ana, thank you, this is helpful.

I hope, BTW, that you are sticking with your blog. I do check it often. Your post titles, using the parentheses, are very mathematically stylish.

16 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Cricket! I'm sticking with my blog, I've been bad and haven't updated it a bit. The end of the semester is a crazy time, I just got done with finals yesterday (hence my absence from the forum, too). I am going to make a post tomorrow.

16 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thanks for sorting Cricket out, Ana! I hope your Docs experiment works and that finals went well.

16 years ago

Christie

Active Member

I'm almost sorted.

First, do you have a preference between the two shorter options I linked to?

And, will you post these (both the taller and the shorter pairs, if you approve) to your store so that you will get the commission?

16 years ago

Christie

Active Member

Bump for Angie, as this was on the last line of the page.

I guess I need a vote of confidence to go ahead with this purchase. I don't really have anything edgy in my wardrobe, so this is a stretch for me. But I have a pink wool coat (like the JCrew Lady Day coat) so I think the combination of edgy with feminine will work, right?

16 years ago

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