You are on Team Low-Shaft Booties if you prefer them to high-shaft booties, and vice versa. Low-shaft booties tend to finish on the ankle bone. High-shaft booties cover the ankles and come up higher on the leg, but aren’t as high as mid-calf boots.
I like and have worn both low and high-shaft booties. But over the years, I’ve switched over to high-shaft booties almost exclusively. I find the higher shaft, when it fits in a tailored and comfortable way, more versatile, practical and dressy. It allows me to wear cropped pants in cold weather without baring ankle and lower leg skin. The coverage keeps me insulated. When I wear midaxi skirts and dresses, the higher shaft bootie covers my ankles and looks visually sleeker than a low-shaft bootie. There is something about the horizontal line higher on the leg that makes it look less cutting and more vertically elongating, if that makes sense.
Here is my collection of booties. All but the last white pair are high in the shaft.
All of that said, high-shaft booties can cut across the shins as you stride, making low-shaft booties more comfortable. Low-shaft booties can also be easier to walk in, lighter weight, and less bulky than high-shaft booties. Yet, I bat for Team High-Shaft Booties and I have found comfortable options.
Over to you. Do you bat for Team Low or High-Shaft Booties? Tell us why, and no batting for both teams. If you can’t pick a side, or don’t wear booties, I’m serving homemade onigiri sushi and kale salad on the bench. The best buttery South African shortbread with tea for dessert.
