Ask Angie: why are mid-calf boots stumpifying and knee boots not? - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: why are mid-calf boots stumpifying and knee boots not?

Aziraphale

Veteran

This question is for anybody...just curious about the science/optical illusion aspect of this phenomenon.

Here's the thing. I have a pair of white, flat knee boots that I wear all the time with high-contrast hose and a short skirt, and I don't feel like it stumpifies my legs. I also have a pair of flat brown boots that end just below my calf muscle, and I love them, but they are a bit leg-shortening even with low-contrast hose. Why is this? Does a boot not create a horizontal line on your leg no matter where it ends?

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from rae

Anonymous

Ok I'm going to take a wild guess at this one. I think it's because there is already a natural break at your knee, so a boot ending there is not adding an extra horizontal line. Anybody else?

Aziraphale

Veteran

Claire, that would be my guess too. But, WHY does it work? Why is it not stumpifying if there's already a natural break at the knee?

bran888

I think it's because for most people, your mid calf is the largest part of your (lower) leg...so if a boot ends at the largest part instead of at the smallest part (at your knee), then it's going to make your leg look wider and therefore shorter?

Aziraphale

Veteran

bran888, that's a good idea, but it can't be right, at least for me...because I have a few pairs of mid-calf boots that stop at the WIDEST part of my calf and they look great. It's the ones that end just below my calf muscle that are leg shortening. And anyway, if I wear matching hose, shouldn't that negate the leg-shortening properties of the boots?

It really bugs me that I can't figure this out.

Fruitful

Veteran

I don't find this to always be true. It depends on the shape of your leg and the shape of the shaft, and the heel. You really have to try them on and see.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Fruitful is right; it depends on your legs and the boot in question. I cannot wear flat, knee-high boots, because they shorten my legs horribly. Mid-calf is better, but they still probably shouldn't end right at the widest point.

Shu

Maybe your eye is drawn to the length of the boot rather than your leg, so the longer ones look more lengethening to your eye?

Ves

I'm with those who say the shape of your leg is what really influences it, followed by the shape of the boot. I actually find that I look very stumpy in most knee high boots because I have a muscle that juts out right above the knee and due to my short legs, makes me kinda look like I'm playing dress up in really tall boots. Under my knee, I am more slender and I look better when I highlight this.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Hm. Interesting and insightful answers, ladies.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Elisabeth, it depends on the contrast between your leg and the boots too, AND what you are wearing, PLUS the shape of your leg and heels factor into the equation too. Many variables

Rae, you don't look short legged in flat knee-high boots - that I can assure you! And are you comparing heeled mid calf boots to flat knee-high boots?

More often than not, knee-high boots, flat or heeled are more leg lengthening because they visually extend the lower leg with coverage.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Thanks for replying, Angie. It sounds like this is one of those things that seems like it should have a simple explanation, but on closer examination it doesn't.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Angie, that's interesting... In all my boot collection, I don't own *any* flat, knee-high boots, because every pair I've ever tried on have made hubs comment on how short my legs look - I didn't even have to ask for his opinion. He'd stroll into the den where I was pulling them on exclaim how horrible they were...

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

That might be because he is used to seeing you in heeled boots You don't wear flats, do you?

rae

(website)

Veteran

I try not to wear flats any longer, because they are uncomfortable. But hubs actually prefers flat sneakers and sandals to heels. He tolerates my heels because of my poor arches. I can't wrap my brain around it, either. It's possible that I was not choosing the correct height for my leg. Might be fun to do a flat boot study when I hit the shops this weekend!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I like your thinking, Rae.

*Of course*, I want your feet to be happy. So no flat boots for you if they hurt in any way. Just wanted to reassure you that you'd look great in the right pair of flat knee-high boots

Arya

(website)

This is such a timely discussion for me, as I've been trying on various knee-high boots with my skinnies. I have the challenge of athletic calves, for which I need a "wide-leg" shaft. Once I finally found a pair that I could zip up all the way, I felt like they really made my legs look short. I sort of color-blocked (they were brown boots with my dark-wash skinnies) in an unflattering way. My Fryes, however, which are calf-height and a lighter brown, look awesome with my skinnies.

I'll just keep trying more on and see if I can come up with a rule of thumb for myself.

Aida

Veteran

Rae, for flat boots I've found that if they have a wee bit of heel (even if it's just the 1" stacked heel), NO platform, and a very curved footbed (like, the toe part curves upwards) it makes a HUGE different for my arches. If I have extra room in my bag when I pack for this weekend I'll bring a flat pair that I wouldn't have expected to be comfortable with my high arches/instep but actually is very comfortable to show you.

(Oh wait, I have photos! Check the 2 flat brown pairs in #1; the one on the right is VERY comfortable, but you can see it's almost curved like a pump. Same with the black pair on the far right in #2. The 2 flat pairs with a shallower curve are comfortable, but not AS comfortable.)

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rae

(website)

Veteran

Ah interesting about those curved footbeds! That must really make a difference... I just measured, and my "flat" boots actually have 1-1.5-inch heels, but none curve upward like yours do. Now, if only the mystery of the stumpy legs could be solved!