Shoe question Part 2: booties for short legs

Mochi

Hi and back with my other question. I have pretty short legs (about 18.5" up to the center of the kneecap, and shorter from the knee up to the hip) and am considering a purchase of these short boots:

http://www.shirise.com/assets/.....JP_m_j.jpg

The only other pair of booties I own, I've worn under bootcut and wide-leg trousers. These I'm considering I adore so much (and would be, to date, the most expensive shoes I've bought), I would want to wear them with skirts and over skinny jeans. I don't mind sticking to brown tights or pants at least some of the time, but are they really that leg-shortening that you'd recommend I stay away from them? As I said, they're pricey so I would want them to be a pair of go-to boots. I couldn't find the height specs online. Also I can upload pics of my legs (my calves are wide-ish at 15", but kind of "athletic" looking) if it helps.

Thanks, all!

13 years ago

Body Type

12 replies

Latest reply was from chewyspaghetti

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Would these be high enough to wear skinny jeans tucked into them? I would imagine that when you sat down the bottom of the skinny jeans would always be popping out the top of the boot. I guess I'm having a hard time picturing how you want to wear them. I've mostly seen this kind of bootie worn under bootcut jeans or with dark tights. You might be able to wear them with socks pushed down and bunched around the top, either with skirts or skinny jeans. But that's definitely more of a "look." I've seen it pulled off though and I thought it was very cool.

13 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

I guess you're right about the skinny jeans (shows how much of a fashion amateur I am still My point being, I would like to be able to see more than the bottom inch of the boot at least some times when I wear them anywhere.

Generally I do think they're an odd length of boot, but for some reason I really like these particular ones...but am practicing not getting attached to something that won't work for me.

13 years ago

Joy

Veteran

Last year I struggled with finding the right booties to wear with dresses and finally found that it was easier and less leg shortening when the ankle showed (I think this revelation came from one of Angie's blog posts). So the first pair below, which I own) is easier with a skirt and bare legs than the second example. I also wear the first pair with skinny jeans and wider pants. If the ankle is covered by the bootie, it probably is best if the bootie at least is close fitting in the ankle area.

http://www.dsw.com/shoe/baretr.....Ref=SEARCH

http://www.dsw.com/shoe/bare+t.....Ref=SEARCH

13 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Depending on how wide the opening is, you might be able to wear them with jeggings. I've always stayed away from that kind of boot because I wasn't really sure how to wear them other than under bootcut jeans. Hopefully someone else will chime in and have some better ideas than mine.
: )

13 years ago

Dashrashi

Veteran

I wear skinny jeans tucked into my favorite ankle boots all the time--no hem popping out. This is probably because my ankle boots are just above the ankle and my skinnies are rather long--lots of scrunch.

(boots are these: http://www.google.com/shopping.....CFMQwBMwAA)

13 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

I don't have to own them...I could just print out a pic and put it on the wall of my office and stare at it from time to time...save some bucks that way....

(edit) Bet that look is amazing on you, Dashrashi

13 years ago

Anonymous

First of all, count your blessings. My calves are only 17" to the knee and I'm 5'7"!

I think you can make these leg-lengthening by wearing dark tights when you wear dresses or skirts. I have a similar pair, and I find them hard to wear with skinnies. The cuffs fight each other and they don't fall in a nice line like bootcuts do. When I've tried to tuck in my jeans, they blouse weirdly or come untucked. That's ok, but it takes a little getting used to. I'm just not sure if I like messing with that combo. I hate fussing with my clothes.

13 years ago

Anonymous

Haha Mochi! I'm with you on the boot porn! I should do the same thing with a picture of my elusive riding boots!

13 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

I'm in, claire! And ladies, whether you meant to or not, I think you've talked me off the ledge....I just LIKE the damn shoes but I am thinking they would hardly work for anyone the way I'd like them to work (but hey, I'm one of these contrary people--as a youth I thought "bootcut" should mean cut so that you could wear inside your boots...)

13 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

First of all, these boots are fantastic. No wonder you want them!

(Clearly I am no help at all with the boot addictions. I wanted Claire to order those riding boots earlier so I could live vicariously through her and now I would like you to order these ones!)

Anyway, I was going to say the same as Claire...sounds as if your legs are longer than you fear. So perhaps that is not an issue.

Having said that, as someone with muscular legs, I absolutely understand your bootie fear.
I had never owned or worn a pair until this season, because I feared the stump factor.

I'm still not sure I've got it right, but I do like my very snug fitting (adjustable) booties which I wear with both skinnies and dresses. They come up over the ankle but cleave very close to the ankle. http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/jo.....ot/3036220

It would be helpful to know the shaft height of those boots you are looking at. And it would also be helpful to know the width of your skinny jeans on the bottoms. I have a pair of Blundstone's that I have worn with skinny jeans over top. And believe it or not, it worked. More of the boot showed than would show with bootcuts (obviously) but the very top (ankle part) was obscured. I don't know if you could do that with these boots or not.

13 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

Such cool shoes, Suz! Glad you're enjoying them.

I guess I'm still trying to figure out the "concept" of booties. They do look good under trousers, but when you (I) like the entire shoe, it seems a waste to never reveal it? I do remember high school (early 80's) with a few rocker girls wearing their skinny jeans tucked into short boots and looking cool in them.

13 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

If you are concerned about making your legs look longest, I think more goes into keeping horizontal lines off your legs and keeping it all in the same tone, adding a little heel and maybe a lower vamp on the bootie. If you're looking for booties to wear with bare legs, either go with something close to your skintone, or wear similar colored tights with it. I think the ones you posted are great for wearing with pants, but I don't think they will do what you want with your legline.

13 years ago

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