Thinking about bootie fit... - YouLookFab Forum

With my recent search for cutout booties, I've been thinking a lot about how booties should fit and what is/is not acceptable in terms of FPE (flower pot effect). So I have two main problems with bootie fit that contribute to FPE. First, my ankles are narrow and indent quite a bit from my heel, which means that most booties have a gap at the back even though my actual heel fits the footbed correctly. The other problem is that my instep/arch is super low and flat so there's often excess room there as well, even with an orthotic insert.

So on to the pictures... I own 1-3, and used to own 4 (they were unfortunately really shoddily made). I like all 4 of them in terms of looks and amount of gape. All 3 of the pair I currently own have some form of front indent. I think this helps enormously with the instep problem. It probably hides some of the ankle gaping too. #4 did not but had a bunch of ruching on the front which probably helps to hide the excess instep room.

The Fluevogs (#2) are probably the best fit of the bunch on me. They have a front cutout as well as a tight elastic gusset over the instep and fit with almost no gape.

#5 is the epitome of FPE for me. They are the Report Marks that I tried on a long time ago. This photo makes me laugh every time I see it because it looks SO MUCH like I'm a kid trying on Mom's shoes.

And finally, 6-7 are two pairs of cutout booties I've tried recently. I'm returning 6 but still on the fence about 7. You can see that they both have a lot more gaping than the pairs I own. What I'm unsure about is whether or not this is just part and parcel of the particular style. Is it OK, or always going to look too big on me? Maybe I just need to give up on this style. (I do have those cutout combat boots coming, and was also looking at cutout biker styles with higher shafts, which is a shape that works on me - on a higher shaft the gaping does not bother me nearly as much.)

So, to me, the big thing is that 1-4 look like they fit, whereas 5-7 look too big (even though they are all the right size).

Anyway, I was wondering what others see here. What is it about 1-4 that is missing in the others? And is a cutout bootie fundamentally different in terms of how it should fit?

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11 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Agreed.

Here is my extra 2 cents:

That front vent in booties is extremely flattering on a bare leg.

#2 are the best fit to my eye.

#3 I find overly chunky for your dainty ankle - and I voiced my opinion when those booties were a K/R, so I am consistent in my thought process.

#1 is the next best fit - a shame that the quality is inferior.

#4 is a good fit too.

Does #7 fit in the foot? The gaping looks too wide to me too.

Diana

Veteran

Angie, #7 does fit in the foot. There are more pics and discussion in the K/R thread here. I'd really love to know your opinion as I am really conflicted.
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....oles-again

#4 are the bad quality ones. I don't own them anymore. #1 is still going strong.

I know that you think #3 is too chunky. But it was specifically what I was looking for and I think the chunkiness has more to do with the overall design of the boot (with the big platform and dark sole) and not the actual fit. FWIW, I never wear them with skirts sans tights, although sometimes I do wear them with BFs and bare ankles.

Joyce B

I thought ankle booties were supposed to gape a little, otherwise they can cause blisters if they are too tight. I guess I will be paying closer attention to the pictures from stores.

catgirl

Can we see a picture of you barefoot? I find this so interesting! I still think FPE can be a look, although I don't love it on me with my stick legs. BF shoes?

Liz A.

I think you want to look for a shoe with a curve to the back of it. To me, that's your biggest problem area from a looks perspective. Now I want to go home and take pictures of my feet in my Report Marks. I think there's also an element of personal preference and whether you like the flower pot look. I do to a certain extent.

What Liz says makes sense - in a shoe with a curved heel the edge of the shoe often presses into my Achilles - so my heel is a different shape.

unfrumped

You have to find your own happy place, and I'm still agog over the great color of #7, but I think you should keep looking for brands or styles that fit more like the Fluvog. It's not even just the back gap but the combination--the overall more delicate proportions of the Fluvog, while still being a "sturdy" shoe , are just really flattering.
I'm not really a good role model, as I'm always battling the desire to settle, since I am having trouble finding my "aspirational" fits, too.

Una, only for you. Behold the Pancake Duck Feet!

Um, my feet look deformed in all the pics I can find. I swear they do not look quite so weird IRL. But it is true that I have virtually no arch.

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Ah. I got the quality of #1 and #4 mixed up.

Nothing wrong with your cute feet, and just commented on the other Miista thread.

Anonymous

Well, I don't think your feet look weird. I have very high-arched wide duck feet!

I think trying to find a lower cutout bootie with a curved heel would work.

Ceit, that is part of the problem. Most of the cutout styles I've seen have a quite straight back panel. A lot of them (like the black pair I tried) have a zipper there which prevents it from curving at all. Even if I were to tighten the straps on the teal miistas (which would require punching another hole) it just seems to press the front part in more without affecting the back much.

How low can the cutouts go? Do you ever just wear the front footie sock, or do you need the whole socklet?

http://www.asos.com/Asos/Asos-.....t.aspx?iid

http://www.freepeople.com/shoe.....8F4-4CCF-8

It's gotta at least be enough to cover my orthotic, so can't go all the way down to the bottom. (So the first one won't work). I have one pair of "mule socks" that work, but the new ones I bought won't stay on my foot, so a real footie is probably better. However, with the teal Miistas, the strap actually hides the edge of a nude footie, so that works OK.
I saw the second JC pair a couple of days ago but I really wanted a lower heel height.

Yeah that is my problem, finding cutout boots that are flatter. I can't wear 2" heels regularly.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/to.....oe/3499762
Here's a video with them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUp27RcE3uI Unfortunately they look like they are hard to find!

Ceit, those are actually a little too refined for what I am looking for. They remind me of these Kurt Geigers that I was also looking at earlier. But what I really want is something a bit tougher. And I gotta admit, I'm not really fond of the skinny little ankle strap type. Sigh. I have a feeling that the look I want is not one I can actually accomplish given my foot shape.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/kg.....nalizedsor

rabbit

I find booties/shooties of that height with cutouts and buckles really tricky too and have small ankles. Generally I just forget about the cutouts go for something that comes up higher and stops at the lower calf rather than the ankle, or something that laces and has some give and therefore conforms to my actual shape. The Clarks water row booties that I and Liz A (I think) have appear to be good this way, but that's a whole different look.

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