Cute Boots for Skinny Calves
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Five dozen hand-picked styles for thin calves
Like many women, I love shoes, and boots in particular. I'm always on the hunt for the perfect pair. What makes the quest challenging is that although I run a few times a week and try to build up some muscle, my calves remain chicken-leg scrawny. Their circumference at the widest point is a bit shy of 12 inches. Most knee-high boots, by contrast, are sized at more than 14 inches around. So they flop around on me in a way that's appropriate for, say, a fun pair of wellies, but not for styles meant to be snug.
Online research tells me I'm not the only woman with this problem. There's a small but determined Sisterhood of the Scrawny Leg on the web. Unfortunately, many recommendations run toward the fiscally impractical (four-figure Chanel, Prada, Jimmy Choo--as if!). I can't spend a month's mortgage on boots, and if you can't either, you've come to the right place. I've done the legwork ;) and found an array of styles to fit skinny calves on a relatively slender budget.
Online research tells me I'm not the only woman with this problem. There's a small but determined Sisterhood of the Scrawny Leg on the web. Unfortunately, many recommendations run toward the fiscally impractical (four-figure Chanel, Prada, Jimmy Choo--as if!). I can't spend a month's mortgage on boots, and if you can't either, you've come to the right place. I've done the legwork ;) and found an array of styles to fit skinny calves on a relatively slender budget.
Table of Contents
Stretchy Boots
Stretch leather and faux leather, stretch suede, and stretch fabric boots generally have a smaller circumference, relying on their stretch to accommodate a range of sizes: helpful for both thin calves and wide calves. I've owned 3 pair of stretch boots and found them cute, comfy, and versatile.
Aerosoles Women's Lasticity Tall Boot
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
Lace-Up Boots
Tighten to your heart's content with these styles. The extra minute it takes to tie them up is worth it for a custom fit. Plus, all the styles below feature a relatively narrow calf circumference (13 to 14 inches), so you shouldn't have to tighten all that much or deal with gapping around the calf.
FRYE Women's Melissa Tall Lace Boot,Dark Brown,7.5 M US
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
Buckled Boots
Like lace-ups, these are adjustable, for a custom fit. The buckles also add a bit of edge that can be very appealing.
MIA Women's Ursela Knee High Boot,Black,6 M US
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
Franco Sarto Thin Calf Boots
The first thin calf boots I ever found were Franco Sarto, and I wore a brown and a black pair of F.S. into the ground. The first style (1222635) lists an amazing 12 inch calf circumference, so if anyone orders those, please please please come back and tell us in the comments if they actually are that slim! The others are listed at 13 to 13.5 inches, which is about as thin as most boots come in the calf.
La Canadienne!
Stylish and waterproof (!) La Canadienne boots have earned quite a following among thin-calved ladies. "A great fit for chicken legs!" cheers one reviewer, with others seconding her impression. Most styles will break the $300 mark, but for a good fit it might be well worth a try. The "Galaxy" style lists a 12.5 inch circumference, which is about the smallest I've seen outside of the designer labels.
La Canadienne Women's Passion Leather Riding Boot,Black,8.5 M
Amazon Price: $292.88 (as of 05/30/2012)
More Thin-Calf Boots
Here, the latest on my skinny calf treasure hunt. All of these styles list a calf circumference of under 14 inches. Thanks Katya (comments) for the tip on Gee WaWa!
Rain Boots for Skinny Calves
So here's the deal with cute wellie-style rain boots for skinny calves: These boots aren't supposed to be fitted. They're supposed to flap around on your legs -- that's the style, and it's cute. But with many rain boots measuring 15 inches or more around, if your calves are very thin -- say, 11 to 12 inches around -- the flap factor can be extreme. Basically you want about 1 to 2 inches of space around your calves for a cute rain boot fit. Here are 5 great choices for the thin-calved:
Aquatalia Winter Boots
For the rainy and snowy months, which number about 9 out of 12 where we live (sigh), I've had tremendous luck with Aquatalia by Marvin K. I have 2 pair that I live in for weeks on end. The weatherproofing-plus-style combo kicks up the price, but you can sometimes find them on sale. Both of my Aquatalia boot styles run snug in the calf.
Aquatalia by Marvin K. Women's Kate Boot,Espresso Suede,9.5 M US
Amazon Price: (as of 05/30/2012)
the skinniest
of the skinny
Here are the 5 thinnest-calf boots, based on calf circumference listed, that I have been able to find. These are the only styles under a 13 inch circumference that I've found -- and believe me, I spend a lot of time looking! If you track down something as narrow or narrower in the calf than these, please do share the details below, in Comments. Thank you!
Made-to-Measure Boots
UK-based DUO is well known in the scrawny-calf community for offering boots you can customize by calf size. Choose from more than a dozen boot styles in 21 calf sizes, most offered from 30 centimeters (about 11.8 inches) up to 50. DUO's stores are in Britain, but you can order online, too, and the company now offers free shipping worldwide. The only drawback is the price: not a month's mortgage, but a bit splurge-y at $200 to $500 a pair.
Vintage Boots
I was intrigued by a tip from one skinny-calf sister who says she always buys vintage boots, and they fit great. I'm kind of assuming you'd need to find '70s or earlier for a significantly narrower fit. Worth a look, maybe? Happy hunting :)
If all else fails...
Found your perfect pair of boots, but they're too floppy? Contact a cobbler about narrowing the calves. I haven't done this personally, but I know it's possible (if a bit pricey). Click here to find a cobbler near you.
Uggs addict?
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Share your quest...
for the perfect boot!
Skinny calves or not, I'd love to hear about your dream boot -- whether you own it or are still in coveting mode. Special thanks if you find a cute boot with a calf circumference under 14 inches and share the info here.
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Annabella B
May 28, 2012 @ 12:41 am | delete
- Franco Sarto Heights boot (as mentioned in article above):
I bought size 6, brown (chestnut) ...I measured with a tape measure and the opening is actually 14 inches around (when zipped shut). I also measured 3 inches below the top of the boot, they measure 13 and a half inches around.
So they are NOT 12" around as in the description! Hope this helps my skinny calfed sistas ;) Thanks for this great article
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KarateKatGraphics
May 29, 2012 @ 11:10 am | delete
- dang it! file that one under "too good to be true," I guess
pls., if anyone else finds a discrepancy between the circumference in product listing & a measurement you take at home, let us know, as Annabella did
thx for the heads-up!
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jakealoo
May 21, 2012 @ 5:14 pm | delete
- I have skinny calves and Im a runner lol.
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EnjoyLens
May 16, 2012 @ 5:46 pm | delete
- Very nice lens! thumbs up!
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Angela - Brisbane
May 13, 2012 @ 9:13 am | delete
- Fabulous list. Than yo so much from my 13 inch calves. I previously have had my boots taken in. Not many shoe Repairers will do it. I use Hallejuias is Bris. Its impossible to get them as finished as a new pair though. So choosing from the list I am!
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