Wider Calf Boots: A Leg Up For Curvier Gams

7 comments

Tuesday December 23, 2008

Year after year, stylish knee-high boots seem to be only for the slender of leg; choices for curvier gams appear limited to uninspired shiny stretch vinyl or short, below-the-calf heights. If you're a girl in need of tall boots with a roomier fit, though, don't despair. In a determined search for the holy-boot grail this Fall, I've managed to track down a variety of brand names and a few retailers with the right stuff.

Town Shoes and Ron White yielded the most selection. At Town Shoes, brands such as La Canadienne, Blondo, Steve Madden, Franco Saarto and Town Shoes' private label all include styles with a roomier leg and a range of heel heights. Ron White also carries La Canadienne, as well as generous fits from Cole Haan, Donald J Pliner, Mephisto, Stuart Weitzman and the Ron White signature brand.

Well-known Toronto boutique Trove carries a Canadian line called Bos & Co. with which athletic-calf types tend to have more luck. And because Bos & Co. is Canadian, many of their winter boots are appropriate for our deep freeze.

You may also find success with Ecco and Rockport, two brands now producing more fashionable footwear than you might expect. Most of Ecco's taller boots feature a hidden gusset for a little extra stretch in the leg. Although the brand is carried at various retailers, you'd find better success at an Ecco boutique, which would have a more comprehensive selection and a well-versed staff at the ready. At Rockport, a friend with curvy calves (who says she can never find tall boots that fit) triumphed unexpectedly with a pair of Sargas boots, which have a zipper as well as an adjustable lace-up front. A pair of streamlined Ainly boots also fit her, and the brand includes an array of styles with wide stretch gussets up the back.

Keep in mind that although a pair of tall boots fits your just-as-curvy-in-the-calf friend, they may not be as comfortable for you. Just like us, calves come in all shapes and sizes, and some of us can handle a snug fit more than others. Scoring your perfect pair is still going to take some... legwork. But now you have a leg up on the hunt -- so happy shopping!

by Janine Falcon

7 Comments

	on Feb 10, 2010 courtreportertor 169 said: Love the Rockports and great article. Saving this to my favourites.
	on Feb 03, 2009 tara33 103 said: Hi, great piece, i like the rockports. Just adding you can get width fitting companies out there like DUO who are a great company from England. They have plenty of width fittings and make some great boots. They are also in 70% sale at the minute so if you see anything better snap it up. Their site is www.duoboots.com Thanks, Tara.
	on Jan 28, 2009 michaelsm0m 193 said: Wow, thanks for posting this as an avid step arobics guru since the age of 15 my calves are not nearly the skinny ones on most women today. Dont get me wrong I love them and men comment all the time how incredibly sexy they are but it makes it really hard inthe tall boot department when you have leg option A as my husband calls it. I'm running to eBay right now to search, thanks!
	on Jan 07, 2009 gingercorsair 525 said: Great article! I've been searching for fat-calf boots for ages! I'll have to check these places out and report back.
	on Jan 05, 2009 Janine 218 said: Thanks, Miss Chickie! Savvy Homegirl, do you usually have difficulty finding a good fit? I have to admit I didn't expect to find such a selection of wider-legged boots. Perhaps it's a recent development? I did see a few good-looking narrower-fit tall boots at Ecco, and some sleek styles that fit the bill at -- surprisingly -- Feet First. I expected them to be FULL of wider-leg boots, but it was the opposite! Sounds like you scored at Aldo. Now I wanna go shopping! Waaaah!
	on Dec 31, 2008 Savvy Homegirl 203 said: I actually had the opposite problem when I was looking for boots this fall. While I completely realize that it is nothing to complain about, I have skinny calves and shins, and I found that most boots were too wide at the top. Considering I am not petite at all, there must be other ladies out there with similar troubles. I did find two great pairs that fit snugger than most. One pair was at Soft Mocs, and the boot that I chose to purchase was from Aldo. http://www.aldoshoes.com/ca-eng/women/boots/career-classics/71779752-vielle The Vielle boot has a back zipper, as opposed to a side-zip, great styling and a medium heel. I noticed that most boots were either flat or had 4.5inch heels. Wanting a comfortable boot, but not wanting to go to a flat style, the 2.5" heel is perfect. The boots are wide enough that I can put them over jeans, but the styling still makes them appear to be form-fitting on my calf when I wear them with tights and skirts. The final bonus - the boots were on sale!
	on Dec 24, 2008 Ali de Bold said: Great article, Janine. Very helpful!