Hi!
I need help! Every year I see tons of awesome calf- and knee-high boots. It seems like each Fall and Winter they come out with new styles…and colors! BUT I have to admire them from afar. I was born a beautiful full-figured woman :)….unfortunately, with BIG calfs! I can’t fit ANY of the boots I find! And the ones I do find are that suede material.

Do you know where I can find some MODERATELY-priced  leather calf- and knee-length boots? HELP!!

Crystal

Apologies to Crystal if it seems like we took awhile to respond on this plea; this is a tough and ongoing challenge for many women and keeping this article informative without going off on tangents has proven to be trickier than expected.

The complaint that boots are not made for gals with sturdy calves is, unfortunately, not news to anyone who has ever been in that same (and very unenviable) shopping position. So, of course, I find Crystal’s frustration to be completely understandable. And, there are many ladies out there who adore taller boots, but have less-than-dainty calves. At 14 inches around, my calves ride the fashion tightrope on whether a given boot will fit and zip.  If you are ambitious, there are even many products for you to attempt to self-stretch your own shoes, should the urge strike you.

Of course, the first requirement for successful stretching is that the boot upper be made of leather.  This is doubly important; Leather is very durable making it easier to get good wear and your money’s worth from your purchase and,  real leather is stretchable when given to a competent cobbler/boot repair shop. When all else fails, purchase and all-leather boot & have your boots stretched. The process will only lighten your pocketbook by $20-$30 and the result is often a perfectly fitted boot.

Now, if you are new to our site, you may have missed an older shoeblog article that focused on  Duo Boots.  Duo boots come in a number of different calf sizes and can even accommodate ladies with the opposite problem of narrow calves since they are sold by calf-size. Of course, at prices starting at UK 120/US $250 depending on the exchange rate, they may not quite fit into the category of ‘Moderately-priced’ to the average consumer. Lately, with shoe prices on the rise, these are definitely nowhere near as spendy as many current mid-to-high end designers that are now charging upwards of $500-$2500 for current-season leather boots; it may be a worthwhile investment for those harder-to-fit folks to spend the $250+ for a long-lasting, well-fitted boot.

Next, as he is the master of most things shoe-related, it is no surprise that ‘The Manolo’ has also struggled with a solution to the wide-calf dilemma. Among his recommendations of boot brands with roomier calf-allowances are: J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, and Church’s boots. More useful, perhaps are actually the comments responding to his article which recommend both Eddie Bauer as well as the (new to me) website www.widewidths.com (self-proclaimed as ‘Your Site for Fashionable Wide-calf boots’).

Finally, no hunt would be complete without a quick search over at Zappos.com to see what options are available on ‘Wide-calf’ site search. OK, that’s 50+ pages of results in varying styles and prices; Among them, a large selection of RSVP boots priced under $200. Of course, many ‘wide-calf’ boots only fit up to about 15 inches around in calf circumference, so some of these results will only be helpful for borderline ladies like myself;  so it’s always good to check the individual shoe stats (Thank you Zappos for such great descriptions).

Well, when my eyes alight on the phrase ‘Extra Wide Calf’, that sounds pretty promising. Way to go, Type Z.

Type Z Catie Extra Wide Calf $190 at Zappos.com (17″ circumference)

Also promising, selections from Ros Hommerson, a brand known for offering a huge variety of widths from extra-narrow to wide on all of their shoe and boot styles.

Ros Hommerson Chanel Boot (Wide - 16.25″ circumference) or Inlet Boot (Extra Wide - 18″ circumference) $198.

A few other options include widening a boot search to include boot-cut Western Styles as well as Lace-up boots and adjustable Granny styles.

Some options in this category are:

Dan Post Snowflake Ostrich $309.

Frye Veronica Slouch Black Patent $332 (15″ circumference).

Frye Page Buckles $382 (15.5 circumference).

Mark Nason Iris $574.95 $310 (14″ circumference). My own experience with Mark Nason is that the lacing give more width allowance than the base measurement indicates).

Etienne Aigner Kraft $ 148.95 $97 (14″ circumference).

Shoes for Lovely People Anthia $216 (14.5″ circumference plus added stretch gore panels).

This information is merely a starting point for those on the hunt for a more accommodating boot shaft, and some styles will work for some ladies and not others (But I have found that to be true of all shoes). Like any shoe hunt, it takes time and patience to find the right item at the right value. Hopefully I have provided some tools to help you along the way.

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Macy’s Sale Details:

When: October 8 -13

Where: This sale is occurring both online at Macys.com as well as in-store.

What: Applies to Regular and Sale-priced shoes (Clearance items not included).
Buy 2 Pairs of shoes, save 20%
Buy 3 or More, save 25%

An additional 10-15% discount is available if a Macy’s card is used.

Free Shipping on purchases over $99 with code: FREE99

So, here are a few of my picks. You are, of course, encouraged to browse on your own and find something to fit your own style.

How about some nice Fall boots in Grey? Grey boots are often very difficult to find in-stores when you are actually in the market for them; this is the time to buy. You might not see them again for several years.

I like the Frye ‘Paige’ Buckles boot and Boutique 9 ‘Lazer’ lace-up Granny boot.

Of course, I also like warm neutrals in the Fall - for example, I like the Faryl Robin ‘Quatar‘ ankle boot or Calvin Kline ‘Jive’ Butterfly Maryjane pump.

What would your picks be?

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Now that summer is officially upon us, I’ve noticed lots and lots of women wearing variations of essentially one model, which looks more or less like this:

For easy mental reference, I call this “the bib sandal,” a thong sans décolletage, if you will, all naked at the toes and all business up at the ankle. The one pictured above is the Kenneth Cole New York “Hampton Beach,” $129 at Zappos; there are plenty more, of course. They create the illusion of pointedness without the aggravation of pointy shoes: a win-win situation, if you ask me. The women I’ve seen in this type of gladiator-light sandal looked spiffy and put together (not to mention comfortable) in their breezy linen capris or summer-weight jeans, or gauzy flowing skirts. Here are a few more for your browsing pleasure:

A classic look that will go well with just about anything, but especially with flowers in your hair and a big smile, the K. Jacques “Cyrus” sandal is $178 at Shopbop.

The Frye “Mary” beaded edge thong comes in four colors (black, white, gray, and wine) and is $158 at Shopbop. A truly classy look with lots of fun details (buckle, beads, heel cutout) which makes this sandal a winner in my book.

If you want more of an evening look, there’s this Pelle Moda “Arion” model with loads of rhinestones and pearlized leather, coming in four color combos (black, silver, bronze, and platinum gold); it’s $116.10 at Zappos, or if you’re just looking for the gold version, $62.48 at Endless. (And for those of you who live and sleep in high heels, they also have a high-heeled version of this sandal for $133 at Zappos). Oh, while you’re at it: check out this identical twin (IDENTICAL IN EVERY WAY, people!): the RSVP Adrianne sandal (available for $70). My mind is officially boggled!

For the Marc Jacobs fans, here’s a simple and sleek version in a low wedge, in green or tan, on sale for $206.50 (down from $$295) at Shopbop.

This Unisa “Camera” sandal offers a cute embellished variation, plus a thicker molded footbed (mmm, my favorite!) for $79 at Piperlime.

The Kate Spade “Kip” sandals, in red, green, or black, are positively dreamy–though, at $264, they’re kind of pricy. Still, I love the print, the skinny-bib effect, and the strategically placed studs. (Very similar concept but different execution here, in this Lauren by Ralph Lauren “Edie” sandal in Kelly-green patent, $89 at Endless:

.) I’m sure you can find your own favorite versions with a little bit of prodding–Happy Sandal Shopping, shoe lovers!

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