Boots for the Big Calves
By FrancescaLookie! The New York Times’ “T Magazine” has advice for those of the Fatted Calf:
Question: I’m looking for women’s boots that can fit my calves. A lot of tall boots are too narrow for me. Help!
Answered by: Karla M. Martinez, women’s fashion market director
Your problem is something that I have heard so many ladies complain about — it is a real issue, and I wish more shoe companies were sensitive to it. One common solution is buying boots with a stretchy panel sewn into the upper. But that isn’t always the most attractive style, and sometimes the elastic does not provide enough stretch to fit. A great solution I’ve found is J.Crew’s boots, which are made for different calf sizes. I love the Sinclair boot in espresso brown. Equestrian boots also tend to have wider widths and always look so chic with dresses, pants or skirts. You have good options available at A.P.C. . . . and Madewell. The best riding boots are made by Ralph Lauren and Church’s, which told me its uppers are roomier than average. When Spring shipments arrive in stores in February and March, Ralph Lauren will have an abundance of riding boots, which certainly have room for bigger calves.
I called Florinka Pesenti, who works for Tod’s, the luxury shoe company. She suggested the option of having your boots stretched. Shoe Service Plus (212-262-4823), which has many fashionable customers, can stretch boots as much as two inches at the calf. Erich Lutz, the manager at the Christian Louboutin boutique on the Upper East Side, also suggested the stretching at Shoe Service Plus, where the procedure costs about $30. I also recommend Top Service, a small shop at 845 Seventh Avenue (212-765-3190) — there, a stretch costs about $10. If money is no object in your quest, Manolo Blahnik can custom make its signature boots to perfectly fit your calves.
One final bit of advice: Judging by the pre-fall shows I saw a few weeks ago, fantastic slouchy boots that fall slightly below the calf are on their way back. Arrivederci calf-squeezing boots! My favorite designs of this new style come from Balenciaga and Chloé. Keep your eye out for those in June. And let us know what you end up doing.
Francesca is fascinated to know that one can have one’s boots professionally stretched. If you do not live in New York, a few calls to to the shoe stores may help you find a local place to do this.
However, she is wary of this idea of the “slouchy” boots that “fall slightly below the calf.”
She warns the Big Girls that cutting off one’s leg at that point might make one’s legs look stumpy. Obviously, each girl must try the fashions for herself; much depends on the shape and length of one’s legs, the exact style and height of the boot, and the other clothes one plans to wear with it.
All Francesca is saying is to be careful. (And to give peace a chance.)
January 31st, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I took a look at some of her suggestions. The JCrew boots for example only come in one calf width per size and it’s about 13-15 inches. Not much help for me. The last time I measured my calves, they were too wide for even the extra wide widths (about 16 inches). And for those easily frustrated, don’t go to the original post, many of the commenters there are complaining that they have problmes finding boots that are too wide.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
“Give peace a chance” — ha! good one.
Thanks for the article. I’ve been craving knee-high, preferably cowboy, boots.
January 31st, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Try widewiths.com - I have two pairs of boots from them! The shipping is ridiculously expensive, from what I remember, and the return policy is a bit goofy, but I’ve never found other boots to fit my calves.
January 31st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Or spelled correctly… http://www.widewidths.com/
February 1st, 2008 at 1:28 am
I have asked several shoe repair shops about boot stretching and all of them have told me they don’t recommend it to get a plus-size calf in a boot, and that it rarely makes a boot fit properly.
Another boot retailer I would recommend is Duo Boots, a London-based retailer that makes books specifically for wide calves. They have an excellent selection of styles and colors, and go up to 50cm widths, sometimes more. They’re NOT cheap, but they are well-made and comfortable; these are definitely “investment piece” boots. If you’re in the US, shipping is pricy but there is no VAT tax. They frequently have sales or free shipping, and also carry narrow-calf boots and nice shoes. I’ve just ordered my second pair from them and am eager to see how they fit when they arrive; I already have a pair of the Malmo style. Several of my friends also like their boots.
February 1st, 2008 at 8:59 am
Sudini (carried at Nordstrom) have lovely wide calf boots. In fact, way too wide for my calves. I was sad, because they were lovely.
February 1st, 2008 at 11:15 am
I recommend DUOboots as well. I’ve bought 3 pairs from them during the last few years, and it’s a great feeling to be able to zip up boots that are tailored to your legs!
February 1st, 2008 at 11:51 am
Duo boots is having a clearance sale as we speak! They’re still expensive, but less so.
You can also search for wide calf boots at Zappos. A lot of them only go to 15″ or so, but I have a pair from Ros Hommerson that are 17″ and gorgeous… I think that designer has boots for 18″ and 19″ calves too.
February 1st, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Although the link to jcrew in the article takes you to boots that only come in 1 width, other boots on the site do have “extended calf” sizes. Because we’re coming to the end of the winter season, they are in the sale section only at this point. I have two pairs of beautiful extended calf boots from the jcrew site, and the fit me perfectly! It really was an amazing find, because normal tall boots don’t fit me at all.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:41 pm
[…] Francesca is fascinated to know that one can have one’s boots professionally stretched. […]
February 1st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Eddie Bauer offers several of their boot styles in wide calf sizes. They’re at the edduebaueroutlet.com for 50% off some styles. I love their riding boots.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Just a comment on DUO boots - My experience with them has been extremely frustrating. Yes, their boots will fit your calf. But, their boots have huge variation in the size of the toebox, so much so that I am a 38 in some and a 40 in others. Guess how much sending shoes back and forth from England costs and how much time it takes. Combined with multiple errors from DUO, it turns out to be a huge pain.
Also, after spending about $350 getting the perfect fit on a boot from them, the freaking sole is now cracked and crumbling after only 6 months of irregular wear. I am completely DONE with this company.
February 14th, 2008 at 3:07 am
nordstroms will also stretch your boots for you as a complimentary service if you ask them too.
February 14th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
My thing with Duo is that their leather boots usually have this really hideous (and rarely pictured) elastic stretch panel. Yeah, so that’s how they can “fit” wider calves, you say… but I have 2 pairs of J. Crew wide calf boots– and yes, it’s really unfair that their “wide calf” widths is like an inch wider than their normal widths, usually around 15″ or so, negating anyone else whose calves are larger than 15″– but they don’t have the ugly panel extension part.