Riding Boots for Thin Calves ~ 2013 All-Stars

photo: Carmen via flickr cc, cropped for size & shape

It's been a pleasure reviewing a dozen boots for small calves this year, and I look forward to more in 2014! Obviously this is very subjective, but I rate each for beauty, value (often sale prices come into play with this one), and calf slimness--with an understanding that each of us has her own custom blend of priorities when it comes to finding the perfect boot.

So to recap, here are my top picks for 2013 -- the styles I gave 5 stars out of 5:

For beauty:

The Aquatalia Orso, the Michael Kors Arley, the Donald Pliner Boxer, the Tory Burch Christy, the La Canadienne Sandra, and the Attilio Giusto Leombruni tall riding boot

For value: The BCBGeneration Jericho, the Nine West Pristeen, the Donald Pliner Boxer, The Vince Camuto Vacilla, the Solemani Gabi

For calf slimness: The Donald Pliner Boxer, the Solemani Gabi
(Update: After going back and looking at the "stats" -- midcalf, ankle & top opening measurements -- I'm adding the Aquatalia Orso & Michael Kors Arley here, because when I add those 3 figures together, these are just as slim overall as the Boxer & Gabi)








Happy New Year to all!

Attilio Giusti Leombruni Riding Boot

My last tall boots for thin calves for 2013 are real beauties. With a brand name this Italian, how could it be otherwise? This boot features some of the softest, smoothest leather I've felt in ages. And the styling has some wonderful grace notes, thanks to three sisters who've joined their elders' longstanding, eco-conscious family shoe business, vowing to create for all women the stylish but comfortable footwear they crave for themselves.

Nordstrom lists these specifically as "narrow calf," and based on the essential midcalf measurement, where most of us are at their fullest in the lower leg area, that is fairly accurate. In a size 8, they measured 13.75" at the midcalf.

The ankle is quite slender looking but came in at 10" -- not nearly as wide as average, but not the smallest we've seen on this blog. The top opening measured 14.75" and would have suited my legs better at an inch or so smaller, though -- you can judge for yourself, through the photos -- there really wasn't an odd-looking "flare" effect from the midcalf up.

I'm finding that, in some cases, an unexpected side effect of slimmer calf boots is that the snug leg can make an average (like mine) to larger size foot look rather clunky. Not the case with this boot, which IMO gives the foot quite a pretty appearance. I think the "daintier" than typical (for a riding boot) heel on this boot may contribute to that, but it's also just the overall shape of the foot. Nicely done.

Besides the pretty foot, something I absolutely love is the way they've approached the stretch inserts. They've kept these on the small side and created a curving shape for them that looks like a purposeful design element, not just a utilitarian way to accommodate different sized legs.

To recap, this is a very pretty boot that's not the slimmest we've come across, but certainly narrower than average. At the current sale price, it's a chance to get a timeless, luxury product you won't be swimming in, at a relatively moderate price. Hope these talented Leombrunis will keep the slim boots coming! 

Rating:
Beauty: *****/5
Value: ****/5
Calf slimness: ****/5

In black.
Find it at:
These sold out at Nordstrom,but as of March 2015 ebay has a few of these on offer, unused, starting at $140!

BCBGeneration Jericho

The best thing about these simply styled riding boots for skinny calves? Their sale price, as of late December. Real leather, not faux, at about $100! If you're on a tight budget and have slim but not scrawny calves, the Jericho could be a winner.

The ankle on this one is 11.5, but because the leather and fabric are fairly stiff (while not uncomfortably so), I didn't see too much sagging or wrinkling there -- just some extra space. The midcalf measurement on a size 8 boot is 13.75, which is pretty good....12.25 being our "recordsetter" so far on this blog :)

The issue with the Jericho is that it flares out at the top, not in a dramatic or pirate-y way but enough to create some noticeable space around a thin leg. The opening for a size 8 measures 15.5", which obviously is not ideal for slim calves. I think the 13.25-13.75 measurements listed on various websites are either for the top opening in a size 5 or 6 or for a midcalf measurement in the size 7-9 range that most of us wear. I don't object a bit to "circumference" being measured at the midcalf -- in fact, I'm more and more convinced that that's what is most relevant to how sleek or sloppy a boot will look on the leg, and I've seen Nordstrom staff comments, for instance, suggesting this is where they take the circumference measurement -- but I wish the shops would make that clear.


For the sale price, though, the Jericho is a nice pick, and it's simple and classic enough to be styled a million ways. No bells and whistles, just a straightfoward leather riding look with stretchy fabric for its back half.

Two caveats: The shaft is taller in the front (about 17.5 inches) than in the back, a look I found flattering. But I'm 5'4" with somewhat long legs, so if you're shorter or have shorter legs, you might find the front of the boot hits you awkwardly mid-knee rather than just under the knee as it does me. The back shouldn't cause trouble for petites, as it's a couple inches shorter than the front. Second thing, the foot is on the snug side of TTS, so if you're between two half-sizes, I'd recommend going with the larger.

Happy holidays to all you skinnylegs! Hope you find your perfect boot under the tree, even if you had to research, purchase & wrap it up yourself! :)

Rating:
Beauty: ***/5
Value: *****/5
Calf slimness: **/5

In black or brown.
Find it at: Amazon 
(They're practically giving this one away as of mid Feb. '15, with some sizes under $50)

Note: I can't quite believe this, but a moderately priced, promisingly proportioned style from my earlier days of obsessing over boots for skinny legs  -- the Enzo Zeric (under $100!) -- is still kicking around in a few sizes at Amazon. It's styled much like the Jericho, but (though I never tried it on) I suspect probably narrower at the opening, even in non-tiny shoe sizes. Better still, it's priced at only $65-$107 as of early October -- for leather! If your size is available & you're tall enough for the 17 1/2 inch shaft, I wouldn't hesitate on this one. (Update: annnddd it's gone...as of Oct. '15...but if you're open to boot shopping on ebay, as I sometimes do, spot-check for Zerics there, which have at times appeared for under 100 bucks :)

Tory Burch Christy

Researching riding boots for small calves that have worked well for others, I read some raves about Tory Burch. It seems this preppy mogul can cut a nice boot for us slimmer women. The smallest-circumference style I found was the Christy, pictured here with my usual assortment of legwear to give you an idea of the fit on 12 inch calves.

Contacting the company, I was told the Christy had a 13-inch circumference in my shoe size, and that turned out to be true...sort of. The crucial midcalf measurement is in fact 13 inches on the dot -- yea! However, the opening up top is 15", which is wider than ideal for me, especially over thin stockings, though with pants it doesn't have nearly as much of that "kid trying on mom's boots" look. At 11 inches around, the ankle is also roomier than desired. But 11, 13, 15 -- in their mathematical beauty, those 3 measurements do kind of express the graceful, even expansion of this boot shaft from bottom to top.

With its pretty pebbled texture and rich espresso color (also available in black), this is the classic run-through-lush-green-fields-like-you're-in-a-Ralph-Lauren-photo-shoot boot that non-WASPs like me may feel slightly ashamed to covet so fiercely ;)  It also gets high marks from my better half, who didn't seem to mind the roominess through the calf. Its elegant simplicity reminds me somewhat of the Frye Chelsea, except that the Christy has a full zipper in back, while the Chelsea has none, and the Chelsea is actually slimmer at both the top and ankle.

In fact, the zipper is one of my favorite features, and something that will appeal to fellow logophobes: There's a subtle double "T" on the zipper pull -- and nowhere else. It's a cute logo, but I've never enjoyed being a walking billboard, so this approach is perfect.

The Christy is a luxury boot, offered right now at a semi-luxury price, so it probably won't last long. (Some sizes are already sold out.) Here's to more slim styles in the future from a brand that clearly knows how to do "riding" right.

Rating:
Beauty: *****/5
Value: ***/5
Calf slimness: ***/5

In brown or black.
Sold out everywhere, for a while now -- but check the ebay listings - you might get lucky.

***fall 2014 update***

photo: amazon.com

I think the Tory Burch Marlene may be the best Christy replacement for fall, with a similarly rich color (if you love brown for classic equestrian style boots, as I do -- but the style comes in black as well), shape, and leather texture. The embossed logo at the cuff up top is more pronounced than the Christy's cute little zipper pull, but its placement is clever enough to overrule my logophobe tendencies.

Also new for fall, the gorgeous new Grace (right) impressed me with its beauty and construction, but less so with its slimness.

Thanks in advance for posting feedback if you try the Marlene or another new style from this label...

Solemani Gabi

November 2016 update: Solemani has three new riding styles for very narrow calves, pictured below: the Timeless (at bottom) the Trendy & the Naz (top). All made from leather and priced under $200. Enjoy! 

photo c amazon

photo c amazon

photo c amazon

Original review on the Gabi:

While it's awesome that "wide calf" designated boots are becoming more common & diverse, rare indeed are explictly labeled slim riding boots. The Solemani Gabi "Slim Collection" boot (shown at right on my legs -- wisely restocked as of October 2015!) is a very nice step toward balancing out the equation. Bonus: It's leather, and (surprise!) well under $200.

The best thing about the Gabi is that its midcalf circumference -- arguably the key stat for a snug fit -- came in at only 12.25 in shoe size 8, which ties the somewhat dressier looking Arley boot and provides about a quarter inch of wiggle room around my just-under-12" calves. The Gabi fit easily over skinny cords, as you can see from the photo, but without any gapping. There is a small stretch panel in the back (more on that in a bit), but I'm not sure how much expansion it offers and would say this might not be the boot for calves over about 13 inches.

I measured the top opening at 13.5, and the ankle at a nice slim 9.5 inches. 9" on the dot would have been even better for my 8" ankles, but that's almost impossible to find in a riding boot, and even with the 9.5", I definitely needed to unzip the boot all the way down to put these on.

The Gabi's versatile, classic, easy to dress up or down, with subtle silver hardware. The stretch panel in back is only 1.5" wide, which means the boots look all-leather from most angles. Shaft heights are not specifically listed on the measurement chart provided with the Amazon description, but for reference, the height in size 8 measured 15 7/8" from the instep, 16 3/4 from the floor -- pretty much ideal for me (5'4" with longish legs for my height).

Rating:
Beauty: ****/5
Value: *****/5
Calf slimness: *****/5

In black and brown.
Find it at:
Amazon

Nine West Pristeen

If you, like I, have wondered if Stuart Weitzman's beloved 5050 over-the-knee boot could be the ultimate in tall boots for thin calves, but don't quite have the budget for it, I've found a promising alternative. What drew me to the Nine West Pristeen was (well, besides the relatively gentle pricing) that its listed circumference, 13.5 inches, is actually smaller than the 5050 at 14". I had a very helpful email exchange with a Weitzman customer service person who suggested that, in a nutshell, on my just-under-12-inch calf the 5050 might be a bit roomy but might also still look fab and become my new go-to. And that's pretty much how I feel about the Pristeen.

These over-the-knee riding boots for small calves actually measured 15" at the very top in my shoe size (8). But at midcalf, where my calves are fullest, I measured the Pristeen at 13.25, which is not bad. The ankle unfortunately came in at 11.25" around, which is a good 3 inches bigger than my ankles. Still, I did need to use the convenient small ankle zipper to get the boots on -- and had a hard time imagining how that works with zipperless over-the-knee styles...

I loved the 21.5" shaft height. (For reference, I'm 5'4" tall but am shortwaisted, so most of my height is in my legs.) Would not want them shorter, or they'd hit at a weird place on my knee. A bit longer would be fine, but too much and they'd look like fly-fishing waders ;)

In front, the Pristeen is a nice quality leather, while the stretchy fabric in back is just the right stiffness -- not cardboard- or plastic-ish, but not too soft or floppy either.

If these boots were a half-inch narrower through the shaft and a couple inches smaller around the ankle, they'd be a dream come true for me. As it is, they're a fun find at a great an amazing price!

Rating:
Beauty: ****/5
Value: *****/5
Calf slimness: ***/5
 
In black or brown.
Find it at: Amazon (under $100 in several sizes as of late summer 2015)