Thursday, December 3, 2015

Narrow Calf Riding Boots ~ 2015 All-Stars

Artwork copyright 2015 KKG
Not since 2013 have we had the material for a year-end "greatest hits" post featuring riding boots for skinny calves that will work for even the slimmest-legged among us. Despite my hopes, 2015 did not yield an abundance of 5-out-of-5-star boots for calf slimness -- but there were two standouts.

The Vaneli Vesper is, happily, still available at Amazon and for discounts (as I type) of 30 to 70 percent (!). It's a cute style that will be most at home in casual environments but, for some, may work at work too :) Most importantly, it hugs even scrawny calves nicely. So check that one out, if you haven't already.

The Skinnycalf Rider is a luxurious made-in-Italy boot that offers a good value for the price, especially if you use the code SKINNY20 at checkout. Drawbacks: It may not be quite as tall as more statuesque boot lovers would prefer; it runs a little small in the foot, as far as I could tell from my try-on; and (the biggie) it's mostly out of stock now. But there appear to be a few color/size combos available, so worth a peek.

photo: amazon.com
Note: I am 99% sure the reissued Solemani Gabi boots (at right) would rate a 5/5 for calf slimness, though I haven't tried on this year's model. Based on reviews, I'm guessing these are identical, or nearly so, to the Gabis I tried back in 2013. (The new quilted-leather Martina from this same reliably slim-friendly label looks pretty sharp, too, especially in black.)

*****


2015 honorable mentions: The Frye Molly Gore Tall, Frye Phillip Harness Tall, Aquatalia Gina and Via Spiga Bufu all rated 4 out of 5 in my book for both beauty/style and calf slimness. See if one of those strikes your fancy.

photo: 6pm.com
Last-minute tip if you're gift-hunting for a tall girl: The Ugg Danae is pretty elegant for a cold-weather (sheepskin-lined) boot and has a functional buckle for calf adjustment. Caveats: Based on reviews around the web, it sounds like this one runs narrow in foot as well as calf, so maybe go up 1/2 size from normal. And the shaft--somewhere between 18 & 20" tall, depending on which store you want to believe--may hit the knee awkwardly for shorter or even average-height folks.


Happy, healthy holidays to all ... and special thanks to everyone who has made this page more fun, useful, lively & engaging by posting a comment. May 2016 bring more laughter than tears, and -- just maybe, if it's not pushing our luck -- a few new skinny boot styles :-)

7 comments:

  1. Thank you for this awesome list! I just ordered a pair of Solemani in black, last pair too! This was meant to be :)

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  2. Glad you snagged that last pair! Happy New Year!!

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    1. Hi Mary! Love your blog. When I read your note about the Ugg Danae above, I got super excited and ordered them. For the size 8 1/2, the calf circumference was a massive 15 inches!!! So they are going back. Just thought I could save others the pain of disappointment.

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    2. Hi Mary! I LOVE your blog. Just a note about the Ugg Danae that you mentioned above. I got excited when I read what you wrote and ordered them. For the size 8 1/2, the calf circumference was a massive 15 inches!!!! I could fit another half a leg in there! Just wanted to pass this on to spare others the disappointment ...

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    3. Oh no! So sorry they were not as slim as hoped. But thanks so much for the warning!

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  3. Hey, but happy ending. I ordered the Frye Jenna Inside Zip you mentioned, and they are without a doubt the slimmest boot without stretch panels I've ever managed to find. They are keepers! They are about 13.5 inches at the top for an 8 1/2. My only complaint is that they don't narrow much as they drop to the ankle for a kind of straight look. But for boots that don't gape at the top, I can make peace with that. THANK YOU for pointing me in that direction. Happy to share a picture, but I don't know how to attach it here?

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  4. Excellent news! Would love to see a pic but yeah, am not sure how to paste one in (I just tried doing one here & no dice). Will explore that more when time permits. So glad to hear the Jenna's a go, though. 13.5" at the TOP, esp for a non-tiny shoe size, is pretty rare. And Fryes are so gorgeous & tough - still my fave brand. Enjoy your new pair!

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