Sam Edelman Paloma

The first couple of years that over-the-knee boots turned up in celeb photos, I thought they were a showy flash-in-the-pan. But they've shown staying power, and I've slowly warmed up to the idea -- especially with styles out now that don't flare out at the top to make thin-limbed people look like wannabe pirates.

In fact, I've become convinced that some of the best boots for skinny calves out there are now OTK styles -- if you pick the right ones.

Like many of you, I'm sure, I fell in love (or at least deeply in like) with an unaffordable Stuart Weitzman over-the-knee riding boot. In my case it was the soft suede Lowland style, with its narrow calf measurements, tall-enough-not-to-slip-under-my-knee shaft height and adjustable tie at the top to accommodate my thighs, which are not as skinny as my calves but still a fair bit smaller than average.

The Sam Edelman boots I'm wearing in these photos, the Paloma, are of course a much less luxe version of Weitzman Lowland -- for a small fraction of the price (January 2018 update: this style appears sold out most everywhere, so your best bet may be ebay at this point). They're not made of real suede, but a soft suede-look fabric. But to my eye they win big points for style, versatility and fit.

The circumferences are kind of hard to measure, as this boot is so soft, but the Paloma is around 9 inches at the ankle (yea! slim...) and around 12 at midcalf, though I believe it could accommodate a somewhat larger calf too. It's not skintight on my leg, but the lack of the wide swath of stretch goring most of the original OTK styles had is a worthy tradeoff, I think, and the Paloma is snug enough to provide that sleek "boots as leggings" look even on a thin limb.


The top circumference is truly adjustable due to a toggle closure that you can tighten to your calf's content :)

<<<Here's a closer look at that handy closure.






I love the 23" (in shoe size 7.5) shaft height, as I want an OTK boot to stay OTK and not become an "on-the-knee" boot. Under or over, yes, but not right on the knee. And with the Paloma's shaft height, I can't imagine that happening to anyone who is not extremely tall.

Caveat: There's not much grip on these soles, so I wouldn't wear them out in freezing rain. But the soft ultrasuede would probably deter you from that anyway.

Sizing: I am between a shoe size 7.5 and 8 and chose the 7.5 in this boot, with good results. I'd say it fits true to size.

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


See also:

The streamlined style above by Public Desire will set you back only $56. Unfortunately the source, ASOS, tends not to list boot circumference. But the fit looks decent, per video clip featuring what I would call "healthy slender" model legs.

photo c Amazon

Though I haven't yet tried them on, the Sam Edelman Peyton (above) and Dolce Vita Neely
(below) are also reportedly good OTK bets for thin calves, with the Neely listed at an inch taller in the shaft than these Edelman styles -- a plus for the superstatuesque :) And finally -- a little wiggle room looks great, I think, on this model wearing tie-top over-the-knee boots from Anthropologie

photo c Nordstrom

I love the fact that all the boots in this post are so affordable. So if they turn out to be too trendy for the long haul, we don't have to feel too guilty for overspending.

Sesto Meucci Safari

With the holidays in sight -- if you squint -- it's fun to find footwear with a bit of party-ready, festive detailing. That's just what the Safari style from one of my all-time favorite purveyors of slim calf riding boots, the Italian company Sesto Meucci, is offering with its curving, very subtly sparkling suede panels.

In size 8, this boot measures 14 inches up top, 13.25" at midcalf and a relatively skinny 10.25" around the ankle. (Thanks Sesto for recognizing that thin calves are frequently attached to thin ankles! :)  Those sparkly suede panels add a nice curve to the ankle, too -- a shapeliness often missing in riding boots. This is a classic, streamlined shape that is feminine without being fussy.

There's a panel of stretch goring for calf fit (see below), but it's narrow enough to be almost unnoticeable. Not something that breaks up the boot's long, lean line of leather.

Look closely at these pix for a better look at the contrast between rich, buttery leather and soft, sparkly suede. It's a nice touch.

I will say that the toe area in size 8 felt somewhat narrow, especially on my "touchy" right foot, but the terrific thing about this style is that it's offered in wide as well as medium widths, and I suspect the 8W would be perfect on me. More often than not, I'm a 7.5M, but these are Italian boots we're talking about, so sizing can be a bit different.

As for shaft height, the size 8 measured 16.5 inches tall, which should work well for most calves but could hit the kneecap uncomfortably if you're much shorter than average, or proportionally short-legged.

The sole is grippier than many luxe Euro boots -- a plus for those of us in unpredictable-climate areas.

All in all, a really pretty find, well proportioned for slim legs.
 
Rating for the Safari:
Beauty/style: ****/5
Value: ***/5
Calf slimness: ****/5

Find it at:
Amazon (35% off as of late November 2016)
6pm (check out the video here on slender-looking legs)


~P.S.~

photo c 6pm

Another Sesto Meucci beauty to check out, not yet road-tested by yours truly but advertised at Nordies as a narrow calf option and now deeply discounted at my fave shoe clearance site, is the Fibby  (pictured at left). Personally, I love a 2-inch heel like this for leg lengthening.

photo c 6pm

Finally, another slim riding boot with the panache for holiday dressing is the sweet, stretchy, floral-embossed Vaneli Radius (at right). (April '18 update: Sold out at my former source; maybe check ebay?)

With some weatherproofing spray, these suede slim calf boots should be able to withstand the colder months, though I'd avoid wearing them out in super-slushy messes. {Ack, sorry to bring that stuff up...forget I said anything! Happy non-slushy Thanksgiving to all! :}