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 :-)

Take Two: Skinnycalf Rider

I don't normally repost on the same product, but the new Skinnycalf label deserves a quick repeat for mustering up the entrepreneurial spirit to tackle the thin-calf challenge with a high-quality line of Italian-made boots.

Fall is the perfect time to step out in this Rider boot, offered for 30% off with code SKINNY30.

Go here for measurements, a shop link & lots more detail.

Skinnycalf Rider

We're on fire, ladies! Two 5-out-of-5-for-slimness boots already for 2015, less than two months into the year.

The latest is the Rider from Skinnycalf Boots, a just-launched NYC-based line aiming to bring "young and current but also timeless" designs to women with smaller than average calf circumferences. These Italian-made beauties were kindly loaned to me for review, and I'm happy to report they are among the slenderest riding boots I've tried.

In size 7.5, the Rider measures 13.5" up top, a wonderful 12.5 at the midcalf & 10.25" at the ankle for a chic, streamlined fit. The shaft is slightly curved -- sadly, the calf definition you see above is the boot, not  my leg -- but nowhere near as dramatically as some of the other styles I've reviewed here. So I think these flatter my plank-like legs.

The cognac color is stunning, and the Italian leather rich & glowing. The soft leather lining is a nice touch. 

I would say these run just on the snug side of true-to-size, so if you are between half sizes, go with the larger of the two, especially if you plan to wear with a thicker sock -- though the leather feels like it will stretch nicely to conform to the foot.

A couple of caveats: The shaft in a size 7.5 is 15.5 inches tall, which should please boot lovers who are around average range in stature or a bit shorter (but not too short), whereas those much taller than average may wish for another inch or so in shaft height. And the sole is rubber for a nice grip but doesn't feature much in the way of treads or grooves, so you might not want to take these out in the iciest of weather, even if you've weatherproof-treated them.

FYI: Skinnycalf carries a sexy heeled style, too (at right), that is even slimmer than the Rider (Early 2018 update: I'm not sure whether this small business plans to produce more styles in the future, but I see that the Grady high-heeled style I modeled for the photo at right is on final sale -- i.e., nonreturnable, I presume -- now for only $90, which is an excellent deal for Italian-made leather boots with a truly narrow shaft.)

Also in the initial rollout was/is a cozy, shearling-lined wedge boot for the chilly months.


Rating for the Rider:
Beauty: *****/5
Value: ***/5
Calf slimness: *****/5

In cognac & black.
Find it at:
Skinnycalf.com (20% off as of October '15, with code SKINNY20)