Frye Melissa Tall Riding

Once you've tried Frye, it's easy to go broke on the brand. But less so for us thin-legged ladies, as this venerable label tends to cut things wide, and slim calf Frye boots are not easy to find.

That's why I'm so excited to show you the Frye Melissa Tall Riding (June '17 update: now priced under $200 in some size/color combos). It's essentially a reboot (ouch! sorry, couldn't resist that dreadful pun) of the stunning Paige Tall, but made significantly slimmer.

Yes, I know, it's confusing. There's already an array of "Melissas," so why couldn't they just call this the "Paige Slim" or something like that?

What matters, though, is that these are the closest things to bona fide skinny calf Frye boots I've tried so far in a knee-high style. (June 2014 update: The Frye Chelsea Riding has a different look and color options but is even slimmer, in case you want to check that one out.)

Like the Paige, this version of the Melissa has a lovely "layering" or doubled effect in the shaft that adds a little style without slipping into trendiness. We will definitely be seeing this boot on ebay a few years down the road, fetching strikingly close to retail even pre-owned, as with many of the classic-looking Fryes. And if you're averse to stretch panels, these beauties have absolutely none -- not even the hidden kind. So I wouldn't recommend them for calves over 14 inches. (You could hope they'll stretch with your leg, but why push it when you can just pick the Paige for a wider fit?)

A pretty foot shape cuts a lot of butter with me, as the combo of scrawny calves & not-tiny feet (size 7.5-8) tends to make my feet look a bit boatlike when in less artful shoemaking hands. This boot comes through with an almond-ish shape that walks the line between polished and rustic. The color I chose -- "camel" -- is somewhere in between my beloved "fawn" ankle and "cognac" midcalf Taylors. Those have both proven super versatile, so the camel in-between shade will likely go with virtually anything. The "redwood" option also looks really nice, and of course the classic black. In the camel, at least, the burnished effect is subtler in real life than shops' web photos, which suits me fine.

Measurements?  In size 8, these narrow calf Frye boots were 13.5" at the midcalf, where most calves are widest; 14.5" at the top; and 11.5" at the ankle. The ankle measurement would be more of a concern if the leather were slouchy, as has been the case with a few boots I've reviewed here. Instead, it's quite structured, so there's no bagging, just an equestrian-inspired straightish line from top to bottom of the shaft. I did need to undo the half-zip to get these on, which is always a good sign!

Note:  If you go for these, I highly recommend at least two layers of weatherproofing spray (let it dry fully before reapplying) before the first outing, though it may darken the leather just a tad. That approach worked miracles for my taller Taylors, which look new despite being worn into the ground, and I'm still kicking myself for not using it on my shorter ones :(

If you've got a firsthand Frye with narrow shaft recommendation, please do share in the comments. As I said, this isn't an easy find.

**ps: If you don't love the layered shaft as much as I do, check out a gorgeous cousin to this boot, the Melissa Tall Tab. A glowing review I read by a petite person was very encouraging -- though for those of us who take a shoe size larger than hers (6-6.5), the shaft will be a bit roomier too. (I know, I know -- calf width is not, in reality, proportional to foot length, and I don't know why the manufacturers all do this! Maybe we can start a petition...)


Rating for the Melissa Tall Riding:
Beauty: *****/5
Value: ****/5 (show these some TLC & they'll last a loooong time)
Calf slimness: ***/5

Find the Melissa Tall Riding at:
Amazon

Which matters more for narrow calf boots -- the top or the ankle?

I think I've made it pretty clear by now that I feel the sleekness and slimness of a slim calf boot has to do not just with one circumference measurement but with three: the opening, the midcalf, and the ankle. Once in a blue moon, you might find a boot that is small in all three of these, such as the all-but-gone-now Michael Kors Arley. More commonly, it's lucky enough to find one that's small in one or two of the magic three measurements.

My last two reviews got me thinking about what matters more in terms of the overall look on a thin leg: a snug fit at the ankle, like you can get with the Sesto Meucci Boyle boot (above), or up top, as delivered by the same company's Boomer style (below)?  Personally I think a snug ankle lends itself to dressing up a boot, while a roomier one has a more casual vibe. So maybe it depends on when, where & how you're planning on wearing your narrow calf boots.

If we can't have it all, do we choose that great fit up down, down low, or call it a toss-up and look at features such as hardware and other details, quality of materials & price as the tiebreakers?

photo: amazon.com

One last thought: For a truly custom fit from top to bottom, if you're open to laces, check out the much-loved (though not easy to find) Frye Melissa Lace. (as of May 2016, a very rare-for-this-style under $200 & even under $150 in some size/color combos) It may be the ultimate way to adjust at ankle through top, no matter what you're wearing underneath. 

If anyone feels like piping up, I'd love your input! If you have to pick, what's your priority? 

Sesto Meucci Boomer

With these back-to-back posts, I'm becoming a regular Sesto Meucci fangirl. You will too, if you give these beauteous Boomer boots for skinny legs a spin.

I know I'm always rhapsodizing about the color of lovingly crafted slim calf brown boots, but this Italian pair really does have a rich, warm tone -- the "Tiziano" shade is what I'm wearing here -- that for me is an instant mood lifter. And definitely an instant wardrobe revitalizer.

But the best part may be the Boomer's adjustable quality through the calf. It features two buckling straps in back, and the inner panel they lay over is constructed in such a way that you can really customize the calf fit by cinching the straps.

The genious of that well-attached inner panel is that it is wide enough not to gap if the buckles are set on their largest setting, for a bigger calf, but narrow enough that the shaft shouldn't wrinkle or fold much with the addition of an extra hole, and extra tightening, for a skinny calf.

Buckled at narrowest setting -- with no new holes punched -- the top opening for a size 7 1/2 is already an impressively small 12.75", but adding another hole could bring it down to as low as 12" on the dot (so exciting!). At midcalf, the boot is 13.25 at tightest buckle setting, but another hole could bring it down to 12.5. The extra holes could be added cheaply by a cobbler, or there's even a leather hole punch tool for a DIY approach. If you've got skinny ankles as I do, this under-$10, highly rated tool could come in handy for basically every sandal, maryjane, etc., you've ever bought or ever will.
 And speaking of ankles -- the Boomer measures 11" around at that point.

I do think the back buckles make this a slightly trendier riding boot than the other Sesto style I reviewed, the Boyle, but the lovely lean line is not going out of style anytime soon. Can see this one with cute summer sundresses, minis, possibly even cutoffs, as well as the jeans and sweaters those of us in the still-frozen tundra continue to wear.

Rating:
Beauty: *****/5
Value: *****/5
Calf slimness: ****/5 with buckle holes as is; *****/5 with another hole added per strap

Find it:
Well, I can't anymore, as of June 2018 - let me know if you do!

Sesto Meucci Boyle

No signs of a crocus yet in our front yard, and no hint of a warm(er) breeze in the air. Yet this month brings the official start of spring, and with it the unofficial worst time of year to look for knee high women's boots for slim calves.

Or is it? Sure, the selection may not be what it was back in September, but the prices! I would argue that we're heading into the absolute best time of year to score a perfect pair of boots on a budget. And by way of proof, I've got a stunning offering all the way from equally stunning Florence, Italy.

Sesto Meucci is a rather under-the-radar label that is nonetheless known in thin calf circles. The cut on this brand's boots tends to be pretty sleek and streamlined. That reputation certainly holds with the Boyle boot, coming in at a skinny 13" midcalf (for shoe size 7 1/2), gently widening to 14" up top, and circling the ankle at a relatively slim 10". 

But wait! The very cute lacing detail at the back of the ankle is actually functional. That is to say, you really can tighten those leather laces for a narrower ankle circumference, bringing it down (if you so choose) to my ideal measurement of 9 inches. Such a simple trick, yet so so welcome for those of us used to flopping around at the ankle. Why can't more companies employ this technique?

And this is another wonderful choice for those who dislike large stretch panels, as its goring section is relatively small, and covered with leather.

What we have here is a high-$300s Italian boot (I would in fact put it up there with $400+ Aquatalias I've tried, in terms of fit and beauty) that you can grab now -- what'd I tell you? spring bonus! -- for low 200s. (Though with the Sestos, you'd need to do your own spray-on waterproofing, if that's important to you.)

At that price, some sizes are gone. If yours isn't, give this one serious consideration. One of my fave looks yet.

Rating:
Beauty: *****/5
Value: *****/5
Calf slimness: ****/5 with the ankle laces loose, *****/5 with them tightened

In black & brown
Find it at: 
Amazon 
(nearly 50% as of April 2015 -- under $200! - but just one pair left...)

ps -- if you're really into the lacing idea, I stumbled across a very cute Donald Pliner boot on clearance, the Baude, that laces all the way up the back. That's a super hard-to-find design trick (I see it on maybe one or two decent-looking styles per year) that may or may not be up your alley, but in general the Pliner people tend to cut their riding boots pretty narrow, and with the extra adjustability from full-length lacing, this could be a winner.

Blondo Vallera

Canadian brand Blondo is a pioneer in waterproof leather boots, having produced these for about 30 years now in increasingly stylish designs. While they don't generally offer as many boots for narrow calves as compatriots La Canadienne, they do come through sometimes, and at rather gentler prices. The Vallera may be the label's best current offering for peg leg types.

A midcalf circumference of  13.5" keeps this one from flopping around slim gams. Up top, the Vallera widens to 15", and the ankle is 1075" around. Overall another "good but not great" pick in terms of measurements.

So what do I love about this boot? The "butterscotch" color I ordered is a misnomer; it's really a rich, slightly burnished looking nutmeg shade (not ombre like it appears in these photos! that's just the way the sun is hitting today...) that in my opinion is more versatile, reminding me somewhat of the very popular adjustable-calf Mullen Spice boot in the equally misnamed "tan" that I ogled this fall at a Clarks store.

The soft leather lining doesn't hurt, and the pretty textured sole is helpful for the ice all over our sidewalks here that simply will not go away (ugh!). As are the aforementioned "water proofed" leather and "sealed seams" touted on the label.

As for the hardware, it's equestrian in spirit, a bit antique looking, and to me timeless, despite a blog post I read somewhere about any sort of buckle making boots look trendy. Done right, I think they add rather than detract from a classic style. Cared for properly, the Vallera should look as "right" 20 years from now as it does today, or would have 20 years ago.

As you might have guessed, I have a love-hate relationship with stretch panels on boots. I love that their existence makes it economically viable for manufacturers to create styles with a "base circumference" that works okay for small calves, even if we don't use/need the stretch function, because these can generally stretch to fit average legs, too. But I'm less enamored of how prominent the panels can be when not done thoughtfully.

On the Vallera, the goring is hidden so prettily that I feel it actually adds to the boot's design, flattering a thin calf with the illusion of a bit more curve.







A note on sizing: A few reviewers complained of trouble getting their foot into this one, but I had no problem at all with that. I am in between a 7.5 and an 8 and got the 8, which was the right length and fine, though comfortably snug, in the toe area.

With just a suggestion of point through the toe, I would say this isn't a style that makes your feet look shorter, so if yours are longer than average, you might want to think twice.

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

In black and two shades of brown.
Find it at:
Amazon


***spring 2016 update***

photo: zappos.com

Happily, Zappos appears to have on offer another pair of Blondo slim calf boots in waterproof leather -- the Elenor (at right) -- that look pretty darned fitted on slim-looking legs in the video clip. The published circumference on those is 13.5" in size 8, so depending on whether that's a top or midcalf measurement, I'm guessing they'd fit me about the same as the Vallera, possibly a bit snugger. Nice option for the rainy season...