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 :-)

Via Spiga Bufu

With August & September will come a new crop of riding boots, including -- I am sure -- at least a few promising boots for skinny calves. But almost none of these will come at the reasonable prices we've come to expect in the offseason. So this may be my last "bargain alert" post for a while.

Luckily I've got a pretty Via Spiga boot to offer up, perhaps especially appropriate for those looking for something polished enough for the office as well as more casual environments.

In a size 8, the Bufu boot measures 14.75 at the very top. Not so impressively slim, right? But at midcalf it's a nice slim 12.5", and the ankle is 10.5, adding up to a decent overall slimness.

There's a 2-inch-wide stretch goring panel on the inside and outside of each boot, plus a very pretty buckle detailat the ankle -- one of the subtlest I've seen, thanks to its soft silver finish.

I'm less nuts about the slightly curved-in-back shaft that adds the illusion of calf curve where I've got none. (The idea appeals; the reality, not so much.)

This is a pull-on boot -- no zipper. I had no trouble getting it off and on, but I did need to use the loops at top back to do so.

The sole isn't very textured at all, so if you need an industrial-strength grip, these aren't the boots for you.

Shaft height in size 8 is about 16 inches -- right around my ideal height, but if you're on the short side, measure your calf to see if that's going to be too tall.
 
Rating:
Beauty: ****/5
Value: ****/5
Calf slimness: ****/5

In brown or black.
Find it at:
Sold out at all the usual suspects -- only ebay has this one as of early 2018

PS: Via Spiga's Prish is another promising pair of tall boots for skinny legs. Heavily discounted in some color/size combos.