Reader Question:Also, is there any rules with shoes and body types? Particurarly thinking about boots, as it’s getting colder here in Europe 😉 Thanks again, Maija
When thinking about what are the best shapes of boots and heels for different body shapes, consider your shape and what will balance it.
- Stiletto heels with their long slim spindly shape are best for slimmer body shapes and those with slim calves and ankles.
- Stacked heels are better for those with the feminine curvy hip and thigh and curvier calves and ankles.
- Wedge heels can be finer (look at the profile from the back) and suit slimmer shapes, or wider, and suit curvier shapes.
- Cone heels can work on many shapes as they have some sturdiness.
- Completely flat shoes work best on those with average to longer legs.
- Kitten heels are more flattering on women with proportionally smaller feet.
- A platform wedge is great for any woman with shorter legs who wants some extra height, but doesn’t necessarily want to wear a high heel. They are great on 8 shapes, X shapes, A shapes, H shapes, O shapes.
- Knee high boots are universally flattering (if you can find one that fits your calf – don’t forget boots can be taken in, or even stretched a little, if you have calves outside the manufacturing standards, why not try manufacturers like DUO boots – 30 styles, 21 calf fittings
who customise the size of the calf!).
- Knee high boots make your legs look longer and slimmer, which is why they are so great, but if you have shorter legs, avoid those with lots of buckles, straps or other horizontal details as this will shorten their apparent length.
- Motorcycle (mid-calf) length boots are only good for those with very slim calves as they cut you across the calf and visually widen the size of your legs.
- Ankle length boots can be worn by anyone under pants, but if you want to wear them with skirts/dresses, they need to fit closely at the ankle, and your skirt/dress needs to end above the knee.
- The more you want to elongate your leg, then choose longer, well-fitting boots with little detail and a heel. Match hosiery to your boot colour to further elongate.
- If you have long legs you can add more detail to your boots and you don’t have to match hosiery.
What is your body shape and which heel and boot shape is your favourite?
I'm a flat heeled boots girl, knee high, although I recently got a pair of 10.5" high ones that I really like on me. I have a pair a couple of inches shorter in the shaft that I can't wear with anything but pants, though.
Great article! I have a more specific question: who can wear overknee-boots? They're so in!
Lin3arossa – I did a post on over the knee boots here https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2010/03/tricky-trend-over-knee-and-thigh-high.html
Enjoy!
My favorite boots of all time are my brown suede Alberto Fermanis. I'm tall, curvy, and a little heavier than I'd like to be, so the chunky heel is perfect(and comfortable!)I'm particularly attracted to boots that lace up, so most of my boots at least appear to lace. I only wear skirts and dresses, so boots are a lifesaver in the winter to protect my stockinged legs from the cold. I don't have (or want) much clothing, but I love my slowly expanding collection of boots! I try to save for one nice pair a year, and kept a awful few thrifted pairs to cut down on everyday wear-and-tear for the first few years.
I am happy to see that I am buying the right boots for my body type.
Thanks Imogen for this post 🙂 Seems like I've got it right. I just bought mid-calf boots and have skinny legs. They have a bit chunkier heel but the heel is low, I consider them almost a flat boot. And I'm tall too. With my long legs I had trouble finding knee high boots. What's knee high to some is mid calf for me…
This is so helpful! For the first time in my life, I can finally zip boots all the way up my calf. Over my jeans, even! Lost 50 pounds this year and fall/winter boots are a whole new world for me.
What about boot puffiness/ thickness compared to your hip/ shoulder width? I have narrow hips; my body is pretty straight up and down And slender with a short torso and I notice when I wear calf length Uggs it makes me feel even scrawny-er …does it have something to do with the balance? Thanks!:)
Yes – the scale of uggs is too large for your small scale frame. You need a slimmer boot with slim sole and heel, not chunky.
I’m 5’4, average weight and I hike so I have “sturdy” legs, and I’m an avid outdoors maniac that wants to feel feminine every so often. Any suggestions??
Nikki – try Duoboots.co.uk or http://www.bennettsboots.com.au which both cater to wider calf fittings.
I’m 1.67m tall and I’m about 65kg.
My legs aren’t really slim, so I’m confusing about choosing a nice pair of boots.
I love combat boots, lace-up boots and chelsea boots. I also like boots made from velvet.
I just want to know if I’m suitable for those kinds of boots, and if I can mix them with my black parka :”)
Thanks a lot.
I have short leg..so i want to know whicg type of boots i wear…and without heels
Knee length riding boot style will work well.
Love the look of knee high boots but have a terrible time finding any that fit. Stores seem to carry hundreds of pairs in the fall, but they all seem to be the same shaft height and width. Since I’m so short (5’1″) I need boots that have a shorter shaft so those ‘knee-high’ boots don’t dig into the back of my knees. Already, those are tough to find. And while my legs aren’t particularly heavy, my calf muscle starts much lower down than it does on a tall woman, so I also end up needing wide calf boots. Add to that, my feet are small (6) and narrow (AA) and it seems like most manufacturers assume that wide calf also means wide/big foot. In other words, I’ve pretty much given up. 🙁
What would you recommend for those who have curvy calves and slim ankles?