Although I generally avoid Naturalizer boots because they favor wider calves, I took notice of their Naya Quail boot a few weeks ago. Naya is Naturalizer’s eco-friendly line and is quite a bit more expensive than regular Naturalizer shoes. The Naya Quail boot stood out to me because the expandable partial zipper in the back looked like it would accommodate smaller calves as well as bigger ones. They probably expect that most women will wear the boot unzipped to expose the sweater lining, but I wondered whether zipping it up completely could mean a more snug fit on the calf. One aspect of Naturalizer’s website that I really appreciate is the Q&A option, where you can ask about topics that aren’t mentioned in the product description. They state that the circumference for a size 6 is 14.5”, with an additional 3/16” for each additional half-size up. I hoped that this referred to the unzipped circumference and tried my luck.
Fit and function - I ordered the Bordo color, which is a lovely dark red-brown much like the picture on the Naturalizer website. My true size 6 fit best. A 6.5 was too roomy even with socks. Plus, I doubt I’ll have to wear thick socks with these since their entirely leather shaft means they’ll be pretty warm. I’m 5’2” (hence the blog’s title!) and the shoes hit about 2” below my knee. The leather is very soft but the boots do stay up pretty well, aside from the unfortunate wrinkling around my ankle. They’re also very comfortable, which is pretty great given the 3” heel. The shoe is a little noisy because of the buckle, but I suspect that will be less of a problem for those with slightly bigger calves, since the buckle doesn’t rest snugly on mine.
In addition to Naturalizer, the boots are also available at Endless
, Amazon
, Zappos, Planet Shoes, Shoebuy, and Piperlime.
The result - I’m very happy! Although the fit isn’t perfect, it’s pretty good, and certainly the best fit I’ve experienced in a long time given that I have a 12” calf. I think this boot would be wonderful for those of you with 13-14” calves. My one major annoyance is that there is quite a bit of gaping for me in the ankle. Of course, I have very slim ankles (6”circumference) so I hope this isn’t an issue for most of you. But honestly, I do wish that companies would realize that women with slim calves probably also have slim ankles, and craft their boots to accommodate that. I might consider taking the boots to a cobbler if I can find a trustworthy one, to explore whether the ankles can be taken in.
Naturalizer Naya Quail in Bordo
Fit and function - I ordered the Bordo color, which is a lovely dark red-brown much like the picture on the Naturalizer website. My true size 6 fit best. A 6.5 was too roomy even with socks. Plus, I doubt I’ll have to wear thick socks with these since their entirely leather shaft means they’ll be pretty warm. I’m 5’2” (hence the blog’s title!) and the shoes hit about 2” below my knee. The leather is very soft but the boots do stay up pretty well, aside from the unfortunate wrinkling around my ankle. They’re also very comfortable, which is pretty great given the 3” heel. The shoe is a little noisy because of the buckle, but I suspect that will be less of a problem for those with slightly bigger calves, since the buckle doesn’t rest snugly on mine.
In addition to Naturalizer, the boots are also available at Endless
, Amazon, Zappos, Planet Shoes, Shoebuy, and Piperlime. I hope this helps! Feel free to add your comments if you have this boot or if you have any questions for me!
Little Contessa
