A list of narrow calf boot successes

A reader suggested that I compile a list of all the boots featured on this blog that worked well and could be options for skinny calf ladies. She said that having all the boots in one place would mean that she didn't have to scroll through every single post to figure out which reviews were good ones. That was really helpful feedback and I totally agreed. I put together the following list based on boots that I reviewed as well as ones from boot round-ups that received positive feedback from readers. I can't decide if I'll keep adding to this list or write these lists periodically (assuming that we find many more boots that work!). 

Boot Roundup

In trying to find the next pair of boots to review, I came across the following options for a boot roundup. As always, I haven't tried these on, but base my selections on descriptions, reviews, and tips from fellow skinny calf Contessa's :)

Sidenotes

* Thanks to all of you who friended / liked me on Facebook! It's so great to see how many other skinny calf ladies are out there and rockin it! Hopefully the page will make it easier for us to share quick and timely tips. 
** Unrelated, but I realized that Amazon is having a sale - 30% off $100 on select boots/shoes. Good deal!

New Facebook page and a giveaway (for a different blog)

I decided to create a Facebook for this blog since it may be an easier way to share posts and it would allow me to post quick updates. This would be helpful if I get a good tip and want to share it quickly or--to use a recent example--to notify readers if I return boots that were out of stock. Right now, I update each post and it's probably a pain for readers to keep checking them. So feel free to "friend" me! But I made all the posts public so you can still see the posts and comments if you prefer not to.

Also --and I apologize for the digression since this isn't related to boots-- I found out about a contest recently and thought it was pretty exciting. I don't read a lot of fashion blogs but I do enjoy Effortless Anthropologie and I suspect that some of you are fellow Anthropologie fans. EA is holding a pretty great contest to celebrate that blog's 5 year anniversary. I wanted to share it because I suspect some of you might be interested (and because it allowed me to get another entry into the contest :). More info about the contest after the jump.

Don't worry, I'm still searching for boots!

A few tips about DUO boots

A few readers have written to me when they're considering ordering from DUO boots to ask about my experience with the company. Although I can't write a review since I haven't ordered from DUO myself, I can share some tips from a friend of mine -- M -- who ordered from them about a year or so ago. 

A quick overview -- DUO allows women to purchase boots that are custom tailored to their leg measurements. They have a pretty wide selection of heeled boots, riding boots and ankle boots, and all appear to be leather. Prices  for ankle boots start right under $200, and tall boots range from $260 to over $400. I counted about thirty pairs that were $300 or under. I haven't spent a lot of time of their site but it seems to have a much larger selection of styles compared to just a couple of years ago. I found myself coveting quite a few pairs. My friend, M, said that the leather on her pair seemed high quality. I can't remember which style she ordered. 

There are a bunch of reviews of DUO floating around on the web and I'm not sure if the tips below add anything new, but here's some advice that M shared.

1) When ordering, send DUO an email asking if they can adjust ankle size, not just the calf size. In the return form that DUO sent her, they asked for many other dimensions aside from just her calf size. If she had seen that form initially, she could have made a much better decision. Her only complaint about the boots was that the ankle fit too loose. The calf fit perfectly. 

2) DUO has great customer service. M received immediate responses to her emails. When she returned the boots, she also received a very detailed message confirming that the boots were received. They offered to issue a refund unless she preferred to adjust any other dimensions on the boots.

3) Her main complaint about the order process was return shipping. She did USPS and paid $30. Shipping from the UK to the US (or other destinations worldwide) is free.

4) Items delivered to non-EU locations are subject to import taxes. A note from DUO about import taxes-- "Customs taxes are charged on goods shipped outside the EU, and unfortunately there is no way of avoiding these charges. Sometimes a parcel may slip through the net and not be charged but this would be lucky and not to be expected. The charges are usually about 10% of the cost of the product, plus an admin fee- it might be worth checking with your local customs office for more information." I’m not sure about the time frame to receive the notice about the tax, but it might take a month or more. I think hers was about 10% ($30) for her $300 pair of boots. 

If you have experience with DUO, please share in the comments. I look forward to reading them and I'm sure other readers do as well!

~ Little Contessa

Review: Fitzwell Finley Narrow Calf (believe the hype!)

*Updated with pictures.
**The size 6 I returned has been snatched up by someone--hopefully one of you!

Finally! Boots that are actually made for narrow calves! Not ones that we have to tighten, tailor, stuff, or practically maim to get them to fit correctly. The calf circumference on a size 6 is actually 12 inches!! I couldn't get a good ankle circumference measurement but they fit my 7.5" ankles pretty well. The shaft height is 15". I measured from the arch of the foot to the top of the boot. 

The heel is 3" and although it's not a stiletto, it is a skinny heel that probably won't be great for standing or walking a lot. The description says there's a "gel comfort heel pad" but I didn't notice any extra cushioning. The sole felt a bit hard, although I wouldn't say the boots are uncomfortable. Perhaps readers who own these can weigh in about the level of comfort. 

I imagine these boots will be great with skirts and dresses. I don't think the narrow shaft will accommodate jeans unless your calves are much slimmer than my 12" calves, although tights and jeggings may work. I like that the leather isn't super shiny. The sheen on my Blondo Louna boots can be a bit much at times (I reviewed the Louna last year in this post). The Finley boots definitely seem like a better / slimmer fit on my legs than the Louna, although the Louna is very comfortable.  

I'm happy to be able to spread the word about these boots, which I hope will work for many of you. Currently, it looks like they're only sold at Zappos ($139). It looks like sizes 6 and 6.5 are sold out at the moment. I couldn't find any other online retailers that sell these boots but I'll keep an eye out for them. I plan to return my size 6 this week. I considered keeping them but frankly, I've been so fortunate to have found a few pairs of well-fitting boots over the past couple of years (many thanks to you all!) that there's just no reason for me to keep these to myself. I hope one of you is able to pick up the pair that I return.

Review: GeeWaWa Blair

A helpful reader shared her experience with GeeWaWa's Blair boots (see her comment at the bottom of this earlier post) and I'm so thankful that she did! I think these affordable boots are a strong flat boot / riding boot contender for slim-calved ladies. I apologize in advance for the graininess of some of the photos. (I removed some of the original photos and added new ones that hopefully are better).  

Altogether, I'm very happy with how these boots fit. The calf circumference of my size 6 measures between 12.5"-13" fully laced up, although it may be possible to shave off another quarter inch by replacing the leather laces with thinner ones. The shaft height is 13.5". I measured from the arch of the foot to the top of the boot--basically the full length of the side zip. The shaft hits at the widest part of my calf, so the boots look proportional to my height (I'm 5'2"). The ankle was a bit saggy. It was tough to get an accurate measurement but the ankle circumference is between 9"-10". As a reference, my ankle circumference is 7.5", although something in the 8"-8.5" range would probably look best on me. 

The boots are a soft leather and will need some type of protective treatment. The underside has no grip so these are definitely not for extreme winter weather. They lace up the back and have a "tongue" for a better fit (see the third picture). I laced them up as tightly as I could, which made the laces super long. I'd trim the laces to keep them from looking ridiculous. The toe is a bit pointy and I'm uncertain about whether they make my feet look gigantic, or whether it's not too noticeable. Our tipster said these run a bit large, but I think I can work with my true size 6. There's a bit of room in the foot but not so much that my foot will slip. I think this size would work for those of you who are a size 6-6.5 and maybe even a size 7. I'm planning to keep the brown pair. The black pair felt a teeny bit looser around my ankles. I'm still torn on whether these boots would work with skirts or dresses? I have a tough time gauging this. I still feel like a novice when it comes to wearing knee-high boots with skirts/dresses, so any input is appreciated!

Now for the bad news. I couldn't find these boots anywhere other than Shoebacca ($88), which has them in extremely limited sizes since they are on clearance. I'm planning to return the black pair tomorrow (via mail) so those of you who are a 6-6.5 can keep an eye out for them. Hopefully they'll be back up in a week or so.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any similar options by GeeWaWa (pronounced like chihuahua-- their logo is a little chihuahua :) I'd never heard of this brand but I plan to email them this review. Hopefully that will prompt them to make similar styles in the future!

GeeWaWa Blair (now $88)

Another Boot Roundup (**updated**)

After writing the previous boot roundup, I came across the following boots that I wanted to mention quickly. Once again, I haven't tried these on but based my notes on the descriptions and reviews. (New boot added-- A helpful reader submitted a promising tip about Nine West's Noureen boots so I added it to the list as #8)

1) BCBG Erinn ($64 - $200)
These have a lace-up back--a nice alternative to the lace-up front. One reviewer sent a pic of how nicely these fit her narrow calves. Thanks :) Available at Amazon, Macy's, 6pm and in very limited sizes at Sears. 

BCBG Erinn