Women’s High Boots: Knee-High and Over-the-Knee

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Women's shoes · Tall boots

A tall boot is the only shoe you buy by looking at a measurement that is not your foot size. The shaft rises along the leg, and if the circumference is not right, nothing else matters: it either feels tight around the calf or collapses at the ankle.

How tall is it, really?

We read the measurements from the product sheets rather than estimating them. ASH Dolly has a 41-centimetre shaft: on most legs, it reaches just below the knee. JVAM states 40 centimetres for size 37 - and this is the point that is almost always missed: the shaft grows with the size, so on a 40 it will be taller than that.

Casadei Double Face is based on a different idea: the shaft can be worn extended or folded down, creating two different boots from the same purchase - knee-high with slim trousers, or folded down to the calf over a dress. Pinko focuses on a soft shaft that naturally gathers at the ankle and features the logo applied high up.

Calf circumference, and how to measure it

Take a tailor's tape measure and measure your calf at its widest point, standing up, at the end of the day - not in the morning, because the leg changes by a couple of centimetres over the course of the day. That is the measurement to compare.

If you are at the limit, the material makes the difference: suede and nappa give in during the first few hours and adapt, smooth leather gives very little, and patent leather does not give at all. A shaft with elastic at the back or a long zip can make up for two or three centimetres of difference; a rigid tube cannot.

The boutique's advice. If this is your first tall boot, choose suede or soft leather with a heel between 4 and 5 centimetres. It is the combination you can wear all day and that allows for a calf at the upper limit. Patent leather and a rigid tube look beautiful in the window and are far less forgiving.

The heel feels twice as heavy on a tall boot

On a décolleté, the forefoot bears the heel's weight. On a tall boot, the shaft also does some of the work, pushing the leg forward with every step: the same number of centimetres becomes tiring sooner. Between 4 and 5 centimetres - the Pinko kitten heel, the ASH block heel - is the height you can walk in. From 8 upwards, as with Casadei's 80-millimetre internal wedge, a platform or a wide base underneath is advisable.

How to wear them without getting the proportions wrong

The tall shaft defines the line of the leg: above it, wear something that stops rather than something that continues. It works with a knee-length skirt or one that falls slightly below the knee, a knitted dress, or skinny jeans tucked inside. It does not work with wide-leg trousers that fall over the boot: they hide precisely what you bought.

Below 18 centimetres in shaft height, the situation changes completely, and the right page is women's ankle boots and booties. Lace-up styles with lug soles are listed under combat boots. The entire season's selection is in women's boots.

Frequently asked questions

How do you measure your calf for a tall boot?

With a tailor's tape measure, standing up, at the widest point of the calf, preferably at the end of the day: the leg swells slightly over the course of the day, and the morning measurement can be misleading. This number should be compared with the shaft circumference, not your foot size.

How tall is a «knee-high» shaft?

Between 38 and 42 centimetres in a medium size: ASH Dolly states 41 centimetres, JVAM 40 in size 37. Please note: the shaft increases with the size, so the same product information for a size 40 measures a few centimetres more.

Do tall boots stretch around the calf?

It depends on the leather. Suede and nappa give way during the first few hours of wear and recover a centimetre or slightly more. Smooth leather gives very little, while patent leather gives none at all. If you are at the limit, look for a shaft with a rear elastic panel or a long zip: these can accommodate two or three centimetres.

What is the difference between knee-high boots and cuissardes?

Cuissardes rise above the knee, up to mid-thigh, and should be worn almost exclusively with short skirts or dresses; knee-high boots stop just below the kneecap and are much easier to style. In this selection, we focus mainly on the latter.

Which heel should you choose for a tall boot to wear all day?

Between 4 and 5 centimetres, on a wide base. On a tall boot, the shaft pushes the leg forward with every step, so the same heel becomes tiring sooner than on a low shoe: above 8 centimetres, it is best to have a platform or an internal wedge for compensation.